Bizarre Bazaar

 “Spice Girls!” “Princess!” “Beautiful” “Charlie’s Angels!”

I could get used to shopping in Istanbul. Everywhere I walked I was approached by people calling me sweet names, commenting on my “exotic beauty,” and asking to “help spend my money.” My favorite line I got was, “I like that color on you. But I like you even more! And I’d like to see you buy me rug even more!” I remember feeling a similar way, though perhaps a bit more overwhelmed in China going through the markets. Everyone seems so pushy, and eager to sell me something, I wasn’t quite sure how to respond.

My default setting as I walked through the Grand Bazaar was to look straight ahead and ignore if I didn’t want to be approached, but it was hard because everyone was so nice- and the things they were selling were beautiful! Glass lanterns, artistic tiles, bags on bags on bags, and so much tea and spices! So much to choose from, but I had a strict budget I was trying to adhere to. So I came home with tea. Everywhere I went people were drinking tea. Apple tea was the drink of choice, so of course I picked up some for myself (and friends). I got so caught up with both the instant and lose leaf teas, I gave into the shopkeepers and bought kiwi, watermelon, chamomile, green, and my personal favorite, the mystery “love tea.” Not sure what it is supposed to do, but it seemed like the safe choice compared to the Turkish Viagra tea the shopkeeper was trying to sell me.

Wandering around the Grand Bazaar (the largest covered market in the world) could take days as it covers almost a mile total and as you get deeper into the market it gets increasingly more narrow and cluttered. The most bizarre encounter I had in the Bazaar was when a man approached me about buying perfume. I was tempted, because it was Chanel, but in all honesty, I’m a bit skeptical of the knock off brands. The man followed me for a good long while, continuously asking me to smell it. I wasn’t worried it wouldn’t smell the same. If it’s a knock off, I’m sure it smells identical, but I was more worried it would give me some weird rash from being cheaply made. Still, the man was relentless. He lowered the price from 50 lire to 5 lire (again, a tip off that I should avoid it.) He even blatantly told me he was on the Black Market and could get me any scent I wanted. 15 minutes later after incessant selling, he finally got the point and gave up to find another willing buyer.

What surprised me the most about the Bazaar was the lack of diversity. I could walk one block and 4 shops would sell identical things. I imagine they were competing on price mostly, but I couldn’t help but wonder if some of the skills in the Commerce School would even help me if I were to try to set up a business in the same environment. It certainly would be difficult to compete on price and to work within such a small space with hundreds of skeptical tourists passing by each day.

A New Kind of Turkish Delight

I began sweating profusely as I laid face down on a hot stone slab with 20 of my new closest friends. I was quite surprised when I entered the Cemberlitas Turkish Bath and was greeted by 5 topless women surrounded by plenty of other semi-nude patrons. As I laid in the sweltering heat, feeling more like cooking in a turkey baster, than a soothing spa, I couldn’t help wonder whether the liquid dripping down my nose was water condensation from the humid air, or just plain sweat. I flipped over a few times, roasting with a handful of strange women and a few of my friends for a half an hour before a large topless woman tapped me on the leg and motioned to follow her. I looked around at the other ladies and it seems this was the custom. So, gathering my towel, I went to the other side of the stone slab.

The woman motioned for me to lay face down. She explained to me that I was ready to be scrubbed since I had allowed myself to “moisten” long enough. Apparently the water on my face and now body was, in fact, sweat- the prime ingredient needed for a successful Turkish Bath. The women took a small hand towel and began scrubbing me from head to toe, front and back. It felt sort of like sandpaper along my skin. Luckily I was wearing the black underwear given to me, compliments of the establishment, or else the bath scrub down would have been extremely more awkward. Uncomfortable at first, the women scrubbed even my chest, but I eventually got used to it because it seemed like everyone was doing it. As she finished with the cloth, she brought my hand to my stomach and giving me a stern look. It seems she believed I was quite dirty, because she showed me all of the dirt and skin she had removed. Yes, it sounds pretty gross, but luckily everyone I talked to had the same experience. The curse of being tan from the sun- it comes off at a spa…and it’s noticeable. I must have been one of the dirtier ones, because after she surrounded me with a wall of soap bubbles, washing the rest of my body, she handed me the scrubber to take home. I was the only one in my group of friends who was given the “honor” to clean myself again back on the ship.

