Istanbul Part 4: Statues, Süleyman, and Spice

If you let a complete stranger who speaks a language that you can’t understand spend 15 minutes rubbing your prepubescent child’s body, are you a bad parent? 

If you actually paid the stranger to do it, should the Department of Health and Human Services take your child away from you?

I'm pretty sure we would go to jail for that in the United States.  However, in Turkey that would be de rigueur.


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We headed out mid-morning to the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.  In order to get there, we had to cut through the first courtyard of the Topkapi Palace complex.

Signs in Topkapi park point tourists to
the Istanbul Archaeology Museum.

The Girl gives a typical Asian pose--standing in front of flowers and giving the double peace sign.

Istanbul has so many artifacts
from its illustrious history that...

 ...ancient tombs and pillars not worthy of a museum are simply placed along the sidewalk.

Price of admission was included with the museum card.  Once again, the children were free.  Within the museum’s four buildings are artifacts that span the times of the earliest Mesopotamian cities to the Ottoman Empire.

The first hall we visited was the Museum of the Ancient Orient.  Inside were relics excavated from sites belonging to the Egyptians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Hittites.

The riddle for this sphinx was "Why did the chicken cross the road?"

Several statues such as this one
are more than 3,500 years old.

This museum is one of many that house glazed tile images of animals from the Ishtar
Gate.  The structure was constructed in 575 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon.

This curious-looking animal is not a unicorn.  It's actually a bull.

This bronze door plaque dating from the 9th century BC shows the skill that the Assyrians had in metal-working.

The Istanbul Archaeological Museum  has a collection of clay tablets with cuneiform inscriptions.  Many of them date as far back as 4,000 years ago.  Only a few of the more interesting ones are on display.

The Babylonian King Hammurabi created this code of
laws around 1,750 BC. Many of the punishments were
mild, but several included loss of body parts or death.

This Sumerian poem from around 2,000 BC was written for
King Shu-Sin for his marriage to a priestess of the goddess
Inanna.  The translations is "Roses are red, violets are blue..."

The highlight of the museum for The Wife and I was the Treaty of Kadesh, created around 1259 BC.  This historical document was not just a peace treaty, but also an alliance between two warring leaders--Rameses II of Egypt and Muwatalli II of the Hittites.  On our trip to Egypt, we had seen the Ramses II's version which took up an entire wall at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor.  In contrast, the Hittite version, written in cuneiform script, was a tiny stone block about the size of an iPad.  It was a bit of a letdown.         

A copy of this Hittite version of the Treaty of Kadesh is housed in the United Nations Building.  The Egyptian version would have been too big.

Scholars of Mesopotamian culture could spend hours admiring these artifacts and reading their descriptions.  With the short attention spans of The Kids (and mine too), we didn't have the luxury of this.  Therefore we kind of rushed through this building and the ones to follow.

We next headed to the main museum building which was also undergoing renovation.  The first several showrooms displayed Hellenistic and Roman statues found in Turkey.  There were many figures of deities, mythological characters, and notable Roman emperors.

This lion is one of the few statues remaining from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
It was more interesting than anything we had seen at the actual site in Bodrum.

Since we had skipped the Aphrodisias
Museum, we finally did get to see a
statue carved from their renown school

Hermaphroditus, the son of Aphrodite and
Hermes, was a Greek symbol of androgyny.  He
had both a feminine bosom and male genitalia.

Torture has existed long before water-boarding.  This
broken statue of Marsyas formerly showed him
strung up to a tree and skinned alive by Apollo's orders.

Cockfighting is considered the oldest sport, going back 6,000 years.
This marble piece shows Eros (Cupid) preparing roosters for a fight.

The next section of the museum has gravestones dating to the Byzantine period.

Did this man die from dog bite to the scrotum?

One of the coolest objects was a few links of a massive chain that used to span the Golden Horn.

This chain could be pulled tight to prevent ships from passing through the waterway.

