10 reasons to visit Istanbul
I arrived in Istanbul long before I stepped into Turkey. My reverie began one morning in Manila, some 9,000 kilometers from the Anatolian Peninsula, with the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey Second Secretary Sabih Can Kanadoglu at his office, when the Turkish coffee, the kilim rug and eyecatching Turk art altogether enveloped my senses and spirit, refusing me to wake up from one magical daydream.
I have been to Istanbul before but the country’s history, heritage, tradition, culture and the arts are so rich that one can’t experience them all in one go, not to mention that I was there mostly for work. The only exception was when I took a Turkish holiday, and yet I would always be reminded that Istanbul is not Turkey, in the same way that Manila has never been the microcosm of Philippines. It is a short flight from Manila to Singapore, but Singapore to Istanbul takes 11 hours. Not that it matters: our flight was such a pleasure that I wouldn’t have minded the trip being longer.
Flying to Istanbul via Singapore Airlines
was a study in graciousness and efficiency. Every crewmember had a genuine smile on their faces. Their time-and-motion-tested movements synchronized as if choreographed. Their eagle eyes never missed a beat. Their willing hands eager to be of service, anticipating your requirements even before you could recognize your needs that warrant their attention.
The food and wine were equally luxurious. Designed by a prestigious team of internationally acclaimed chefs from different parts of the world, the menu for our flight let us have a taste of Turkey even before we arrived.
Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city, populated by almost 15 million people. More than just the country’s economic and cultural center, the city, once going by the names of Byzantium and Constantinople among dozens more, also once served as the capital of the various Old World empires, namely, the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman. With large portions of the metropolis now part of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985, this historic area of the globe attracts a multitude of visitors daily.
Nevertheless, I offer you my 10 personal bests, from places to activities to do in Istanbul.
Hagia Sophia
The Hagia Sophia has had several transformations in the past. It began as the Church of Holy Wisdom that fell in cinders in the year 404. Rebuilt twice over the centuries, it once was even converted into a mosque. Today it is a museum, yet the edifice still evokes sacred reverence, regardless of its formal functions. As one stands before it and feels the grandeur of its multiple domes rising towards the main one soaring at the center with its deep red walls, one is in awe of the vastness highlighted by the ingenious play of light piercing through surrounding strained glass windows.
And when one approaches the Weeping Pillar, it’s not hard to press your forehead against its damp stone, imagining yourself to be a weary crusader or warrior, head miraculously cured of its aches.
Blue Mosque
Called so because of the blue Iznik tiles that line its interiors, the Blue Mosque was completed in 1616 upon the commission of a 19year old Sultan who wanted it to surpass the grandness of Hagia Sophia. This was meant to emphasize, at that time, the supremacy of Islam over Christianity. A kind of hush still remains palpable, allowing those who come in prayer a measure of solitude.
Dolmabahce Palace
Nothing spells luxurious as the Dolmabahce Palace. Rivaling the French Palace of Versailles in its crystal and golden lavishness, the Dolmabahce with its fantastic reception rooms and galleries was completed in 1856 overlooking the Bosphorus. The world’s largest chandelier — at about 4.5 tons — is there. How ironic that this decadent opulence — with its marble waterfront façade, a four-storey clock tower, an ornate staircase with Baccarat balusters and maternity ward for the Sultan’s wives and concubines — led to the eclipse of the Ottoman Empire.
Topkapi Palace
Another masterpiece of the Turks’ magnif- icent architecture, the Topkapi Palace throned and hosted Ottoman Sultans who ruled the vast far-reaching Islamic dominion for 300 years. Aside from its courtyards of splendor, the palace has 400 rooms — mosques, dormitories, baths and other facilities for the Sultan’s wives, concubines, their children and extended family.