My bath mistress led me over to a wash station where she rinsed me down and shampooed my hair. I enjoyed the little head massage, but wasn’t quite sure whether I would be alive after almost drowning from all the water unexpectedly dumped on my head. After the car-wash like experience with my body and hair clean, I was free to socialize in the hot tub carved into the ground, which looked more like a small warm swimming pool. I wanted to keep up with my friends because they were finished a bit before me, so I only took a dip in and quickly left the sauna room to wait for the next part of the spa treatment.

When I met my friends in the waiting room, there were no more towels, so I had to awkwardly sit topless while I waited for my massage. The wait was so worth it though. I’m a sucker for massages, and this one was one of the best. I was even treated to a bonus facial during the 30 minutes of heaven. When I emerged from the massage room I felt like a hundred pounds had been lifted off my shoulders, leaving me weightless.

The Turkish Bath is not just a place for women to be washed and gossip, but also for men. From what I heard, the men did not have the same pleasant experience however. Seems they may be a bit more rough outside of the “females only” spa club.  For me though, the Turkish Bath was by far my favorite activity I did the entire time in Turkey, and if I could go back, I would probably just ask if the bath rented rooms because I would stay there and go down for a daily washing each morning. When we left we received free postcards to send to our friends back home, probably to brag about the great experience and encourage others to visit in the future.

Living Like a Queen

Continuing to soak up the rich history of Istanbul, I got up early to visit the Basilica Cistern. The best of the secret treasures of Istanbul lies beneath the paved roads in a large aqueduct. Lit only by dim lights, the Basilica Cistern is an ancient aqueduct that, if visited in the morning, haunts your senses. You can hear water dripping from unknown sources and see fish slithering around the columns in the water as you walk about a room that looks eerily similar to the Chamber of Secrets in Harry Potter. The column that drew my attention had teardrop eyes carved into the stone. Known as the Crying Column, it was wet to the touch from an unknown water source. The other interesting artifacts in the cistern were the large Medusa heads in the back of the chamber. One is upside down and another on it’s side, but no one knows why. The mystery of the Basilica Cistern was my favorite place we visited. It even ended with a fun where a few of my girlfriends and I dressed up in traditional Sultan clothing. We felt like queens the rest of the day.

Still strutting around like royalty, we headed to the Topkapi Palace. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Topkapi Palace used to be home to the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years. The palace was broken up into various sections housing all sorts treasures and stories. The back section was the first “sofa,” which I expected to have one giant, plush, couch for tourists to recline on, but it turns out “sofa” just means an area to relax, play games, and enjoy the day without the stress of work. However they did have a building that had very short sitting areas to recline back to smoke hookah on. The most crowded section of the palace was the palace treasury on display in three rooms. The collection was impressive, showing off jeweled headdresses, gold plated swords, goblets, anything one could add a overly embellished design to. Despite my attraction to the large jewel collection (the jewelry was frankly just too large and ostentatious for my taste), the Harem intrigued me the most.

The Harem, though in the palace walls, is a completely separate part of the royal grounds. Sultans back in the day enjoyed their women. The Harem was a small collection of private apartments where his concubines resided. Eunuchs, black males without their manhood, also stayed with his “concubine family,” but only because they were forbidden to mix with the women of the palace (with being sterile and all, I imagine many women were turned off by that). Instead, the women of the Harem were there to please the Sultan. Girls between 6-13 were brought in for their beauty and intellect to live within the palace walls with the Sultan. However, only five or six concubines, including the head “Queen Mother” were granted the honor to share the Sultan’s bed. We saw the bed in one of the rooms- it was massive! It could definitely fit more than five people comfortably.

