Istanbul, TURKEY 6.30.07

A few hours later, sharp raps on our train car door startle an awakening. On the other side, customs agents confiscate passports for review. An agent requests three US passports be brought to the police station outside. Walking across the tracks, an American voice calls from behind, “Can I get my passport, please?”

A man in his late 30's dressed in sandals, hibiscus printed Bermuda board shorts, and a white t-shirt with a Greek flag trails from the train. We enter the station where the officer on duty demands 20 Euros for each visa. After protesting, the man pays and I return to obtain the money from my effects on the train.

Irritated, the bills are tossed onto the officer's desk. The rude behavior is not well received. The officer does not accept the cash and prepares to eject us from the train. After some significant back-pedaling and apologies, the insult is forgiven, and the journey continues.

Daylight awakens us to look out the large windows. The ancient city of many names, Istanbul, wraps around as minarets identify the 98% Muslim population of the country of Turkey.

Unsure of what to expect, I cover arms and legs to be sure to follow possible laws. Outside on the platform, the clean station begins to ring with the wail of the spiritual sound of the Islamic call to prayer. The Qur'an echoes throughout the city.

Sitting down to take in this novelty, the man in the board shorts approaches once again.

He has changed his shirt to a polo, due to the poor relations of the Turks and Greeks, he later states.

“You guys know where to find a good hostel?”

Two becomes a trio as the man joins the search for Hotel Ipek Palas. Once found, he decides it is too expensive, says he will find another room, and meet again in 30 minutes.

The hotel appears to be swanky, with white shirts and bow-ties, but the rooms are tiny and typical. 

While I shower, the guys reconvene downstairs where he comforts a Dutch girl who has lost luggage at the airport from days earlier, and she is due to leave to the coastal city of Izmir the next morning. 

Thus our trio becomes a quartet off to the cyber cafe for telephone and internet. No word on her bags, so sightseeing is arranged instead of worrying about lost luggage. He opts out of the group activity because he has a very important “business meeting”. No further information of the meeting is allowed, other than he  has never been to Istanbul either.

Using her guide book, the group heads directly for the historic central Sultanahmet district to Hagia Sophia. Originally the third version of the Byzantine cathedral, it was constructed in 537 AD by Justinian. In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and besides changing the city's name to Istanbul, they converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque. In 1935, the Republic of Turkey changed the site into a museum.

Noted for the enormous dome, Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral for one thousand years. In the gardens surrounding, evidence of the second church make elegant ruins.





Byzantine Christian mosaics, side by side to intricate Islamic motifs grace the ceilings and walls at strategic points.













Giant disks with the names of Allah, Mohammad, and the first four caliphs in Arabic frame the dome.

Byzantine mosaics gradually being freed from their plaster prisons of Hagia Sophia's days as a mosque.

Out one of the windows open to receive light, the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet I, nicknamed the Blue Mosque can be seen.

Outside Hagia Sophia, flowers bloom among the ruins.

Outside, across the grassy fountain mall, both the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia can be seen.

The minarets and domes accompanied with the bright sky and spraying fountains give off an almost fantasy appearance.


To the hippodrome, the ancient site of horse races. Only fragments remain, including an obelisk carved in the time of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1500 BC) transported here by Theodosus in 390 AD, almost 2 thousand years after it was made.

The next point of interest is largest mosque in Turkey, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque received its nickname because of the blue hue of the tiles on the interior roof. Construction was completed in 1616.

Certain doors are identified as non-Muslim entrances. Shoes are not allowed, and women's bare shoulders are to be covered with a scarf provided by the mosque's operators.

Interior: covered in ornate patterns and colors.

A low-hanging chandelier breaks up the visual space. The ornate interior is a sharp contrast to the organized perfection of the exterior.

Weaving through the cosmopolitan city's streets back to Hotel Ipek, where he is already downing Effes beer. He has another "meeting" later that evening, and invites our whole party.

Informed her baggage has arrived, she excuses herself for a change of clothing- the first in days.

After a few beers and some playful harassment by the locals, it is time for the “meeting”. Back to the old town between the two massive, historical sites of Hagia Sophia and Sultan Ahmed Mosque is The Four Seasons Hotel. Originally a Turkish prison, now is a stylish and luxurious western-style oasis.

He orders beers with fresh tapas delights of goat cheese and roasted cashews. Conversation and laughter is interrupted as he stands to “go play for a minute” at the shiny black piano in the corner of the bar.

Sandals and board shorts, he lays into the keys for an amazing improvisation that last nearly an hour! Amazed, we wonder who he really is!

After his performance, he dodges personal questions about his inspirations and background. He only claims his skill is actually God's.


Also overlooking the corner building of The Four Seasons from the Istanbul Hostel...




He leads on next to the Istanbul Youth Hostel at Cankurtaran, Kutlugün Sk. No:37, and the Magnaura Sarayı ruins. An interesting 4 story building where the top two floors are an open air restaurant bar with views of the famous Bosphorus, Asia, and of course, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. The Istanbul Youth Hostel also overlooks Nakşıdil Valide Sultan Fountain (1788) at the corner building of The Four Seasons where he just jammed...

