Monday
Even though we were exhausted after getting back from our epic Bodrum weekend, we just took a few hours to rest and then headed back out! The weather was absolutely awful. Why Istanbul?? Why do you always insist on having the shittiest weather when my family is in town? Oh well we made the best of it and headed to
Topkapı Place.
I had never been there before I was waiting to have my family here to see it. I know it’s weird but even though this has been such an independent experience it’s still so weird for me to see things like this without my family. I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world with my family from a very young age so usually seeing palaces, museums, and beaches have always been with them. Anyway long story short I wanted to wait for them to see Topkapı.
Anyway the palace is absolutely beautiful and the largest grounds I think I have ever seen. I love going to places like that just to imagine how life was like when Sultans and their families walked around here. I’m such a geek but I bought the book Harem by Aslı Sancar (website), and even though it’s set in Dolmabahçe Palace it’s still cool to have the stories of Princesses and Sultans running through my mind while walking around. The only thing that sucked was that it was so absolutely cold that the palace pretty much turned into a refrigerator. It was still gorgeous the whole palace is filled with old Sultan’s clothing, gifts and jewelry from other empires, and rooms perfectly preserved from Ottoman times. Islamic art and architecture is just so beautiful, I was in awe most of my time there. The only thing we didn’t get to see was the Harem, we got there at 3:30 and by the time the palace closed at 5:00 we had barely seen all of the palace oh well I’m sure I’ll be back soon!
Tuesday
Unfortunately, I had to go to class today so I stayed in my apartment overnight and met my family in Sultanahmet. Everyone saw the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and the Cisterns in the morning and thankfully my directions were sufficient to get them around! I met up with them and after having a quick lunch the boys and girls split! Dad and Uncle Kam headed to the Grand Bazaar. Admittedly I’m not a huge fan, it’s very touristy, crowded, and the vendors are pushy. Like I’ve said before I think the Spice Bazaar is a million times better. That being said it’s still worth seeing, plus it’s like 550 years old so why not! Mom, Titia, and I headed to the Turkish Bath, çemberlitaş, of course.
I enjoyed it just as much if not more than last time! But being there with my Mom and my Aunt made me realize how different modesty is across not only culture but ages. People my age, well 20ish year old girls aren’t always thrilled about being topless in front of other women but mostly we’re kinda eh about it. My sister has seen me naked, so have a few cousins, friends, and pretty much anyone who has stayed at my apartment after a drunken night out. I sleep naked when I’m drunk ok? But Mom and Titia are so different about it. They have been sister-in-laws and best friends for more than 25 years but they’ve never seen each other naked? I know it’s not like a normal thing to regularly see family members naked but please I’ve seen Rene and Tara when we’re all changing or going to the pool? I guess modesty went out the window with my generation? In any case they had a great time and since the two of them were so sick and stuffy the sauna made them both feel a lot better!
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