I Bless the Rains Down in Anatolia

Jordan is a country that is not necessarily known for it bounty in water and that is where I have spent the last 7 weeks.  I have been digging at Tall al Umayri in the Jordanian capitol of Amman and this has really boosted my appreciation for the precious substance that fuels our world.  After long and extremely dusty mornings of excavation we would return back to camp to clean ourselves using as little water as possible.  Now imagine the contrast between a dry, desert country in the Middle East and a lush European metropolis pressed up against the shores of the sea of Marmara and bisected by the Bosphorus strait.

Today took the contrast to a whole new level.  I had been hearing rumors of rain for quite some time but never actually expected it to arrive and I believe the rain sensed my doubts and doubled its efforts in order to spite my lack of faith.  it rained hard and with a sudden furry that sent us running to seek shelter in the nearest McDonald's.  After a few minutes the main tram way had become a small river and there appeared to be no hope of us returning to the apartments without a canoe.  However there was one character in the restaurant who realized our plight and "kindly" offered to allow us to seek shelter in his friends shop.  My tourist senses were immediately peaked and I knew he was trying to lead us into a possible business venture.  As we followed him his offer seemed less and less kind and more like a cruel joke as we chased after him through buckets of falling water.  After finally arriving in the rug shop we were ushered up stairs.  This is a common strategy among sales people world wide to find seemingly confused foreigners and offering some form of hospitality in hopes of coaxing a sense of debt and therefor a willing buyer.  However the owner of the shop soon realized that his associate had saved the wrong group of foreigners for college students do not have pockets any deeper than a devout Muslim's water glass during midday at Ramadan.  Thus we escaped with no deals thrust upon us and enjoyed a pleasant and dry rest of the day.

But I am forgetting the major event of the day.  The Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul's jewels and by far one of the most well known tourist attractions in the country let alone the city.  I have been to Istanbul before and have seen the inside of this monument but I have to say I have been blessed with the opportunity to return.  None of the initial awe was lost on me the second time and I have to admit that I enjoyed it even more after learning some of its history.  Once a church then a Masque and now a Museum the Lady of Wisdom is a landmark that has always been questioned for its structural integrity but has time and time again with stood the troubles of time.