I traveled to Istanbul on business last week for a whirlwind few days of meetings and stayed until the weekend so I could actually see some of the city given my busy schedule. I am glad I did. Istanbul is a gem. Think of a city combining the history of Rome, the beauty of Stockholm and the nightlife of London, and you have a sense for what Istanbul has to offer. Of course, it can also have grinding traffic and, since there hasn't been much urban planning, there are lots of buildings that aren't much to look at. But there is something magical about the place, straddling two continents, which has seen so many peoples come and go over the centuries. Highlights from the trip included:
- The Bosphorus. The fact that the Strait separates the two continents and the history (the great Persian emperor, Darius, lined up boats across the Strait and had his army walk across this "bridge") add to the magic.
- The food. There are plenty of kebab shops offering average grub not dissimilar from what you get in London. But I had a few memorable meals.
- Ciya Sofrasi (pronounced "Chiya") is in Kadikoy on the Asia side. Take a ferry to the Kadikoy pier and then walk up through the market, where you'll be one of the few tourists among the locals, to find the restaurant. The decor is basic and it doesn't serve alcohol. But the food. The owner/chef Musa Dagdeviren is reknowned for sourcing different ingredients and dishes from the rural parts of Turkey. As the NYT writes: "For those who don't have a Turkish grandfather to cook traditional
dishes, there's Musa Dagdeviren, the Turkish-Kurdish proprietor of this
restaurant. A culinary Indiana Jones, he gathers gustatory secrets from
remote provinces and serves a menu that may include ezo gelin (lentil soup with oregano
and red pepper), diyarbakir guvec (a savory stew of lamb, tomatoes and
soft eggplants) and kuru sebze domalsi (eggplant stuffed with rice and
lamb). Below is my little 'breakfast' where they gave me little portions of several of the dishes freshly made that morning. The highlight was their yogurt soup, at once savory, tangy with a bit of a kick, it was perfect for a cool, drizzly morning. But they constantly change the menu making hundreds of dishes a year.
- For a simple, seafood meal, go to Adem Baba in the fishing village of Arnovutkoy (about a 15-20 minute taxi ride from Besiktas). I had a meal of salad, fried mussels, grilled monkish for about 10 euros. I was the only tourist there, which is always a good thing!
- For something more formal and traditional, go to Konyali Lokantasi, whose original location at Topkapi has been around since 1897.
- Hamdi at Eminonu is another insitituion. The views over the Golden Horn and Bosphorus are breathtaking and the food is delicious (it is normally so easy for a restaurant with a good location to serve mediocre food). The kebabs there are definitely not like what you get elsewhere and I think I'm still savoring the huge lunch that I had there!
- The sights. There's the old part of Istanbul and most of the sights can be done in a day including the old Hippodrome, The Blue Mosque, The Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and even the Grand Covered Bazaar and Spice Market. If you're able to, consider hiring a private guide, which makes for more flexibility and a personalized experience. I would recommend Tulay
Ozcan, whose knowledge and passion was infectious.
- Shopping. In terms of handicrafts, there are 4 things to buy in Turkey according to Tulay: leather, jewelry, rugs and tiles. Having been "museumed out", I asked her to recommend a carpet shop to get the experience and we went to Antique Carpet Kilim in the old part of town. Tulay recommended them as reputable and not doing a 'hard sell'. Ask for Ibrahim, their CEO, who grew up in Chicago and moved to Istanbul in the 90s. He will educate you on carpets and, while passionate and persuasive, there wasn't a big hard-sell, and I found it a fun experience. Be sure to ask for the "Rags Gupta discount"!
Finally, the Turkish people are fascinating. Historically a nomadic people, I found them to be friendly, hospitable, proud of their culture and curious about others'. I was asked a few times about my religion, which led to interesting discussions about the Turkish people's relation to Islam. Having only been introduced 600 or 700 odd years ago, Islam is a relatively new phenomenon for the Turkish people, and they make a point of the fact that modern Turkey is a secular nation, while also being devout in their own interpretation. Add Istanbul to the list of "must-see" places. I look forward to going back and also seeing more of Turkey.
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