I'll be quoting liberally from my travel journal. It's the easiest way to tell the story. That writing will be in italics. Real time writing will be regular. I'll switch off. You'll get confused and curse me. Ready? Here we go!
August 31, 2010
…eventually we landed in Istanbul. I was shocked by the HEAT. The air was thick and humid. Fortunately the airport is a model of efficiency. Obtaining the visas then getting our passports stamped was a breeze. Our driver Ramazan was waiting with a sign, "MARIANNE" He whisked us to our apartment in Cihangir on a breathless and daring ride through Istanbul's crowded streets. We bumped along faster than seemed possible, swinging around corners, careening down hills, then finally screeching to a stop in front of our apartment. Elif stuck her head out the window and motioned us up. Unfortunately the ride from the airport did not include Ramazan hefting my bag up the spiral staircase. Shite.
The apartment is smaller and slightly shabby, not quite like the photos, but the view…the view is undeniably magnificent. In one sweep of the eye you take in Sultanamet across the Golden Horn and looking in the other direction across the Bosphorus, to Asia.
Yes. We're here. The long long journey across 2 continents has ended. After an entire day of having my extra large body squished into an extra small plane seat I can finally stretch out and MOVE. I need a shower, but my eyes feel like they've already been washed staring out across the Bosphorus.
Water, water, water as far as you can see. All the way out to the Sea of Marmara. We have landed somewhere new.
I'm worried about the heat, but we've stopped moving and after a cold shower I'm sure to cool down at least a few degrees. After being in the apartment less than an hour we heard our first call to prayer and rushed out to the balcony. Oh, oh, oh. A more beautiful sound I can't remember hearing. A droning warbling melody that reaches in and presses something on my heart.
I made this short video while at the Blue Mosque one day. In each part of the city the call to prayer is slightly different depending on which mosque you are nearest. One night we saw the actual muezzin going into the mosque down the street from our apartment to sing out the call of prayer. He disappeared inside the closed mosque and 1 minute later the call began.
no wonder Istanbul is a city of cats. i just played your video, “a call to prayer”, and one of my cats came running and jumped up in the chair with me. maybe the call is a primal noise that ALL animals respond to. look forward to seeing more of your trip and journals.
Welcome home Miss Mary Ann Moss. I am so thrilled to be traveling Istanbul through your blog and generous sharing of your journals. To read your words is magic. Your view was amazing. I am entranced…
Greeting Moss Cottage, I will here these wonderful notes wh ile I fall asleep tonight. Your are one beautiful story teller you cant stop reading and before you know it you have to wait for your next adventure to start. 🙁 Sad but for someone who travelde so far needs to get back down to earth.
Thank you for taking us along,
xxoo,
Linda
Welcome back! Looks & sounds like a fabulous trip.
Lovely indeed, to see the heat and to hear the Sea, and the Beauty, in the pics and in the vid.
Thank you for bringing all this to a screen near me.
I didn know ‘shite’ had made it to ‘a continent away’… I thought it was only Scottishness..it’s the word for the moment, sometimes, for sure,
and always brings a giggle when said by someone else.
Looking forward to more looking backwards with you.
xxx
When I was in Turkey, Ephesus, last September, it was very hot as well though being from Florida, it just felt like home. The call to prayer was very stirring. Glad you’re home from your wonderful trip.
Oh yes that Middle Eastern heat, so taken for granted that no one even thinks of mentioning it. Sorry it hit you like a hot humid oven.
I think there is something so strong in the call to prayer that it touches every person/soul – longing I think. I used to live near two mosques, and in modern Bahrain, they were both recorded calls. It was funny to hear the needle scratch when the call from the smaller mosque started. Nonetheless, they made me feel God was in his heavens and all was right with the world.
Wow! Amazing. Thank you for sharing.
so nice to see photos of my hometown 🙂 i hope your trip was great and now i feel homesick!
It is so much fun to travel alongside the Moss sisters by way of your amazing photos, vids and journals. Some producer should discover you and put you on TV. But I hope they don’t – your blog is my favorite place to go on my computer!
Mary Ann, welcome back. The call to prayer sound is really moving. I’m lovin’ your story so far and look forward to more.
Your photos are beautiful and the short video really gives the “travel journal” a taste of real life and sounds. THank you for sharing. will be looking forward to the rest of the posts and a peek into your written journal….?
breath taking views!! beautiful call to prayer. what a glorious trip. can’t wait to read about it.
the call to prayer is poignant, but even more so because it has never been called by a woman…
I can think of only one word. Beautiful. You paint with your words as well as you paint in your journals. I got shivers listening to the video you shared in part because of the way you described the moments. I love your stories. Tell me another one pretty please….pretty please Miss Moss. Will be sitting here waiting for the next one.
MA, that video “call to prayer” made me yearn to be back on North Africa. I so loved hearing the same call all over Tunisia and Morocco. I hope to get to Turkey next year, if all works out well. Thanks for the audio reminder of my trip!
And, of coure, welcome home.
thank you for the video. What a stirring way to begin your traveler’s tale. I love that sound.
That view is breathtaking! Loving the story so far… tell us more…
Mary Ann! Gosh, I”m so glad you’re back. That’s just weird. I’ve missed updates on Moss Cottage but I must say I can’t wait to hear about Instanbul. Sigh. I will go there one day. Tell me all about it, then I want to hear how the fur people are getting along.
Yup. I almost fell to my knees.
circling the computer waiting for more……
Oh my gosh I’m sooooo excited to hear/read all about your trip. You and Sister are my idols!!! I can’t wait for more!!!! The call to prayer brought tears to my eyes, so beautiful….xoxox Beth
The view is stunning, Marry Ann!!! I’ve been to Istanbul and I have fond memories of the place, the food is glorious and the people are ever so friendly… I’ll be going to Turkey again to another city in the next four weeks…and I’m looking forward to returning….