a year in balıkesir!: Istanbul 2.0

Wow, you guys! It's been forever!

You've probably been wondering, "Gahhh, what's Mary doing?! She hasn't updated her blog in forever!"

Just kidding, you're probably not wondering that. But I'll tell you what: you are in for a whirlwind adventure of multiple blog posts, man! So let's get on with it!

I guess... about three weeks ago (just after bayram), Team Balıkesir took a trip to Istanbul for the weekend. We stayed in Taksim this time around, in the Chillout Cengo Hostel. It was pretty nice, I'd recommend it if you're coming this way. We had plans to meet up with a few other friends on our finish night there, but first we headed over to Galata Tower, which I know I've mentioned before. However, this trip to Galata Tower was a little different from the first time around.

We went to the top of the Galata Tower! We also proceeded to walk around the top in the opposite direction, completely disregarding the signs that told us to do otherwise. Because we're American and that's we we do. Obviously.

Anyways, it was a real sight.

I even took a fancy picture.

Picture: fancy.

And look at these guys! You can just tell they're BFFs.

Pictured: BFFs.

Finally, we met our friends for dinner at a pide place. I think I've mentioned pide before... it's like pointy-oval-shaped pizza, but with no sauce and cheese is optional. I mean it's made of bread so it's delicious. While we were eating, we made some new friends as well... and I'll have you know that my Turkish is now good enough to communicate to them that I wanted to take a picture with them.

Ya know, just clowning around.
(This caption was planned from the
moment the flash went off.)

The five of us went to some random bar off of Istiklal, where all of a sudden the barmen began putting this afro on everyone's head. I just kept on having flashes of everyone getting head lice.

But it's a great look for some of us.

The following day, we went to Istanbul Modern, the museum of modern art in Istanbul. Typically, I'm not one for art museums, but what the heck. Why not. And it was great. There were actually Ottoman artists that painted in the Impressionist style... actually, there is a school of Ottoman and Turkish artists for nearly every major art period you learn about in school. Just one more way that the Ottoman Empire is excluded from the American social studies curriculum. But hey, that's just me.

Unfortunately, we couldn't take pictures inside, so I was forced to write the names of the artists and pieces I really liked on the back of a Garanti bank withdrawal receipt, which I promptly lost like thirty-six seconds later.

It was an all around cool place, Istanbul Modern. And after we left, we watched a little bit of sunset...

... and discovered that the Turks have Winnebagos too! Really excited, if you ask me.

The next day, Russell, Greg, and I went to Dolmabahçe Palace. It was built by the Ottomans as their empire was fairly close to collapsing as an attempt to seem more Westernized when hosting European diplomats. Ataturk lived and even died here. It's so big that touring the entire building would take you six hours. It's gilded with fourteen tons of gold throughout all 285 rooms and 45,000 square meters. Oh, it also contains the largest chandelier in the world, weighing in at a petite 40 tons.

Are you getting the picture? This place is literally enormous. Like, I think it should just be the definition of the word enormous. Everything about it screams "go big or go home."

Unfortunately, you can't take pictures inside of the palace itself. It's literally a jaw-dropping experience. I swear. My jaw actually dropped like three times.

"I said, 'Stay off the grass!'"

I think the most interesting thing about walking around Dolmabahçe Palace is the fact that it's so Westernized in its style and its outward appearance, but it style contains classic Ottoman staples, like numerous hamams and a harem. It just seems like a confused little building to me.

Also, "bahçe" means "garden" in Turkish, while "dolma" means "filled." It's a pretty fitting name a) because the site where Dolmabahçe was constructed was originally supposed to be an imperial garden, and b) its actual gardens are beautiful.