The People and Some Closing Thoughts on Turkey

I do not think that I could do justice to the gratitude I feel towards the Turkish people in just this one post. Nevertheless, I would like to try by sharing a compilation of my experiences from the trip.

In my experience as an American traveling overseas, I have come to know but one thing: in many ways after traveling to both Haiti and Turkey I have come to sense that in many ways the American people can be quite xenophobic. By no means, do I want to make a vast generalization of all Americans. In many ways Americans are hospitable to foreign visitors. However, I do not think that I have ever encountered the kind of hospitality that I time and again experienced during my stay in Turkey. I do want to underscore this statement by mentioning that in many ways the people that I met in Turkey were in one way or another trying to make our stay as comfortable as possible. Many of the people we met worked in the hotels we stayed at, ran the tours that we went on, were our guides at historic places, and sold us items from their shops. Obviously any good entrepreneur is going to accomodate the needs of their customer. However, in Turkey I found this to beyond what I have experienced back home.

In Turkey, as with most developed nations, big businesses and conglomerates are on the rise. However, in Turkey I felt that there still was a strong small business community. Though I only stayed in Turkey for seventeen days and have a limited experience with Turkish culture, I felt like open arms and open doors were often extended to me. Most restaurant owners sparked lengthy conversations with us.

In fact, in one circumstance as I was passing by a mosque near Taksim while looking for a store one evening I asked a man sitting outside a hotel for directions. The man, who spoke English fluently, not only took it upon himself to help guide us to our location, but he also invited us back to have tea and coffee at midnight outside of what we discovered was his own hotel. This owner knew that we already had lodgings and were leaving Turkey within a day or so but still managed to talk to us about American, European, and Turkish politics and culture. He told us of his time studying in the United States, how he came back to Turkey to take over the hotel that his family had owned for about fifty years, and his sentiments on life in Istanbul. In the end, this discussion led to one of the more fascinating conversations I partook in during my stay in Turkey: Turkey's possible integration into the European Union.

I was very interested to hear this hotel owner's perspective. From my understanding he was a well-educated man (he received his graduate degree at American University in Washington), a small business owner, and was in his middle ages. During our conversation, he discussed what he considered to be the downside to Turkey's possible acceptance into the EU. Although countries, particularly Greece and Spain, have adamantly and openly declared their opposition towards this future possibility, Turkey becoming part of the EU is still on the floor for discussion. When I had discussed it earlier in my stay with other Turkish people, most were in favor of it. Nonetheless, it was this one owner that spoke quite fervently against it.

I think this was when a strong sense of nationalism finally sunk in. The type of nationalism that can be seen in each statue of Ataturk that is erected in virtually every town that I visited. Now it goes without saying that nationalism runs deep in America, but I do not know if I appreciated this strong sense of nationalism until I had a spontaneous conversation with a hotel owner at 2 in the morning one night. He talked about how strong of a nation Turkey was and how it had withstood unstable economic times before. He said that Turkey possessed something that no other member of the European Union possessed (sadly, by the time I got back I forgot exactly what this was, because we talked for about three hours). Honestly, his argument was compelling and makes me want to thoroughly explore this topic more in my coursework. By the end of the evening I was worn down; however, the owner made me come up to the roof to take a picture from one of his balconies. He never made us pay for the food or beverages he shared. He just was a friendly man that left an indelible mark on my trip.

Although that was one of the most compelling incidents, I could cite numerous other ones. I discussed the Islamic religion in the middle of the night at one of the hotels I stayed at with one of the younger workers as I was adjusting to the jet lag. He explained how Islam faith and practice worked in Istanbul. It once again was a brilliant conversation. I cannot imagine staying up at a Days Inn or a Holiday Inn in the United States and talking to the one front desk worker for hours if I just felt like talking.

Another man who was one of about 50 or more carpet dealers that I visited throughout Turkey invited us to his home to have a traditional Turkish meal. I had Uzo for the first time there. That was an interesting experience. He asked me before the meal started, "Would you like to purchase the kilim? If you are not going to buy it, you are still friends and please stay the evening and chat with my wife and I." To me that was astounding. By the end of the night, he showed us the apartment that they own and told us that if we ever were in Istanbul again to please call him and that we were welcome to stay free of charge if his son was not around.

