Turkish Delight

Yesterday was just what I needed! I got a chance to meet up with my cousin Sarah and her friend (who is also Au Pairing in Turkey) Alix. Huma (the Au Pair coordinator) was kind enough to pick us up and get us all together for a tour of some sites in Istanbul and host a sleepover. 

It was pretty terrible weather yesterday morning so we opted out of an outdoor excursion and instead went to visit the Chora Musuem or Kariye Müzesi. The museum itself is a big beautiful old church that was originally constructed outside city walls in 527 A.D. The Turkish word Kariye comes from the greek word Chora means “in the country”, indicating its place of construction. Despite the fact that the church has been destroyed, rebuilt and expanded, the name stuck. In addition to the beautiful architecture, the interior is covered with frescoes and mosaics. These frescoes and mosaics are said to be some of the oldest and most magnificent in Turkey. The church was converted into a mosque in 1945, and the Turks had the good sense to just cover up the offensive and sinful catholic art instead of destroying it. It wasn’t until the 1940s that the Byzantine works of art were unveiled in a restoration. To think, all these years the art just lay hidden. Truly a treasure. Sarah and Alix, both art major, really enjoyed all the work. To get more detailed information on the frescoes and mosaics visit Sarah’s blog.

Exterior of Chora Musuem

Frescoes

Mosiacs

Trusty Tumbler and I

After the church we went Spice Bazaar in the Old Istanbul. My experience this time in the spice bazaar was a lot different than when I was with the Celikoglu family. I mean, people were still aggressively vying for our attention, but shopkeepers comments were... a lot racier this time. Let’s just say a lot of inappropriate words, gestures and expression were shared. Eye contact makes it even worse (Note to self: when I get the courage to visit the Grand Bazaar DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT if I do not want to be harassed)!! Alix, Sarah and I spent the better part of our time at the Spice Bazaar laughing at how ridiculous it all was. We all bought some Turkish delight, which was amazing. We all got some form of it with pistachios and shared with one another. I’m sitting on my bed at home now wishing I had bought a lot more.

We went to Istinya Park (a mall) later in the day; we have all decided that this will be our new meeting place. Sarah can easily get a ride here with one of the drivers, and it’s really close my kids school. After some retail therapy (some of us needed it more than others) we went to Starbucks and spent a good hour chatting. I can’t even explain how nice it was talking to people my age in English... it has been a while. Sarah and I are already share the same sense of humour and I was so glad Alix fit right in. The whole time in Starbucks the three of us were madly laughing. You know that kind of unattractive laughter that makes people stare- the throwing their heads back, smacking the table kind of laughing? You hate those people right? Those people were us. MUAHHAHAHAHAHA. The rest of our night was spent in a similar manner. We stayed up late venting, telling jokes and cracking up.. I can not think of a better way that I could have spent my off day. It truly was a Turkish delight.

Turkish delight and Baclava

Special thanks to Huma who hosted us at her house, gave us a tour, and made us dinner. Thanks so much!!