Marko

This may have to be in several aprts as work is a real bitch since getting back ! I need another holiday
Australia is such a long way from Europe, we were basically on a plane or in an airport for 23 hours, very tiring (thank god for business class.)
We arrived at Istanbul airport early saturday morning and thanks to some Fodorite info I went straight to the visa office and paid my $20 per head for our Visa. This is where I got my first of many Turkish smiles as I asked in my heavily australian accented Turkish for the stamps.
Through passport control which was easy. There waiting for us with a sign with our name on it was our guide for the next three days " Bitsy", there is something very comforting about seeing someone smiling at you after a long long flight. Into the van for a quick trip into Sultanahmet and our hotel, the Mavi Ev. The Mavi Ev is in a great position and the staff were really welcoming and friendly, I had emailed them a few days prior to leaving and they had one of our rooms ready for us so we could put our gear down and have a shower (luxury !!). Looking out our window we had a view of the Blue Mosque, stunning ! Bitsy was waiting for us downstairs, a few words on her, she is a gem, vivacious, bright, she speaks excellent english and has an entertaining style, plus she was interested in us and our country. ( my 11 year twin daughters loved her even though they were taller than she was !). First stop was Taksim, to collect our thoughts and see the more modern side of the city, the ride there was great as Istanbul has a very different look to most cities ! We wandered the shopping area and I had my first Turkish coffee....Mud with caffiene, but it got my eyes open ! The kids indulged in some ridiculously sweet pastries, not a crumb was left ! We took a turn down one of the side walkways to some food places and we took great delight in buying some handmade sweets, I am not sure if the Cinnamon flavoured ones will catch on in Oz but the others were great. We had a ride on the little french underground train and then I had to find an ATM, I became an instant multi millionaire, 600 million lire in 20 mill notes, it makes quite a wad !

Marko

My family are all tall, me 6.2, lisa 5.11 and the three kids all tall for their age and very blonde, so we stuck out like sore thumbs, lots of curious looks but at no stage did we feel threatened, I told the kids if people looked hard at them just smile back and they did and were rewarded with more Turkish smiles. We walked across one of the main bridges (the new one I think), it was amazing the number of people who were fishing off the bridge, catching sardines which is apparently as much for recreation as sustanance. I can't imagine people fishing off the Sydney Harbour bridge We caught a tram back to Sultanahmet and had lunch at the Pudding shop, we all pigged out, I had an excellent and hearty Iskender Kebap and a rather large Heineken.
We were close to the Mavi Ev so we picked up another jumper as it is bloody cold ( Queensland is a warm place and we are soft). Bitsy then took us to a small mosque called Sokullu Memhet Pasa Mosque, she had been told that it had some very pretty tiles and other details, she was right ! At times we feel like the only tourists in town, it's not crowded and getting about is easy. We didn't get into the mosque straight away as people were praying so we wandered around to the side where there was an old cemetary, quite an eerie place, we ran into some turkish fellows who were keen to talk about Australia, they sort of had the impression that it was the land of milk and honey and all wanted to move there, I hope I didn't dash their dreams ! When we got into the mosque there were still some ladies and children in the upper section and they were intrigued by the kids calling down to them and waving and smiling, I don't think the guy who was in charge was too impressed as he shooed them out pretty quickly.

Marko

Next port of call was the Mosaic Museum and the Arasta Bazaar, both were interesting for different reasons. The museum gave an indication of how much history must lay buried in this part of Istanbul, the mosaics showed that city life back then must have been had a sense of all pervading beauty ! That is probably romantic hogwash but they were well done
The Arasta bazaar showed how early in the season it was as every single shopkeeper came out to say hello and invite us into their shop, more chances for me to practice my turkish even if it was to say "no, thank you".
We were an open target as we were the only non turkish people there ! But they all treated us well and politely, and it was amazing how many had cousins in Australia. By this stage we were exhausted and went back to the Mavi Ev for a rest which turned into a sleep.....BAD idea !!