Yet again, very late one evening as I was passing the Blue Mosque on the way back to our hotel, I walked passed a restaurant that had a courtyard that looked straight up at the Blue Mosque. The restaurant was void of most customers due to the late hour; however, there were a few gentlemen enjoying some beverages at a table near the door. As I looked at the menu to more closely examine the prices, the man turned to me and asked if we wanted to come in for some food or a beverage. I told him that we really were on our way home and really only desired to "maybe" have one apple tea before bed. He turned to us then and told us that he was the owner of the restaurant (it is at this point that I would like to state that his restaurant was the most impressive one I saw in all of Turkey and one of the more expensive ones) and that it was his birthday. He told us that we could have a table and whatever we wanted was on the house. At this point I grew quite skeptical. I had rarely ever experienced generosity such as this. At first, I only ordered two apple teas, because I knew that I could afford them if I in any were being swindled. However, shortly thereafter, one of the waiters, a younger man, came up to us and asked if we would like to play backgammon and speak English with him. He was a student and had no customers left.

Several hours went by and we talked and talked. We had many teas, and I tried a water-pipe for the very first time. Since the man was our age the conversation was quite entertaining. He would tell us what certain Turkish words meant and we would tell him new English words, which he wrote down on a notepad. After several hours, we decided that it was time to go. As we proceeded to the exit we noticed that the restaurant was closed and had been for quite some time. The owner was long gone and the teas and water-pipe truly were just hospitable gifts. I guess I should have let my guard down earlier.

It is not often that I see this openness in America. It is not often one encounters Turkish farmers who are picking up family members and don't even speak a lick of English come greet you at the bus station in a desolate town to just greet you and ask your name (that happened on the way to Kas).

I guess to sum it all up: I have the utmost respect for the Turkish people (mind you some of the business dealers in the Grand Bazaar were a tad bit pushy) and cannot wait to eventually return to visit the friends I made on my trip. Maybe my trip was out of character. Maybe my trip was abnormal. Either which way, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Religious Architecture

Isa Bey Mosque is one of the oldest in Turkey, begun in 1307 and complete in 1375, it is a prime example of the transition between post-Seljuk and pre-Ottoman design. It is the oldest known mosque with an exterior courtyard, which begins to appear in the later Ottoman designs. It is one of the first mosques to contain two congregation areas, which represents the transition between Seljuk and Ottoman styles. It was quite interesting seeing this mosque after viewing the mosques in Istanbul, built during the Classical period of the Ottoman Empire. One of the most striking differences was in the style of the roof. Rather than the large dome shaped ceiling, Isa Bey consisted of triangular shaped ceilings made of wood. It was quite different than the grand tiled ceilings found throughout the mosques in Istanbul; however, it was quite striking nonetheless.

The single domed mosques that dominated the Classical Period of Ottoman architecture dot the cityscape of Istanbul. The Sultanahmet Mosque is an excellent example of this period in Ottoman design. It combines elements of both the Ottoman mosques and the Byzantine churches, and is considered by many as the last great mosque of the classical period. There are more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles lining the walls, which is quite different from the unadorned interior of the Isa Bey Mosque. The exterior of the Sultanahmet Mosque is also quite ornate, with a cascade of domes spilling out of the main central dome.

The Church of St. Antoine, originally established in 1725, was rebuilt between 1906 and 1912 in a Venetian Neo-Gothic style of architecture. Obviously it is quite different from the two mosques described above. By the time this church was established, Turkey had already begun the process of Westernization, so many of the buildings built around this time mimic those found in Europe. However, there are other differences as well. As you wander through the Church, there are statues and pictorial descriptions of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph that are absent throughout the mosques. I also thought it was quite interesting that whereas each mosque dominates the space it is in, becoming the centerpiece of the street it resides, St. Antoine was tucked within a gated courtyard, almost hidden from view. As we were walking down the street, peeking into courtyards to catch glimpses of the buildings within we stumbled upon St. Antoine. Had we not looked over at that moment, I think we probably would have missed it. Regardless, it was quite beautiful.

