Taksim Square

The rest of the day would be filled with sightseeing and a brief educational workshop. We had some extra time before lunch, so we decided to visit Galata Tower. Galata Tower is one of the oldest towers in Istanbul and was built of wood in 528 as a lighthouse. In 1348 it was reconstructed by the Genoese as Christ Tower using stone. It is 6690 meters high with a diameter of 8.95 meters and wall thickness of 3.75 meters. We were given the option of buying a ticket to climb the tower and walk through the brief museum or hang out and go into shops around the base of the tower. It was a beautiful day, so I knew there would be a spectacular view from the top and I decided to give it a try. I was absolutely right. Taking an elevator to the top of the tower, you continue to climb to the very top before exiting the building to a 270 degree view of Istanbul. Walking around the platform was nerve-wracking because everything seemed so old and rusted. I got butterflies in my stomach as I leaned over the railing to get a better view of the city and the ground below me. I couldn't help but question how sturdy the railings really were considering how old the tower was. I could have stayed hugged up against the wall with my eyes shut, questioning and afraid of the platform, or I could have pushed the limits by leaning over the rail to get the best view. Sometimes in life you need to go out on a limb and approach the edge in order to make the most of it and get the best view.

After Galata Tower, Koray took us through a maze on the way to lunch. We snaked our way through the underground shops and alleyways, past fish markets, and along the water. We approached Afrodit where we would have lunch. This restaurant was right on the water, but a big ferry was blocking our view of the water. It looked like a fairly small place until we approached the staircase and started climbing up and up until we were at least 5 floors up and looking out over the water. From here, no boats were blocking our view and we could see a great expanse of the city. For lunch we had some appetizers, soup, and a choice of fish, chicken, or meatballs. After last night's dinner, I couldn't bear having a full fish on my plate, so I decided to play it safe with the chicken. The chicken probably wasn't as good as the fish, but my stomach needed a break and I didn't feel like avoiding little piercing bones in every bite of fish.

Not sure where they were taking us, we walked back past the fish markets which smelled awful. There were dozens of fish of every different type laying out ready to be purchased. Soon we were walking up to a boat that didn't look like the average ferry. My initial reaction was that we would be taking the ferry across the water to the next stop on our itinerary. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that we were breaking free from the itinerary and going on an unexpected adventure. 

The Bosphorus, also referred to as the Istanbul Straight, is three kilometers wide at the largest point and the most narrow section is 700 meters. This stretch of water is considered international waters, so ships are able to pass through for free. After realizing it wasn't just a ferry ride and that we would be on the boat for longer than expected, I decided to move to the front and get a better view. We floated between Asia and Europe, under bridges, next to palaces, wastelands, and thousand year old structures. There was great variety within the landscape. One minute we were boating past a hotel that costs 30,000 euros per night and shortly after we would see a stretch of land that is abandoned and overgrown with weeds.

The first half of our ride we were shaded by the boat, but on the way back we were baking in the sun. It was slightly windy, but the sun shining down on our tanning bodies made the chilled wind disappear. The boat ride was a relaxing and a much needed break in our busy schedule. The rest of the ride I put my feet up, leaned my head back against the wall and enjoyed the breeze running across my arms and through my hair.

There was another surprise in our day, and after the boat ride we visited Taksim Square. We were told that it was a relatively quiet day with few protestors and that it would be safe to visit. I am a visual person, so I was very excited about having the opportunity to draw a connection to all the stories I've been reading and hearing the past few weeks. My anticipation was growing as we got off the train. We were required to stay close to the group and we didn't get much time to take pictures, but we saw trucks with water cannons all in a row. It was an obvious way for the authority to show their power and control over the situation. I'm not sure what I was expecting. After hearing stories about the reality of the situation, some of my fear had gone away, but I was still left with some residual apprehension about our visit. When approaching from the train station you see Taksim Square on the left and Gezi Park to its right. As you continue turning and looking farther to the right you can see large Turkish flags and pictures of Atatürk. Directly across the road from the park is Republic Monument, a statue commemorating the formation of the Turkish Republic by Atatürk in 1923. The landscape was particularly ironic to me with the park, flags, and independence and freedom statue in close proximity to each other.

Walking down the street to our next stop, we passed a group of three policemen walking together. They not only stood out because they were in uniform, but they also walked with their chests puffed up, their heads up, stern looks, and glasses on. They walked as though saying "I can exercise my power over you and I will if I need to." I have seen police have a similar attitude in the United States, but it was particularly evident walking down streets this close to Taksim Square. It seems as though the Prime Minister has given the police too much authority to the extent that they consider themselves above everyone else. Police intervention in the protests have contributed to this unnecessary exercise of power.

Just to add to the tense atmosphere, we walked past a group of people gathered around an ambulance while pointing at a building a few floors up before looking down at the ground. Maja and Koray speculated that someone must have jumped off the building in the name of Allah. We continued walking as though this was a common occurrence. Maja said this expression of religious devotion is not uncommon. I wonder if people start to become numb to these tragic events after being exposed to it their whole lives.Without knowing what to make of this event, I was reminded of what a different culture we live in.

We had a little time before our visit to the Pera Museum, so Koray asked if we wanted to see a twisted Jesus. Of course we were intrigued and quickly agreed to the detour. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I at least thought Koray was bringing us to a Jesus that was in an interesting location or a picture of Jesus hanging in a church. Instead we found a statue of Jesus that was misconfigured and literally stretched and twisted out of proportion. Looking at the statue made my eyes hurt and I didn't know how to focus on his features when the visual was so unexpected.

