We're back in Istanbul.... back at the Bristol Hotel, back with internet at a speed higher than 1 Mbps (really, that is what it was in Edirne). It was a good day and a bit nostalgic... we've grown to be a close little group with sharing illnesses, joys, ideas, excitement, new experiences. But we are all old enough to appreciate that the next fifteen hour travel day will be NOT on a bus, not on Albanian roads.... and with home at the end of it.
But enough of that. Let's talk about Edirne. We got up in the caravansary. Some of us were a little sleep deprived from the wedding festivities last night.. but the band and singers did shut off at midnight. After breakfast (olives, bread, cheese, hot hard boiled egg, apricot juice in a box, and nescafe instant) we went off to see two of Edirne's remarkable mosques. The old one dates till 15th century and was incredibly beautiful....among its features are a wide variety of calligraphy styles that decorate the interior... and much beautiful decoration in the domes. Then we went to see the "new" mosque.. designed by Sinan, the famous Ottoman architect who didn't start designing till he began his second career (he started out building military fortifications till he was in his late 40's if I remember right). Edirne's mosque is one of his many masterpieces.. it dominates the skyline and is graceful and symetrical. Under it is a bazaar, on what could be considered its first story, and it rises above that with lovely grounds and plantings.
Then we went to what may be one of my favorite things of the trip.. a museum on the site of an Ottoman hospital/medical madrassah (school) built in the reign of Bayezid II in 1484 after the Ottoman capital had moved on to Istanbul (1453). The rather large complex was remarkably sophisticated for its time. Its centerpiece was a teaching hospital with innovative treatment methods. There were also guest houses for travelers or the families of patients, a soup kitchen and bakery for the poor, a mosque, workshops for artisans, a water mill, and a public bath (hamam)
The hospital existed to help people but also to train medical students. It treated all manners of illness, but was particularly noted for its treatment of psychiatric illnesses such as manias, melancholy, epilepsy (which was seen as a mental affliction) and much more. The hospital had a 10 piece orchestra in residence, for the belief was that music could treat many of these disorders. They also had a significant program of aromatherapy and herbal medicines that were used in a variety of contexts. Today the museum has used mannequins and excellent reconstruction of the rooms to give a very lifelike look at how things were done. The hospital actually continued to function until 1916. Many of the medical books and diagrams of care exist today. Amazing stuff, for its time especially... but cutting edge today in many ways.
After that we headed out to cover the 220 kilometers to Istanbul.. fields of sunflowers, more corn... glimpses of water, but lots of sunshine.
About an hour out of Istanbul, our lovely guide Arzu decided to stir things up. First she sang for us, then she put on a cd of traditional Turkish music.. and danced in the aisle of the bus. Pretty soon there were five orsix others helping learn the dances.... it was very strange and quite wonderful. I kept thinking that in the US someone would have been screaming for everyone to sit down!
Life is good. I am now beset with mental whiplash as I try to organize all that I have learned. Tomorrow we have a morning meeting to talk about lesson plans; then free time for the rest of the weekend, to do last minute stuff, to work on lesson plans, to do this and that. I will no doubt post at least one more of these as my mind jells.
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