My first thoughts of the Harem were that it was beautiful, with ornate turquoise tiles all over the walls, and a nice shaded area that made it a cooler space than the rest of Istanbul. I can’t say that I would want to be brought in to live there. Even though the Harem was better than the outside world, the concubines were effectively stolen girls with talent or beauty, forced to live submissively to the Sultan. Still, it was great to learn about the history of the Palace and see the sites and treasures we have been learning about in Global Studies.

Whirling About Mosques

The first thing one sees when they sail into the harbor of Istanbul is the Turkish Flag. The white crescent moon and star on a red background looks beautiful against the backdrop of a sunrise and was a great introduction to what was a very new country and culture I was about to experience.

Numerous visitors told me that Istanbul has more to offer than just the 5 days I would be spending there. To compensate for my lack of time, I tried to fit in quite a bit of “must see” spots the first day. The first must see? The Hagia Sophia mosque.

Docked near the Asian side of Istanbul (yes, it is split into two continents!) I traveled with 10 girls to the old part of the town. The temperature was much nicer than the past two countries with a light breeze, but because it Turkey is primarily a Islamic country, and we were visiting during Ramadan, we were particularly sensitive to the cultural norm of wearing covered knees and bringing scarves to cover our shoulders. You can imagine wearing a long full-length skirt added a few degrees to the fairly sunny day. Still, the few mile walk to the Hagia Sophia was so worth it. Originally St. Sophia, a Christian church and the center of Byzantium, it was converted into the chief Mosque of Istanbul when the Turks conquered Constantinople in 1565. Most of the beautiful Christian frescos were plastered over, covering the biblical stories for another Islamic tale to be told. The large architectural structure of the Hagia Sophia is now a museum showing the contrast of where the Sultan sat, with carefully excavated frescos revealed behind on the wall. It was fascinating to me that such beautiful mosaics had been covered up for centuries, though I suppose I can’t blame them.

We next headed to the Blue Mosque right across the way. This mosque is still a working mosque, so we made sure to take off our shoes and cover our heads before entering silently. Where the Hagia Sophia had hard marble floors, the Blue Mosque had plush, soft carpet that your toes sort of sunk into. I can’t lie, it sort of smelled like feet, but the impressive multicolored ceiling and high archways distracted me from the lingering scent. 5 times a day the mosque attracts numerous amounts of people from all over the city for the call to prayer. Though there are plenty of mosques all around town, the blue mosque is a favorite because is as beautiful as it is big.

In the afternoon we wandered about the Grand Bazaar and the Spice market (which I will save for a later blog), and the evening I went on a trip to see the Whirling Dervishes. The Dervishes are usually men practicing Islam following the “sufi” path of extreme poverty (similar to Buddhist sadhus). One of the ways they practice this is by whirling, a specific kind of religious dance, bringing the dancer closer to God. Each dervish wears a large thumb shaped brown hat that signifies the tomb stone, and a black cloak representing death which is taken off during the dance to reveal a white robe representing heaven and the freedom from sins. The hour show began with traditional Islamic music which led into 5 men silently spinning. Eyes closed, the dervishes glided along in a circular motion, looking more like moving fluffy pastries than spiritual men. I couldn’t help but remember how I used to twirl around when I was younger, getting dizzy and eventually falling down in a heap of giggles. But these men were neither falling, laughing, or surprisingly puking from all the spinning they were doing. Though the ceremony was certainly worth seeing, I am not sure I would want to sit through a whole hour again. I kept waiting for some more excitement, but much like watching a paint dry, only one action was apparent… spinning, spinning, and more spinning.