Marko

I woke very early,about 5am, wide awake !!! a knock on the door it was the twins wide awake showered and fully dressed ready to go go go ! So I was up and took them up to the roof to watch the sunrise over the Blue Mosque, an almost surreal moment with the bight blue sky, the gleaming sunrise and the staggering size of the Mosque ( I hope the photos turn out !)
The Blue Mosque was the first stop when Bitsy picked us up, the imensity of the place is hard to relate too, the massive 5 metres pillars that support the dome make one feel very small ! The fact that I am a quite unreligious person doesn't stop me from being in awe of the faith that drives people to build places like this. The hippodrome is just across the street so we toddled over there, its interesting to compare the two Obelisks, the Egyptian one and the Roman (ithink) one, the red granite obelisk is in marvellous condition and its twin looks like it is going to fall to bits. Close your eyes and you can imagine the chariots rushing around a la Ben Hur style, today they would be beeped at by the numerous yellow taxi's. Next some underground entertainment, the Yerbetan cistern. A wonderfull example of Roman recycling with columns and supports dragged from all over the empire. The kids were more interested in throwing bits of bread to the fish that swim around. The lighting and the classical music create quite a moody atmosphere also heightened by the fact we were virtually by ourselves. Is there really a huge city bustling above our heads?

StCirq

Lovely, Marko! Did you master some Turkish for this trip, or did you already speak it? Now there's a difficult language!

progol

Wonderful, Marko! I keep smiling as I think of you and your very blonde family standing out so dramatically in Istanbul! I loved the Mosaic Museum-- a small gem! And it's amazing about those cousins, isn't it? Everyone WE met had cousins, brothers or uncles in NYC!
Paule

Marko

The Hagia Sofia, if I was impressed by the size of the Blue Mosque, this one left me gob smacked, and the size of the place is dwarfed by the history of the place, this is no place to go into it but its history is worth a read , an adventure in changing fortunes. Wonderful mosaics in excellent condition, a bit off putting was the 52 meters of scaffolding in the middle to reach the under renovation dome. I asked why it had survived the numerous earthquakes over the years and bitsy replied it did because it was wobbly not rigid....biggest jellied dessert I have ever seen ! We needed lunch, the choice was " Konyali" at the Topkapi palace, surprisingly crowded but a nice lunch with a great view of the Bosphorus.....and my first EFES pilsener....delightfull !! Turkish Ravioli served with creamy yoghurt was a taste sensation and the ekmek (bread) was fresh and tasty. The Topkapi palace has a fantastic display of how luxurious the Sultans life was, the tile work is so intricate and the clours dazzling. The views over the city a excellent from the various parts of the harem. The Relic room has some dubious bits of material attributed to interesting origins ( I will steer clear of offending religious sensitivities), There was an Imam in residence reading from the Koran which gave an exotic feel to the experience. We also visited the Treasury and I think Lisa wanted to get a shopping trolley out for some high end retail therapy. The Spoonmakers diamond was huge ! and the Topkapi dagger would be just the thing for my next fishing trip, there was an awefull lot of wealth on display ! The stories associated with each piece made good reading.

hla

Marko--What a great and colorful trip report. I am thinking of going to Istanbul next year with my family. Was wondering if you would recommend staying in Sultanahmet or Taksim. Hotels seem more abundant and reasonable in Taksim, but is the atmosphere and convenience to the tourist sights of the old city worth it? Please continue with your report. Am enjoying it immensely.

rhkkmk

i'm loving your tale and it makes me want to return to constantinople today..

