My first day in Istanbul started out with another nice surprise. Breakfast was served on the rooftop terrace. The weather was perfect, the sky was clear, and the view was unbeatable.
One of the things I received in my pre-tour packet was a list of sights in Istanbul that would NOT be covered on the tour. Armed with this and my Rick Steves' Istanbul guidebook, I laid out my first two days. Traveler's Tip:
Getting over jetlag, step 2: The first few days, spend as much time out in the sunshine as possible.

First Day in Istanbul

On the first day, I took a walking tour of Istanbul: the "Old Town Back Streets Walk" described in the book, with a few alterations of my own.

Sultan Muhamet II Mausoleum

The first stop of the day was a quiet little cemetery along a very busy street. I took a peek in, just to see what I could learn about Islamic burial customs. While obviously a cemetery, it didn't look like anything I'd seen at home. What I learned:
Islamic custom requires a body to be buried without a coffin or embalming (if local law allows), so that the body will return to the earth quickly.

In one corner was a mausoleum where the sultan and his family were buried, with large ornate coffins. Chatting with the attendant, I learned that nobody was in the coffins. The people were actually buried underneath them and they served as markers instead.

Nuruosmaniye Mosque

Traveler's Tip:
This mosque is a great place for a cool drink of water. And across the walk from the entrance is a (free) public restroom.

After passing (and exploring) several shops, I came to a mosque. The guidebook recommends not getting "mosqued out", but since this was my first mosque, I wanted to explore it.

Grand Bazaar

I was really looking forward to visiting the Grand Bazaar[*]. I had heard a lot about it. Unfortunately, what I found was overwhelming: far too many people, and I wasn't in the mood for shopping. I later discovered that there are some areas that are not so crowded (we visited again later after I met up with my tour), but I didn't want to take time to explore now.

The Grand Bazaar wasn't the only place that was crowded. As part of my wandering, I found some shopping streets in the non-tourist area. The traffic there was incredible! Cars often double parked, so there was hardly room for anyone to drive through, even with a small car. I think the guys walking were actually going faster that than the cars. (In the picture on the right, cars are not just double parked, but triple parked in the intersection!)

Mosque of Süleman the Magnificent

The Mosque of Süleman the Magnificent[*] is the one of the largest mosques, rivaled only by the Blue Mosque. The complex feels larger, possibly because of the open grassy area and the cemetery section (which was, unfortunately, closed).

Rüstem Paşa Mosque

The Rüstem Paşa Mosque is a smaller mosque, known for it's beautiful blue tile mosaics. Walls are all covered with mosaics and each panel is a different pattern.

The New Mosque

The New Mosque is located just outside the Spice Bazaar, and since this seemed to be a day for mosques, I decided to take at look at this one too. I don't know how old it is, but I think "new" is a relative term.

What I learned:
This structure in the middle of the mosque actually has seats. It is especially for men who are physically unable to kneel on the floor.

There were many people feeding pigeons outside this mosque. I was told that it is good luck if pigeon droppings land on you. That didn't happen to me, but one of them did fly right past me and hit my hat with its wing. Does that count?

Merchants with apple tea

Shopping in Istanbul is not like anything I've ever experienced before. Merchants stand Traveler's Tip:
Merchants are happy to chat and will offer you apple tea, even if you tell them ahead of time you have no intention of buying anything. out in front of their shops, talking to you and trying to convince you to come inside. Seems like a real hard sell. And of course, they are trying to sell you something. But they are also happy to chat and spread good will. During my two days wandering around Istanbul alone, I was given two cups of apple tea, one Turkish coffee, and one cup of Turkish tea. And each time, I told them I could not buy anything. Of course, they let me know that they would like me to buy something, but there was no pressure.



Korean Festival

The first two evenings as I was out walking, I heard music in the distance. All I could tell was that it was not any kind of music I was familiar with. I thought to myself: maybe I can see a Turkish dance performance. I followed by ears and there it was - a Korean dance performance! There was some kind of cultural exchange festival going on. Finally, on the third evening (the last of the festival), I found a Turkish performance. (And one more picture at the end to show someone doing a Dervish dance for the tourists - not a real Dervish Ceremony, I had to wait until Cappadocia for that.)