It's All Greek To Me

My favorite days in port are usually the ones where I get to learn by doing. The SAS trips are a great way to get those hands on experiences, and there’s no hassle with the logistics! Though I would ‘t recommended overloading on trips, I am glad I signed up for as many cooking classes as possible.

My last day in Greece, I spent the morning at a cooking class. When we arrived we were lead into a room with all the ingredients we would need to assemble our creations. The chef explained to the group that today we would be making five or so dishes, splitting up into 5 different teams for a Top Chef experience. Before I left I watched Top Chef and Sweet Genius with Johnny, so I was familiar with the concept, and excited to try out my culinary skills on this new genre of food.

Normally I am very competitive about things that don’t really matter- for example card games, bowling, putt putt… cooking classes in Greece would probably fall under this category, but because the group was so large, I let someone else take the lead and I had the pleasure of photographing all of my friends. I helped a little, mashing potatoes, and chopping tomatoes here and there, but the group did a great job. Even with the annoying mime who kept coming over to taste our dishes before we were finished and making silly faces at us.

The dishes we completed consisted of Greek Salad, Greek Bruchetta, Tzatziki Sauce, Lentil Salad,  and a “Potato Salad.” I put the last dish in quotations because it was not the potato salad that we in the south have come to know and love. Though it started the same, chopping potatoes, but that was about the only similarity. The next ingredient we added was fish egg paste. Yes, fish eggs are added to the normally scrumptious meal… unfortunately I was not a huge fan. It tasted more like rotten fish than some cultural delicacy, but 1 out of 5 dishes that did not fit my pallet, that was pretty good! Our team chose to skip the fish paste entirely, which made it bearable to eat later, but other groups were scooping massive spoonfulls into the dish which I felt was a sure way to sink themselves in the competition. We tried to distinguish our team by making creative arrangements of food on the plate, which personally I thought added to the allure of our meal.

Our team ended up in 4^th place- probably because we lacked an entire ingredient- but in all honesty, everyone wins because we could keep the apron and we got to learn and enjoy cooking traditional Greek foods. I am including the recipe for Tzatziki sauce, because that was my favorite thing we made.

The Greek food didn’t stop there because Lindsay and I met my parents to have lunch at the yacht club and say our final goodbye to Andreas. I wanted to say again, a huge thank you for everything he did for my family and I. I certainly will be coming back to Greece soon to visit him. He gave a wonderful impression of Greece and it’s culture. And Andreas, if you are reading this, you made Greece my favorite country on this trip. Thank You!

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (32 ounce) container plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/2 English cucumber with peel, grated
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Stir together yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl. Add lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper; whisk until smooth. Pour into a serving dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Three Island Tour

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,

A tale of a fateful trip

That started from this tropic port

Aboard this tiny ship.

The third day in Greece Andreas had arranged for us to take a 3 island tour in the nearby Saronic coast. Though not quite Gilligan’s Island status, we did enjoy island hopping to Poros, Hydra, and Aegina (it seems I have had the opportunity to do lots of island hopping of this trip- I better not get used to it). If we were staying the weekend and the winds were calmer we would have gone to Andreas’ island, but the trip he set up for us was wonderful.

We first went to the island of Poros, one of the further islands off the mainland. We were only allotted 45 minutes to look around, really just enough time to stretch our legs, but my family made the most of it. My mom is a baklava fiend, so the first place we headed was the pastry shop. The last time we were in Greece, i'm pretty sure she ate baklava for breakfast, lunch, and dinner... but so far, three days in and this was her first taste. Of course between the two, both my parents ordered three- to "try each kind." And if they could smuggle it on the ship, I know they would. I personally am not a fan of baklava, but I did try the treat and the honey that was drizzled over the flaky pastry was to die for.