I also thought it was interesting that within the Church there are signs posted saying that cameras are not allowed. Inside, however, was like a tourist frenzy, with people wandering from statue to statue snapping photos, and posing in front of the altar. I began to wonder if that is what I look like in the various mosques we’ve visited. Although many of the mosques have areas for visitors to congregate within, although I am sure that would be distracting as you are trying to pray.

Nationalism

As we were searching for this store tonight, we stopped to ask directions from some men sitting on the sidewalk outside of a hotel. When the owner of the hotel heard we were from America, he asked us to sit down for some coffee because he had lived in America for a time before he moved back to take over the family business. We spoke to him for a time about his thoughts on the EU and Turkey’s desire to join. Almost immediately he began to speak about Turkey’s dominance because of location, water sources, etc. He spoke of their desire to remain out of the EU for this very reason. He spoke of the blood that had been spilled on their soil to attain the country and freedoms they enjoyed today. And he spoke of his pride. All I could think of as he spoke were the books I had read on the development of nationalism in Turkey, which was an important process, and one that has unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you view it) been difficult to duplicate in the surrounding region. Much of the nationalism inherent to Turkey’s culture today, was somewhat manufactured from the top down in the newly established Turkish state, which I’ve heard as both a positive and a negative depending on the critic. Obviously there were a number of kinks along the way, because these feelings were not shared by every level of society; however, many of the elite set out to alter the Turkish mentality and instill a new sense of patriotism. The language was reformed, as well as historical research conducted (meant to instill attachment to Turkey). Of course this was not the simplest task; it included the abandonment of the country’s primary attachment to Islam, the Ottoman Empire, and so forth. However, regardless of the top down approach taken to establish nationalist sentiment in the common Turk, in the end, they succeeded. This gentleman believed so deeply and wholeheartedly that Turkey was the greatest country in the world, and he is not alone. Each individual we spoke with had a great deal of national pride. It is almost as if the country has taken great care to emphasize the relatively new Turkish history, with statues of Ataturk displayed throughout the city. Through this shared history comes a sense of pride. Reestablishing the country from the Ottoman Empire to the new Republic, based on Western thought and ideas could not have been an easy task, and yet Turkey is one of the most successful countries in the region, and part of this success, I believe is due to the country’s nationalism.

A Relaxing Adventure with a Touch of History

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If I were to pick any location to revisit in the world to go relax, I would have to say Kas. I never expected when Professor Andac suggested for us to add it to our travel tinerary for it to rival Istanbul. After Istanbul was the most incredible city I had ever spent a great deal of time touring. When she first described Kas it it did spark my interest, but I really did not know much about it. She told us that tt was the place, the destination of choice, where Turks chose to vacation. I now thoroughly understand why. It has a little bit of everything to entertain every sort of person: the adventurer, the historian, the beach bum, the old couple looking for a relaxing little coastal town just to enjoy some good sea food and a modest night life. Kas was perfection and the place I most want to revisit in the future.

Why Kas? Kas is a town not terribly far from Kusadasi. After a day's bus ride from Kusadasi you find yourself on the southern coast surrounded by gorgeous mountains and the Mediterranean sea. Kas did not seem to suffer the ill effects of globalization that I had witnessed just a day earlier. Rather right near their town square they had a sarcophagus of an ancient king from around 400 B.C. (I am fairly certain that is what the posting stated). Additionally, the town itself was quite quaint. Of course it had its "touristy" shops, but what beautiful coastal city that thrives on tourism doesn't? Nonetheless, the town didn't seem to lose its identity. I felt like the the Turkish people I met there were not trying to take advantage of me like they had in Kusadasi (i.e. the almost carpet rip off I experienced there). The restaurants were small, locally owned businesses. This is something that I miss in America. I hate seeing McDonald's on every street corner. I hate that my GPS can find ten Starbucks within a five mile radius no matter where I am. I think I could be in the middle of central Kansas and find both a Starbucks and a Walmart. Kas isn't commercialized and overrun by monopolies like this to my knowledge. This was the vacation from modern day businesses and economics I witness in the states on a daily basis.

