The Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Luna's head plowed forward like a bull about to gore someone. Or something.

I frantically chased her around.

Ducked here and there to avoid knocking tourists out. Every second I hoped to see hubby's face in the tourist buzz. I was waiting for his return. Minutes ago he quickly walked back to our hotel, about two hundred meters away, to stow our daughter's sorta useless stroller. It didn't function well on Istanbul's cobblestone streets and we weren't planning to lug it throughout our day-long, do-it-yourself walking tour.

In the courtyard of Sultan Ahmet Camii, more popularly known as the Blue Mosque.    Access from a more peaceful side.  

It was late spring under the Turkish skies. We were right outside one of the entrances to the Blue Mosque. In between my sprints after Luna, I watched more and more visitors fall in queue to get in the main prayer room. I then realized that I forgot to bring a headscarf. This I mentioned to the hubby when he finally got back looking slightly disoriented. I never asked, but I assumed he got lost along the way. His reply was so inaudible, it might as well have come with a muzzle. 

I pretended to understand and motioned for him to fish Luna out of an off-limits garden.

  Oh that impish smile.   Tourists lined up to see the mosque's interiors.  

Unbeknownst to us, just the week prior, authorities started providing robes and skirts (they used to lend only scarves) to visitors whose attire wasn't in line with religious rules. Summer was approaching and they were expecting scantily-clad vacationists to swing by.

So... We could have entered after all (not that I was scantily-clad). But then again the sight of the queue made us wince, hence we settled for the mosque's courtyard.

 

Blue Mosque, the stunner.

Arcades that surround the inner courtyard.

The courtyard is almost the same size as the mosque itself. And we found it frenetic when we stepped in. Tourists poured from all entrances. The flow, nonstop. Hubby and I positioned ourselves under an arcade, in an unpopular corner while Luna ran to her heart's desire.

Amidst the chaos we gaped at Blue Mosque's pulchritude.

One of the six minarets.

Architect Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa knew splendor well.

Sultan Ahmet Camii was built  from 1609 to 1616, under the rule of Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I. It's more popularly known as the Blue Mosque because of the exquisite blue ceramic tiles that adorn its interior walls — which we unfortunately didn't see. Also, unique to this imperial mosque is its six minarets since the common maximum is four, and they are classical examples of Turkish architecture. It has one main dome and eight secondary domes that, to me, appears to be a cascade of some sort.

View of Blue Mosque from Sultanahmet Park.

We stood in awe for quite a long while until Luna tugged my dorky shirt to invite me to a game of run-along-the-red-carpet-'til-we-huff. I glanced at my watch. Surprised by the time, I grabbed my daughter by the hand. She'd have to resume her running some place else...

At Hagia Sophia.
 

Luna started and ended her Blue Mosque tour with a dash.  

Turkey In Two Weeks And A Day 2013: 

Istanbul, Turkey: When The Dust Temporarily Settled 

How To Apply For A Turkey Tourist Visa In The Philippines

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Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco: A Persian's Birthday

As I munched my jaw-locking, uber chewy breakfast baguette in our characterless Casablanca hotel room, I mindlessly watched a steady morning stream of passersby from the balcony. I was thinking real hard. The room service guy looked vaguely familiar. I knew I saw that face recently somewhere...

Before I could recall, the hubby's voice tugged me off my spaced-out state. "I'm ready to go.", he announced in his usual apathetic tone. For a birthday celebrant, he didn't seem eager for a shindig. And I couldn't blame him. Morocco's February climate can be a shocker for a tourist who just flew from a sunny country in the Southern Hemisphere, say, Brazil.

Hassan II Mosque, one of the world's largest mosques.
Hubby put on his hoodie (which he bought the night before after realizing that he lost the jacket we purchased from Mexico) with doubt written on his face. It wasn't enough to keep him warm. I on the other hand, stuffed the tot's essentials in a teeny backpack that our daughter got as present from the owners of a guesthouse we stayed at in Lima, Peru.

