Blog du Wren

On the Way to the Blue Mosque

A funny thing happened on the way to the Blue Mosque...

Istanbul is a city full of mosques, many of them very very beautiful. I set out yesterday with the aim of making it to the Blue Mosque, one of the most famous. Being that it is one of the most famous mosques [in the world], I figured it must be the one I see on the horizon so set off in that direction.

Once I arrived, after at the spectacular innards, I realize that this isn't the famed Blue Mosque. Oh well. It's a wonderful sight I might not have visited otherwise, so I can't be mad. Instead, I take a gander around at the surrounding hills and spot the next most magnificent on the horizon and set off on foot towards it.

Navigating by landmark in the distance in Istanbul leads to some less than traveled roads and paths, which is partially why I do it*. So while this second mosque also wasn't the Blue Mosque, not only was it again totally worth seeing, but it led me to some great out of the way places*.

Finally, I made it to the , but so late that I couldn't visit the interior. But that's okay. Now that I know where it is, I will go back. Mosques are like cathedrals in Europe or temples in SE Asia—while they are all totally spectacular, seeing too many in a row can cause one's eyes to glaze over. So perhaps saving the Famed Blue Mosque for another day is what the universe's plan was all along.

Tuesday March 22 2011

File under: travel, Turkey

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on Wed 23rd Mar, 2011 11:38 am PDT Horge said:
I'm very jealous. Istanbul is perhaps my favorite city, despite its primary claim to fame coming from TMBG (I hope you listen to that song at least once while you're there) Besides those mosques (I think I know exactly where those are) and the Blue Mosque (are they even letting you into the mosques wearing shorts?), go to the Hagia Sofia across the square from it, hit the Grand Bazaar to be pestered (but kinda charmingly so) by a billion hawkers and also go visit the Spice Bazaar to have some "Natural Viagra" (especially when you're at the bazaars, haggle with them - I find it pretty fun to do myself...), visit Topkapi palace, take some ferry rides and eat lots of their delicious pastries and delights. Man, I'm envious!!
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