Marko

The Carpet shop !!!!!!!!!!!!!
They plied us with drinks, a beer for me, water for Lisa and Apple tea for the kids (they now love the stuff!). The floor was strewn with wonderful examples of the art of rug making, detail;s were given as to colour, knot, weave, origin, I flet so educated I could have made one myself ! We had decided that we did want to buy a rug before we left home and we knew roughly what we wanted. Lisa let her feelings be known by exclaiming in glowing terms how beautiful one rug was and how good it would look at home....damn !...I could see the Rug mans eyes glowing with anticipation of a victory ! We faced each other like gunslingers across the rooms room carpeted with...well..um ...carpet ! He fired his first shot: "x" amount, a flesh wound only I fired a shot back of one third of "x", bang ..."x" less 10%, a return volley of 50% of "x", a return salvo of "x" less 20%. Then I was caught in a cross fire as my son pipes up and says "dad, thats not enough !!" ,My reply thru gritted teeth " shut up son !", I rolled with the shots, fired back with 60% of "x" and the claim of having to feed and educate three children, no serious damage as the Rugman replies I had to leave my children at home to come down to show you these rugs !! Another cross fire as my lovely wife says " thats a pretty good price" ( This is not a gun fight , its an ambush !), .Down to my last shot, it had to be a good one, 65% of "x", no more or I am leaving, get your bags kids....and don't speak !!! A mortal shot, the Rugman slumped to the floor and cried " deal ", my own wounds were pretty severe , but I will recover! We bought a very nice rug, made in Turkmenistan, I had fun and the kids (and Lisa) learned something about the process of haggling. It looks fantastic in our living room and is a constant reminder of the day !

Marko

dINNER That night at the Mavi Ev, pretty basic, washed down with more EFES, After dinner we rugged up and went to the roof to look at the lights of the city and the pretty impressive display on the Blue MOsque and The Hagia Sofia. Sultanahmet is so quiet later in the evening, as we were about to go in the call to proyer started and we just stood , looked and listened, we were really in Istanbul ! As the last echoes died we watched the startled pidgeons circle the minarets looking for somewhere to sleep, we circled the roof and flew down the stairs to our rooms. Tomorrow is another big day.

Marko

A good nights sleep, what a difference it makes. A very civilized 9.15am start. Off to the spice market, what an amazing amell !! I can now report that Turkish delight is actually very very nice, I always hated it ! We managed to sample about a kilo each...my dentist will love us. Also tasted and bought strings of nuts coated in reduce grape jelly, they look totally obscene but taste pretty good, Lisa got stuck into the spices and bought a heap, including three different types of Saffron, (don't ask me why, I just eat the results !) Andrew ,my son was totally intrigued by the huge bowls of leeches for sale, and of course all the furry creatures in the Pet market outside were a hit. I actually took us all back into the Spice market as I wanted to buy more Turkish delight to bring home, love the double pistachio. I noted a low level of security with police with hand held metal detectors at the entrances, the tourist police were pretty obvious in most places.

baldrick

Hi Marko,
Your trip report brings back thousands of memories!
Poor fellow, it is very hard to haggle if the entire family joins the other camp!

Kavey

Same here, brings back memories...
ROFL re the haggling traitors but sounds like a fun experience none the less. I love haggling! We had a marvellous trip a few years ago and it wasn't even marred by a bomb going off just outside the restaurant we were in and the windows all breaking glass everywhere!

To HLA I'd personally recommend staying in the Sultanahmet area hands down. It's the heart of Istanbul, especially for visitors.



Marko, thanks for your wonderful report!

Pauline

Marko, I am so enjoying reading your report.
I returned yesterday from a tour of Turkey and guess who our Turkish tour guide was. Bitsy. She was with us for the 17 days we were in Turkey. Excellent English and she was learning more words along the way (you know how some Australians are)....I toured with Made Easy Tours, a Brisbane based company.
I don't know what airline you flew with but the seat pitch on Turkish Airlines economy class, beats BA & Qantas, hands down.....
Our tour stayed at Otel Fehmi Bey, also in the Sultanahmet, about 50 metres up the road from the Hippodrome.... Like your otel, a fantastic close up view of the illuminated Blue Mosque, especially in the evening and at breakfast.....
The Pudding shop had a great range of food, (we lunched there on our 1st day) as did the other restaurants along that street. I'm surprised that you didn't partake in an 'Efes' that first day.
Do you remember Leanna from CA? She responded a couple of times to your pre trip posts. She is still travelling in Turkey . Today she would have visited Ephesus and it's surrounds.
I look forward to reading more of your Turkish adventure. The Turkish people I encountered, were friendly and curious about us. Even the harrassing vendors didn't annoy or worry me. (perhaps my China trip last year was a good learning curve?). Mind you, I did tell some porkies, to get away from some of them but I did it with a smile.....

