Gallivanting Grandma

Today is Tuesday, August 10th.  There is so much going on that I don’t know where to begin.  I am sharing a triple room for a couple of nights with my French cousins, Francoise and Nicole and we were up until 3:00 AM talking and laughing like school girls on a sleep-over.  We had a blast!!  However, this morning when we went to breakfast, a tall French gentleman approached Nicole and asked that we not laugh so loud tonight because we kept him awake!  Oh dear!  :-)

Last night I received a telephone call from Armen Aroyan, our guide in Eastern Turkey. He said that a journalist from the French daily newspaper, Le Monde would like to join us on our trip and would like to meet us.  Then I received an email introduction and a phone call from Guillaume Perrier.  He is a French correspondent working for Le Monde in Istanbul who covers Turkish affairs and is interested in the “Armenian Issue”.  He said, “I always keep writing and researching about the genocide committed in Anatolia and the Turkish society questioning (the genocide) that has recently started to emerge.  I started to travel in cities and villages in Anatolia, to collect stories and evidences of the 1915 genocide.”  Guillaume expressed a desire to travel with one of Armen’s groups in order to learn about people’s personal experiences.

Armen told Guillaume about our group which is an extended family of cousins from both sides of the Atlantic.  Entire families had been broken apart during the genocide and the mass deportation of Armenians to other countries resulted in the Armenian Diaspora.  Our parents and grandparents, who were the survivors of this holocaust, were forceably separated from their families and forced to move to France and the United States.

Our extended family of cousins met Guillaume in the lobby of the White House Hotel at 10:00 o’clock this morning.

We were able to sit in the breakfast room and introduce ourselves and talk.  Everyone immediately warmed up to Guillaume and we talked together for about an hour.  Then Guillaume asked if we were interested in seeing the Agos newspaper offices and meeting the editor.  Agos is an Armenian weekly newspaper published in Istanbul since 1996. It is published in Armenian and Turkish.  Hrant Dink was its chief editor since the beginning until his assassination outside the newspaper’s offices in January 2007.  Of course we were very interested.

We all piled into two bright yellow taxi cabs and sped across Istanbul to the Beyouglu district.  Guillaume pointed out the exact location where Hrant Dink was murdered.

Entrance to Agos Offices

Then we climbed the ornate marble stairs to the Agos offices.  We passed through their security doors and gave our names to the guard.  We were shown around the offices and introduced to the staff.  A tall young man appeared and escorted us to an outside terrace.  He was Rober Koptas, the new Executive Editor of Agos who has now stepped into Hrant Dinks’ shoes and runs the newspaper.

Rober Koptas is an Armenian man with keen intelligence and much patience.  He laughs easily, seems to genuinely like people, and appreciates the efforts that are being made on the behalf of all Armenians.

Today is Monday, August 9th and I have many days to write about.  I’ll try to catch up by writing about today and add the past few day’s events when I have more time to write.

All of my cousins are here in Istanbul.  Roseanne arrived from New York on Saturday evening.  Claudine, Astrig, Francoise, and Nicole arrived early Sunday at 3:30 in the morning.  Today was Grand Bazaar Day for everyone!  The bazaar is closed on Sundays so we couldn’t go yesterday.  We had another good breakfast at the hotel and went out into the heat and humidity of Istanbul.

The Seven Armenian Cousins at Breakfast

Chris’ sense of direction is amazing and he remembers where everything is!  First we found a bank with an ATM machine to exchange Euros into Turkish Lires then we continued on to the Grand Bazaar.

We entered the Grand Bazaar through the ancient Gate number 1 on Nuruosmaniye Street.  Before you enter the gate, you see the date of 1461 posted on the stone columns.  It’s amazing to think that this bazaar has been here for more than 600 years.  The Grand Bazaar was here before Columbus discovered the Americas and it was certainly here in Istanbul during Marco Polo’s time.  It has probably existed since the early times of trade and travel through Constantinople, and Byzantium, and earlier.  Perhaps there has been a bazaar at this location for the last 2000 or 3000 years….

Some of the cousins are “shoppers” and some of us are not.  I’m one of the “nots.”  However, I do enjoy seeing the shops and stalls and all the “stuff” for sale.  And there’s nothing like a Turkish Bazaar!!