At the top of Galata Tower, there is no
room for both a bell and a restaurant.

On the top level of the building are artifacts excavated from the nine different ruins of Troy that were excavated by Heinrich Schliemann.  The most interesting pieces were found by the amateur grave-robber archaeologist Heinrich Schlieman.  These pieces of jewelry, collectively known as "Priam's Treasure," are not part of this museum's collection.  Schlieman had them smuggled out of the country in the 19th century where they were put on display in Berlin.  They disappeared after World War II with the fall of Germany, only to resurface in a museum in Moscow in 1993.

Most of the relics from Troy are uninspiring pieces of pottery.  

The third building we entered contained crypts from the Classical Era.  In the late 19th century, a large royal burial tomb was found in the region of Sidon (in present-day Lebanon).  The most famous is one known as the Alexander Sarcophagus.  Ironically, it does not contain the body of Alexander the Great.    

These anthropoid sarcophagus contained the bodies of pre-Christian Phoenician kings.

The 3rd century Roman tomb known as the Sidamara Sarcophagus is the subject of negotiations between Turkey and the UK.  The Turks
want the Victoria and Albert Museum to return the severed head of one of these statues which has languished in storage for the last century.

The final area displayed tiles (ceramics) that were popular during the Ottoman Empire. The most famous were the Iznik tiles from the 14-15th centuries. These traditionally were decorated with cobalt blue and white hues and took much time and skill to produce. They were generally used for the royal court and imperial buildings.  As the Ottoman Empire waned, so did its pottery. The beautiful but complex Iznik tiles gave way to the more humble Kütahya tiles which are still very attractive. Finally, there was also a third type of pottery known as Çanakkale ceramics.  These pieces often had maritime motifs and a more crude, folk-art appearance.

The tiles from this 1590 peacock fountain contain tulips,
carnations, and flowering plum branches which
were all popular motifs during this time period.

The Museum was a wealth of information spanning centuries of civilization.  Indeed we did spend an hour and a half there.  But in reality, we breezed past most of the displays.  It could take days (and lots of caffeine) to really take in all of the statues, crypts, and pottery in those exhibits.

Afterwards, we decided to walk to the Mosque of Süleyman the Magnificent.  It didn't look too far on the map.  However, we didn't anticipate that most of the journey would be up some steep hills.  This would also be the hottest day for us in Istanbul.  I cursed myself for wearing jeans instead of shorts.  By trying to observe proper mosque etiquette, I was burning up in the heat.  I should have worn shorts and just placed a long wrap or skirt over when visiting the mosque.

Our journey took us through one of the main garment districts for the city.  Stores were lined up selling clothing, fabrics, and bedding supplies.  The Wife was tempted to buy more towels and some bed sheets, but I reminded her that we still had a long trek uphill.

We finally made it to the mosque around noon.  As soon as we were about to enter, the call to prayer sounded.  For a second I was pissed because normally we would have to wait for another 30-45 minutes to allow the locals to pray.  For some reason, the Mosque was not being used for prayer and we were able to enter without any delay.

Although the Blue Mosque gets more visitors and attention, the Süleymaniye Mosque is larger and older.

The tombs of Süleyman and his wife Roxelana are also located in the complex.

The gravestones of other prominent people
who were buried here are not as massive.

The Süleyman Mosque was beautiful, but it did not compare to the elegance of the Blue Mosque.  It was more peaceful, though, as there were not nearly as many tourists inside.

The mosque has been reconstructed several times.  It was ravaged by a fire in 1660.  Part of the dome collapsed from an earthquake
in 1776.  Once again the mosque suffered another fire when ammunition ignited while it was serving as a depot during World War I. 

Unlike the Blue Mosque, the interior decor is more subtle.  There are far fewer Iznik tiles to be found inside this mosque.

