The call to prayer

The Muadhin's call to prayer slices through the night silence like a knife. A lone voice echoing across the velvet night sky. Nick bolts up in bed next to me as the call to Fajr echoes around our room. It is his sudden movement which stirs me from my sleep as his snoring caused me to sleep with ear plugs years ago. Perhaps we should relocate to Istanbul permanently I think and Nick would know what it is like to have interrupted sleep each night.

I don't like to be woken from sleep at anytime,even in the morning, but the call to prayer has an almost romantic, certainly exotic, appeal to it. There is a part of me which loves the knowledge that all across the city simultaneously followers of the faith are responding to the common signal.

In the morning while enjoying the amazing breakfast spread the hotel provides (nothing like real Turkish Delight with breakfast) we decided to go and see the Blue Mosque. Nick had chosen a brilliantly located hotel which meant that the main sites of Istanbul were in easy walking distance for our family.

The first destination had to be one of Istanbul's most popular tourist icons, the Sultanahmet which is commonly called the Blue Mosque. It's name comes from all the amazingly intricate blue tile work inside the mosque. So off we went.

The washing area before entering the mosque

 The muslims who are visiting the mosque to worship use the above areas to wash themselves before entering. Visitors are not required to do so, thankfully as it was freezing, but are asked to remove their shoes.

Once inside the mosque visitors are allowed to take photos and are asked to behave in a respectful manner. Head coverings are not compulsory for visitors but again we chose to keep our heads covered out of respect for followers of the Muslim faith who were using the mosque.

As usual we saw people kicking up a fuss about what visitors were asked to do. Simple. Don't like the rules - don't visit. Shoes off is no major inconvenience. It is the same as being asked to remove your shoes at someone's home and considering the number of visitors combined with the fact that worshipers sit on the carpet floor, it is a reasonable request.

The interior was utterly breathtaking. Raya just spun around with her face up making Oooh noises which amused the people around her.

Raya had no shortage of friends. Little blonde haired girls are in shortage in Istanbul. Raya as usual loved every single minute of the attention.

The Blue Mosque reminded me of feeling I had when I visited Notre Dame. Both are Holy Places which have such a feeling of peace when you are inside them, irrespective of your personal beliefs. The architecture I surprisingly adored. Much like the remainder of Turkey - a gigantic, pleasant surprise.

Throughout the day we heard the calls to prayer go out across the city from the speakers in the minaret. Much to our amusement Aurelia would get a huge smile on her face and take off running whenever she heard it. Where exactly she was running too we weren't sure - perhaps the nearest mosque.