Turkish "moments"

 One of the reasons I am (trying!) to keep this blog is to remember my Turkish experiences, as well as share them..  I had not written an entry since November 15 and today is December 12!  Besides Enka School keeping me busy, I've had a visitor this past month.  Jim, my husband, came to stay for a month.  The school's fall break allowed us to finally go out and explore Istanbul together!

I will share a few moments and not bore you with the details of the Archeological Museum!  (Which was fascinating by the way.)We all have "moments" when we stop, look where we are, and sigh.  Just sigh.  And take it in. I will tell you about two such moments. 

 One rainy day during fall break, Jim and I were accompanied by my dear friend Emily, a teacher from Zimbabwe, and her fiancé, Mert, who is Turkish, to visit the Archeological Museum, the Hagias Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cisterns of old Istanbul. Mert, an architect, is a history buff and loves to visit these sites and talk about them--a real advantage for us new to Istanbul.  My "moment," came when we stopped for lunch.  As it was raining, we chose a restaurant with good spacing and windows all around atop a shop, ever aware of the risks of Coronavirus. It was there, as I sat with Jim, Emily and Mert, with a splendid view of the area which was once the Hippodrome of Constantinople where Romans held chariot races, I had my moment.  We laughed.  I was saying this time last year, 2019, I would not in my wildest dreams, have foreseen myself in this spot, with these people. A snapshot in time I hope to always remember.

The second moment was with Jim atop the Galata Tower.  We struck out on our own - now I have working knowledge of the Metro - to visit the area around Galata Tower.  This area is still in Old Istanbul and located where the Bosporus and the Golden Horn meet.  It is a medieval tower which  withstood centuries of weather and earthquakes!  Galata served as a lookout post. And it's easy to see why.  Jim and I rode an elevator up and climbed a bit further to reach the top.  One can stand outside, atop the tower with a railing as "protection."  (Advice: Do not take a child under the age of 20 to this spot:-)  Once there, on top Galata Tower, overlooking beautiful old Istanbul - its magnificent mosques in view, the intersection of the Bosporus. the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara - I had my "moment."  The call to prayer from the many mosques below began.  This mystical, spiritual call echoed over the water and I was in awe of sights and sounds I was experiencing.  Jim and I looked at each other and expressed, as we often do, that we are lucky. 

Jim and I did more during his visit - trips to the Istinye Park mall where we had "tea" at a quaint restaurant, Turkish breakfast on the Bosporus, Turkish meals at Juniper Cafe next to my apartment, a night out with Mert and Emily to celebrate her birthday at a fabulous Armenian Restaurant, an adventure to Ortakoy to see its beautiful mosque and eat gigantic baked potatoes, a take-out meal with a few bottles of wine with Nurcan, my head of department, and delivery meals right at my apartment door, we enjoyed on my little glass-top coffee table...

Jim's visit did not seem long enough, but I understand his wanting to be home, near family, at Christmas.  He did not chose to teach in Istanbul...I did.  He will quarantine for two weeks to be sure it's safe to be with Elsie, his 95-year-old mother.  The family is protecting her from the virus, because she is herself, a treasure.  

Until he returns, I'll seek out my own Turkish moments.