Inside the Grand Bazaar

We walked around the crowded bazaar for quite a while and talked to many salesmen.  Or rather, they talked to us!  With 4000 shops, there is a lot of stuff for sale.  Where else can you buy a belly-dancer’s costume or water pipes for smoking apple-scented tobacco?

Chai and Baklava Time

Saturday, August 7th:  CeeGee and I walked past the Blue Mosque to find the Mosaic Museum.  We discovered a lovely back street with a couple of small hotels and shops.  Directly below the mosque were a line of shops selling pottery and tiles.  At a lower level, there was another small street of shops which sold carpets, jewelry, pottery, kilims, and other souvenirs.

Between two shops was a crossway which led to the entrance of the Mosaic Museum.  This was a small two-story museum which displayed the ancient mosaics which were recently found in Istanbul.  They were beautiful Roman-style mosaics.

The weather was very hot and sunny and we slowly walked back toward the main area.  We noticed some men stringing lights across two of the minarets at the Blue Mosque for Ramazan on Wednesday.  We stopped at the tomb of Ahmed 1 near the tram.  Past the gate, at the entrance we had to remove our shoes before walking into the tomb.  Sarcophagi were arranged in rows with the largest and most important at the back and in the middle.  The interior walls were decorated with beautiful tiles.

I was very tired and I wanted to return to my air conditioned hotel room to rest and catch up on this journal.  CeeGee wanted to explore more of the Istanbul, so we went separate ways.  I typed for a couple of hours and waited for the arrival of my cousin, Roseanne from the U.S.  CeeGee said later that he explored the area around the university and the little streets around the Grand Bazaar.  People were putting up decorations for Ramazan.

Finally, I heard a car pull up at the entrance to the hotel.  I looked out of the window and saw Roseanne emerge from the car.  I ran down to greet her.  It was exciting to see a cousin from home here in Istanbul.

Roseanne checked into the hotel and got settled in her room.  CeeGee returned from his explorations and we three went out for dinner.  We walked up to the little street which leads to the main avenue and chose an outside cafe.  We ate a delicious meal and retired for the night.

I could not sleep because my French cousins were due to arrive at 2:20 AM at Ataturk Airport from Marseille and Lyon, France.  I worked on my blog and anticipated their arrival.  I heard their car pull up to the hotel at 3:30 and went down to greet them.  I had not seen my French cousins in at least a year and it was wonderful to see them again.  They checked in and we all retired to our rooms.  It will be a big day tomorrow and the beginning of our “cousins’ tour”.  :-)

What a difference a day makes!  Yesterday was overcast, warm and humid.  Today it’s a bright and sunny cloudless day, but still hot!  Chris and I decided to finally “go over to the other side” of the Golden Horn.  We had really been enjoying the historic Sultanahmet District with the museums, palaces, mosques, and other tourist attractions.  Neither one of us enjoys shopping and the Beyoglu District is known for its shops.

View From the Trim Across the Galata Bridge

Chris and I walked up to Divan Yolu Caddesi, the main street where the tram runs.  We bought our plastic tokens from the man in the bake shop window and waited for the tram.  It is fast and efficient, clean and air conditioned.  We took the tram from Sultanahmet to the last stop, Kabatas, and followed the signs to the funicular to Taksim Square.

Taksim Square

Ascending the stairs to arrive at Taksim Square was a shock of brilliant sunlight and crowded humanity.  People and cars are scurrying everywhere and in all directions.  We stood on the circle and watched the action for a few minutes to get our bearing and then followed the crowd to Istiklal Caddesi, the famous Independence Street.

Istiklal Caddesi on a Summer Day

This is the youthful side of Istanbul with lots of shopping and fewer women wearing scarves.  There is a Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Gloria Jean’s Coffee as well as Internet Cafes, restaurants, hotels, and shops.  Fortunately, it is a pedestrian-only street, without cars.  There is a small trolly car that runs on tracks in the middle of the street.

Farther Along Istaklal Street

The guide book said that “When the Orient Express rolled into Old Istanbul in the late 1800s, promenading down Istaklal Caddesi was all the rage.”  I think it still is!

A Street Vendor on Istaklal Caddesi

We continued to walk down the length of “Independence Street” looking at all the shops and vendors.  There were many restaurants, clothing stores, bakeries, and music shops.  Watching the people and the variety of Muslim cover-ups of the women was also interesting.

