Category: Istanbul 2018

We set off today to just do a few things each independently. So I went off to have a last poke around the Grand Bazaar. And Chris went to buy some last minute things she wanted.

Going again to the Grand Bazaar showed a bit of poor judgement just because by the time I trudged all the way up there through the very hot and very crowded streets, it was basically time to trudge all the way back to meet Chris for lunch. I poked around for a short time then back down I came through those crowded streets being assaulted by seething humanity along with pushers, bikes, trolleys, hawkers…you name it. So hot too!!

I had to get to the other side of the Galata Bridge and then up Istekele Cadessi to one of my favourite cafe’s, the Ara Cafe. So I trammed over the bridge, then got on the ‘Tunel’ (a tram in a tunnel) to get up to the street, then walked along the street. It is a cafe that was the house of Ara Gunel, a very famous Turkish photographer. And today he was there sitting in the Cafe…that was a real treat. He’s now 90 and has a young man with him who brings him in in his wheelchair.

Chris and I then went our own ways again as Chris is out searching for cushion covers she wants. So I wandered down the very steep hill and through the narrow streets like yesterday looking in the beautiful and often very trendy shops. I got down, back on the ferry, and back over to Kardokoy for the last time…i.e. crossing the Bosphorus for the last time…maybe the last time ever. It is so beautiful, so alive with ferries and merchant ships, I’m so happy to have spent this time here.

Back in our room I write this before starting the task of packing up and getting ready to get the bus out to the airport early in the morning. Tonight we have bought some food to eat in. Some Mezze and some sweeties and our mandatory bottle of wine. Chris went off and got supplies this morning so we’re all set up. In the interests of packing I’ll sent this now so I can close up the computer. Hopefully we’ll actually catch the plane tomorrow and I’ll write again from Roma.

We spend the weekend in Rome and then on up to Trieste. We’re both looking forward to hitting the ocean.

Up and off for another day after the same old, same old breakfast that consists of cheese, cucumber, tomato, carrot , boiled egg, bread and jam. Along with Chi (Cay) of course.

Then we set off to get some money out of the bank, and get on the ferry over to Karikoy, the Galata Tower area and Istekele Cadessi. This is an area I just loved last time I was here and I really enjoyed retracing my steps. It is the newer, more modern side of European Istanbul. Full of shops, museums and cafes…and of course people. Crowded streets, activity everywhere. We got the Tunel (a tunnel train up the hill to the start of Istekele Cad) but that didn’t stop us proceeding up hill down dale in our search for the Istanbul Modern Museum. As we walked in a few circles we stopped to peer into shops that interested us, have a quick coffee and detour when alleys looked interesting.

Eventually we found the Museum and spent a couple of hours browsing there. Then we wandered on up the Istekele Cad enjoying the interesting shops, some are converted old houses such as a book and map shop with a beautiful staircase winding up at the back and every surface covered in interesting books, drawings and maps. All those ancient books I ended up throwing in the bin would be appreciated here. Anyway, onwards and upwards as I looked for the cafe I loved to eat in last time I was here. We found it and it didn’t disappoint. Ara Cafe. The most delicious salads of all time. I had goat cheese salad…delicious!! The pomegranate dressing is to die for!!

Chris then wanted to go to the Pera Museum which I’d been to last time I was here so I decided to skip that and make my own way back to the hotel. Down, down, down I plunged in what must be the steepest streets in the world. Ooops, wrong turn (or curiosity making me deviate) so up, up, up again then down, down down. Such an interesting place this with entertainment all the way in old antique shops, pottery shops and hardware shops and then modern, beautiful ceramic and homeware shops. Down to the water, jump on a tram to take me to the ferry…across the water to our home side. Then walk home in the blazing heat of the afternoon, arriving in my usual pool of sweat. But nice to have some downtime and read the book for a while.

