There are two main reasons why Ukrainians would go to Turkey – to vacation on its numerous seaside resorts or to shop, or both. However, as I set out for Istanbul in the last days of 2009, my goal was neither a lazy rest in an all-inclusive hotel, nor shopping, but a fun (though short) holiday and New Year’s celebration in one of the most interesting cities of the world.
Istanbul vs. Constantinople
Originally the city was called Byzantium. But after Emperor Constantine made it the new Eastern capital of the Roman Empire in 330 A.D., it became known as Constantinople. The Turks conquered the capital in 1453, and soon started calling the city Istanbul, which derives from a Greek phrase “is tin polin” – “in the city” or “to the city.” However the name didn’t become official until 1930.
Just like its name, the city is a controversy in itself, incorporating Europe and Asia geographically – extending on both sides of the Bosporus, as well as in lifestyle and in spirit. While Islam is the prevailing religion, religious minorities thrive. There are over 100 churches and 26 synagogues.
Moreover, most young women don’t dress according to strict Islamic traditions. They look quite European. Some older women wear head scarves. Hardly any women wear yashmaks – a Muslim outfit covering the whole body, head and face. But I did notice major differences from Kyiv. There were no female street and market vendors. And most restaurants were staffed with male waiters. However, I did see girls in riot police attire.
Arrival and stay
If you plan on bringing some cash with you there, have it in U.S. dollars or euro, which is easier to convert into Turkish liras than Ukraine’s hryvnia. To get a feel of the prices, I found it more convenient to count in euros, since it’s one euro for two liras. Also, keep in mind most travelers will need to buy a visa at the border. It costs some 20 euro for a three months stay.
A special note here for Ukrainian ladies traveling to the Turkish capital alone. Don’t be surprised if you get sent off to the passport police. I’m not quite sure why they singled out females. Perhaps, to crack down on the arrival of potential prostitutes. It’s humiliating and a bit of a drag, but all you have to do is to make sure you have at least 250 euro with you in cash, and a printout of your electronic ticket, which indicates that you indeed purchased a flight back. After a while they’ll late you go.
Ataturk International Airport, where you’re most likely to land, is only 24 kilometers from the city center, and is well connected to it. There are buses going straight to the famous Taksim Square, from where you can get to your final destination by metro or tram that costs only 1.5 liras. However, feeling a bit lost and insecure upon my arrival, especially after being harassed by the passport police, I opted for the taxi. Taxis in Istanbul are abundant, all painted yellow, and provided with counters. However you should beware of scams.
They tried some of those with me and my friend, but we knew better. For instance, hailing a taxi to get to a club on New Year’s Eve, we got a driver who claimed there was a huge traffic jam on the way and offered to go by the circular road. When we insisted on him first telling us how much will it cost, “70 liras” was the answer and we quickly got out of the car.
Another time the taxi driver tried to pull what is probably the commonest of tricks. First he did his best to chat us up during the ride, so we’d feel like he was our good friend. Then, upon arrival he said the price was 35 liras. While my friend gave him a 50, he quickly handed over the change of 15. A second later he proclaimed my friend gave him less, and demanded more. I didn’t see exactly what happened because the driver distracted me at that very moment. After a short but nasty argument we left, without giving him any more money, and threatened to call the police. As we walked away, he shouted back: “Look, here’s your 50, you dropped it on the floor.” After that, we decided to only ride with drivers who speak no English, figuring that there is less of a chance to get fooled by someone who can’t talk to you.
It all depends on how fancy a hotel you prefer, but if you’re looking for a reasonably priced room just to sleep over, Istanbul has plenty to choose from. We were able to easily get a room in a decent area, with many restaurants around, along with breakfast and Wi-Fi, for only 50 euro per night for two. The Internet was slow, however. I’ve found www.venere.com to have the biggest selection of Istanbul hotels, from the cheapest to the most expensive. Booking online and paying when you check out seems like a solid strategy.
Mosques and palaces
With only five days in Istanbul, we didn’t attempt to explore it too extensively. Instead, we focused on the main tourist sites. We roamed around Sultanahmet – the ancient area where most postcard views and ancient gems are concentrated.