Bosphorus Cruise
The deck of a boat on the Bosphorus — part of the boundary between Europe and Asia and one of the world’s busiest waterways — is inarguably the best spot from where to admire Istanbul’s famous skyline. From another perspective while on the cruise, one captures the diverse frames of the daily lives of the Turks, who have forged an incredible relationship with the sea.
Archaeological Museums
Istanbul was inhabited as early as the 5th and 4th century BC, and the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, comprised of three museums — namely its namesake, the Ancient Orient Museum and the Tiled Kiosk Museum — take the traveler to see how the pioneers of the city lived. One of the institution’s most outstanding features is the Alexander Sarcophagus, immortalizing the glory of the Hellenistic king, Alexander the Great, in stone carvings.
Modern Art Gallery
The Istanbul Museum of Modern Art likewise deserves a mention. While the image of Turkish art is one that is entrenched in tradition, the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art provides an alternative picture. Here, inside a converted warehouse by the Bosphorus, Turkish art is presented as an engagement with innovation, portraying contemporary Turkish artists as cutting-edge cultural workers who explore new avenues in painting, sculpture, photography, and even sound- and video-art as well as experimental cinema.
Food
Who can say no to kebabs and kofte? While most of us have enjoyed these in Manila, nothing beats feasting on them in the place of their origins. One shouldn’t miss out on Turkish Delight either. Based on a gel of and sugar, it has become so popular around the world that even the Evil Witch in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has lured a future Narnian king with such cherubic sweets into his probable doom. But C.S. Lewis’ villain could have sealed Prince Edmund’s fate if only she had just offered more Turkish recipes — particularly their nougats and baklava, a pastry of filo with chopped nuts and honey oozing.
Popular among young tourists and even locals who are children is what is fondly called elastic ice cream. Known locally as sahlepli dondurma, it makes use of wild orchid tubers to make it thicker in texture. To wash all this down, are Turkish tea and coffee.
Grand Bazaar
No certified shopaholic would ever leave out the Grand Bazaar in his or her itinerary. A shopping nirvana, it challenges even the most skilled and shrewd of all consumers as it is one of the oldest and biggest market centers of the world, covering a vast network of 61 streets and alleys and 4,500 shops, each one frequented at by over 400,000 habitués and walk-ins every day — as if purposefully designed, from a bird’s eye view, to resemble one of the country’s pride, the Turkish carpet.
Differentiated from ordinary rugs by way of their knotted pile, these carpets come in myriad forms, the oldest and most basic of them being kilim which has now been made in Turkey for over 8,000 years. The most prized of them all is made of silk. It is so punctilious in production that it may take years before a team can weave a full-size silk carpet, requiring about 625 double knots for every square inch!
Baths
Being a sucker for relaxation and spas is the reason why the Cemberlitas captivated me. Like most baths, its most important section is the navel stone, located in the hot room center. It is a massive slab of marble on which one lies to be covered in soap suds by the huge masseurs, scrubbed all over, washed, more soap suds, massaged, then rinsed with buckets and buckets of water. Guess what? One is laundered some more, and as if no one can end it there, the attendant attempts one’s hair, in an abattoir process that completes the rejuvenation of the body, the mind and even the soul, hopefully to dampen the strains of a hard day’s work.
Today, while it continues to function as a bath, Cemberlitas has more popularly become a regular location for film and fashion shoots, attracting directors, photographers and most especially tourists from all over the world.
When best to go
Weather is best during the months of May, June and September. At this time, the number of tourists are also lesser. If one is looking for discounts, prices are slashed in November and February.
What to bring and wear
Pack light clothing for mid day heat, but it may also become chilly at night time even during summer.a jacket may come in handy. Coats and umbrellas are advisable during wintertime. Likewise, I found that long trousers — or a skirt that covers the knees for women— is necessary when visiting mosques.
How to go around
Cabs abound. Just don’t forget to check the meter every time you get onboard. For the day rate, one red light should be on the meter; for the evening, two. Dolmus or minibus taxis are also available, as well as the metro, the tram, and the funicular.
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