Not a single hand on my bum (Istanbul)

Member Name: Yanis

Product:	Istanbul
Date:	11/05/04 (211 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Different culture, Value for money

Disadvantages: Touts, Tourists

The light blinded me as I stepped out onto the roof-terrace where I was going to have my breakfast. My first view of Istanbul in daylight was wondrous. The Marmara Sea, on one side, covered in a haze as the sun did not fully manage to burn through the light clouds. On the other side of the hotel, the magnificent domes and minarets of Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque overlooking the scenery. Instantly I knew that I wouldn?t be able not to return to this place at least once in my lifetime.

GOING THERE

I used expedia.co.uk to book my flight from London, and got a rather good deal flying with KLM via Amsterdam for app. £220 return. Since I wanted to go for Easter (which is a very popular time to travel), and only made my booking a month in advance, I had to sit for a few hours in front of the computer before I could dig out my deal. British Airways fly straight to Istanbul, but at this time it was a more expensive option.

?It seems like they don?t know what to do with us; we have been allocated to a gate which is already occupied by another plane?

We have only just landed, and the trouble starts already! When hearing the captain?s voice I pictured that this was the beginning of a problem-ridden holiday, quite in accordance with the guidebook?s warnings about cheaters and touts. If I only had known how wrong I was! This was one of very few difficulties I encountered during the whole journey.

The taxi driver was friendly, and took us straight to the hotel for $15 dollars.

STAYING THERE

My boyfriend and I found a nice, clean, and cheap hotel (£17/night/person) called Hanedan Hotel, conveniently located in the Sultanahmet area and within easy reach of all the main sights. Even though it was close to the busy touristy areas, it was on a quiet side street and had a very peaceful atmosphere.

If you are looking for a cheap but nice hotel or hostel, this is the area to look.

THE SIGHTS

A
ll the sights that I am describing are located in or within easy reach from Sultanahmet. Please remember that this is my personal view of the sights that I went to, and a few of the major sights (such as the Topkapi palace ? I am not overly excited about the estates of worldly rulers, no matter how splendid they might be) have not been included.

Aya Sofia

Aya Sofia was once the greatest church of Christianity. After the conquest (or the fall of Constantinople as it is referred to by Western Europeans), the church was converted to a mosque.

I was actually slightly disappointed with Aya Sofia, as the place is nowadays a museum, it has a totally different atmosphere to that of mosques or churches in use. Of course it is incredible, but the crowds of tourists don?t really behave in the manner you would expect people to behave in a sacred edifice of such religious importance. The enormous scaffolding taking up about half of the main dome on the inside also destroyed a bit of the sensation.

Sultanahmet Camii (The Blue Mosque)

Built in the 17th century, this is one of the most magnificent things that you will see in Istanbul. The mosque with its six minarets and surrounding park was the sight that I returned to several times during my short stay, because of the location and the feeling of the place. After having struggled my way through the bazaars and steering clear of the money-makers it was almost as if I was drawn to this area. Just stepping in to the court in front of the mosque helped my pulse to settle. After removing my shoes I was welcomed by the attendant, and inside the atmosphere was so alive that I could sense it in my body.

The Sunken Cistern

If you are feeling too hot (it will get hot in Istanbul in summer!), you should consider a visit to the Sunken Cistern. It was built in AD 532, and is the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in Istanbul. Nowadays it is used as a tourist attraction.


When you walk down the stairs, you are met with a damp and cool atmosphere, quiet music and an almost eerie feeling comes upon you when you see all the rows of columns extending into the darkness. I looked down into the water, and saw some fish, coins, and even a pair of sunglasses.

Capali Carsi (The Grand Bazaar)

Gold, antiquities, fabric, soaps, tea-sets, carpets, cushions, lamps, books, you can find it all in the Grand Bazaar. If you find your way around the place, that is. The Grand Bazaar comprises several blocks of small shops, cafés and restaurants, all under one roof.

If you stop to look at an article, you have to expect that the shopkeeper will come and talk to you and try to start a haggle. If you do get into the haggle, remember to be persistent!

Apparently our bargaining was more of the careful kind, because our seller looked a bit too pleased when the deal was made, and he eagerly showed us the way to the nearest ATM when we realised that we didn?t have enough cash for the purchase. Even if the shopkeepers might think that you are crazy paying so much for the goods, you will still get a good deal seen from a westerner?s perspective. For the same articles you would most likely pay a much higher price if bought in Western Europe.

Süleymaniye camii

If you arrive in Sultanahmet by boat, this enormous mosque built on one of Istanbul?s seven hills, is what will catch your eyes. It is the grandest of all Turkish mosques, and it was built in the 16th century. I was a bit unlucky, because when we were about to enter the mosque two huge tourist busses were unloaded just outside, and it ruined my experience to a certain extent having people talking and taking flash pictures just next to me.