The two massive buildings of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque stand facing each other, separated with a square and a small park. Like a friend of ours pointed out, you can easily know which one is Hagia Sophia since it’s the shabbier looking of the two. For a thousand years after its completion in 537 A.D., St. Sophia was considered the largest cathedral in the world. At that time, it was also the main church of the Eastern Orthodox world and the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople. It was turned into a mosque after the conquest of the Turks and hugely altered inside and out. Christian symbols were removed and replaced with Islamic elements including, the addition of four minarets.
Like most mosques in the city, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, was modeled after Hagia Sophia and completed in 1616. The monumental building, with its light blue-grey cupolas, is among the world-famous images of Istanbul. While it’s a functioning mosque, it’s also a popular tourist sight, which means it never stands empty. You are asked to remove your shoes at the entrance – disposable plastic bags are provided on the spot especially for the occasion. There is also a note saying that women should cover their heads and wear long skirts to go inside. However, in reality it’s quite democratic. As long as you are walking in your socks, you’re fine.
Inside, a thick carpet covers the floor, and tourists roam around, or just sit on the floor resting. A large part of the mosque is separated for the actual congregation, who come to pray as a part of their usual routine. Women seem to hide in the dark niches by the walls where you can hardly see them. The place is lusciously decorated. Tiles laying the walls and domes form beautiful complex patterns, colorful stained glass windows add extra shimmer and the prayer area is lit up by a giant round chandelier hanging low.
Behind Hagia Sophia, you’ll find the gate entrance to Topcapi Palace, which served as the main city residence of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years starting in 1456. The territory presents a complex of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings that used to serve as mosques, bakeries, a hospital, a mint, a treasury and – of course – the living quarters. Just pay 20 liras and go right in. Of the hundreds of rooms and chambers, only a few are open for visitors. But it’s enough to spend several hours walking around, checking out jewelry, personal belongings, and the luxurious dйcor that only sultans had back in the days.
Topcapi Palace officially stopped being the sultan residence in 1856 when sultan Abdul Mecid moved the court to the new European-style Dolmabahce Palace – another must-see sight. The founder of Turkish Republic and its first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, used the Dolmabahce Palace as his summer residence and that’s also where he died in 1938.
Don’t miss the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi) – the biggest underground reservoir storage built in 532. Its many columns and peculiar lighting system create a decidedly mysterious look inside. In the water under your feet, you’ll notice lots of fish – some of them rather huge. And of course, take a strall to the Golden Horn harbor, especially beautiful at night.
A Bazaar experience
As you walk the busy streets of Istanbul littered with boutiques and kebab shops, you get the sense of how important the art of selling and buying is in Turkey. First of all, there is an usher almost by every restaurant or club. Also, whenever you pass a busy point such as a metro or tram station, you’ll see people selling all possible kinds of junk right on the street – from plastic clothespins and super glue to boxes of – probably fake – Viagra.
Every underground passage is stacked with booths selling used cell phones, cheap sneakers, jeans and tracksuits – mostly imitations of famous brands. While many Ukrainian vendors buy this same range of merchandise in Turkey to resell in their homeland, they obviously failed to borrow Turkey’s salesmanship culture. I guess it’s not in our blood.
At the two most famous markets in the city, the Spices Market and the Grand Bazaar, the vendors are so incredibly aggressive in their attempts to attract your attention, that in about five minutes you will either run away screaming, or learn to regard their constant shouting as background noise. Vendors will scream “Hello! How are you!” and wave at you before you even bother to stop and look at their kiosk. They also keep trying to guess your country of origin – probably to choose the best sales approach. I had “Bulgaria?” shouted in my face a few times.
The persistence of the market folk is also easily explained by the fact that the goods they all sell are mostly so repetitive, that there is no chance you will want to come back later to their booth. You can buy the same stuff anywhere. In a way, Istanbul’s markets are like a trip to the past. You can easily imagine the way it was hundreds of years ago at a real oriental bazaar from an Aladdin fairy tale. My guess is – not very different.
Hungry for kebab
The culinary element is essential in any visit to Istanbul. The ubiquitous kebab is offered at street food joints, cheap cafes and proper restaurants. But some visitors may be surprised to discover that the kebab is actually not one particular dish. It can be made with strips from a big mass of meat grilling on a skewer, of minced meat or based on what we’d call a shashlik – juicy bits of meat cooked over an open fire. The latter was my personal favorite. And surprisingly the most memorable kebab of all I had came from a kebab shop right next door to the hotel.