Anyhow, Kas also offered its fair share of day adventures: hiking ravines in canyons and in the mountains, mud baths in rivers, kayaking to see an underwater city (which still very much remains intact and sank during an earthquake several hundred years B.C.E.), scuba diving, boat tours to go to see other ruins of castles and sarcophaguses, etc. Unfortunately, I each time I travel I tend to forget when offered these opportunities that I have a genetic condition that has caused my back to herniate in four separate locations. This made Kas both the best and worst experience of the entire trip. I went swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, I hiked the ravine, I kayaked. I was "outdoorsy" when I should have had an "old folks" weekend where others drove me to simply see these beautiful sights. However, my motto has always been "Carpe Diem." I most certainly did that. Even though the first day started to throw my back out I lived life to its fullest and took advantage of all that Kas had to offer. Sadly, this made the last three days in Istanbul miserable, because I was pretty much immobilized.

Furthermore, while in Kas I relaxed and read books and academic articles until the wee hours of the morning while smoking water-pipe and drinking tea at a local cafe. I sat on the beach and listened to the waves crash against the rocks. I stared up from my hotel window at the tombs lit up on the side of the mountain outside the city. I did it all and enjoyed each and every moment.

Kas felt like a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of my everyday life back in the states. Right now I work two jobs year round, I go to graduate school nearly full-time, I coach two separate sports, I am trying to sell a home, and I am planning a wedding in the midst of all of this. All of these things sometimes prevent me from just soaking up the beauty in this world. When you are overwhelmingly busy sometimes it is hard to just stop for a moment and catch your breath. Kas was just that: a chance for me to catch my breath. Kas reinvigorated me. It allowed me to finally have some time to myself to meditate on my present and my future. I never knew that one town could have such a profound effect in such a short time. Nonetheless, I know that I will return there within the next few years. Nevertheless, next time I will hopefully be a little wiser and spend more time on the beach and less time hiking up mountains.

Just Relax

I have felt rushed from the moment we got here and I did not quite realize it until we arrived in Kas. It began in Kusadasi, the feeling that things will get done with time; that it is alright to just sit and take in the surroundings. Istanbul felt like a frenzy. There was so many things to experience, it became overwhelming at points. The knowledge that by taking too long at lunch, which is inevitable considering how laid back the culture is, one museum or another would close before we got there. Kas, however, is a completely different atmosphere. It is absolutely breathtaking, nestled away in the mountains, sitting directly next to the Mediterranean. It is definitely a tourist location, but seems able to maintain the atmosphere of a small Turkish fishing village. I do not think I have ever seen water this blue before, you can see the rocks at the bottom of the various coves they took us in to swim on our boat tour. We climbed through Sakilkent (Hidden City) Gorge, “belly” rafted down to the entrance, and spent late afternoons at the beach, what could be better? Every ounce of tension has completely disappeared from my entire body, and for the first time on the trip I’ve been able to relax and enjoy.

The Difference

As we wandered through the maze of bars in Kusadasi, I think it truly sunk in just how Westernized Turkey has become. It was knock off brands and neon lights. A city that rarely sleeps, Kusadasi is filled with the bustle of short term vacationers off the cruise ship for an evening in the port. It was almost a little sad, wandering around the city, listening to Celine Dion and Backstreet Boy songs emanating from the various clubs. Personally, as we wandered through Istanbul, I could really feel the pull that exists within the city between the East and the West, as well as between tradition and innovation. The dual identities of Istanbul seem to, in some ways, still be struggling to find that perfect balance. However, Kusadasi is at the opposite extreme, a city that by the looks of it, has very much embraced the Western way of life leaving behind many of the customs that made Istanbul such a unique and interesting place to visit.
We wandered into one rug shop as we walked down the streets. The gentleman sat with us for a couple of hours, discussing various rugs and so forth. We commented on the vast difference between Kusadasi and Istanbul, how Westernized Kusadasi seems in comparison, and he had a glimpse of sadness as he spoke of the numerous tourists that stopped for a couple of hours, wandered through the bazaar, and thought that this was what Turkey was like. I am looking forward to moving on to Kas and seeing how that compares.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Kusadasi. What word can I use to describe this Turkish experience? Miserable. The first hotel was a disaster. The second hotel was costly, and I felt like I was staying in the Turkish version of Miami. Personally, if I wanted to visit Miami, I would hop on a plane and spend a weekend there. This is where this notion of "globalization" truly sunk in. Kusadasi is a cruise ship port town packed with booming disco clubs and bars. This beach town, though beautiful in several ways, showed American influence more so than any other area of Turkey that I had visited up until this point. Every street corner seemed to have some shop or some vendor selling a knock-off American product of some sort (from watches to jackets... you could find it all in Kusadasi).

