Istanbul, Turkey
A long drive along the
Sea of Marmara brought us at last to Istanbul. What a city! Exotic, ancient yet
modern, half in Europe and half in Asia; it was the capital of three empires –
Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman. The Golden Horn (an inlet) and Bosporus Strait
trisect the city into “Old,” “New,” and “Asian” sections – each unique. We
stayed in the Sultanahment area of the Old City at the Armada Hotel , well-located with
spectacular views from the rooftop terrace.
Five days wasn’t nearly
enough to see everything in Istanbul. Tops on anyone’s list should be the Blue
Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace (don’t miss the ornate harem; the
Treasury with the Topkapi dagger, solid gold throne and cradle, and huge
diamonds; and the relics that include Abraham’s saucepot.) The Grand Bazaar has
everything and anything you might want to buy while there, but the storekeepers
are the most persistent I’ve ever met and don’t bargain much (they may come down
a bit if you buy multiples and pay cash.) The Basilica Cistern is a vast
underground columned cavern built in the 6th century AD – you may remember it in
"From Russia With Love". Chora Church is a taxi ride from Sultanhamet – well
worth it for the exquisite Byzantine fresco and mosaic cycles.
The Rustem Pasha Mosque, near the Spice Market, is renowned for its magnificent tiles.
The Rustem Pasha Mosque, near the Spice Market, is renowned for its magnificent tiles.
Built in the mid-1800’s
as a modern domicile for the royal family, Dolmabahçe Palace stretches for what
seems miles along the Bosporus. It’s deliciously excessive – my favorite thing
was a grand staircase with crystal balustrades. The scope of it can only be
appreciated from a cruise along the Bosporus – a relaxing way to see the full
panorama of mosques, fortifications, condos, office buildings and luxury villas
that make up Istanbul.
The Archaeological
Museum in Istanbul is yet a very noteworthy museum– don’t miss the Alexander
Sarcophagus. Istanbul has many other terrific museums: the Islamic Museum; the
Sebanci Museum (in what was originally a private mansion, it has an excellent
permanent display of calligraphy and rotating exhibits of more recent Turkish
art); the Naval Museum (we were treated to a private tour by an admiral friend
of guide Serhan’s); the Military Museum (at 3:00 every day, the vivid and
historic Janissary band gives a free concert here); and even a Jewish History
Museum (in an old synagogue) to name but a few.
We sure ate a lot of
good food on this trip. Alcohol was surprisingly expensive – probably due to
high taxes in this Muslim country. Decent wine could be obtained, but I quickly
learned to prefer Efes, a very respectable local beer. In Istanbul, the food and
atmosphere at Sarnic (in a
candle-lit cistern) were wonderful. We had a seemingly endless meze spread at Giritli.
The Taksim district has a warren of backstreets full of small restaurants where
the locals dine – we ate at a place called “Sake” that was both delicious and
fun. The food at Zeyrekhane
Restaurant was to die for. The cab driver couldn’t find it and dropped us
off at a place with a similar name; we ended up walking up a twisty narrow road
to get there. Ask to eat on the terrace – the views of the Bosporus and Suleiman
Mosque are breath-taking. Memorable lunches included an al fresco meal next to
the Bosporus in the Emirgan district; a quick bite to eat cafeteria-style at the
famous Pudding Shop;
and fast-food while we people-watched in Eminonu near the Galata Bridge.
For the most part,
Istanbul is pretty safe as long as you stick to the touristy areas. You do have
to watch for pick-pockets, though. Throughout Turkey, most people speak English
and are all too glad to help with directions – but then they’ll try to sell you
something. EVERYONE is a salesperson and if they don’t sell what you want,
they’ll refer you to a store that does (from which I’m sure they get a
commission.) Many of us bought carpets, ceramics, tiles, jewelry, and shawls.
One very special
experience was an after-dinner party at Serhan’s Istanbuli apartment overlooking
the Bosporus. Several of us night-owls drank Turkish wine and raki, danced to
Turkish jazz, and enjoyed the view until the wee hours of the morning.
Mimi Santini-Ritt 2009