One of the activities on our Turkey bucket list was a visit to a hamam.  When the Ottomans conquered Constantinople, they were introduced to the idea of public baths which were common in the Roman Empire.  Over time, they modified the experience according to their own preferences.  The hamams became popular as places where people could socialize, and sometimes entertainers performed there.  In the past, mothers would even arrange marriages for their children at the baths.  However, the hamam tradition is dying out.  Melike, our tour guide yesterday, explained that younger generations rarely go to hamams anymore.  With the fast pace of modern life, nobody has time to waste a couple of hours every few days.

There are hamams throughout Istanbul, some of which date as far back as the 14^th and 15^th century. Traditionally, they were segregated by gender.  Many of their interiors are considered architectural works of art.  There were several of these that were actually pretty close to our apartment.  Unfortunately, we wouldn't be visiting them because they do not allow children.  Since we couldn't leave The Kids alone, we had to find a place that would allow them inside.

There was one such choice—the Süleyman Hamam.  Built in 1557, it was the bath frequented by its namesake.  It was also conveniently located a block from his mosque.  We made reservations over the internet.  The cost was 40€ ($45) per person (The Kids were half-price), which is mid-range compared to other hamams in Istanbul.

The Süleyman Hamam doesn't have the extravagant ceilings that can sometimes be found
in other baths.  Like the mosque of the same name, the architecture is more constrained.

The attendant showed us to our dressing rooms where we completely disrobed.  We were then given a small  peştamal to cover ourselves.  While it fit The Boy okay, it barely covered me.  I am skeptical whether it would cover a Shaq-sized person.  Photographs were not allowed in the cleaning area. 

We were able to store all of our valuables safely in their second floor changing rooms.

The Wife and The Girl were at least given
over-sized bikini tops and shorts to wear.

We donned some extremely uncomfortable wooden sandals (nalın) and were ushered into the communal sıcaklık (steam room).  In the center was a huge marble slab (göbek taşı) where we could sit.  Around the room were alcoves containing a fountain and two marble treatment tables.  The room was incredibly hot and steamy to promote sweating.  When we arrived, there was already a young couple relaxing on the marble slab.  That guy wussed out and was wearing swim trunks.

We were instructed to sit there for about half-an hour and sweat in the hot, humid air.  The Wife and The Boy were able to stay in there for the whole time.  I had to step out three times to cool off.  The Girl annoyingly kept entering and exiting the steam room.

Two male attendants (tellaks) arrived and ushered The Wife and I into one of the alcoves.  I don’t think that The Wife was happy that I got the younger, better looking guy while she got the older man.  They start scrubbing us down with a rough mitt called a kese.  Then the tellaks had us lay on the table and laid a pillowcase full of soapy bubbles on our backs.  It felt great.  Afterwards, they performed a full body massage that wasn't painful at all.  Later, our hair was shampooed and we were rinsed off.  I suspect that they used kid gloves since we are not Turks.  They probably thought that we couldn't handle nor want a painful massage.  Either way, the Turkish Bath felt really great, especially since I was so sweaty and tired from the walk to get there.  There was no happy ending though because it ain't Bangkok. 

After The Wife and I were done, the two telleks worked on The Kids.  They got a quicker and lighter bath, all while we watched.  The Boy’s face turned beet red either from the long exposure to the heat or from utter embarrassment.  They did enjoy the experience and the attendants were very respectful and friendly.

When our baths were finished, we went to the changing rooms and ditched the tiny towels.  Thankfully, we were given larger peştamals.  As we relaxed in the waiting area, we ordered some additional drinks as we were all very dehydrated from the massive amount of sweating.  Eventually we changed back into our clothes and loitered in the lobby, not wanting to face the hot afternoon sun.

The tellek wrapped me up in so many
towels that I looked like Mother Teresa. 

We were served some complimentary apple tea as we lounged on some sofas.

Afterwards, we walked a few blocks down towards the Golden Horn to a shop called Altan Sekerleme.  Inside we purchased several boxes of Turkish Delight (lokum).

The store was slightly off the beaten path, in a neighborhood full of hardware shops.