Now it would not be fair to launch an attack on this town without noting that Kusadasi is a port town that sees somewhere between four and seven cruise ships port for the day. These Mediterranean tours drop off eager tourists willing to spend money and cut them loose for the day. Many of these people have no idea that they are being sold carpets that are not made in Turkey, but made in China. Ultimately it is the tourists fault for being so naive, but it is not hard to get taken advantage of if you don't do your homework before traveling and then shopping in a foreign country. You have to understand the value of currency, the value of the product you are looking at, and at bare minimum a rudimentary understanding of what you are purchasing.

I will digress further. I visited MANY carpet and kilim shops while I was in Turkey. I experienced the back room sales tactics, the free cups of tea, the hours of conversations; I experienced Turkish business practice. Ultimately my motivation came from the thrill of finding something for my dining room. However, at the beginning I had no idea what I was doing. When I first went into shops, the salesmen would start the prices off at anywhere from five to ten times the actual value of the product I was looking at. Fortunately, after reading a plethora of online articles and going to a class on how to identify authentic Turkish kilims I learned how to bargain. Bargaining, on a side note, is a way of life in Turkey. I was able to bargain for a bottle of water outside the Grand Bazaar. This was one of the more entertaining and frustrating parts of our trip to Turkey. Yet in the end, it taught me yet another cultural lesson. Walmart has not overrun the whole world with fixed low pricing. I guess Istanbul was refreshing in that regard, and honestly in my most humble opinion I think I got quite good at bargaining with all of the local shop owners.

Anyhow, continuing from there Kusadasi truly did not yield many pleasurable experiences. After watching a used condom float by me in the ocean I was ready for a change, but that was why I was in Kusadasi in the first place. Kusadasi is near some of the most famous, historic ruins of ancient times. Ephesus, which is on the West Coast of Anatolia, was a large Greek port city that was eventually over-run by the Romans. Interestingly, the thirty percent of the unearthed parts of the city give its onlookers a pretty amazing view of the architectural layout of such a key city that is mentioned multiple times throughout the Bible. Furthermore, before visiting Ephesus I was able to see what once was one of the seven wonders of the world: The Temple of Artemis (really just one large pillar).

My personal high point was seeing the home of the Blessed Mother Mary. The respect shown from Christians and Muslims alike at this sight was truly uplifting. With news stations polluting the airwaves with talk of anti-Muslim and anti-Christian sentiments, it was a relief to see believers of both faiths coming together to appreciate a sight that was important to both their religions. After all the Virgin Mother was mentioned in both the Bible and the Qu'ran. To me this was a a respite from the ill-effects Kusadasi had offered earlier in the day before our tour began. Instead of seeing globalization at its peak, I was afforded the opportunity to see two unique cultures remain intact coexisting peacefully in one location. Traditions from both religions were respected. To me this might have been one of the most peaceful moments of that portion of the trip.

