Looking West, Dozens Of Minarets In The Distance
The weather today deserves a post. I was up with my neighbors for the 4:30ish call to prayer this AM and it was already turning hot. By late afternoon it had begun to cool down and we headed out to visit Koşuyolu. It turned into one of the loveliest evenings we have seen to date.
The street market for our neighborhood in Koşuyolu is on Sunday. We checked out the market, up one hill and down another. And then returned to where we started, up one hill and down another.
Then we saw it....a hill we hadn't climbed yet...one built in the style of San Francisco...at least a mile climb, so we started the walk up the cobblestone street. Elle and I were getting close to the top when Stanley took a stumble and fell. Some passing Turks rushed over to make sure he was Ok. He is...other than some scrapes, torn pants and scuffs.
Tending the Wounded at the Mosque FountainWe walked a few more miles before grabbing a taxi home. It seemed everywhere we went tonight people were out: On balconies, walking the streets, sitting at the fountains or parks and congregating around the many Mosques we passed. It reminded me of a Summer afternoon in old San Diego.
3 comments:
What does the call to prayer from the minarets in Istanbul, Turkey sound like?
Can you hear the call to prayer from anywhere in the city?
When you hear the call to prayer, does everyone in the city stop what they are doing and pray?
How often a day do they sound the call to prayer?
JF
Hey JF! The call sounds 5 times a day and is based on the lunar calendar. So the time fluctuates each day by a few minutes. It would be hard to find a place where the 3500 Mosques would not be heard. They each use several high powered PA systems to sound the call. There is a sense of competition from one Mosque to the other, each has its own Muzzein (the caller) and each Muzzein has his own style.
In Istanbul most do not stop and pray...you will definitely see people hurrying towards the Mosque, but not the turnout you would see in SA or other ME cities.
Hi, Global Nomads!
How does a person become a caller? It sounds like a position of honor.
How long does each prayer time last?
Thank you for the info. It is very interesting learning about Turkey!
I think about your family often!
JF
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