Istanbul, day 3

Today is our last full day in Istanbul. Im looking at the scenery around me and realizing that I probably will never be here again. My time here is sweeter because it is so short. I have to appreciate everything while I can.

This morning we took some time off to actually have class (shocking, I know). It was a good opportunity to reflect on all the things we have experienced so far.

I have found the people in Istanbul to be surprisingly friendly and willing to communicate with us even though we have absolutely no understanding of Turkish. The only Turkish I have attempted so far is the word 'thank you' which sounds like tea+sugar+A+dream. Say it all together fast enough and bam you've just spoken Turkish. One guy on the metro this morning kindly told us we were going in the wrong direction, and pointed us to the train we were supposed to ride.

I've had the opportunity to see some early Christian churches, and I've really been struck by how detailed they are. Everything about these churches seems beautiful and well constructed. The early Christian church really focused on the importance of physical beauty. I think this is something modern churches no longer focus on. The mosaics in the churches tell a story, and teach the listener about God. In the mosques the art is very different from the Christian art because they do not have any images.The Muslim art teaches the viewers about God through words, while the Christian art teaches the viewers about God through pictures. The architecture of churches and mosques force the people to look and think upwards.

Since arriving in Istanbul we've had the opportunity to think upon some ethical issues. How can people of conflicting religions exist together in peace? The Muslims covered up the mosaics in the Christian churches because they knew that Christian ideology conflicted with their own. Are there ways to firmly uphold an ideology without "covering up" another ideology?

After our morning classes we went to Taksim Square which is where all the locals hang out. We rode the metro, then decided to walk up a ridiculous amount of stairs. Big mistake, so on our way back we rode the metro down. We stopped for lunch at the Bambi cafe. I got a lamb and cheese panini and accidentally ordered yogurt water as my drink. The drink was questionable. All the shops in this area were shops you could find in America so we didn't stay for very long.

When we got back to the old city, Linh and I stopped in this paper store. There were old maps, documents, and Islamic art. We both purchased some art. Mine had Arabic words forming the shape of a boat and of a bird. After visiting the paper store we ate our last dinner in Istanbul. I wish I could show you pictures, the sunset was amazing.