Istanbul – A Tale of the City on Two Continents

By: Jeanette Teh

Istanbul is the 2010 European Capital of Culture, a title bestowed by the EU for its contribution to European culture.  The largest city in Turkey and once the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, Istanbul is the only city in the world that sits on two different continents.  The Bosphoros, the 31 kilometer waterway connecting the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, divides Istanbul into two parts – European Istanbul and Asian Istanbul.

 

The straight of Bosphoros is a bustling hub of activity dotted with boats, cargo ships, the odd submarine, and ferries carrying passengers from one side of the city to the other.  We went on a cruise along the Bosphoros passing mosques, palaces, fortresses, forested areas, as well as very expensive wooden summer homes known as yali. The boat ride was incredibly picturesque and relaxing with the sea breeze gently tugging at our hair.  We made brief stops at a little town known for its delicious yogurt and the Maiden Tower, once a 12^th century fortress built on a tiny rock island, which is now a restaurant and a popular spot for suitors to propose to their maidens.

Feeling famished, we went to the Galata Bridge, which is filled with restaurants beneath it, for dinner.  We sampled scrumptious shrimp in tomato sauce, chicken kebabs, and local fish although we saved room for the mandatory Turkish Delight (lokum), a sweet jelly-like confection dusted with powdered sugar and nuts, as well as the delectable baklava, a flaky pastry filled with walnuts or pistachios, which we chased down with strong Turkish coffee and delightfully sweet apple tea.

 

Our tour of the historic part of Istanbul took us first to Hagia Sophia, the fourth largest church in the
world (although it has been a museum since 1934).  It has undergone many restorations since its construction in 532 due to earthquakes, fires and riots.  Its conversion to a mosque in 1453 through the addition of minarets and other Islamic elements render it a beautifully unique piece of architecture, combining both Islamic and Christian artifacts co-existing in harmony.  Its vast and stunning interior reveals Christian mosaics and stained glass adorned with Arabic signs from the Koran.

 

We then headed next door to the Blue Mosque (also known as Sultan Ahmet Camisi after the 19-year-old Sultan for whom it was constructed in 1609), a gorgeous greyish-blue complex with large domes and four minarets built in a classical architectural style.  Despite the prevalence of Islamic architecture in Istanbul, there is a decidedly more European feel to the city, especially in the older parts of the town with cobblestone streets.

 

The Topkapi Palace nearby is massive with sprawling grounds shaded by cypress trees.  The imperial residence housed various Ottoman sultans for almost 400 years.  It also included four courtyards and a Harem, consisting of rooms for the concubines, servants, and eunuchs who acted as their security guards. The palace is now a museum displaying emerald encrusted daggers, armour and costumes, portraits, Koran script, religious books, and other important relics.

 

Seeking refuge from the blistering July sun, we then escaped to the Basilica Cistern, an underground
water system which stored rain water and water brought in from reservoirs.  It was surprisingly interesting – like a large basement swimming pool with bridges built for tourists. The temporary exhibit featuring art pieces in the water created a festive feel to what would ordinarily be a dark and dank environment, upstaging the Medusa stone heads placed there for protection.

 

As no trip to Istanbul would be complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar, we made a brief stop at the enormous marketplace, which boasts over 4,000 shops, to watch the buzzing hive of activity as tourists and locals alike played the haggling game with the storekeepers.

As rain clouds seem to follow us on our trips, we were greeted with rain on our last day in Istanbul.  We set off to Bebek, one of Istanbul’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, to enjoy breakfast overlooking the Bosphorus.  Despite the rain pelting down on us, we managed to capture Bebek’s quaint seaside town feel in our soggy walk around town.

 

We then waddled our way with soaking pants through the cute little streets of Ortavoy which is known for its night life.  There, we saw a mosque flanked by both a church and a synagogue, illustrating Istanbul’s religious tolerance and diversity.  As the rain started to ease up, we headed to Taksim and walked down Istiklal Street, a long pedestrian shopping street where we happily engaged in retail therapy to celebrate the dry weather.  Spending a bit too much time exercising our credit cards, we had to rush to prepare for our return home that evening with slightly heavier luggage.

 

This article was originally published in 2010 in bazaar.

 

Jeanette Teh is a legal and corporate trainer, adjunct (assistant) professor, non-practicing lawyer, writer, coach, and founder of Kaleidoscopic Sky.  You can find more about her at http://linkedin.com/in/jeanette-teh-601115.