Since I last wrote Chris went AWOL to the point where I was seriously wondering what the hell I’d do i.e. when was it appropriate to ring the police??? Anyway of course she turned up with all the right reasons in hand. By then it was 8pm so the easiest thing was to do what we did last night and get in a taxi to Moda to our fish restaurant that you cant really go past. Another gorgeous fish meal overlooking the Bosphorus. The stuffed mussels are the best and I’m determined to try to do them at home…whaddaya reckon Ang and Kisrt???

Taxi there and taxi back…exhausted now and time for bed.

Lots of love XXXXXX

We had a lovely morning. We set off for this lovely little village on the Asian side of the Bosphorus that Chris had read about somewhere called Kuzguncun. We sensibly jumped in a taxi to get there. We booked a table at a fish restaurant that was recommended then we headed off fo the Beylerbeyi Palace. We started to walk but found the way blocked by a naval base…doh!! So we hopped on a bus. The next few hours were spent touring around this splendid summer palace of the Sultan. These palaces are beautifully designed and opulently furnished. They have lovely spaces for the Sultan and his whole entourage to enjoy. They are also always set in the most amazing gardens and this palace, like many others, fronts on to the Bosphorus so that the lovely breezes blow through the palace.

We loved it and when we finished our audio tour we sat in the gardens for the traditional Chi. Back on the bus to Kuzguncun. We were still too early for lunch which was perfect because we had time to walk the small streets and lanes of this charming village with its beautiful wooden houses Turkish-style. We did ascertain that we could buy one for around $300,000, maybe I should take up residence in Istanbul?????

Time for lunch. This was definitely the nicest lunch we have had here in Istanbul. The restaurant literally had us sitting over the water with the big open windows and the Bosphorus flowing past, the cooling breezes flowing through and the ferries, big container ships and tourist boats all plying past. We had totally delicious, fresh, grilled fish. We ate Bonita fish and sardines with white wine. It was really heavenly.

Then we got in a bus to Uskudor and then a taxi back home. That was also awfully sensible. It was 3.30pm and this business of being a tourist in this heat really is exhausting. We fell onto our beds and both fell asleep. We then went out again around 5ish, walked out from the hotel into what is the hottest part of the day….the heat blasted you away.

We walked around our part of town, Kadakoy, looking for places Chris had read about such as a honey shop (I had a yoghurt and honey…delicious) and the Opera House (closed and a nice building but not a lot to see there). We then walked the back way to our hotel which Chris navigated expertly, remember this is how I got so horribly lost yesterday. On the way we bought some traditional Turkish deserts (rice pudding and that afore described chicken pudding). We finally got home in our usual hot and sweaty state. We had our wine and our puddings, a night in tonight and are feeling very content.

An overall word about Istanbul. I have to say it again at the risk of being repetitive, this really is one of the great cities of the world. It is alive, vibrant, colourful, an assault on the senses in every way. It is a city I love and this time thanks to Chris I’m exploring a whole new side to the city. I may talk ka lot about the heat and the exhaustion that goes with it but it doesn’t detract from the pleasure I take from being in this magnificent city.

And here I was thinking today was going to be more relaxed! At days end here I am indeed having acquired a few extra blisters and removed an awful lot more fluid via the sweat glands. And I came back before Chris who hasn’t arrived home yet.

I skipped the Turkish breakfast this morning, which was lucky because Rose rang which made me happy!! Then we set out to buy a cappuccino in this very trendy area…very nice!! Down to the ferry via the backstreets rather than the more direct route by the sea. Chris wanted to find this street that was full of antique shops. We found it and it was indeed fascinating. All these shops that reminded me of the wizard’s shops in the Magic Wishing Chair or the like. dark, pokey and dusty with all variety of things on display as you squeeze yourself down the back.

That was fun. Then it was onto the ferry to go across to Enonimu to go to the Grand Bazaar. I had forgotten what a large area it covers with its twisted, steep little alley ways. We walked up and up and up to get to the bazaar and then the sensory stimuli overwhelm the senses. Everything is there and people, people everywhere. Not just shoulder to shoulder people both local and tourist but every now and again a motorbike will demand to get through, or men with loaded trolleys just charging on through, or women with massive shopping bags. All jostling with both scantily clad tourists and head to toe clad Turkish and Arabic women. Its nice to see it all melding here into a very mixed population.