Within a few minutes, we descended to the lobby. The awesome receptionist who sawed our broken luggage lock (I don't know how the heck he had a small saw handy, but he saved our day!) handed us a photocopied city map. We mumbled both merci and shukran, unsure which language to use because Moroccans mostly speak French when addressing foreign travelers. The bellman opened the door for us, then it hit me... The bellman and the room service guy is the same person! He just changed uniforms. Man, talk about multitasking.

And its minaret, the tallest in the world.
Our prime destination didn't seem distant on the map, so hubby and I agreed on walking all the way there. We reached the Old Medina without getting lost, but struggled finding streets that lead to the mosque because most of them are unlabeled or named differently.

We asked fellow pedestrians for directions, and all of them advised us to get a taxi. It's either we wandered too far off, or simply because they think we're insane doing a long distance stroll with a toddler in tow - without a baby stroller. Whatever it was, we were finally convinced to flag down a cab.

The celebrant.
A grand taxi (an old Mercedes model turned into a taxi, shared by random passengers plying a common route - works like the Pinoy "FX") picked us up and drove us to Hassan II Mosque or Le Mosque as locals call it. The ride didn't take long, which proved us right. The mosque ain't far at all, we merely got steered off-course.

The nippy Atlantic Ocean breeze greeted us as we got out of the grand taxi. I crossed the street without a care. Entranced. Hassan II Mosque swept me off my feet.

Brilliant Moroccan art.
This grandiose mosque named after former Moroccan king Hassan II is definitely a looker, and one of the only two (at least for me) must-visit places in Casablanca. Thousands of local artisans were hired to work on the mosque, and what's even more impressive is that some part of it is atop the Atlantic Sea (it actually sits on reclaimed land). An idea inspired by a Qur'an verse which states that Allah's throne is built on water.

It is dazzling from afar, and more so up close. We didn't bother asking if we could get in, and just sat somewhere near the entrance where we watched worshippers shuffle to and fro. Luna on the other hand, busied herself mingling with local kids.

Stared at the mosque's ceilings and arches with ze mouth wide open.
The Muslim-born birthday boy, looked his happiest though he was uhm, freezing. It may have been a simple celebration, but we were in one of our fave regions on Earth.

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Snapshot Saturday: Underground Mosque

Because we almost always map our own walking tours, getting lost is a regular occurrence for us. And getting lost is an awesome way to find underrated gems such as this underground mosque which we stumbled upon whilst searching for Taman Sari Castle in Yogyakarta. Reminds me of Tunisia, where some scenes of the Star Wars flick were shot.

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Snapshot Saturday: White and Gold

Brunei's Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Simplicity and grandeur intertwined.
Negara Brunei Darussalam's the second country we visited during our South East Asia in Six Weeks trip.

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Yogyakarta Walking Tour

It was a Friday (observed as a holiday in Islam), and the Main Court of the kraton (Sri Sultan's Palace) was closed so Shervin and I didn't bother entering the compound. We headed to Taman Sari instead.

Taman Sari or Water Castle (open 8AM-2PM), is located west of the kraton. Built by a Portuguese architect, it was a recreation garden or a retreat house for the sultan and his family.

Entrance to the Water Castle's restored bathing pools.

Backpacking Borneo: Negara Brunei Darussalam

From Pulau Labuan, an express boat to Brunei's Muara Serasa Ferry Terminal (RM35) is only an hour long. This port is situated about 25km off Bandar Seri Begawan, but we did not bother checking on transport options to the city since a CouchSurfing host was picking us up.

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, conveniently located near a water village.
Chee, our host, arrived just fifteen minutes after we docked. After brief introductions, he informed us that he will be working in the afternoon so he could only give us a tour until 4:00 PM. We were content with it, for we intended to spend just one night in the country anyway. Shervin, an Aussie, paid US$20 for a one day visa. Filipinos get a 14-day "Visit Pass" for free.


Our Borneo trip thus far. View Pulau Labuan-Brunei in a larger map
We had a quick lunch at some open food court, with various stalls selling cheap eats. Chee introduced to us the nasi katok, a local meal that includes rice, chicken (sometimes beef) with sauce, and egg. It only costs B$1.