Ultimately, our short time on the outskirts of Kusadasi were possibly the best parts of my time in Turkey. Not only was the scenery breathtaking, but the weather was fantastic (I believe it was 110 degrees Fahrenheit) when we were there. Okay, that part might not have been "fantastic", but in the end it was worth it. Witnessing such ancient ruins that are still being unearthed more and more annually was awe-inspiring. Some pictures are included below:

Bosphorus

Istanbul Modern

I am not quite sure what I thought the Istanbul Modern would be like, but it definitely surpassed even my wildest expectations. The museum has been open for almost five years now, opening in 2004 just as Turkey increased its efforts to enter the European Union. The museum represented a cultural action that could demonstrate the country’s commitment to social change. I read a quote by the museum’s director, which stated that the “museum will show how much [Turkey] belongs in the West in a way the world doesn’t realize.” (Ozler2004). Turkey has had the strongest exposure to the West over time, so, unlike many other countries in the region, there is a strong tradition of modern art. This tradition begins later in Turkey than European countries because it is predominantly a Muslim country. In Islam it is prohibited to represent living beings, because it is believed that only God can create living forms.

As I wandered through the various hallways, reading about the paintings and artists, it struck me that many of them left to Turkey to study in Europe for a time, especially following the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Many of the artists displayed themes of isolation and alienation, increased by the sense of identity loss as Turkey merged between the East and West. One of the visiting exhibitions spoke to this sense of commonality among nationalities as well, The Room Project. The artist, Annette Merrild, photographed a series of rooms in nine different cities in nine countries in an effort to show the similarities and differences between national cultures. As I walked through the long hallway looking at living rooms of different homes in a particular city, it was interesting to note that individuals naturally arranged their furniture the same way. Something inherent in the culture produced an accepted way to arrange furniture to entertain guests that must be aesthetically pleasing to the culture. Such a fascinating study.

The Architecture of Change

Topkapi Palace and Dolmabahce Palace depict two strikingly different periods of the Ottoman Empire. Topkapi Palace, built by Mehmet the Conqueror shortly after his conquest in 1453, it provides a classic example of Ottoman period architecture styles. Four Courts grace the palace grounds, each serving a different purpose. The first court, also known as the Court of the Janissaries, gave the janissaries, merchants and tradesmen circulate as they wished. The second court was more restricted, and was where the day to day business took place. Unlike many of the later palaces, such as Dolmabahce, modeled after the European palaces, consisting of one large building with surrounding gardens, Topkapi is very open, almost like a quiet park, surrounded by a series of buildings that served as kitchens, barracks, audience chambers, and sleeping quarters. The Gate of Felicity leads directly into the third court, where the sultan’s private affairs took place. In this way he was able to maintain much of the mystique surrounding the imperial family, appearing in public very seldom. Buildings within the third court include the Audience Chamber, the Library of Ahmet III, the Imperial Treasury, the

Sacred Safekeeping Rooms, as well as the Mosque of the Eunuchs. The fourth court, which was the latest addition to Topkapi, built by Abdul Mecit according to the 19th-century European models is the final section of the palace. Two of the most beautiful buildings on the palace grounds

lie within the fourth court: the Revan Kiosk and the Baghdad Kiosk, which was built to commemorate Murat IV’s victory over Baghdad. Everything about Topkapi is quite extravagant and in some ways significantly more Eastern, resembling Heian-Period palace architecture in Japan, with its numerous buildings and gardens.

In 1843, the royal family commissioned construction on an Ottoman-European palace, leaving behind the traditional Ottoman palace architecture. The palace faces the gardens rather than the Bosphorus which lies directly next to it. The designer of the Paris Opera was brought in to do the interiors, which is quite obvious through the extravagant and European feel. As I approached the Palace it reminded me of the Palace of