From the first glance, I found it somewhat seedy, but my friend suggested this place had to be good, because no one was ushering us in, and people hanging inside looked like happy regulars. Indeed, for the price of 24 liras for two, we got two delicious kebabs – small bits of meat served lying on top of flat bread, and with that a plate of each – herbs, onion rings and some very spicy red dip. We also had Ayran, a traditional cultured yoghurty drink that you can actually find in Kyiv supermarkets. Supposedly, it’s a good thirst quencher and relieves the pungent feeling left by spicy food.
We also had tasty meals at some “proper” restaurants. One was a very authentic spot a few steps from the Aya Sophya Square. In the most traditional manner, we sat on the floor cushions while musicians kept on playing their music and the ladies in white headscarves were busy making some pastry right by the entrance. We sampled some popular meze (appetizers) such as Cacik (very similar to Greek Tzatziki) – a dip of yoghurt with cucumber strips and garlic as well as hummus, pickled eggplants, dolma and other.
The following day we dined at the top popular restaurant in the Cicek Pasaji – a legendary pavilion in Beyoglu. There we were, again, treated to folk music, while the process of choosing food was especially fascinating. The waiters offered us samples of actual appetizers (to see, not to taste), as well as fresh fish and seafood on ice, all right at the table.
On our last evening in Istanbul, my friend and I dined at a historical place – Haci Abdullah, reputedly the city’s oldest functioning restaurant. When we showed up at about 7 p.m., it was so full that we barely managed to find a seat. The waiters were professional, no-nonsense guys, who didn’t waste their time on smiles, yet were quick, careful and unobtrusive. And, of course, the food was perfectly fine.
A night on the town
We went out looking for Istanbul night life on our first night in Istanbul, a Wednesday. We headed straight for the famed Taskim Square, known as a major hangout spot, and walked along the famous Istiklal Street full of shops and restaurants, checking up on all the small streets wandering off here and there. There were plenty of people dining and drinking at the open terraces of cafes and bars, and just as many ushers, calling us in to come and party at their club or bar.
We decided to have a closer look at one of those – there was an empty room with a disco ball spinning and music playing. And so, we soon realized that the more persistent the usher, the more likely it was not worth it at all. We ended up drinking a beer at a bar which was half empty but lively nevertheless, thanks to a hearty Turkish girl singer and a guitar player who accompanied her
The next night was New Year ’s Eve. Our friends first planned to celebrate it at Reina – a renowned fancy club, which was even mentioned in my rather thin Thomas Cook guide. However the admission fee of 250 liras was rather excessive. Luckily, the Ortakoy area, where Reina was located, was full of clubs and we easily found another spot – much less hyped up, but for 50 liras you could drink as much beer and cocktails of red bull and vodka as you could manage.
The following day we found a really great hangout – KafePi rock bar in Taksim area. We all loved it so much, that we came back again. Several stories high with an open terrace outside, it was decorated with posters of rock stars and offered a very long menu of cocktails – many of them of local invention. A cocktail girl that I am, I enjoyed sampling those while nodding my head to the sound of Marylin Manson, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Rolling Stones, among various rock hits that were constantly played at the bar.
We left Istanbul early on Monday morning, exhausted, having had too much food, and with voices of Turkish salesmen and ushers still echoing in our ears. Still, it was a fun and interesting break from my daily routine, leaving me enough impessions to amuse myself with for quite a while.
Hagia Sophia Aya Sofya Square, Open Tue-Sun 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.
Sultan Ahmet Camii (The Blue Mosque) Hippodrome, Open 8:30 a.m. till 4:30 p.m.
Topkapi Sarayi (Topcapi Palace) Soguk Cesme Sokak, Open Mon, Wed-Sun 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.
Yerebatan Sarayi (Basilica Cistern) 1 Yerebatan Caddesi, Open 9:30 till 5:30
Grand Bazaar Kapali Carsi, Open Mon-Sat 8:30 a.m. till 7 p.m.
Spice Market Eminonu, Open Mon-Sat 8:30 a.m. till 6:30 p.m.
KafePi 3 Kucuk Parmak Kapi Sok, Sinek Cikmazi (next to Istiklal and Taskim Square)
Cicek Pasaji Istiklal Street, Beyoglu
Haci Abdullah 17 Sakizagaci Caddesi, Istiklal Caddesi, Open 11 a.m. till 10:30 p.m.
Kyiv Post editor Alexandra Matoshko can be reached at [email protected].