Brunei's Nasi Katok, plus a side order of veggies.
Chee explained that 'nasi' means rice and 'katok' means knock - like in Tagalog (Brunei people also speak Bahasa Melayu). Back in the days when Brunei didn't have fastfood outlets, late at night, hungry locals would head to a vendor's residence who sells nasi bungkus (rice wrapped in banana leaf). Just knock at the door, and you will be served a nasi bungkus. The name eventually evolved to nasi katok.

Walking barefoot around Royal Regalia Museum.
After lunch Chee took us to the Royal Regalia Museum or Bangunan Alat Kebesaran Diraja (free admission, open 8:30 AM-5:00 PM) near Bandar Seri Begawan's city center, where we roamed around barefoot to see an exhibit wholly devoted to the current sultan. An hour in this museum will do. In some areas, photography is prohibited. Cameras shall be surrendered at the front desk.

Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque's beautiful facade.
Then Chee drove us to Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque at Kampong Kiarong. I have read that the huge blocks of wood used for the mosque's doors were imported from the Philippines. I didn't rest my keen eyes on the doors though, as I was enthralled with the brilliant combination of white, blue and gold on the walls, minarets and domes.

With our Couchsurfing host, Chee.
We were allowed to go inside the prayer hall, but only within the barricaded space upon entrance - and in the condition that I wear an abaya (a black long-sleeved, floor length, loose garment worn by middle-eastern women). Headscarf not required.

After Shervin took photos and made fun of me (he's a born Muslim by the way), we left the mosque and walked back to the car to visit Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque next.

Despite its proximity to Kampung Ayer, Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque sits on an artificial lagoon.
Chee said he likes this mosque more than the first one because of its white and gold simplicity. The mosque kinda reminds me of Taj Mahal (not that I've been there), minus the sparkling gold domes.

We circled the mosque's gates and wandered off to see some of the houses on stilts before going back to the car.

It was time for Chee to report for work, and he dropped us off Pusat Belia (Brunei Youth Centre). A dorm room costs B$10 per person, the cheapest in Bandar Seri Begawan. And since it's a youth hostel in a Muslim country, the male dorm is separate from the female's.

A dorm room for four, and I was the lone occupant.
We were tired but thought it was too early to call it a day, so we hired a water taxi (B$40 for a tour) and cruised to Brunei's jungle by the river to watch proboscis monkeys feed at sundown.

Water village we passed en route to the nearby jungle.
I was more interested in proboscis monkeys than Borneo's famed orangutans. I was ecstatic we successfully found a group, if not a family, not far from the river.

Proboscis monkeys can roam freely here.
On the way back, the boatman passed by near the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque so we could see its grandiose lighting at dusk. He did not take us to our initial pick-up point because it was 'low tide'. I have a feeling he just said so after he saw new passengers waiting at a shed nearby. It was alright though for he brought us to a place where we found cheap dinner (noodles, chicken satay and a drink B$4 for two!).

After eating, we walked to the mall hoping we could still change money. Unfortunately, the currency exchange stall was already closed - but I was able to buy a fridge magnet because the souvenir shop attendant accepted my Malaysian ringgits (RM10).

Back at the hostel, we proceeded to our respective dorms. It's been ages since Shervin and I slept apart. I could not wait to get out of Brunei.

News Flash: Cebu Pacific will begin flying to Negara Brunei Darussalam starting August 21, 2010. Regular fare at P3,699 (always watch out for promos!).

[This blog is part of the South East Asia in Six Weeks series which took place May-June 2009. Price of goods, transportation and so forth may already be different.]

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Xi'an's Muslim Quarter

East meets Middle-East. Modern civilization meets legendary silk road. Xi'an, one of the ancient capitals of China, is downright fascinating it can amuse even the jaded long-term traveller.


Entrance to the Great Mosque of Xi'an. Looking very Chinese.
It was difficult to leave the comforts of our Bell Tower Youth Hostel room, but we only had two days in the city so we dragged ourselves out of bed for a DIY walking tour.

When in Xi'an, the first order of business is to get a map. You can visit about five sights that are within a short walking distance from each other. Fortunately, our hostel is located less than 2 kilometers from these sights. Unfortunately, temperature that day was the usual 1°C. So cryophobic Shervin and I agreed not to explore past a 2-kilometer radius.