When we embarked back on our little ship (it is a ship because it has a life boat and only ships carry, boats, not the other way around) the staff marked us as VIP. It seems Andreas had outdone himself again. The short cruise was much more enjoyable with free drinks, our own private cabin, and the captain even invited us to drive the ship! I didn't know that ships were still steered by the pirate looking steering wheel, but I confidently grabbed each side and led us through the Saronic waters. Of course when we went through a narrow straight of islands they asked me to step aside and let the crew do the work, only so I wouldn't be stressed on my vacation. How very considerate of them!

The second island we docked at was the island of Hydra. Known for its rocky coast and nice shopping, we hopped off the Aegean Glory (the name of our ship) and tried to keep up appearances of "VIP"... you can see in the picture my family is a bit out of place. We did however enjoy a nice stroll, looking into every shop. The jewelry was stunning, though a bit pricey for my taste, and the view was even better. I was originally bummed that I wasn't going to make it to Santorini because that was where Mamma Mia was filmed on the picturesque Greek Island, but Hydra was a great substitute. The water was a rich blue sapphire color that complemented the blue and white architecture around town. My favorite part was the amount of cats that wandered the streets of Hydra. These cats were much more friendly and did not beg like other cats in Greece. I imagine they were pretty content with the food and beautiful scenery just as I was.

Our third island was Aegina. This island was the biggest and closest to Athens. Most Athenians have summer homes here and go to have a weekend getaway out of the city. We were able to take a tour of the island by bus which was a nice way to see the entirety of the land, and learned a few things along the way. Apparently Aegina only has 5,000 inhabitants, but originally in ancient times it was highly populated and a strong power in the Saronic seas. In fact, Athens frequently called upon their help to fight off unwanted enemies, but feared Aegina may become more powerful than the mainland city, so the ships back to Aegina were burned. The powerful city declined from there, however even today the island seems to be somewhat self sufficient. It is rich with olive and pistachio resources so it is said that Aegina is not feeling the stress of the economy as much as the rest of Greece.

The tour came to a close just as the sun was setting, which was a nice way to come back into the harbor. Completely exhausted, despite the royal treatment, we met up with my brother to have a gyro and then head back to the ship. We were invited to the yacht club with Andreas the next day, after my cooking class, so we wanted to fresh and rested for our last day in port!

Grecian Holiday

If I had one word to describe Greece, I’d say “gracious.”

Though I had a wonderful day at the Sea Turtle Protection Society, the next few days in Greece were like a fairytale and a wonderful introduction into the Greek Culture.

Thanks to Sal, a family friend from ISE, we were recommended to connect with his friend Andreas. Unsure of what to expect, my mom called him up to see if he had any recommendations of unusual things to do in Athens. Having been here already, and knowing my family, we were looking for an off the beaten path experience of Greece that would really show its true colors. Andreas graciously asked us to visit his office that morning and he would see what he could brainstorm.

My mother, friend Lindsay (from Baylor University) and I conveniently walked across the street to his building and up a few flights to his office. Apparently, Andreas is the President of the Greek Passenger Shipowners Association, has owned many ships in his day, and may be the most famous person I have ever met. It was clear by his office that he is successful, well educated, well traveled, and most of all, well liked… and I can see why.

Andreas might be one of the most kind, welcoming, and again, for lack of a better term, gracious, people I have ever met. Around the age of my grandfather, he has lived a full, rich, life and has so much to share! He asked the three of us what we would like to do that day-though we were in such awe, we sort of stumbled and said we didn’t know- but his kind eyes saw right through us. He asked me if I knew how to sail, and when I said no, he said “Oh, ok then! I teach you to sail. I send you to the sailing academy for the day, eh?”

So off to the Sailing Academy we went. Andreas unfortunately still had to work that day, so he sent us with his favorite driver, and dear friend, Emmanuel who took us all the way to Marathon to the Sailing club. The road to Marathon is through a climate I have never seen before with dry vegetation and lots of olive trees. The road was windy, and a bit treacherous at times, but Emmanuel skillfully avoided the edge of cliffs and show us the beautiful scenery as we made our way to the other city. Though it was a pretty drive, I couldn’t imagine running the way we came. Marathon is where the lookout ran 26.1 miles (the length of a marathon in the States) to warn the Greeks about Troy. The little trip inspired me to go back home and refresh my memory by watch the Brad Pitt blockbuster because I couldn’t remember all of the names in history.