Every side street had restaurants and shops which begged to be explored.  We were looking for an Armenian church which was supposed to be near the lower end of the street.  We walked down an interesting side-street and found a restaurant which was supposed to have Armenian food.  We asked a man who was sitting in the empty restaurant if he was Armenian.  No response.  He eventually called over to another waiter across the narrow street who spoke English.  That man escorted us around the corner to Balik Pazari and the unassuming doors of the church.

Interior Doors of the Armenian Church

The simple double doors were between two fruit & vegetable stands.  A man sitting on a stool by the door welcomed us into the inner courtyard where the Armenian Church had been built.  He informed us that the church owned all the buildings around the church and collected rent from all the businesses which financed the church.  It was bright and sunny in the courtyard and he led us to the door of the sanctuary.

Interior of the Armenian Church Looking Back From the Altar

The scent of incense in an Armenian church is unmistakable!  When we entered the sanctuary, the incense embraced me with its familiar scent.  The Armenian church in St. Petersburg, Russia smelled the same as this one and the church from my childhood.  The kindly man gave us a tour of the church and the courtyard and explained that they have services there every Sunday.  He invited us to a wedding which was going to take place there on Saturday afternoon.  Then he introduced us to two older gentlemen who were deacons of the church.  We said our good byes and promised we would return with our cousins at a later time.

Looking Out From Ara Cafe

We hadn’t had lunch yet and we had another destination in mind.  Chris had read about Ara Guler and he sent me information about Ara before we left home.  He was the famous Armenian photographer who was born in Istanbul and still lived and worked there.  He owned a cafe, aptly named Ara Cafe, and hung out there in the afternoons.  The cafe is just off Istiklal Caddesi and overlooks the busy pedestrian street.  It is a friendly and inviting place with a very interesting menu.  Ara Guler’s black & white photographs are place-mats and adorn the walls of the restaurant.

Black & White View of the Galata Bridge

We ate a delicious lunch, but missed Ara.  The waiter said he is usually present from 11:00 AM to about 1:00 in the afternoon.  Well fortified and satisfied after a tasty lunch, we continued to explore the wonders of Istiklal Caddesi.

Sant’Antonio Kilisesi – St. Anthony Church

We passed the gated courtyard of St. Antonio’s Catholic Church which a plaque said was finished in 1912.  The interior was lovely, impressive Neo-Gothic architecture. We continued down the street, taking in all the sounds, smells, and sights of this busy street.  We noticed several impressive foreign consulate buildings behind large protective gates.

The French Consulate with Police Protection

Then Chris noticed a contemporary art gallery and suggested we see their collection.   On the first floor there was a giant soft blow-up military armored vehicle which inflated and deflated every few minutes.  The gallery was five stories high and had a wonderful circular staircase near the elevator which begged to be photographed from many angles.

Circular Staircase Looking Up

We took the elevator to the top floor and enjoyed the air conditioned building.  From a fifth floor window, you could see over the red-tiled roofs of Beyoglu to the Bosphorus.  There were many interesting works of art in the gallery and the interior of the building was also photogenic.

View from the Top of the Stairs

Everywhere we looked, there was a photograph!  We enjoyed the gallery but we finally decided to leave and went back out into the heat of Istanbul.  Independence Street was still alive with humanity and there was so much to see and experience.

The Tram on Istiklal Caddesi

It is easier to walk the street down hill from Taksim Square to the end near Galata Tower, especially in the summer.  We walked to the other funicular for the ride down to the tram stop near the Galata Bridge.

Funicular at the Station

The Funicular just goes up and down the high hill.  It seems very new and is clean and air conditioned.  The station is adorned with reproductions of the gorgeous Iznik tiles.  We rode the funicular down to the Beyoglu side of the Galata Bridge and followed the tunnel out to the tram station.  The tunnel is full of shops selling every conceivable item of hardware and garden supplies including lawn mowers, cell phones and accessories, and wrist watches.

Hardware & Garden Supplies in the Tunnel

We followed the signs to the tram.  The tunnel was very clean with a reflecting ceiling.  I have never seen so many goods for sale!  The world considers Americans as consumers, but I think the Turkish have us beat!

We took the tram back to Sultanahmet and the White House Hotel to rest and relax before dinner.  Istanbul is truly an amazing city.  It seems as if there is a surprise around every corner.  There is so much to see and do!