#gorelax

Istanbul, Turkey

I had heard great things about this Turkish city, leaving me hopeful but skeptical that it would live up to the expectation that had been set. Planning my trip for the long Easter weekend, I set aside six days to discover the city and its many alleged treasures. Against all odds, Istanbul surpassed the many good things I had heard about it. I was left in awe of the energy of the city, the ornate palaces and beautiful mosques, and the delicious food lining every street, all coming together to make this trip the best spring break of my life.

My first day in Turkey, I went to the Sultanahmet area to see the most “touristy” sights: the Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque) and the Hagia Sophia. With domes that reached to the heavens, it quickly became apparent why these two sights are so well-known around the globe. The inside of the Sultanahmet Camii dome was decorated with blue geometric patterns, intricate lines weaving in and out of each other to create a galaxy of color everywhere I looked. The Hagia Sophia had such a different feel to it due to its unique history of being built as a church before being converted to a mosque. Gold mosaics depicted biblical scenes while large Islamic scripts stood in the corners.  The old building was a reminder for me that two religions can coexist in a beautiful and peaceful way, something that I think many people have forgotten. Leaving the Sultanahmet square, I wandered the nearby streets until I stumbled upon the bazaar. Small streets were packed full of people wandering from the various shops that showcased silver lined tea sets, silky scarves that gently waved in the breeze, colorful piles of Turkish delight, and numerous other treasures. Döner stands lined the streets and smells of roasting meat and fresh pita filled the air, giving way only when I passed sweet shops that boasted fresh baklava and other goods soaking up pools of sweet, sticky honey in the shop windows.

For the next couple of days, I would continue to discover the old town side of Istanbul. Getting lost in the streets, I explored quiet streets and busy shops, small mosques and mosques like the Suleymaniye Camii, a giant hilltop mosque overlooking the city. I went to the Fethiye church and the Keriye church, two smaller churches that, like the Hagia Sophia, became mosques. The domes there had some of the most beautiful mosaics I had ever seen, glittering with soft candle light that flickered off the gold tiles. I also spent lots of time gawking at the lavish Topkapi Palace, especially the harem, which was intricately designed and decorated. The harem was a labyrinth of blue-tiled rooms filled with thick handwoven carpets holding plush cushions that surrounded intricate iron tables. Arches strung from marble pillars, supporting golden beams with Arabic text painted across, and lead my gaze from the beautiful seating to the magnificent dome above, where lines of gold were interwoven in an intricate net of spiraling curls and floral buds.

By the time Saturday rolled around, I was exhausted from walking around every day, so I decided to spend the morning at the Aga Hamami, a traditional Turkish bath built in 1454. I was lead to a changing room and given a towel to wrap up in, then entered the domed room filled with white marble sinks and tables. Natural sunlight funneled through the octagonal windows that spotted the dome, giving a heavenly nature to the white marble room. After rinsing off in warm water, I went to the steam room filled with hot minty steam that cleansed my skin and opened up my lungs. I returned to the room with the sinks to lie down on the warm marble until the one of the workers took me to the women’s section of the bath where I was scrubbed and massaged until I gleamed. I took my time after the hamam was finished, rinsing off a final time and drinking some elma çay (apple tea). The rest of the afternoon, I explored the Taksim and Besiktas area, then took a stroll along the Bosporus, taking in the city skyline characterized by the mosque minarets towering above the colorful buildings.

Sunday, I spent the day with one of my roommates friends who will be studying in India next year. She wanted to talk to me about my time in India, and I wanted to hear more about her life in Turkey, so we met up and took a ferry to Kadiköy. There, we spent the day talking and laughing as we wandered the streets and enjoyed a delicious lunch as well as some traditional Turkish coffee. We even stopped for baklava, thin layers of pastry giving way to crunchy walnuts soaked in honey. I really enjoyed the Asian side of Istanbul and found it to be really laid back and relaxed.

Hello (^-^)/”

I thought I’d take a break from finals, to show you how I took another break from finals (lol;). I went with some friends I met through SNU Buddy to a Cat Cafe in Myungdong on Thursday after I turned in a paper and took a test. I honestly wasn’t expecting much and almost didn’t go, but I’m glad I did! You pay a little under $8.00 to stay there however long you want with a drink included. However, your probably going to want to spend more if you want to feed the cats. . .  And your going to want to feed these cats, because they are more likely to come to you if you have food. We ended up staying there for about 3 hours, talking and playing with almost all 40 cats. Yes, 40 cats. Your probably a bit worried like I was, but it didn’t stink at all and neither did the food! 

We all agreed after 30 minutes of being there, that there was nothing better we could have been doing in between finals (besides studying;). Being there with the cats seriously lifted our spirits. I wasn’t thinking about finals or stressing at all while I was there. It was so nice and relaxing! I definitely recommend this Cat Cafe if your in Seoul and interested in going or just stressed. And if your not a cat person don’t fret, there are dog cafes as well. This Cat Cafe however is located on the alley on the right after the massive Uniqlo store which is located on the bigger main street where all of the food stands are located, pretty close to the subway as well.