Chris (mainly) bought a few things, agonising endlessly over each decision!! I bought another of those Christmas lanterns I have, this time in red…mainly for nostalgia sake!! But no presents this time guys…all too hard!!

We eventually had a bit of a break for some lunch and then we parted company, Chris to go in search of some ceramic shop and me to come back to ‘our’ side and pick up wine supplies and walk home. Well that’s where it all went wrong for me! There is a back way to our hotel up through steep and winding backstreets. I thought I’d be smart and try it, going via the supermarket to have some wine on the fridge. I walked and walked. I tried to get Maps Me to help me and it wouldn’t, only telling me to go back to the waterfront which I didn’t want to do. I could see the distance to home was increasing, not decreasing and the sweat was pouring off me. It was Happy Hour everywhere as I trudged along and the temptation to stop and get a beer was almost too much…but I didn’t because I thought I might never, ever find my way home if I did. So what did I do? And we must never tell Chris this…I ended up getting in a Taxi to get myself home. Shameful I know but it was SO HOT!!!

Anyway Chris still hasn’t shown up so maybe she’s lost too!! I hope not. I’ll finish this after dinner.

Well Chris did turn up…exhausted…and of course I ended up confessing that I’d got in a taxi. We had our p.d. white wine, rested and then headed off back to the beautiful restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus that we had gone to the first night. It was less crowded tonight and just beautiful sitting outside under the stars to eat stuffed mussels. My favourite dish ever. and grilled sardines. Just delightful. We were being indulgent so taxi’d there and back. A lovely night all together. Except we taxi’d back and told him to let us off in the wrong spot and although we were only a minute from the hotel we were again lost. I felt good about that because even Chris, with her Maps Me expertise struggled to get us to the right place.

Its now midnight and well over time for bed. Calamia, we have been worried about you but Rosa just forwarded me an email where you reassured us of your safety…you are a constant worry as you sail through turbulent waters (actually it’s the land that is turbulent!!)

Another day, another workout!! I think with Cristina I have my own ‘Personal Trainer’. Not nearly as forgiving as Rosa when it comes to flogging a dead horse. No choice really but to keep on tagging behind regardless of the amount of trudging and the heat!!

But I have to say that at the end of the I’m grateful for pursuing the ‘path least trodden’. Today we set off on a complicated bus and train voyage down the Bosphorus, which actually worked well!! To my surprise Chris relented enough to engage a few taxi’s along the way. So it was taxi to a bus station, bus to a metro station and then metro up the Bosphorus. From the metro we got a taxi to the museum we were looking for. The Sadberk Hamim Museum. A ceramic museum housed in a most beautiful old home on the Bosphorus.

The best thing for me is that it is in such a gorgeous old home, where you can just imagine the family living and breathing. But the ceramics too breathed life into the pottery industry of Turkey through the centuries, from the 1st and 2nd millennium through to now.

After we left there we decided to (again) get a taxi (very uncharacteristic of Chris…I think she was humouring me!) to another Museum on the Bosphorus, in the direction of the city. The Sakip Sabanci Museum which apparently had a nice restaurant which we were looking forward to for a break and a bite to eat. Got there, no problem, climbed up the hill (now accepted as the norm), tothe Museum…another gorgeous house owned by the Turkish wealth overlooking the Bosphorus. Only to find the restaurant we were hanging out for was closed for renovation. Seriously!! Chris had already been to the Museum so I had a good look around and enjoyed, again, the amazing home in the most amazing setting. Then it was onward and upward.

Chris had waited for me on the Terrace overlooking the Bosphorus and had observed the ferries plying across the Bosphorus to the Asian side so she suggested we hop on a ferry over to the ‘other’ side. No problem!! Oh yeah?? We walked and walked along the waterfront which was fabulous and tried to second guess where the ferry came in. It was up an inlet that made it impossible to see. So we eventually got on a bus to take us around the inlet. Then we ploughed along to fine the ferry around this very pretty little inlet. Only to find we’d gone the wrong way and the ferry was coming in on the other (fucking) side of the inlet. So back we ploughed…high 30’s but no worries!