After taking our dizzying pictures, we went to the Pera Museum to participate in a drama workshop. The Pera Museum is a private museum founded by Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation with the intent of providing a range of cultural and arts services and was opened in 2005. The permanent collections are "Orientalist Paintings," "Anatolian Weights and Measures," and "Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics."We started by gathering at the museum to meet the staff who will be running the drama workshop. We were then given a list of terms that were key concepts found in the paintings. Topics included authority, pride, fear, respect, vanity, entertainment, obedience, power, hospitality, and luxury. Moving on to the permanent collection, we walked through the collection of 17th century Ottoman paintings while looking for displays of the key terms. Many paintings from this time focused on ambassadors visiting the Ottoman emperors and presenting them with gifts. After looking through the permanent collection, we gathered back together and broke up into groups to plan a skit to act out one of the scenes or concepts we observed. 

Carla, Andrew, Celia, Cami, and I decided to act out the famous painting titled "The Tortoise Trainer" painted by Osman Hamdi Bey in 1906. This is a picture of a man attempting to train tortoises, exactly like the title. After a tiring couple of days, we didn't put too much thought into our skit as we curled into a ball on the ground while Andrew pretended to train us. I'm not an actor. The extent of my theatrical career was performing in the Wizard of Oz in 4th grade as a munchkin among other company roles. I thought I was the coolest kid in school, and have since then learned my lesson. I don't mind being in front of people, speaking in front of crowds, or conducting in front of a football stadium full of fans like when I was field conductor/drum major for the band, but something about standing on stage acting as someone els doesn't quite do it for me. I will gladly be myself in front of others, but I think the reason I don't like acting is because I don't want to be seen as something I'm not in a very literal sense. Some of my best friends are very involved in theater and by no means do I think they are fake or pretending to be a different person. This is the best way I can provide a reasonable justification for my stage fright.

So there we were in front of the class as turtles, another experience I never thought I would have in Turkey. We later learned that the painting was completed during a time of political and social unrest during the Ottoman Empire. The painting meant to provide a subtle critique of Sultan Abdul Hamdi II and his inability to be trained.

After the drama workshop we walked through the two other permanent collections of weights and measures and ceramics and tiles. The collection of weights and measures contains nearly eight thousand objects from Anatolian culture including key instruments used for measuring weight, length, and volume. By the time we walked through these exhibits I was very tired and ready for a relaxing evening to explore the city on our own. It would have been nice to have the drama workshop scheduled earlier in the day in order to have more energy and more enthusiasm, but it was still a nice activity even if I felt like a zombie.

Before our free evening, Koray offered us one more detour on the way back to the hotel. Today has been full of exciting surprises and detours, and this last detour was no exception. We had the choice of going back to the hotel or going to a carpet store to watch a demonstration. I still had a little energy left in me, so I decided to go to the carpet presentation. The building where this store was located was the end of the Silk Road where people would travel to buy the necessary things before traveling back to China. It was a beautiful old building looked small from the outside, but revealed more and more rooms are you walked further in.

We started by watching a woman who was completing a small silk tapestry that could be hung on the wall. Over and over again the woman would tie each individual knot. In each line there were 638 knots and an efficient worker can complete about five lines each day. A small tapestry like this might take a few months to complete. The demonstrator invited us to sit next to the woman who was working on the tapestry and attempt to tie a knot. A few of the women in our group tied a knot and when they weren't looking, the Turkish woman would quickly undo the knot and continue her work. When working on tapestries that can potentially cost thousands of dollars, you probably want to make sure each knot is just right. Once knot is completed it is impossible to go back and fix the mistake, so I don't blame the woman for retying the knots that my classmates attempted.

For the second part of the presentation we gathered in a room with bare hardwood floors. One by one, employees began covering the floor with rugs of all different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. It felt like I was watching Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat come to life on the floor in front of me. We were encouraged to stand, sit, and feel all the different rugs as they were being laid out. One of the things I love about rugs and tapestries is that they are interactive. You don't walk into a museum and touch the thousand dollar paintings to feel the brush strokes. Museum curators probably frown on this involvement with the art unless is is explicitly designated to be interactive. At the carpet store we were told to interact with the works of art in order to appreciate them more fully. The most expensive carpets were made of silk. Silk is incredibly durable and can even be used to cut marble, as demonstrated during the ceramic presentation. When you spin the silk rugs the colors will change and appear to be different which has something to do with the material.

After the presentation we wanted to lay down on the rugs and take a picture as a class. After we snapped a few pictures, Koray decided that he wanted to be in the very center with all the girls reaching towards him. So for a few minutes we let him feel like a king and allowed him to take pictures in the middle of our group as proof. 

The rest of the evening we had free time, so Cami, Hayley, and I decided to relax and grab a beer at a hookah cafe. We sat around and enjoyed good conversation for close to two hours. I was very excited about meeting new people and bonding with them. I've had an amazing time in Turkey, but I still feel like I haven't formed a strong connection with anyone on the trip like I have with Lindsay and Natalie. I'm starting to become closer to Carla, but that has really been the only one out of the 31 people on our trip. Cami and Hayley are very open and honest which made it easier for me to be open in return. I find that I don't often open up and I'm starting to realize that this will lead to a lonely and isolated life. When I feel comfortable with people that are open with me, I am more inclined to let people into my life. I often describe myself as an open book and will tell you anything you want to know, but you have to care enough to ask and listen. I don't often come across people who ask about my life experiences and genuinely want to listen to what I have to say (mom and dad, you don't count) which it why it was so nice to spend time with Cami and Hayley for the evening. Even though we are approaching the end of our journey in Istanbul, I'm looking forward to seeing where our friendships go from here.