Bombarded by Locals in Istanbul (and Other Adventures)

Last Friday, I was wandering around in the sun and wound up in Sultanahmet, the central tourist hub of activity in Istanbul which is home to the Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar.  While standing in the square, which is on the ancient site of the Roman Hippodrome (the first one was constructed on the site in 203AD), admiring the obelisks, a middle aged local gentleman approached and began telling me about the site's history.  Wary of being conned into a tour of some kind, I remained somewhat distant until he assured me that this was free information and he was just waiting for a friend.  He introduced himself as Hamdullah, and as we continued to chat, and he revealed that he is the owner of the best carpet store in Istanbul.  I told him I wasn't in the market for a carpet that day, and that I had chosen to come sightseeing instead.  He suggested that I stop by anyways in order to learn about carpets, and since I had no plans for the day and we were getting along nicely, I agreed.  He led me through the side streets of Sultanahmet, and we entered his very well kept shop.  Turkish tea (çay) was brought out, and we sipped and discussed different materials, colours, patterns and meanings of different carpets.  I admired the workmanship of some of his carpets, and though there was obviously hope that I would purchase, there was no pressure.  I learned so much about different regions of Turkey based on the type and style of carpet (in Turkish, hali), and I really enjoyed talking to Hamdullah and his nephew, Abdullah.  After a while, they invited me to lunch, and took me to a restaurant that cooks food specifically from Hamdullah's hometown in Anatolia.  We ate delicious kebab, all kinds of vegetables, and dessert.  Although I protested that I was full, I was continually offered bites literally from Hamdullah's fork, and it was difficult to resist his insistence.  As we ate, they discussed poetry, the Kurdish struggle and Islam with me.  My favourite part of the meal was when Hamdullah told me a story of Bahool, a Muslim teacher:

A non-believer approached Bahool to challenge him in proving his faith.  He asked the teacher three questions: firstly, if Allah is real, why can he not be seen?  Secondly, if Satan was thrown into the fires of hell, and he himself is made of fire, how is it that the fires of hell are punishment for Satan?  Thirdly, if Allah controls the destiny of man, how is it that people are responsible for their own actions?  Bahool took a brick from the ground and struck the questioner in the head.  He was arrested and brought before the judge.  When asked to explain himself, he stated that he had merely answered the man's questions.  Turning to the questioner, Bahool asked him to prove that he was in pain.  When the man said that he could not prove it, but he could feel it, Bahool pointed out that it is the same with Allah: he knows him to be real, but some things may only be felt, not seen.  Secondly, as men come from the earth, and the brick that hurt the questioner also came from the earth, Satan can also be injured by fire.  And finally, if men are to be free of responsibility by the reasoning that Allah controls the destiny of men, then Bahool ought not to be on trial.  Stunned, the questioner demanded that Bahool be freed immediately, and began a long devotion to the study and practice of Islam.

After the meal, we parted ways amicably, and though I doubt that Hamdullah's prices are the lowest in the city, I will be purchasing a carpet from him.

I returned to Sultanahmet to my planned visit to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (more commonly referred to as the Blue Mosque).  There are 6 gorgeous minarets adorning the curvaceous exterior of the building, and upon entry, the splendour I found inside completely blew me away.  Tens of thousands of delicately painted blue tiles from Izmir adorn the giant dome, windows allow light to pour in, and the sanctity of the space is breathtaking.  As I alternately snapped photos and whispered "wow" under my breath, I was approached from the other side of the tourist barrier by a young woman who asked if I had any questions.  She volunteers at the mosque, educating tourists about the site and Islam in general. She explained the steps in the ritual of Muslim prayer, which includes leaving the greater world behind you, folding your hands to indicate humble servitude, bowing to show reverence and touching your forehead to the ground in the ultimate display of respect.  She explained the number of cycles that practicing Muslims complete at each prayer time (there are 5 each day), and told me about the verses of the Qur'an that are recited at each prayer.  We discussed hejab, the modest dress and covered hair that many Muslim women choose to wear; she further explained that the reason women and men pray separately is to reduce distractions for both parties, as people pray shoulder to shoulder and in lines, and many people are uncomfortable with contacting a stranger of the opposite sex, or bending over in front of them, as it detracts attention from their prayers.  It was really informative, and I deeply appreciated the time she took to educate me about her religion.  We were interrupted by the adham (call to prayer) echoing hauntingly across the old city outside.  Assuming that I had to leave, I began to gather my things, but she assured me that as long as I didn't take pictures and was respectful, I could stay for prayer.  It was very moving to be in the room as dozens of people moved in synchronicity, facing the Kaaba, while an Imam recited the Qur'an.

I was absolutely amazed that on a day with no plans, I was approached more than once by incredibly kind people who want to share their experiences, their stories and their beliefs with me.  I learned so much and was really impressed at the level of genuine enthusiasm, largely unmotivated by personal gain, that I encountered.  The locals here are something else.

After a relaxing weekend with my roommates involving much local food sampling, I began my orientation week at Koc University!  It has been awesome meeting so many new people from all over the world.  Don't worry Mom, I'm making friends, and we're already talking about places to go, new food and drink to try, different music to listen to and the contrasts between our cultures and nations.  Campus is lovely, set in the middle of a forest north of the main city of Istanbul, it has facilities out the wazoo, including 2 swimming pools, a skating rink, really nice gyms, golf facilities, nice turf fields, a climbing wall, a gorgeous library and underground tunnels to avoid the "harsh winter" (hahaha) of Istanbul.  We had a skating party today, which was a really fun way to socialize and get to chat with people who are not in my orientation group.  Tomorrow we will register for our classes, which begin next week.  Things are starting to fall into place; I'm negotiating traffic with more and more ease, I am pronouncing the few Turkish phrases I know better by the day, and the apartment is starting to feel more like home.  Dig it.