After the amazing Spanish Trip, we headed to Istanbul. By the time we landed it was evening and the weather had turned cloudy, and it started raining. We worried about the next few days, but apart from short drizzles, we were lucky to have good weather.
Let's get one thing out of the way: Istanbul is a very modern city. I lived in Jeddah in 1990 for a couple of months. Istanbul is closer to Mumbai in culture than it is to Jeddah. Of course, folks are apprehensive about Turkey given the glorious reign of the Ottoman Empire, but like the British empire, it is history, not the present.
Yet Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople in medieval times, bears the weight of history with effortless grace. We stayed at the Sultan Palace hotel a short walk away from the Hippodrome. The Hippodrome was the center of life in Byzantium for 1000 years and in the Ottoman era for another 400 years, witnessing many political events. Just off the Hippodrome is the Blue Mosque, perhaps the most celebrated mosque in Istanbul. Entrance is free during non worship hours, however appropriate attire needs to be worn or will be provided. We had an interesting introduction to Islam by a lady theologian at the mosque. A short walk away is the Hagia Sofiya, a testimony to the Roman presence and the Ottoman conquest and the modern secularity of Turkey. It is an impressive structure who's mysteries are still to be completely revealed.
The Basilica Cistern, famous for its sideways and upside-down Medusa, gained fame from Dan Brown's "Inferno." The pillars within this medieval water storage cistern exhibit a simple design, yet they captivate with their remarkable symmetry. From the Cistern, we had a quick lunch and moved to the Topkapi palace, one of the 2 palaces of the erstwhile Ottoman empire. The Ottomans ruled from here for the first 400 years before moving to the Dolmabahce palace. The palace museum has important relics from the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions. It is a must see on your itinerary.
We managed a one-day trip to Andalar or Princes Island, an hour's ferry ride from the city. Most of the tourist spots are on the European side of Istanbul and the ferry ride provides a good perspective on the heavily populated Asian side of Istanbul, which most tourists, including us, do not get to see. There are no cars allowed on the Island and you can walk around, have a meal and shop at a leisurely place. It is a different experience, and although we stumbled on it by chance, we would recommend it.
The Dolmabahce palace was the more recent residence of the Ottoman empire (perhaps driven by modern necessities, which the old Topkapi palace did not provide). It is an impressive palace with only guided tours allowed and is still used for state functions. The palace is modern with some spectacular crystal chandeliers (one weighing 4.5 tons), great paintings, crystal balustrade and a symmetry in design (concept of everything being in pairs) which leaves you awestruck. The expense of building this palace possibly contributed to the downfall of the Ottoman Empire and the abolition of the Caliphate.
We skipped Taksim Square and Galata tower (opting to walk the bridge instead). Spice bazaar is a must-visit to try out the sun dried apricots (dark not orange), The mosque adjacent to the bazaar is also impressive. The best meal we had in Istanbul was at Hamdi Restoran with its panoramic views of the Bosphorous. The kebabs laced with pistas etc are outstanding. The Grand Bazaar is also a must visit place on the itinerary. A note of caution to carpet buyers. Most carpets sold are old (not new) but cost possibly less than half of a new one. Again carpet buying requires specialist skills, which not all of us have.
Istanbul was a great experience, and it should be on everyone's travel lists.
Share this post