Marko

The next adventure as the Covered Bazaar, we were treating this as a survey visit to check prices and haggling styles so no big purchases were to be made as we has a day in Istanbul before we flew home. For a totally experienced haggler like myself ( )it was a chance to hone the skills, we ended up with a huge bagfull of evil eye charms, keyrings and about 10 Pashmina, Lisa says you can never have too many Pashminas !! The kids wanted as many glass bead bracelets as I could buy for their friends back home, great little souveneirs!! I couldn't miss out so I haggled a small wooden Backgammon set, (I think I haggled so hard the poor guy only made a 200% profit !!), it was handy having bitsy with us to orient us as the place is just sooo big. Any way enough was enough so we headed out when we were approached by a young fellow outside selling spinning tops (the kids had said earlier they wanted some) he said $5 each, I said three for a dollar...must have been a slow day he said yes !!
The next adventure this evening... ..the Hammam !!

progol

Hi, Marko.
I'm loving your report and can't wait for more. Your haggling story reminds me of our experience in buying a kilim in Konya-- my husband actually got so excited by the haggling, that he actually ended up INCREASING the offer at one point! Fortunately, the store was a fair and reputable one, and realized that he goofed, and we all walked away happy.

Looking forward to hearing about the hammam experience!
Paule

SusanInToronto

Marko, so nice to read this report! We just got back from Australia on the weekend - I am SO envious that you flew business class! Coming back from Hong Kong was 18 long hours in a packed plane. I'd love to be going to Turkey this summer (we were there for only a week in 2000) and reading this makes me want to go back even more.

Marko

Fear and trepidation strike Lisa and the girls !! We entered the fairly non descript front door to the Cagaloglu Hammam to be greeted by the genial host surrounded in a cloud of cigarette smoke, the whole thing was pre arranged and Bitsy let the guy know who we were. Andrew and I were led off to our changing room and lisa and the girls into the ladies section. Andrew and I got changed into our towels and were led into the warm room and then into the hot room where we proceeded to sweat profusely, 15 minutes of leaching the impurities out we were then led to the huge slab of marble where my left toe was introduced to my left ear via my right arm pit. Then my arms were lengthened by about 15 centimetres ( I swear my knuckles dragged when I walked after it), every muscle ( and I discovered some I didn't know I had) was treated to the firm hands of my masseuse who looked vaguely like Saddam Hussein. When he had finished I felt like jelly ! We were led to the side and given a scrub down with sandpaper (just joking) and then thoroughly sudsed and rinsed, "all done" saddam said with a smile. I sure was I was relaxed to the point of Jelly, Andrew and I sat there next to a fountain full of warm water just dippering it over ourselves until we felt enough rigitity to stand and be swaddled in a half dozen towels. We then proceeded outside Andrew had a coke and I had an Efes and the world was good !! Loved the experience. Bitsy said she told them to go easy on me (old football injury), if that was easy I would need a pre hammam muscle relaxant if it was hard ! Lisa's experience was similar except that the masseuses were older ladies with HUGE boobs and no tops... oh ...and the place was full of naked blond swedish women. MMMMM mental image

elina

Marko, I am glad you enjoyed your trip. Your hammam description is delicious. Brings back memories from my trip to Istanbul last December. Hard to think that it was only five months ago.