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Published: April 29th 2009
Graffiti
IstanbulWe arrived in Istanbul on a cold morning in late February, watching the city’s suburbs roll past to the rocking rhythm of the train. We were running a bit late, and the blocks of gray apartment buildings seemed to have no end in sight. With a population over 12 million, Istanbul is a large city…seemingly even more exaggerated by its unique geography, sprawled across the Bosporus. Our first sight was the inside of the art deco train station, which inevitably conjured up images of the famous Orient Express and Agatha Christie’s most beloved murder mystery.
We hadn’t planned ahead, and while the other passengers poured confidently out of the station we stood watching the endless stream of traffic and trying to decide which direction might lead us to a good budget hotel. After a long and fruitless walk we didn’t find anything, and so broke down and bought the Lonely Planet at a local book store, located a cheap hostel, and took a taxi.
Sultanahmet, like Kao San Rd. in Bangkok, is a backpacker ghetto peppered with hostels, trinket shops, bars, and cafes catering to foreigners. It has an unbeatable location just a few streets away from the Blue
Mosque and Hagia Sofia, so while you might pay a few cents more for a kabob, it is definitely worth the stunning view. The first few days in the city we wandered to all the main tourist sights in our area.
The Blue Mosque, named for the stunning blue tiles on the interior, is one of Istanbul’s most popular attractions, and visitors allowed inside when prayers are not being held. Another must-see on the Istanbul circuit is the Grand Bazaar, which, at over 1000 shops, is one of the largest indoor markets in the world. The bazaar has been going on in various forms for hundreds of years, though today’s version is far from the rugged outpost it once was, when traders bartered goods brought along the Silk Road to Europe. Today, it is more of a tourist draw than anything else. Many of the Turks we spoke with said it was far too expensive for most the locals. Indeed, the building was clean and efficient, and smooth-talking vendors handed out business cards and kept computerized inventories of their small, polished stores. Regardless, the items for sale were beautiful, and there is no doubt the country has some of
Simit Vendor
Trying to do business in Istanbul's frigid winter drizzle the most gorgeous artwork in the world.
Istanbul in the winter is bitterly cold. Icy wind sweeps off the Sea of Marmara, and rain is frequent. The damp chill is, at times, nearly unbearable, and we often found ourselves ducking into the nearest café just to escape the freezing wind. For us, much of Istanbul was observed over a cup of Turkish tea, watching the world go by outside a café window (and usually through the thick clouds of smoke exhaled from groups of men sitting around water pipes). The advantage of the abysmal weather was the relatively small number of other tourists. A few intermittent sunny days gave us a glimpse of what the city must be like in the summer, when tour buses crammed every lot and throngs of people filled Sultanahmet Park.
The food in Istanbul is excellent, and it is possible to eat very well on the cheap. We mostly ate our way through a variety of kabobs, and also loved the “meze”, a sort of appetizer plate with eggplant, pickled vegetables, and Turkish cheese, to name a few. For breakfast we generally ate “Simit”, a circular ring of sesame ring that could be
Lights
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul bought from a cart for only a few cents. Though Turkey is almost entirely a Muslim country, the residents of Istanbul have no qualms about their vices, and smoking and drinking is common. Many men smoked hookahs, generally referred to as “nargilas”. We tried it in one of the foreigner bars across the street and found it a pretty amusing experience. Beer is popular, the Turkish brand of choice being Efes, and is very good. The most common liquor is “raki”, which can be produced by grapes, figs, or other fruit. It tastes like licorice, is quite potent, and generally drunken mixed with water.
Currently, Turkey is not a full member of the European Union, though negotiations for its accession have been underway for some time. All of the locals we spoke with on the matter hoped their country would be allowed to enter the EU soon, as it would give them increased mobility in Europe; including more opportunity to travel abroad to look for jobs or visit family. However, the country’s human rights record and issues over Cyprus have been drawn into question by some, stalling the proceedings. It seems as though its accession is inevitable, though it
Chairs
A sidestreet during one of our random ramblings likely won’t happen for at least another four years.