Arriving at the Sailing Academy we were treated extremely well, because it turns out Andreas is the President of that too- though such a humble man, you would never know it. The winds were high, so no one was out sailing or windsurfing, so we had a bit of lunch at the club in hopes the weather would be calmer in an hour. We were extremely lucky because the wind died down just enough for us to hop in a catamaran with two instructors, teaching us how to sail. I have been on boats before, and of course kayaked, but never one where I was told to move the sails, pull the ropes, and steer. My usual choice of boating style is to lay and soak up the sun’s rays, but that would have near impossible to do with the wind. Sitting on the edge of my seat, I held on for dear life as wind whipped across my face with salty sea spray dousing my face with water every few minutes. Apparently the wind conditions were so high they usually wouldn’t take beginners out, but I suppose Andreas explained that we were troopers, and we made it out. On the seas we saw a rare loggerhead sea turtle! Our instructors that in all 4 years they had been working there they had never been fortunate enough to see one. I was just glad that even though Lindsay and I were steering and managing the sails we were able to avoid it! It would have been an extremely sad and awkward phone call to Archelon if we had to report an injured sea turtle.

After learning about up winds and down winds, we came back ashore as “accomplished sea women,” ready for the rest of the day. Emmanuel was taking us to Andreas’ house where we would stay until he got off work for dinner at a local Greek restaurant. A little worn out from the sailing lesson, his house was a welcomed rest stop in the middle of the afternoon. Andreas’ house is on top of a major hill (mountain?) in Athens. I would say it’s Acropolis style, but without the stone ruins and a bit more greenery around. His house is absolutely beautiful, complete with a pool that we were permitted to swim in and a great view of all of Athens. We spent the afternoon swimming, napping in the sun, and eating some afternoon snacks that had been expertly prepared before our arrival. It was the perfect afternoon.

When Andreas’ came back we were excited to ask him all about his home and his life. He explained that his three daughters were all grown up and his wife was visiting one of his daughters who lives in London now, so for the time being it was just him, his three dogs I fell in love with (Margarita and Oscar) and his chickens. He gave us a tour of the house and right before dinner we headed to the roof of his house to watch the sunset behind a mountain over Athens. Again, I can’t over emphasize how amazing this day was- especially being able to see such a spectacular view of Athens from above.

Andreas snuck us all into his car and took us to dinner at a local Greek restaurant near the real Acropolis. I can see why he may have Emmanuel as his driver sometimes because Andreas would give Nascar drivers a run for their money. Speeding down the highway as if we were on the autobahn, driving down pedestrian streets (tactfully avoiding tourists, so he has clearly done this before), and dodging cars as he swings up one way streets, we finally arrived at the restaurant. As I mentioned earlier, Andreas is famous- everyone knew him. He was receiving hugs at each encounter and heads turned by each person we passed.

Dinner was phenomenal with grilled lamb, fried zucchini balls, tzatziki sauce, and Greek salad. For desert we had Greek yogurt, with honey drizzled on top, and fruit. The meal was divine, and the conversation was even better. Andreas learned that I was on the Board of Trustees of Semester at Sea and immediately wanted to help explain the shipping industry to me. His company actually sold the MV Explorer to Semester at Sea, so he told me all about that and much more. I can’t thank him enough, because now I feel I will have a little bit less of learning curve the next time I go to a board meeting.

The evening ended with another Andreas Excursion through the streets where he dropped us off back at the ship. He told us to meet the next day at his office at 7:20am because he had another adventure planned for us- but it was a mystery. With such an amazing day, we didn’t think it could be topped… but we sure weren’t going to miss finding out!