All on my own in the Big Big City!

Ok, all of you out there know that being on my own is no problem for me and at times is my preferred state of being.  So this morning when I woke up and saw that it was moodily overcast, I threw all my earlier plans out of the window and started fresh.  With breakfast, which was, as our experiences of Turkish breakfasts in all hotels, very fresh and delicious.  Scrambled eggs made to order, bread rolls called achma imagine overgrown challah donuts/bagels (with the hole); good coffee; tomatoes, cucumber and yoghurt.  And no rush!  I had a good look at the Time Out which was in my bedroom at the Blue House Hotel, and decided to hit some art galleries/museums.
My first effort failed since the Jewish Museum which celebrates 500 years since the Jews were invited to Turkey after the expulsion from Spain, is moving from its current location (which would have been very convenient as it was behind my hotel) to the Neve Shalom synagogue and is not yet open.
Plan two, go just a few yards up the street (since by now it is really pouring down) to SALT which is a new initiative by the Garanti Bank to create an institution which will be a centre for innovation.  It would include art space, research facilities and conference space, and modern areas for art, and is in another location also.
The street is called Bankalar Cadesi, being, as the word suggests, the street of banks.  This has been a key business district for decades.  The hotel, The Vault Karakoy, was a bank.  The basement of the SALT building was also a bank, and indeed contains the Museum of the Ottoman Bank.  It doesn't sound too promising, does it?  Not really my cup of tea.
Well, it's amazing what you do when you are a) on the spot and b) slightly reluctant to leave the building as it's raining....
First there was an exhibition called 'How did we get here?' which was mostly in turkish, so I headed for the Robinson Crusoe bookshop and picked up Anita Brookner's The Bay of Angels before going to the basement to check out the Ottoman Bank's offering.  This turned out to be a lot more interesting than anyone might guess.  First of all, there is some very impressive paperwork establishing the bank - rights granted by Queen Victoria, seals and all.  Share certificates are also very  splendid!

 The vaults are from England.  The most interesting thing is the social history contained in the records of the bank's employees.  All of them, on joining the ranks of the Ottoman bank, filled out extensive forms which included a photograph, details of nationality and religious affiliation amongst other things.  You can observe the changes in dress as the years roll by, and also the way the senior management dress in more european style, and at the other end, the uniforms are very much Turkish, and in the provinces have local variations....unexpectedly fascinating!

So next?  Well, I decided to try the second oldest underground trains in the world (London was first)!  The Tunel runs from the bottom of the Karakoy up to the beginning of Istiklal Cadesi, which is the principle pedestrian shopping street in the city.  It's actually a funicular, and the journey up the hill only takes about one and a half minutes.  The driver opened his door so that I could have a good view...now that wouldn't happen on the Underground...'ealth and safety'!

I wandered up the Istiklal street, which was heaving with shoppers and people out for a stroll despite the intermittent rain.  There's so much to see, despite the fact that there are lots of chain stores which you would recognise: Zara, Mango, Columbia, Camper etc.  There are the Turkish sweet shops, ice cream (the traditional Turkish kind),  traditional cafes and restaurants and doner kebab shops, and of course, groups of men hanging about smoking and drinking tea or turkish coffee.

This street used to be the grandest avenue where all the embassies of the 19th century were granted land by the Sultans to build their splendid outposts of their country.  While most of them have now moved officially to Ankara, the old buildings remain as consulates.  Many of them have churches and they remain in use.  I popped into a few of them.
St Anthony of Padua - which is a large basilica, the biggest Catholic church in Istanbul.  Its entrance boasts a massive gate, and above it is a gallery of lavish italianate arches, that you might imagine Juliet leaning out from them, to speak to Romeo.  There's a statue of the Polish pope here and photos of the Pope meeting with the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchy.  Inside was impressive.

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Inside St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church

Santa Maria Draperis - which is below the street level as Moslem rules didn't allow churches to have a street frontage - and I couldn't get in.
Union Church of Istanbul in the Dutch chapel: this has a long association with the Dutch embassy across the street, and holds services in various languages including African (not sure if that is Afrikaans or what) and Chinese.

Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church.  This is off to the side and is actually relatively new, being built on a Greek community cemetery. The caretaker, who evidently wanted to go home for a nap, was persuaded to unlock the doors.  It's quite opulent inside, and one of  the interesting things was the  style of the chairs, which are like bar stools with a back, and not quite such a tall seat.

Well, that was unexpected.  I then had a noodle snack at Tokyo sushi restaurant which I spotted when coming out from the Greek church. It made a change, and in fact reminded me that I really enjoy oriental food - which meant that when I ran across CokCok Thai restaurant at the end of the day, I decided to have Pad Thai!
Between the two meals, I ventured up to Taksim Square avoiding the peace demonstrations which have followed the disaster in Ankara yesterday. (YES, I am being sensible.)  Pouring down by now but not cold, I watched the crowds with their shopping, buying flowers,  and kebabs from the many apparently idential kiosks, all next to eachother. I suppose they must be selling enough or they wouldn't be in business. Taksim is also the top end of what is known as the 'Nostalgia Tram' which runs the length of Istiklal Cadesi (avenue).

Now this is busy....

 Next stop was the old flower market passage (Chichek Pasaji) and the little Avrupa Pasaji, or the Hall of Mirrors which is in a neo-Renaissance style, now full of tourist shops, but quiet compared to the Grand Bazaar, and consequently much more civilised.

British Embassy

My destination was the Pera Museum, which used to be the Bristol Hotel, and is now a fantastic art gallery which shows off the collection gathered by the staggeringly wealthy Koc family. Actually, they are THE wealthiest family and should be described as a dynasty.  The eldest was born at the start of the 20th century and began to trade, building up a network of companies.  If you read about the various members of the family they are hugely well educated and involved in philanthropy as well as business.   There were two interesting exhibitions, one being about the business of coffee drinking as it relates to the production of porcelain in Turkey:

 the other is about Diplomatic Ambassadors and their portrait painters.  Plus a small collection of paintings by Osman Hamdi Bey.  There was also a temporary exhibit of artists' work from Sarajevo which was quite interesting and quirky.

Not a bad day!