Young girls within the Harem section of Topkapi palace.I was surprised to learn that the system of the Sultan's court wasn't so far off as that of the Forbidden city in China. Just like in the forbidden city in China, beautiful young women were collected from all over the country to fill the sultan's harem. The only difference was that the harem also functioned as a finishing school for girls and the ones that didn't become a wife or concubine to the sultan would actually be married off to high ranking officials. It is actually surprising to know that just like in China, if you were smart, even if you are a commoner there was opportunity for a person to rise into power working for the sultan's government. The high ranking officials that the girls in the harem would marry would most likely be scholars who passed a national test to work for the Sultan. In China, the national exam system was one of the most exhaustive and extensive exams that would catapult anybody who passed into prestige and power. In both courts for women, giving birth to a son via the emperor was a direct connection to power personally and for the family and functioned as a way for women to move up socially. In both courts there were eunuchs and even for them, in the Manchurian government, they worked as educators to the sultan's children and persons in charge of ministry and government. For the Eunuchs in the Turkish court, rising into power in the sultan's palace was an extremely powerful position as they are like the personal secretaries to the sultan and in contact daily with the man.
In regards to head dress, in Istanbul I did see many people wearing the headdress but it was also common to see bare heads. Turkey was/is at a cross roads where some people are trying to reconnect State and religion and when I was in Cappadocia it wasn't uncommon to hear extremely loud political vans running around blasting music and yelling their campaign slogans. I personally think that Ataturk, the founder of modern turkey was a very wise man in separating state and religion but I guess everyone has their opinion. I do know that Ataturk is EXTREMELY well loved by most if not all people in the country. I also do know that many Turkish people find some of the other middle eastern countries to be a bit backwards. I have also met younger girls who get very irritated to see other young girls in head-dress. I do not know which is better but I have to say Turkey is a very good "entry-level" country for visiting a mostly Muslim country. At my hostel I had met a person who was a truck driver in Baghdad and his stories were pretty jaw dropping. Why he left Minnesota to drive trucks for KBR/Halliburton in Baghdad remains a mystery to me (he said pay was four times that in the states but still...) it was definitely interesting to hear his stories and although Baghdad must have been fascinating at one point, I probably won't be going there anytime soon.
The blue mosque again. At night-time and in the evening, the mosque would stay open and seagulls would fly around the top of the mosque like huge bats. When I first arrived in Istanbul I started to think there were gigantic bats flying around until I realized that they were gulls. Around the mosques it wasn't uncommon to see birds flying around throughout the evening. I suppose they can see more food at night around the mosque? Funny thing was that in China around the palaces and major temples I would also see tons of birds flying around in a frenzy around the roofs. I guess its just a great place for food.
Grand plaza. In every corner of the markets you would see fountains and faucets where people would wash their hands, face and feet. After you wash your hands they give you perfume for your hands and you smell very nice. Only thing is that although you may wash your hands thoroughly, showering or washing may not be as common and I often felt knocked out when I would catch a whiff of someone passing. Haggling at the grand plaza was amazingly fun and I bought many personal treasures.
Baklava and apple tea. Where ever I went the offer for tea and baklava was everywhere. The apple tea I would get in small cups was often extremely sweet and sugary usually. When buying anything in a market or store merchants would always offer you a cup of this tea or lemon tea that tastes of warm limoncello. In the grand bazaar there are many cafes and often times at lunch and during the day you see boys running around with brass plates full of tea and food running from store to store. In once place in which I got tea in Istanbul, I was actually given a french press of apples at the bottom. I wonder if it is what apple tea is really supposed to like as it was light and refreshing and the Baklava wasn't too greasy. The cuisine in Greece and Turkey are remarkably similar other than that you can get pork in Greece.
The street food in Istanbul was also colorful and plentiful. I bought a caramel/fruit fudge popsicle lollypop thing where they wrapped fruity taffy like candy around a stick in different layers. Each time you licked the stick it was like you were creating a piece of artwork when all the colors started to swirl together.
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