An evening of excellent food, cold Efes beer, Raki (the unofficial national drink of Turkey), breathtaking views, and local color.

Full moon over the Bosphorous with a ghostly piano man.





Back to Ipek Hotel for late-night Raki with him - who was getting annoyed with the local servers' attitude of female ownership. 

Walking past Hagia Sophia lit up for the night.

One night in Istanbul just is not enough! 

Ah, well, up to bed - the airplane leaves early the next day for Dusseldorf, Germany.

Thessaloniki to Pythios 6.29.07

A few hours longer and notification we are at the stop. Not big enough for Istanbul, a map identifies that we are at a boarder town in Greece, Pythion.

Off the train, look left and right, no one else disembarks. A small dog is the only living soul around.

"Squatter" style Eastern toilets are among available amenities.

The waiting room is deserted, but is home to a table flavored from all around the world singing songs of idle time in this twilight zone called Pythion.

Someone's idea of a joke...

This dog is not dead.

A short nap is interrupted by sudden bustle and noise - the room is now full of youthful travelers. Brits become friendly with us as they share Ouzo from the now open bar next door.

A staff person says the Istanbul train is arriving so the party heads out to the platform. A train arrives and leaves, with no notification. Too late, we find out it was headed to Istanbul. The next train for our tickets is in 24 hours.

Not enough Turkish Lira to buy a different type of ticket and many misunderstandings, the Brits and all the others leave, heading back into the country of Greece.

Stranded, we make the best of the situation and decide to find a local with transportation. We develop a hap-hazard conversation with a German ex-patriot, Theo, who also speaks Greek... but no English... and no Spanish. How communication was occurred, no one can say.

In the end, Theo offers hospitality at his home in the tiny nearby town of Petrades.

Our knight and his chariot.





Greek and Turkish relations in recent history have been very strained - hence this beautiful boarder is laced with explosive mines.

A Greek Orthodox devotional shrine passed on the road. Our guide makes an offering.

After a joltingly wild ride, we arrive at Theo's home in Petrades.










Cranes nesting above a nearby rooftop.

Feeling fine after a shower and some relaxation in the country. A tour of the town, Theo introduces us to the town's inhabitants.


Beer and strange conversation soon attract many of Theo's “nephews.” The young, hip Greeks and Germans who speak English all come to Theo's home to meet the the strange Americans.
Excellent people, they provided friendship, fun, and even necessary local transportation to an ATM.

We all caravan back down to the train station at Pythios to purchase a new ticket to Istanbul that night. Our new friends speak with the conductors to assure we won't miss the train again.
 

On the platform, a pistola of Ouzo is split among the group, and Uncle Theo gets a Bic ink “tattoo.”

2am! When the train arrives, it is difficult to leave without promising to return sometime soon.



A private sleeper car awaits weary bodies. Bunked down, the rocking of the train is its own lullaby.

Naxos to Thessaloniki 6.28.08

Today's adventure leaves the island paradise of Naxos to return to Athens to catch a cross-country train to the second largest city in Greece, the northern city of Thessaloniki.

First in line, soon others pile up behind as the ship at the port of Naxos is behind schedule.

Backpacking can be romantic...

 
Steaming away from the island city of Naxos.

 
After boarding the nearly empty ship, most passengers appear to have reserved seats as the deck is deserted.


Long benches become beds as we snap the packs underneath and pull our blazing red LTU airline blankets for warmth.

A bright white moon floats in the sky and sea as we steam toward Athens.

The rising sun on the Aegean horizon.

Sea-faring sleeping arrangements.

After 8 hours, the skyline of mainland Greece is in sight.

Disembarking at Piraeus, we are eager to find the metro out of this Athenian suburb.

To the train station to purchase tickets to Istanbul, Turkey. After rude information, the booth needed to purchase international tickets will not open until after our desired train has already left.

More time to pass, the bags are once again dumped in a locker, and a meal is sought. An excellent cafe offers wonderful local fare with the “coldest Mythos in town” - complete with beer-cicles! The owner even throws in a complimentary paella (tastier than those in Malaga!) and some refreshing watermelon slices. 

With satisfied stomachs, we say our thanks and goodbye as an elderly Athenian offers his apologies for the unbearable weather due to the “Super Warming”.

Time to buy tickets and board, we are eager for the next destination. The train trip is routed from the southernmost point of the country, Athens, all the way to the far reaches of the northeast to, to Thessaloniki, and to cross into Turkey en route to Istanbul.
 

By the time the train moves onward, the sweat is rolling into our eyes. Finally- time for some air conditioning!...but it never blows.

From midday to sundown the train rolls through the Greek sun-scorched plains heating its contents like a microwave.

We sleep as much as possible, but fortunately wake in time for death-defying train trestle winding through mountainous peaks.

This is what the hot train car feels like...so much for romance...

At Thessoloniki, it is dark and everyone is instructed to get off the train to change to one with air conditioning. Finally!

When it is time to board the new transport, it is a free-for-all. With this opportunity, we locate an empty private car. Lock the doors, close the curtains and blast the air conditioning! Soon, a knock on the door from the conductor sends us back to the cattle car where we belong...through the remainder of the night.