Cats in Istanbul

I never thought I’d publish photos of cats. But Istanbul has so many of them, they are everywhere; on the streets, sleeping in grave yards, eating out of garbage bags, lying in a sunny spot at the Hagia Sophia, etc. They became part of our Istanbul experience.

The cat is a revered animal in the Islamic faith, because the prophet Muhammad adored cats.

humpy cat

black cat

Someone supplied this little sleepy group of four with milk (süt: milk)

many cats

Tourists playing with a cat at the Hagia Sophia Church.

Hagia Sophia cat

Resting in a side chamber of the Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia cat #2

Hagia Sophia cat#3

This one clambered out of the trash container when it heard us approaching.

cat on trash container

This one tried to get back in when it saw us coming near.

cat stuck on window gate

At the Church of the Pammakaristos (Fethiye Camii).

cat at Fethiye Camii Church in Istanbul

The cat Muezza (or Mu’izza) is said to have been the Prophet Muhammad’s favorite cat.

Thanks to him, cats enjoy a relatively good life in the Muslim world.

 

September Notes from Istanbul

Here in Fatih, on the mail boulevard, we were heading to dinner with our hostess (food photos will be posted separately). Blaring horns, scooters, pedestrians crossing any time – welcome to an average evening in the big city.

Fatih

Leaving our residence to have dinner on the main road, we realized we are on a hilltop.

Hilltop Fatih, Istanbul

On our second day, we used our map to walk all the way to the Grand Bazaar. We passed this aqueduct on the way.

Aquaduct in Istanbul

Well, the Grand Bazaar was rather disappointing. To me this was just another tourist trap. Yes, the building and the feel itself is nice, but I got tired of the haggling vendors in the end. I was looking for an everyday bag (one, which doesn’t mind if a banana gets squashed in it), but vendors were trying to sell me expensive leather bags. There was just too much hustle for my taste. I’m glad I went there, but once is enough. This is like going to the Oktoberfest in Munich. I don’t need that a second time either.

On the way out, I spotted a beautiful opal bracelet. The price was out of my range (with or without haggling). In the end, I found some beautiful opal earrings and an emerald ring. I was so tired of the hustle and bustle by then, so I made a somewhat ridiculously low counter-offer and it was accepted. Lack of coffee in the morning, tired feet, and having to give constant polite refusals, can do that to me.

Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

By all means, go to the Grand Bazaar. I just wanted to let you know what to expect.

September Notes from Istanbul

Before leaving for our flight to Istanbul, I read the weather forecast, predicting moderate to heavy rains from Monday afternoon until Thursday afternoon. This coincided exactly with our time spent there. But we had a great time there anyway, thanks to our wonderful hostess.

On the way from the airport to our place in the historic district of Fatih, we passed parts of the old city wall. Taking a taxi in Istanbul requires a bit of stamina though. So does crossing the street.

Old city wall Istanbul

This was the first view from our hostess’ balcony after our arrival. As hazy as it was, it was beautiful.

Istanbul rooftops

Daily life and laundry day.

Laundry day

Fatih Camii Faith Mosque was only a five-minute walk from our residence.

Mosque nearby

Fatih Camii Faith Mosque

The park in front of the mosque looked very inviting on this hazy day, but we were ready to explore some more. That first afternoon and evening, we did everything on foot.

Mosque Park

We also bought an Istanbulkart, which I can highly recommend. This Istanbulkart RFID transit pass is for the Metro, bus, tram, ferry & funicular travel in Istanbul. We spent 50 TL (about euro 17) on this card and used it for two days. Very easy to buy from the machine, and each time you scan your transportation charge, it also shows you the remainder of your balance. We mostly used the Metro and the tram. We even took the ferry over to Kadiköy on the Asian side, and by the time we left the city, we still had more than half of the TL left on the card.

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