Versailles. I think this stark contrast in architecture styles is extremely representative of what was going on in the country itself during this time period. As the Ottoman Empire began to embrace the Western-inspired reforms taking place in the country, many of the pro-Islamic conservatives rejected these changes. Edmondo de Amicis describes the Turkish people in 1878 as a “people in the crisis of transformation.” (Pope 29) As de Amicis describes the new Turk that has embraced the Western influences the old Turk abhors. Rather than developing into a vibrant force throughout the Empire, it seemed to work against the Ottoman state. It was no longer representing each portion of the empire. As early as 1631, the Ottoman imperial advisor made note that the sultans had begun to withdraw from “direct contact with public affairs.” (Pope 29) By 1789, the Ottoman rulers had begun to look at European models in an attempt to strengthen the state. These Western reforms resulted in the abandonment of the turban for the fez, the organization of the civil service along Western lines, and the introduction of schools and printing presses (Pope 31). By 1839, the Ottoman state had gone so far as to decree a grand reorganization that promised a number of Western ideals, including equality. However, as these ideas spread throughout the country and rebellions increased, the Ottoman state attempted to unite the residents through Pan-Islamic views, pushing these Western ideas underground. My point being through all of this rambling is that these two Palaces truly demonstrate the cultural changes that were occurring throughout this period. As the Ottoman rulers sought to connect with and learn from Western countries in terms of how to strengthen the state, Western styles slowly began to influence every aspect of the state. Once the borders are opened to a country it becomes difficult to travel backwards at any point, even once those ideas threaten the very individuals that introduced them.

The First Day or So

Breathtaking. That would be the one word to describe the past couple of days. Our first day in Istanbul allowed us to witness the architectural collision of two very distinct religious groups: Christianity and Islam. After seeing both the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque I was left with an utter sense of respect. Even though the Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire ruled from Constantinople (now Istanbul), a once Christian stronghold and symbol of the fastest growing religion of its time, eventually fell to the Muslim-Ottoman Turks in the 15th Century.

The part that fascinated me the most was the preservation of the two cultures. Rather than to tear down the Hagia Sofia, one of the greatest architectural achievements of its time even though its roof collapsed a time or two, and rebuild a larger, more grandiose mosque the Ottoman Turks merely converted it. Though the Qu'ran explicitly respects Jesus and the Holy Family. Christianity and Islam fought many times with heavy amounts of bloodshed on both sides (i.e. The Crusades). Even with this tumultuous history, the Ottoman Turks respected the profound sense of history housed within this former church.

When we entered the Hagia Sofia I was impressed by the conversion and simple blending of the two cultures. Of course, turrets and other Islamic architectural structures were added to the Hagia Sofia, but it was still obvious that certain paintings and certain Christian symbols remained from the time of Justinian.

Nevertheless, that very same day I found myself more in awe of the Sultanahmet Camii also known as "The Blue Mosque." The Blue Mosque, which was designed and built by the architect Sedefkâr Mehmet Aga, incorporated, as I read in one book, both Byzantine and Ottoman elements. It was apparent that the mosque, though smaller, attempted to rival if not pass the grandeur of the Hagia Sofia located within sight and walking distance from the Blue Mosque. In many ways, the detailed usage of thousands of ceramic tiles awes each onlooker.

Furthermore, the fact that the Blue Mosque is a functioning mosque in Istanbul adds to the reverence one feels as they walk through its doors. No one wears their shoes. Women remained covered. Respect for the Islamic faith was expected in its place of worship. I greatly appreciated this. After having taught religion, namely a course entitle World Religions, in a Catholic school for five years now, I have tried to impart an unbiased approach to viewing all religions around the world. Each religion possesses its own innate beauty. Each religion commands and truly deserves the respect for its tradition. If someone of another faith were to interrupt a Catholic church traditions during a Mass, my students would be upset. This is why I felt such a sense of respect for a faith not that of my own, one that wants to share its faith with those who might not know much about it.

Ultimately, I felt that opening the Blue Mosque up to the public so that Muslims and non-Muslims could not only appreciate a monumental architectural triumph of the 15th century, was very welcoming. It also allowed me to openly observe Islamic faith practices, which I hope will provide beneficial in my future years teaching my World Religions course.

Side note: I overheard one Turkish man state that the architect of the blue mosque designed hundreds of mosques throughout his lifetime helped design many other mosques posthumously with a book he wrote detailing his endeavors constructing the Blue Mosque. I also heard that he worked in a small part on certain structures for the Hagia Sofia.

