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Published: June 25th 2010
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It’s not just the city’s location that’s split between Europe and Asia; everything is a mix between east and west. You might wake up to the singing of the prayer call but for every one Mosque you pass you’ll no doubt pass half a dozen Starbucks or Mc Donald’s. There are still quite a few women in veils but the younger generation seem to have their eyes firmly set on west. It’s quite funny talking to people who’ve been travelling in Europe; arriving in Istanbul they actually think they’re in the Middle East!
Most of the accommodation is in the Sultanmet area where all the city’s major attractions are located: Haghai Sophia, The Blue Mosque & Tokapi palace. It’s understandably touristy and you definitely pay a premium at the restaurants etc but it can’t be beaten for convenience. A shuttle from the bus station will drop you right there and the international train station is right in the middle of the area.
I went to the Haghai Sophia straight away and it was absolutely packed. But there’s really nothing that can take away from building. It has to be one of the greatest buildings in the world. Originally built
as a church, then converted into a mosque it’s now a museum. Directly opposite is the Blue Mosque which was intended to outshine its neighbour. The exterior and large courtyard are definitely more impressive in terms of interior Haghai Sophia takes the crown! Nearby Tokapi palace completes the trio of Istanbul’s star attractions. The former home of the sultan is a series of interconnected courtyards. It’s hard to tell from the outside but the palace is absolutely massive.
The grand bazaar and spice market are good but nothing compared to Damascus. The grand bazaar is more like a mall than a functioning souq; almost all the products sold seem to be aimed at tourists from tacky souvenirs to fake Abercrombie & Fitch clothing. The spice market is a good place for picking up Turkish delight which I absolutely ate. I’d also highly recommend baklava which I only tried on the last day. Probably for the best, otherwise baklava combined with the obscene amount of Kebabs I consumed I’d be an absolute fat mess at this stage.
On my last day in Istanbul there was a PKK attack against a bus full of soldiers, killing 2 and injuring others.
The story barely made the news in Europe. Talking to a Turkish guy facing the prospect of completing his compulsory military service he’s worried: more about 35 soldiers have died fighting in the East in the past month. On other side of the coin the one Kurdish person I met had moved to Istanbul purely to earn money, he hates Turkish people and speaks absolutely no Turkish. However much Turkey may appear ready to embrace the Starbucks culture it still has serious issues to grapple with before the EU’s blue and gold flag can be raised here.
This is a pretty big milestone for me: Cairo to Istanbul done in one piece! The end of one journey but the beginning of another.
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