Anyway long story short, we finally made it to the ferry and boarded. Off the other side and we found the Dolmus (the previously described shared taxis) to take us to Uskudor. No worries except that the step up to the Dolmus nearly did me in. But the last thing is a ‘Note to Self’ which says if you’re going downtime Bosphorus try to avoid Sundays. Having said that it was lovely. The roads were totally clogged and the whole seashore was full of people picnicking with there barbecues and delicious smelling kebabs all along the way. People swimming, although that did seem to be exclusively males, and a general air of Sunday festivity.

We got to Uskudor and were too tired to do anything but jump in a taxi (spelt Taksi) to take us home. Fortunately we have a bottle of wine in the fridge which we very gratefully opened!! Rest time before dinner now. We are going to a restaurant I loved last time I was here…stuffed mussels to die for!!

Back up the hill…good on me!! It occurs to me I should for future reference that the hotel is My Home Garden…excellent value for money. The restaurant we went to tonight is over the Bosphorus at Karaoke and it has the best stuffed mussels of all time. I had them last time I was here and couldn’t wait to get back to them. They didn’t disappoint, nor did the fish and other beautiful side dishes. The name of this gorgeous place to eat is Karakoy Lokantasi. A lovely meal and then a lovely ferry ride back with a wonderful breeze to alleviate the heat that persists well into the night.

Its now bed time and I must say that bed is well deserved.

Firstly there is a mistake in my first account of being in Istanbul. We are staying in Kadikoy, not Karokoy…I can certain be forgiven for getting these names arse about. Im confused myself but working hard to get the orientation in order.

Secondly a general comment that to travel with Chris is to explore the path less trodden and the more obscure attractions of a city. It is always interesting and full of lovely surprises but it is definitely different! To travel with Chris is also to end up totally exhausted at the end of the day and such is the case at the moment as I have just struggled up that last hill to our hotel…a hill so steep it is like climbing stairs…I fear I could topple backwards!!…collapsed into our room, opened the bottle of white (who’s saga I told you about yesterday), only to find it tastes like a disgusting cheap sherry. However the human spirit is amazing, it keeps regrouping and here I am staggering to the computer to write!!

So today…breakfast at the hotel. I swear I cannot cope with breakfasts that consist of meat, cheese and vegetables. I did my best, the bread is fantastic here so I can always make that work for me!!

Then we set off to the ferry to go to the European side, the Galata bridge to be precise. Then we had to find a more obscure ferry to take us down the Bosphorus to the Golden Horn. That was far from easy but Chris had a few clues and we eventually found the right ferry. But we were early so we went off to find a coffee place and found a lovely little place for a juice, a tea and they gave us some yummy yoghurt and honey as an added treat. That was a nice little sojourn.

Then the ferry ride! It is just so beautiful on the water with Istanbul with it’s lovely buildings, mosques, palaces and houses tilted on hillsides. The water sparkles and there is a beautiful breeze to keep the sweat under control. We got off to go to the Rahmi M Koc Museum. It is a quirky museum, the result of obsessive collecting by said Mr Koc…a very wealthy businessman ( or maybe a bit of an obsessive nutter, who knows?). Anyway the Museum was full of beautifully kept cars of every make for the last century or so. Locomotives, trams, beautiful wooden crafted boats, electronic paraphernalia, even dolls and dolls house. Much as I would never have picked this museum out and gone to it myself, it was indeed interesting. Chris had also worked out that it had a good restaurant perched on the Bosphorus where we had lunch. The setting and ambience was possibly better than the food (which wasn’t bad at all).