One of the other things that we did in those first few days was visit an underwater cistern across from the Hagia Sofia that was built during the time of Justinian's reign. Honestly, the eeriness and complacency that lingered just below the Sultanahmet Square was probably one of the highlights of my trip. It was not necessarily fascinating in its design, but it certainly was peaceful. One thing that was noticeable was the absence of the overwhelming number of tourists that pass through the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque each day. Though this cistern is no secret, it fortuitously did not have the heavy crowds I had quickly become accustomed to. It was a break. It was a chance to cool off from the hot day's sun and see yet another form of architecture I had never been privy to up until this point. I believe the most interesting things in the cistern were existence of two heads of Medusa at the bottoms of the pillars. Historians have not quite established how or why they ended up there. Most theorize that the heads came to Turkey during Greek rule of Turkey (hence their use at the bottom of the pillars in the cistern)

A Little Sense of History

Our first official day in Turkey.  I spent the entire flight over wondering how my experiences during my previous trip to Turkey would impact this course.  I must admit that the first time I went to Turkey I knew nothing about the country or the culture; however, now five years and numerous courses later that is a different story.  Turkey is perhaps one of the most unique countries of the Middle East primarily due to its somewhat dual identity – East and West.  Just as the country itself lies on two continents, the traditions that define the country's core are in constant disunity.  As Turkey has opened itself up to the outside world this identity crisis has become even more pronounced.  As we wandered through the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofia, I'm reminded of the Ottoman roots that run so clearly through the country itself. 

Many of the institutions have retained their sense of history, and how could you not, with the constant historical reminders scattered throughout the city.  This sense of history was one of the reasons I was so drawn to the country.  Turkey's ability to move forward and continue to redefine itself, often to the surprise and amazement of many Western countries, while maintaining the historical perspective that has allowed them to progress as far as they have today.  These monuments attest to the rich sense of history that continues to pervade the country and its people.

My First Impression

When it was first suggested that I visit Turkey for a study of abroad, I was somewhat taken aback. I had never really considered visiting the Middle East before. Most of this stemmed from misinterpretations and misunderstandings about a country that I hardly knew anything about. When you focus on one area of the world too little in your studies, sometimes you find yourself caught up in the Western media's portrayal of things. Turkey for me was just another factitious Middle Eastern country at odds with the world.

Nevertheless, even though I might have carried a little media-biased baggage, I did have some general knowledge of the country I was preparing to visit. I knew that Turkey was closely allied with the West and was a member of NATO. I knew that Turkey had not been as supportive of some of the Bush regime's policies regarding the Iraq War, but still was considered our friend. I knew that Turkey had close relations with the rest of Europe, and was developing, until the economic downturn, fairly steadily (even though they had a slump I believe in the late 1990s... I might have that fact incorrect).

My first impression upon landing in Istanbul at Ataturk Airport was astounding. Immediately I found Turks more than willing to help my fellow traveling partner and I sort out our first missed hotel pickup. One of the police officers at the airport took us to a comfortable location and watched for our ride to arrive.

One of my funnier moments was at the airport when I could not figure out how to flush the toilet and soaked all of my clothes with the bade when I accidentally turned it on full throttle thinking that where was the flush control was. I had to drip all the way back down the airport back to my luggage to grab a change of clothes. Needless to say, it was quite humorous after traveling for nearly a day to get to Turkey.

Ultimately, everything was resolved and our ride got there to take us to our hotel for one of a few nights in Sultanahmet. After having recently having visited Haiti for the second time, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and the only country I have visited overseas, I could not have been more astounded by how well developed Istanbul was. I guess when you have only witnessed the two extremes of the spectrum it can jade your view as a Westerner.

As we drove to our hotel I witnessed a vibrant city that I could not wait to explore and embrace. I saw palace walls and turrets of the mosques in the background (of course it was night and they might have been something else). Istanbul looked like any large, cosmopolitan, well-developed American city that I had ever visited. I guess my first impression defied all previous expectations.

Nonetheless, after arriving at the hotel I discovered quite quickly that for as Western as Turkey might initially have appeared, there definitely were strong Eastern traditions waiting to be discovered. Everything from how our hotel rooms were decorated to the city we started roaming around that night hinted at what we would soon discover.