At the back of the mosque I got a bit of peace and quiet though, and the view from there was fantastic. I just sat down in the sun and enjoyed the peace of the place.

The Hippodrome

In fro
nt of the Blue Mosque (the north-west side) you find the Hippodrome. This is one of the places in Istanbul where the different historical eras clash. On one hand, you have the kind of Roman city planning with large, straight, open squares and streets, on the other hand the grandiosity of the mosque. This is all mixed up with the Eastern European vibe that the run down wooden houses manifest.

At the Hippodrome there are three obelisks, on of them looking shiny and new, like if it was made in the forties or something. When going closer, I noticed that it had carved hieroglyphs, and on the sign it said that it was carved in Egypt around 1450 BC! I.e. it is about 3500 years old!

There are a couple of restaurants/cafés at the Hippodrome, and it is nice to spend a couple of hours on one of the sofas, sipping some tea or maybe smoking a water pipe.

Hamams (Turkish baths)

After struggling your way through hot, dusty roads, traffic fumes and smells, you have the wonderful opportunity of visiting a Turkish bath. There are plenty of them, but it might be worth it to visit one of the more touristy ones. You have the options of a self-service bath, or a bath with massage. I went for the self-service one, as I was a bit anxious of being beaten by a not-so-gentle-masseuse, but I soon realised that this is what you have to choose to get the most out of your experience. Without a massage, the only thing you can do is to lie on a flat, hot, marble plate, scrub yourself, and wash yourself. There are baths with a sauna, but the traditional baths don?t have saunas, pools, showers or anything of the kind that we are used to from western spas and bathhouses; it might get a bit tedious just relaxing and washing yourself.

It is still worth a visit, but only if you?re not a prude! Despite signs requesting visitors not to be naked, a lot of people were. Men and women are however separated.

Don?t worry if you don?t know what to do when
entering the bath, the attendants are used to tourists and will tell you how to go about things.

This bath was actually the only place I encountered offering a discount for students, so if you?re not going for a bath when in Istanbul don?t panic if you forgot your ISIC-card at home.

The Bosphorus

Even if you are only staying for a few days in Istanbul, I would still recommend a boat trip on the Bosphorus. It is a very nice way of getting out of the city to breathe some fresh air, and to get a break from the noise.

You can easily walk from Sultanahmet down to Eminönu, which is where the ferries leave from. At dock three you fill find the ferries for the Bosphorus.

There are several different options of boat trips, the private ones are more expensive, they have smaller boats with a sundeck, they only go half they way up the Bosphorus, and therefore take half the time (3 hours). I went on the local ferries that go almost all the way up to the Black Sea, stopping in several villages along the way. It took about 1 ½ hour one way, and the whole trip lasted 6 hours.

The last place on the route, Anadolu Kavagi, is a little village on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. When you leave the boat the fish restaurants use all their arguments to lure you to sit down at their tables. ?Yes hello we are here we are the best!? ?Hello seaside!? ?Hello terrace!? were only a few of the attempts at persuasions that I encountered.

When having had a nice meal, you can walk up to the ruins of a medieval castle where you get a fantastic view over the Bosphorus and the Black Sea.

FOOD

I LOVE mid-eastern food, and there are innumerable restaurants in Istanbul. Being a vegetarian, I am always prepared for any hassle when eating out, but I had a really easy time seeing that restaurants usually offer at least one vegetarian main course, or if not, there is always plenty of cold and hot starters to choose from. <
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The only difficult thing about finding a restaurant, is that in the tourist areas you won?t get much time to decide where to go before an eager waiter pushes up a menu in your face and almost without you knowing how it happened seats you, brings some bread and water, and waits for your order.

ADVICE

You might wonder what the title of my op indicates, and finally you have arrived to the delicate matter of travelling as a female. Before I hit the road I read about the experiences of a female traveller in the Middle East, recounting how many hands had touched her bum during her journey. Not having visited any country in the Middle East, or any Muslim country anywhere else, I didn?t quite know what to expect, and thought that I would maybe feel uncomfortable in certain places or situations. There was nothing of that kind to worry about though, and having my boyfriend by my side probably helped a lot. Even travelling as a single woman I doubt that there would be any inconveniences as long as you use your common sense.

When it comes to money matters, Istanbul is a great place to visit. You will get a lot for your money, as long as you steer clear of the obvious money traps. And don?t forget to bargain!

As the Turkish currency fluctuates all the time, I haven?t given any prices for the attractions. You won?t have to worry much about the money though, as most things are cheap. The most expensive entrance fee was probably for Aya Sofia, and that cost about £6. All the mosques are free and open to visitors, but please pay by showing your respect for these sacred places.

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