When we finished there we had to set off to find the Aynalikavak Kasri Pavillion. It is this absolutely fabulous walled garden setting perched on the top of a hill in the middle of an industrial area that you would never see if you didn’t know. But you go inside and there is another world. a beautifully restored summer pavilion for sultans and their entourage sitting in the middle of beautiful gardens. The pavilion itself was just gorgeous with beautiful headlight windows and rooms where you could really feel the Turkish royals lying around on the couches playing music, reading etc. It is such an obscure setting that it was hard to find but someone told us a bus to get on and it all materialised.

After this it was back on the ferry. We took a different route home and got off the ferry in Uskudar which meant having to get a kind of maxi taxi that fills up with people sharing the ride. So that was fine, we got that back to Kadikoy but it took unquote a way from where we wanted to be (as is always the case isn’t it??) so it was a trudge back to our hotel and then up the fucking hill…now back to the beginning. I’l finish off later if we can gather the strength to get ourselves out for a meal.

Just finished getting up that bloody huge hill!! Made all the harder having to lug the 2 bottles of wine I’d just bought. It’s sweaty business!! We walked to the cafe strip(s) and had a meal in a lovely older style restaurant with a long family history in the business. It was great. One dish deserves an extra mention. It was desert. A typical Turkish pudding made from chicken!! If you don’t think about it it is really delicious. As the owner said, don’t think about the chicken, it becomes something else, it is cooked so long. Anyway…yum!!!

Now its a cooling shower and a much deserved rest!

Finally…we actually got here!!! It was a bit of a nightmare but we made it!! The airport, and indeed the flight, were jam packed, seething you would say, with Italians all heading off for their August holiday. You could hardly move going through passport control etc.

Anyway, long and short of it is that we made it, we were picked up at the airport, although this was not without hassle when they weren’t there to meet us,,,but they turned up and brought us to our hotel. So, we are here and it is truly fabulous. The hotel is on the Asian side, in Karakoy. Its a fine hotel for a very fine price. And this area is just fabulous…not at all what you might expect in that is it very ‘hipster’(apologies for the 1970’s reference).

To stay in sequence: we unpacked, settled into our nice, large hotel room with a lovely shower!! Then we set out into the town. We are staying just near the wharf area where the ferries ply across the Bosphorus at the point it meets the Marmaras Sea. The view across the water is splendid, there is nothing like large and imposing mosques to look amazing as the sun sets. The waterfront was abuzz with people…mussel sellers (delicious), buskers, lovers sitting by the water, fishermen. Just amazing and beautiful. There was a band playing in the square and a lovely elderly man got up and started dancing to the gathered crowds. The atmosphere was fantastic.

From the waterfront we got on a tram that does a loop around this area, just to get a bit of a feel for it all. The steep streets across from the waterfront were packed with people in cafes and bars. When we got off the tram we walked through these streets that are so trendy. The East Brunswick of Istanbul I would say!! Full of young people enjoying their Friday evening….cafes (with all the right coffees for a Melbourne girl), overflowing bars, ice-cream shops with long queues and, yes, bottle shops too!!

We walked to a restaurant Chris’ meticulous research had identified as the place to be on Friday night in the very cool suburb of Moda. And of course on the waterfront (on the opposite side to where we were.) They found us a table in a very full restaurant and we looked over the sea, across to an exclusive yacht club full of large yachts. We ate mussels, fish, salads etc…that wonderful mediterranean food, with….yes!!!!…a bottle of white wine.

After dinner we walked home. We haven’t got the measure of this city yet so we walked a rather long, circuitous route home, but it was so bustling and alive and full of interest. Stopping for a gelato and of course I went into a bottle shop to ensure we had wine in our hotel room. That was rather tragic as I stumbled on the steps on the way out of the shop and clunked the bag against the step breaking one of the precious bottles of wine…bugger. White wine spewing everywhere…my poor little carry bag Rosa!! It didn’t know what had hit it.

Back home…finally! It was a BIG day yesterday from Rome to Istanbul and we were both tired and a bit tetchy by this time so tumbled into bed and slept like babies!!

I think that’s the long and short of yesterday. More soon