blue mosque

for all the hype about the blue mosque, i realize that i still don't really know that much about it. 16th century, built across from hagia sophia by the sultan ahmed I and architect mehmet aga. there's a couple of good stories that go along with its founding -- the controversy over where the funds came for it, the number of minarets, etc. if you're interested in these cute little stories, let me know and i'll expound. until then, here are some pictures and thoughts about us @ sultanahmed camii!

all the homies, who i'm missing like madddd already!

the ladiesss:
the blue tiles for which the BLUE mosque is named...


and josh, playing with jonah. i think i've mentioned jonah and renata's love for the great expanses of carpet in mosques. this is cute :).


"quintessential" blue mosque pic?

in quick conclusion, i think the blue mosque is an important visit because its huge, its got a lot of history, and it has become one of the biggest tourist sites in turkey (now the national mosque, i believe??) however, after the beautiful intimacy of atik valide camii (uskudar), and now having experienced the quietude of yeni camii, the blue mosque pales in comparison. tourist hordes, people with essentially no respect for the mosque itself -- women immediately removing the headscarves that the guards just asked them to put on, for example. it didn't feel at all like a place of faith to me, which was really disheartening i think.

well yeah, i guess those are my thoughts about sultanahmed. it was pretty, yes. and a must, just because i've been living in istanbul...how could i NOT go inside? but now that its said and done, i'd be happy to spend all my time in the courtyard in the eve - quiet, calm, tranquil and beautiful.