We first headed to the Beiyuanmen Muslim Culture Street (north side). Xi'an's inhabitants are predominantly Han Chinese, but along Beiyuanmen, the main residents are the Hui people. The Hui people are recognized as a Chinese ethnic group who practices Islam. So it is common (but still looks odd to me) to see local men wearing white skullcaps and women wearing head scarves strolling along this street, greeting each other "assalaamu 'alaykum".


Piping hot tea drink with fungi chewies for ¥5 sold along Beiyuanmen.
And as Muslims, they follow Islamic dietary laws. If you go to the Muslim Quarter to sample food at the hawker stands, do not expect to find pork dumplings. Their main protein source is mutton (and yes, tofu too) - halal certified, of course. Kebabs and Arabic bread rule the streets here!

After covering a few meters of Beiyuanmen, we turned right into a smaller alley marked with a directional sign to the Great Mosque. There we found more hole-in-the wall restos and colorful souvenir shops. The air smelt of dried fruits (dates, drool!), and spices that reminded me of Al Ain, U.A.E. where I worked a year ago.

The next sign to the mosque led us to another alley, a quiet one without stores. The pavement wet from the drizzle of snow earlier that morning. Besides us there were only two other people, both Muslims, passing by. The last sign, posted at the end of the alley, says it's just 50 more meters to the left.


Left: 50m to go. Right: An almost deserted alley to the mosque.
Admission fee to the Great Mosque is ¥12. A mini booklet regarding the Great Mosque's history is provided. The ticket checker amazingly speaks fluent Spanish (he was chatting with a tourist from Spain). A Chinese Muslim fluent in Spanish. You gotta love Xi'an and its perplexing surprises!

The mosque was built during the Tang Dynasty more than a thousand years ago. Its construction followed traditional Chinese architecture, so it has no domes nor minarets. To be honest, I was a wee bit disappointed about that. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see Chinese structures with Arabic writings engraved on them.

Within the grounds, I felt absolute solemnity. For real. It was the most peaceful worship place I have ever been. So peaceful I heard a flock of birds flap their wings as they swoosh above us. We wandered around for about fifteen minutes until the call to prayer blasted from the speakers and broke the silence.


The Wooden Memorial Archway built in the 17th century.
Groups by groups, Muslim men poured in. We were in front of The Worship Hall, where tourists are not allowed to enter. They didn't seem to mind our presence. We started to leave anyway, to pay our respects.

Lunch was the next part of the itinerary. Though a steaming bowl of noodles was very inviting, we chose to have middle-eastern food. So we walked back to the resto we passed en route to the mosque, where kebabs were grilled upon order.


Smoke from kebabs on the grill and noodles in the wok. Muslim Quarter's food stalls can entice every taste bud.
A young Hui (probably in his early teens) with brown hair and big eyes, tossed our beef kebab on the grill as he danced and sang to the Arabic tune on his player. Every waiter/cook who were working there looked more middle-eastern than Chinese. They spoke good English and were very friendly to us. We were asked to take our seats (we were being swallowed by the smoke as we stood by the grill), and they'll just serve our food.

Aside from the kebab and bread, we ordered mutton in fried rice. The rice was so greasy, it was swimming in mutton oil. I totally loved it! Shervin though, who's Persian born, was sickened. Altogether meals just cost ¥30, for us two.


Left: Beef kebab and a not-so-fresh-but-good-anyway Arabic bread. Right: Mutton with greasy-yummy fried rice.
After lunch, we checked our map once more and took a different route going back to the hostel. Although the Bell Tower and Drum Tower were on the way, we slashed them from our list because we didn't want to spend ¥40 to see the two (¥27 if you'll only check out one).

At that time we were very careful in handling our money for we didn't know yet how much we'll be paying for our visit to the Terracotta Warriors Museum which happens the day after!

Oh, speaking of which, I bought two miniature warriors before we left the Muslim Quarter. Only ¥15 for both. I was thinking they might be expensive in souvenir shops at the museum... and you'll soon find out if I was right or not.

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