When people say the Haliç is polluted they are not joking. I've taken several delightful ferry rides on the Bosphorus but after one ride on the Haliç, I'll be taking the bus from now on for the higher air quality. The Haliç is a stagnant stretch of water that runs along the non-Bosphorus side of the Golden Horn, splitting the European side of Istanbul into two. It is brown and murky, full of trash and has the most repulsive smell. In spite of not coming home until 4 AM (again), I managed to get up at a decent hour. This was mostly due to a pathetic hope that the water would be turned on. I think Beyoglu is out of water at the moment. Yesterday, there was some at 9 AM but I made the mistake of waiting for the water heater to heat some up and it was off again before I got a shower. I ended up bathing out of a pan of water. Hmmm... reminiscent of Russia, except the gas stove heats it up a lot quicker than my old hotplate did. After running a few errands (mostly cat related), I surveyed my wardrobe, trying to find something appropriate to wear to Eyüp. I put on a long skirt and a long sleeved blouse and then dug around for a head scarf. I don't have a head scarf. Actually, I have several but they are halfway around the world in a box and not doing me one bit of good. I almost decided against going but then I decided I could probably buy one somewhere on my way. According to the guide books, Eyüp is the fourth most important Islamic pilgrimage site. It is the most important in Turkey. I figured I had better dress right. The day was hot and I was looking forward to being on the water with a nice breeze.

The ferry dock is a little ways down the street from the Galata Bridge. It is a tiny building that sits all by itself, unlike the Kadiköy, Üsküdar and Prince's Islands ferry docks that are nearer to the Bridge. The boat was fairly full. I was the only woman on board who didn't have a head scarf. I actually like head scarfs. The Islamic women generally choose scarves with colors that really bring out their eyes. I've heard some Westerners start ranting about oppression when they see a woman in a scarf, long skirt and long sleeves. I personally, think these women all look very elegant and beautiful. Actually, I used to wear scarves and long skirts a lot in Seattle. I thought it sort of gave me an exotic gypsy look. As for oppression... it all gets very confusing. In Turkey, the government doesn't allow women to wear scarves in the congress (or whatever they call it). Some schools and universities don't allow women to wear head scarves. So, if you wear a head scarf you are oppressed by religion and if you don't you are oppressed by the government.

If it wasn't for the smell, the ferry ride would have been kind of nice. There is a view of the mosques of Stamboul and the ferry goes by Fener, which has a couple Greek Orthodox churches and it is a good way to see some of the neighborhoods where one might not under usual circumstances go to. (Apparently there are a few slums on the northern shore of the Halic). There is a rather nasty looking factory and some trash filled parks, too. I was relieved to get to Eyup and get away from the water. This picture is of some of the rowboats along the shore of Eyüp. I don't know what the construction is. What puzzled me was how people got to the boats.

I had no problem finding the mosque complex. I walked straight into it. The first thing I saw was a row of shops selling scarves. I bought one and then was ready to have a look around. The reason Eyüp is such an important place for Moslems, is Eyüp is burried there. He was a good friend of Muhhamad's. He died in during an Arab attack on the city. His tomb was supposedly lost until Mehmet the Conquerer came and conquered Constantinople. Most sources say the tomb wasn't really lost. Maybe it just lacked the publicity that Mehmet gave it. After taking over Istanbul he built a huge mosque. From then on, it became a very prestigious grave yard and everyone wanted to be burried there. Eyup's tomb is inside of a mosque with a courtyard separating it from the prayer building. It has beautiful tiled walls and ornate decorations. This was the first time I'd been inside an Islamic türbe (tomb). It actually had a very homey feel. Everyone takes off their shoes at the door and there are carpets on the floor. It is quite different from the cold stone tombs I've seen in Christian churches. I visited one other türbe and looked at several from the outside because I didn't feel like dealing with my shoes. They have windows so you can see inside. After that, I wandered around the grave yard. I can not get enough of these Ottoman gravestones. These three, I've named "The Three Wise Men" because they look like three men with their big turbans. There was also a graveyard that had several piles of broken gravestones, thereby becoming the gravestone graveyard.

The village of Eyüp is a pleasant place. There are several cobblestone streets surrounding the mosque and tombs. These have little shops, bakeries and restaurants. It is kind of like a very small, down to earth version of Istiklal. I bought a couple of pastries from a bakery (I think the guy who sold them to me thought it rather humourous to see a Westerner in a head scarf. He said "Your scarf is very pretty"). Then I walked back to the waterfront and caught the bus back to Eminonu.
me in my new scarf