New blog--go to that instead

Simply because it does not seem to contain the features I desire in a blog page, I'm changing to: smtigg.tumblr.com/

Alrighty, and now for a complete change of format

Since Blogger/Blogspot has decided not to either a) be speedy at uploading pictures or b) accept my pictures as reasonable file sizes, I will no longer be posting the texts of my postcards up here. Perhaps phrases, but free-writing sounds much more interesting, anyway.

Tomorrow morning we leave Ankara for Istanbul. It is a 6-hour bus ride that accommodates the rider with television, headsets, a food and beverage service cart, and plush seats that lean much farther back than the knee space allows. Altogether, a very nice experience. However, I will mention you should not take the headsets. Otherwise, your professor will be called by the friend that bought the bus tickets because she got called by the bus station manager saying that someone took ALL of the headsets! (Even though it was only two of us). Altogether, a thoroughly enjoyable opportunity. The riders are given a rest stop halfway through that is either for 30 or 45 minutes. Oh, did I mention there is a bathroom on the bus?

Onto Ankara....
Our itinerary for the first full day was to split our time between two obvious representations of the question of Turkish identity. Turkey is a secular state. It has a sizeable Muslim population, even if the level of religiosity is relatively low. What does that mean for the psyche of a Turk?

What we were presented with in the morning was the Anitkabir--the tomb of the Father of the Turks, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. We entered from the wrong side initially, but walked around the outside to enter from the proper steps. On the left, are statues of the agricultural workers. On the right are statues of women of Turkey. There were two compartments that described the construction effort of the Anitkabir, and the meaning behind the layout of the memorial. Walking along the path (it was a rather long and skinny event) to the actual tomb, the sides were adorned with red roses and statues of majestic lions. One professor shared an anecdote that I particularly liked:

I was here with an archeologist friend of mine a while back, and he told me that the placement of the stones with the grass growing up in between like this was constructed in order that you must watch your step so that you do not twist an ankle. Therefore, you must bow your head while approaching Ataturk's tomb.

Whether or not its an accurate reasoning for the structural placement of the stones, I found it very difficult to walk without looking down, and ended up bowing my head, unintentionally.

What is so fascinating about the Anitkabir is that, well, the Turkish identity is so fabulously constructed, and Ataturk's tomb clearly was made to support everything he promoted in his lifetime. It's lavish, it's modern; the format of the construction has pre-Ottoman ties, as part of the narrative of the Turkish identity is to demonstrate that the Ottoman Empire is not necessarily the past that needs the emphasis, but that Turkey is a state with a long history.

And now I'm tired, so this will be continued tomorrow and you will never see this sentence again!!

Istanbul (in progress)

Ayasofia

I’m writing to you from the Ayasofia in Istanbul. It is breathtaking to be looking out over the building with the oldest free-standing dome (I’m on the second floor). The Ayasofia’s construction has been used as the format for most mosques. It was constructued by the Byzantines, swarmed by crusaders, repaired by the Byzantines, taken over by the Ottomans, and turned into a museum during the modernization period. Luckily, the giant chandelier in the middle is down for repair, so there’s a straight view when you look up. There are mosaics that have been uncovered of Christian symbols. It’s a really great start to my trip, that’s for sure.



Sultan Ahmed Mosque

I’m writing to you from the Blue Mosque of Istanbul. It was built by Sultan Ahmen I, and the actual name is, well, Sultan Ahmed mosque. The mosque is aptly named, as there are blue tiles adorning the sides. While we were prepared with headscarves and long skirts, once we were inside no one seemed to keep up the appearance. It was built by the Sultan in sort of a competition to the Ayasofia, the Byzantine mosque across the way. The gardens of the Blue Mosque are some of the greenest, luscious areas I’ve seen. It was an amazing jump start to my travels!

Eyup Mosque

As I’m writing to you, we’re waiting for the ferry to cross the Bosphorus on it to return to the hotel. We spent the afternoon at the Eyup mosque—well, 20 minutes there, much more time spent traveling on the ferry than over there. The Eyup mosque is considered to be the 4th holiest location in Islam. Eyup was Mohammad’s advisor, and he led two attacks on Constantinople, or Istanbul, as it is called now. When he died, they made him a tomb is at the Eyup mosque, which is why the mosque was constructed in that location. The way that people were reverent inside of the tomb room reminded me of the visits to Rachel’s tomb in Hebron.

Byzantine Cistern

I’m writing to you from the caverns of the Byzantine cisterns. It was constructed by a Byzantine emperor (Justinius), and considering it held all of the water for what was then Constantinople, it’s pretty big. I don’t know if either of you are James Bond fans, but a part of “From Russia with Love” was filmed here. It’s no longer a cistern; the water was drained, walkways built, lights put into accented positions, and Sams’ snapping pictures of everything. I am quite excited for the rest of the trip!


Dolmabahce Palace/Topkepe Palace

I’m writing to you not from the Aya Sofia, featured on the other side, but from the Topkepe Palace, located in the center of Istanbul. 17th century sultans were kind of awesome. They got to chill out on sofas all day long while their viziers ran the empire. Only flip side to it was that the sultan couldn’t leave the castle/PALACE. Compared to the Dolmabahce palace of this morning, it is more much breathable and airy. The Topkepe also represents the power of the sultan; there are layers of courtyards, and the closer to the center you travel, the closer to the center of power you get to. Visually, you can see telling Islamic influence, and it is covered with gorgeous tiles of various patterns inlaid on the inside. The way of keeping the sultan separate is taken from the Byzantine empire-style. I’m kind of fascinated by today’s travels!

Packing list

Two days til the impending travel date, and doom is already upon us-- I've graduated! In packing up my entire four years of college history into 5 suitcases (and a box for my books to be usps-ed home), I have managed to condense my packing list for three months in Turkey into the following:

1 Black below-knee length skirt
1 knee-length khaki
4 t-shirts of various colors
1 long-sleeve blue
2 pairs of shorts
2 spaghetti-strap shirts
1 tank
1 dress shirt
1 plaid button-down shirt
2 pair spandex shorts
1 pair long black pants
10 pairs of socks
various other underclothing

1 bathing suit
1 wrap cloth (for mosques)
1 mouth guard (for rugby)

and very few other items. I took out two of my texts that we've used as a class, as they're accessible online. My packing list is quite short, considering I'll be in Turkey all summer. Hand-washing is to be my method of cleaning (unless I'm extremely lucky that there's a washing machine in the apartment in Istanbul), and the precondition for all these items is that I can part with them all fairly easily in case they are stolen, ripped, etc. It will be very interesting to see what survives the summer....

Well! New York City today, JFK at noon, and on the airplane to Istanbul by 4:40 PM. Til tomorrow

Sam

The anticipation is building!

Here I go, preparing for my soon-to-be trip to Istanbul with my class. We've been taking a course called "Making of Modern Day Turkey" all semester, and the day after graduation we take off from JFK for a ten-day adventure. Then, they all go home and my fun begins.

Throughout the summer months I will be documenting my observations through reflections and descriptions, but mainly photography. Hopefully my experiences can contribute to the experiences of future travelers; whether its good or bad, its an interesting time.

Thanks for reading!

Benim adim Sam
(My name is Sam)

Benim isimim Sam
(My name is Sam I am)

P.S. If you have a preference for my name choice, feel free to comment and let me know!