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| First Turkish coffee in Turkey |
Remember the good ‘ole days of luxurious air travel, like when drinks were free and you didn’t have to pay extra for your baggage? From the capital of Albania (Tirana), we headed out on a quick flight on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul, and for a glorious hour we experienced nostalgia like no other. We had nice seats (Matt’s legs could fit), fresh orange juice, and a WHOLE MEAL – all of this on a brief 1 hour flight! Who knew it still existed?! We hadn’t been treated this well since flying domestically in India years ago (fresh lemon juice, anyone?). So, kudos to you, Turkish Airlines.
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| Blue Mosque in the background on our tour with Adar |
I was excited about Istanbul because it really is such a unique place (the only capital city to span two continents) that is packed with history. We collected our bags, got our visas and filled our water bottles (oops – forgot that there debate about whether or not the water is safe to drink in Istanbul –thankfully, no untoward effects). Two Istanbulkarts and an hour long metro ride later, I was sitting down to my first Turkish coffee in Turkey. It was magnificently hot and rich, and I knew I was hooked.
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| Our street in Sultanahmet |
Shortly thereafter we had the pleasure of connecting with our new friend, Adar, from whom we were renting an apartment in Sultanahmet. We were treated to a local neighborhood tour and a great street-side supper (amazing rice with chickpeas and our first ayrans – a ubiquitous salty/sweet yogurt drink) by Adar, who was as nice and energetic as they come. That night, we collapsed tired and happy into our comfy bed after a great first day in Istanbul (my Turkish coffee had finally worn off…).
We awoke in the morning to sunshine and the sounds of all the local cobblers hard at work on their trade. Our neighborhood was definitely the shoe-making district, and many of the cobblers still had their workshops on the ground floor or basement of the residential buildings. It was a fantastic way to wake up in a new and exciting city.
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| Inside the Grand Bazaar |
We decided to dive right in and made our way to one of Istanbul’s most interesting places – the ancient Grand Bazaar, whose humble beginnings as a warehouse in 1461 have expanded to cover a huge area now known as the Bazaar District. You can find just about anything here – gold, silver, leather, various souvenirs, carpets, teas, foods, etc.
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| Waiting for some delicious food outside the Grand Bazaar |
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| Inside Aya Sofia |
It was great fun just wandering through the covered alleyways while trying to imagine it before the days of electricity and proper sanitation. As aromatic as it is now, I’m sure it was much more of a challenge to the nasal passageways back then! We had a very tasty little lunch at a food stall just outside the walls that consisted of meat, veggies, and sauce wrapped in something similar to pita bread which we stuffed with some local hot peppers. Delish!
Aya Sofia (aka Hagia Sofia) was up next and despite some major indoor renovation work, the beautiful interior did not disappoint. The building has a very interesting history as it was first built as an Eastern Orthodox church in the 6th century, then it was converted to a mosque after the Ottomans conquered Constantinople under Sultan Mehmed II, before finally becoming a museum in 1935.
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| One of the few remaining mosaics in Aya Sofia |
The intermingling of the different faith’s iconography inside is fascinating. I’m not entirely sure it was worth the steep 25 lira entrance fee, but I know we would have regretted not seeing it. Of note, one of the most interesting parts (the several mausoleums located on the grounds) is actually free – just head to the separate entrance along the way to Topkapi Palace and enjoy!
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| The beautiful Blue Mosque as seen from Aya Sofia |
Even more impressive than Aya Sofia was the Blue Mosque. The tilework on the interior was simply stunning, and it was a special experience to walk barefoot on the lush carpet inside while marveling at the enormous scale of the place! The frequent calls to prayer from the minarets was an inextricable part of the daily Istanbul soundtrack.
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| Inside the Blue Mosque |
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| One of our feasts with Adar |
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| Along the Galata Bridge |
In between all of our sightseeing, we were able to connect with Adar several times and had the pleasure of meeting some of his family and friends along the way. One of our best meals in Turkey came at his recommendation. We feasted on fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, a type of aubergine salad, amazing breads, kebabs, and fresh ayran (this one was a favorite of mine because you got to drink it with a ladle out of a little bowl – how much fun is that!). We had many fantastic conversations and learned a lot about both Istanbul and Turkey in general. We truly were so fortunate to meet him, and look forward to our paths crossing again sometime so0n!
At the time of our visit, things had cooled down after the large demonstrations in the Taksim Square area this past July, so we thought we would check it out. The area was quiet, and our walk back through the Beyoglu neighborhood (one of the somewhat “upscale” areas of Istanbul) was really lovely. We crossed the Galata bridge and got some outstanding views of the greater Istanbul skyline. The mighty Bosphorus was in full force and boats of all types were everywhere.
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| Enjoying some mussels along the Bosphorus |
Fisherman lined the bridge selling their daily catches, and many a mussel man offered their mollusks stuffed with rice and lemon. In lieu of a full-on Bosphorus boat tour, we elected to take the public transportation network ferries to see the riverside. We headed out on an hour long ride to a series of islands south of Istanbul known as the Princes Islands.
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| Inside the Harem of Topkapi Palace |
The ferry was packed and we counted ourselves lucky to have gotten some seats. The day was windy and was threatening to storm so we had a quick lunch and boarded the next ferry back, hoping to miss the impending rain (which we did!). The ferry ride illustrated just how large Istanbul really is, as well as demonstrated all of the different things you can find in this true cultural melting pot; churches, mosques, skyscrapers, etc. fill the hills of the metropolis.
Another highlight of Istanbul was Topkapi Palace (again, something that comes with a steep entrance fee, but is without question worth the time and money).
We spent a whole afternoon wandering and exploring, seeing many of Islam’s most sacred relics, in addition to Moses’ staff. Again, the tilework was beyond impressive and the pictures simply cannot do it justice. We learned a great deal about how the lives of those in some way connected to the Sultan could be both magnificent and horrible (this was not a great time to be a sibling of a Sultan – many of them were locked away for a lifetime to prevent a claim to the throne).
In between all the sightseeing, we caught up on some recent episodes of The Daily Show, thanks to Adar’s excellent WiFi, washed most of our laundry, drank countless cups of incredible tea on little street-side stools, filled ourselves with Turkish sweets, sampled many a kebab and watched Istanbul’s cats meow and purr their way into the hearts of many.
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| Cat on random chair in the park =) |
Cats abound in Istanbul, and as we would find out, all of Turkey really. It was not at all uncommon to see little bowls of cat food and water left out along the curb for the neighborhood favorites, or even little improvised shelters for them in case of inclement weather. It was really quite endearing (especially for a cat lover like me!). We got to know our neighborhood tabby cat well during our week. =)
We met Adar for one last meal before boarding our overnight bus for our next destination, Cappadocia. It was sad to leave, but we all agreed to meet again one day either in the US or Turkey. Istanbul, in all of its East-meets-West-ness, certainly did not disappoint. The city is beautiful and loaded with amazing sites and history. Even though we stayed a week, I don’t think we really even began to scratch the surface of this great place! Until next time, I guess!
Click below for the rest of our Istanbul fun! =)
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