Today we spent walking around the area where our hotel is - the center of Istanbul (old Istanbul anyway!) Our hotel is 1/2 block from the US Embassy building (vacant now that they have moved personnel to Ankara). We saw many foreign consulates, the hotels built for travelers on the Orient Express (ran from London to Istanbul), walked through marvelous little shopping areas and sidewalk cafes, went into a Armenian Orthodox church, a Greek orthodox church (got finger-snapped out when our five minute visit time was over and a few of us were lagging) and a Roman Catholic church, and rode the old tram from one end of Istiklal Street to the other - ending at Taksim Square. More wandering brought us to the Galata Tower built in the 8oo's (I think) by Justinian as a lookout and fire tower.
We had an appointment to visit the largest synagogue in Istanbul.....the security was UNBELIEVABLE! We had to send in our personal information ahead of time, present our passports for them to hold during our visit, go through the most intense security screening I've gone through, and after 3 thick steel doors, opened and closed remotely, we were into the synagogue and made our way upstairs to the actual place of worship. It is a lovely structure, capable of holding 600 people. It is used regularly but low attendance at Shabat services. It was also the scene of two deadly bombings, one by Hamas in 1986 and the other by Al-Qaida in 2003 (hence the extreme security). One of our group commented that with it being this difficult to go to church, she just wouldn't go.....apparently how many feel since the rabbis said the Jewish population is about 35,000 in the city with 10 synagogues. The rabbis were very gracious and the Jewish members of our group very happy to have visited. I too was very glad to have had the opportunity to be there and hopefully show support.
6 of us then went to the top of the Galata tower for panoramic views of the city. It was a wonderful clear day, so it was easy to see everything. I almost wish we had gone up earlier in our visit to have been able to orient ourselves better, but now I have a pretty good sense of where things are in relation to each other.
Not sure what's happening for dinner....really, I think I prefer to just hang out by myself...some are going to a fish restaurant, but the smell is just not on my "pleasant things" list, and since the other half of the group (including my roommate) appear to already have gone off to their plans, it really is going to be OK to just be by myself.
Tomorrow we meet a group of teachers and in the evening head off for Belgrade. I know we have some internet at the hotel in Belgrade - some of the others on our 10 day Balkan portion of the trip may not. We will be 2 nights in Belgrade, 2 in Sarajevo, 1 in Mostar, 1 in Montenegro, 2 in Albania, and 1 in Greece before returning to Turkey to wrap up our studies and curriculum research. It is going to be interesting! And a new experience for everyone in the group. Ciao!
We had an appointment to visit the largest synagogue in Istanbul.....the security was UNBELIEVABLE! We had to send in our personal information ahead of time, present our passports for them to hold during our visit, go through the most intense security screening I've gone through, and after 3 thick steel doors, opened and closed remotely, we were into the synagogue and made our way upstairs to the actual place of worship. It is a lovely structure, capable of holding 600 people. It is used regularly but low attendance at Shabat services. It was also the scene of two deadly bombings, one by Hamas in 1986 and the other by Al-Qaida in 2003 (hence the extreme security). One of our group commented that with it being this difficult to go to church, she just wouldn't go.....apparently how many feel since the rabbis said the Jewish population is about 35,000 in the city with 10 synagogues. The rabbis were very gracious and the Jewish members of our group very happy to have visited. I too was very glad to have had the opportunity to be there and hopefully show support.
6 of us then went to the top of the Galata tower for panoramic views of the city. It was a wonderful clear day, so it was easy to see everything. I almost wish we had gone up earlier in our visit to have been able to orient ourselves better, but now I have a pretty good sense of where things are in relation to each other.
Not sure what's happening for dinner....really, I think I prefer to just hang out by myself...some are going to a fish restaurant, but the smell is just not on my "pleasant things" list, and since the other half of the group (including my roommate) appear to already have gone off to their plans, it really is going to be OK to just be by myself.
Tomorrow we meet a group of teachers and in the evening head off for Belgrade. I know we have some internet at the hotel in Belgrade - some of the others on our 10 day Balkan portion of the trip may not. We will be 2 nights in Belgrade, 2 in Sarajevo, 1 in Mostar, 1 in Montenegro, 2 in Albania, and 1 in Greece before returning to Turkey to wrap up our studies and curriculum research. It is going to be interesting! And a new experience for everyone in the group. Ciao!
Hey, You gotta be building some good leg strength doing all that walking!. How sad to not have church doors open but totally understandable but it must have been thrilling for the jewish inyour group to visit there.
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