Istanbul is a diverse city, flooded with people from all over the country who come hoping to find work or get an education. With the country’s strong economy, there are also an increased number of immigrants from Eastern Europe. On one of our wanderings we met two Kurdish men selling simit near the Blue Mosque. Kurds are estimated to make up about 20% of the country. In the past, extreme Kurdish secessionist groups, such as the PKK have engaged in bloody warfare with the Turkish military, and also reacted violently against other Kurdish clans. One of the men spoke English, and after asking us where we were from exclaimed, “Obama!” It seems to be the response we have been getting during our post- election travels. More than debate US politics, however, he was interested in discussing Turkey’s president, Abdullah Gul, whom he felt wasn’t doing enough to help the Kurds in Turkey. While he admitted that he was treated fairly in Istanbul, he told us he had often felt a victim of racism in his former village, located in the rural countryside.
We also spoke with one man in
View of Karakoy
Looking across the Bosphorus from Eminonu the shipping business that earned a living transporting and selling industrial ball bearings made in China. He was currently working at a restaurant, since his latest shipment was tied up in a sea of bureaucracy caused by a tightening in import regulations regarding Chinese products.
The city, heavy on tourists, is inevitably a popular place for touts. It is impossible to walk down the street in Sultanahmet and surrounding areas without being flooded for offers to take a cruise, buy a carpet, or look in a particular shop. The vendors all spoke excellent English, and generally several other languages as well. Some of them we chatted with to had been to expos in the United States to sell their merchandise. The constant attention became frustrating at times, but to be fair, the touts and vendors were generally friendly and very good humored, and had learned to laugh and have fun with the passersby, making the experience more pleasant for everyone.
The only truly unbearable situation we encountered was ironically far from the tourist center. A middle aged man approached while we were admiring the waterfront, striking up a conversation and insisting he only wanted to practice his English.
Sunset
Sea of Marmara We politely declined his offer to join him for tea, using the excuse of meeting friends in another location. He was persistent and followed us aggressively, attempting to lure us in to a fancy restaurant. At this point, we more firmly told him no, and he became very angry. After much arguing, we were finally able to shake him, relieved to be free of the uncomfortable situation. Back at the hostel we chatted with another couple who had stumbled onto this seemingly innocent scam, and wound up at a bar, stiffed with a tab of almost $80! We had previously run into a similar scam in Beijing, and while the con artists may seem easy to avoid, most of them are very skilled, incredibly convincing, and can be difficult to escape. It is a shame, since we have met many people on our travels who really do just want to practice English, and have made some good friends that way. Still, in a city such as Istanbul it pays to be very careful, and it is good to be extremely wary of such offers.
A few days later and we headed off to Kadikoy, on the “Asian” side of
the Bosporus. The distance from the ferry terminal in Eminonu can be walked, but difficult with heavy bags. We stopped by a stand for a fish sandwich, served about as fresh as you can get. It came highly recommended in the LP, and for good reason. They are sold right under the Galata Bridge, where you can see fisherman standing shoulder to shoulder; their long lines hanging down into the Bosporus. We took a ferry across to Kadikoy, and instantly felt the city’s pulse deepen as we stepped off the dock. This area was much more crowded and chaotic, with shoeshine vendor and newspaper salesmen taking up the sidewalk, and rattletrap buses flying by at breakneck speed. There were no other tourists in sight, and we received several curious looks.
It was a Saturday, and the streets were packed with throngs of shoppers. Near the water, a mile or so east of the ferry terminal, were expensive looking apartments, with views of the sea and even a Starbucks on one corner. Farther up the hill, past the crowded shopping centers, were older residential buildings, including some crumbling wooden townhouses squeezed between newer apartments that had to be at least
So tired...
A stray dog naps in Sultahamet Park one hundred years old. This part of the city seemed vibrant and interesting, some streets busy and bustling, others completely empty except for stray dogs and cats lounging on the pavement. We eventually made our way down to a paved path running next to the water, with views across to Sultanhamet and the spires of the Blue barely visible in the distance. Young couples held hands and sat on the sea wall, watching the sun sink over fishing boats on the Sea of Marmara.
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liliram
liliram
Same dog taking a nap?
Hi Hannah. Came across your blog as I still couldn't shake off dreaming about my recent trip to Istanbul. It's curious. I took a photo of a dog taking a nap in the sultanahmet area, in front of Hagia Sophia. Could be we photographed the same dog.