The 4th generation proprietors were very friendly,
giving us several samples of different candies to try.

We then walked a few blocks to the nearby Egyptian Spice Bazaar.  Built in 1664, its name comes from the fact that revenue from Egypt which was also part of the Ottoman Empire funded the market's construction.

The Spice Bazaar seemed even more crowded than the Grand Bazaar.

Initially, the bazaar was the location where spices would
be delivered after their long journey on the Silk Road.

All sorts of dried fruits and flowers are sold to make teas.

Some shops also had fragrances and essences which can be mixed to make personalized
perfumes.  The Wife passed on these, as we still had plenty left over from our trip to Egypt.

There were also plenty of other food items that can be purchased.  They had dried fruits--apples, cherries, apricots, strawberries, and even mulberries.  Also, honey was sold with the honeycomb included.  Several places even sold Iranian caviar, but that was too rich for my wallet.  Pretty much everything sold there could be vacuum packaged for travel.

The lokum looked so colorful and appetizing that The Wife had to buy even more.

There is a big difference between STINKY cheese and HAIRY cheese.

The most interesting thing we bought was salep flour.  The powder is made from the ground up roots of an orchid root.  It is used to thicken both the salep drink which The Wife was infatuated with as well as the dondurma (Turkish ice cream) which The Kids ate pretty much daily while in Istanbul.

The salep flour was sold at several different prices depending on its quality.

At we exited the Spice Bazaar, we encountered several tents and
loudspeakers promoting candidates for the upcoming elections in Turkey. 

Now that we were laden down with plenty of packages to carry, we decided to take the tram back to our apartment in Sultanahmet Square.

During our time in Turkey, we had so far managed not to try gözleme, a thin flour pancake stuffed with different meats or vegetables.  It is a common food item that can be found in roadside restaurants all over Turkey.  Meanwhile in Sultanahmet, there is no shortage of restaurants that have little, old Turkish women rolling out gözleme pancakes or folding manti pasta.

There is no shortage of little old Turkish
women rolling out gözleme pancakes... 

...or folding manti pasta in the storefronts
of Sultanahmet restaurants.

A quick check on TripAdvisor revealed that pretty much all of them got lousy reviews.  Nevertheless, The Wife was insistent that we try gözleme, so we found ourselves at a restaurant near Topkapi Palace called The Han.

If you see a lady rolling out gözleme in the front of a restaurant, go eat somewhere else. 

Diners could sit either in standard chairs or on large cushions.
We opted for the latter which was really uncomfortable.

Chocolate, banana, and vanilla milkshakes

Stuffed aubergine

Mixed gözleme

Manti

Shrimp casserole

The food selection was standard tourist fare—similar to what we would see in central Anatolia (i.e. testi kebaps).  The only difference was the price was way higher.  The food was not very good either.  But by far the worst was the service.  Our inept waiter could not figure out how to use his little handheld device to place our order.  When our food came out, we had to remind him to bring us our plates and utensils.  The Wife ordered a salep that never came.  When we inquired why he never brought it out, he informed us that they were out of the drink.  Nevertheless, we still ended up being charged for it on our bill.   And the restaurant had the nerve to automatically charge 10% gratuity.  I guess they must have figured that if they didn't, then no tip would be given.  By far, it was the worst meal that we had during our time in Turkey.

The only saving grace is that we did stop off at a nearby pastry shop Hafiz Mustafa, which has been around since 1864, and took some desserts home.  The prices were somewhat steep, about 9 TL per item.  What we didn't realize is that we were also paying for the sturdy glass bowls that they came in.  I guess we should have just eaten the desserts at the shop.  Regardless, those tasty puddings more than made up for that terrible dinner.

(clockwise from left) fırın sütlaç (baked rice pudding), zerde (rice pudding with saffron,
raisins, and nuts), keşkül-ü fukara (rice pudding with coconuts, almonds, and pistachios)