Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Istanbul (The City or Constantinople for Greeks) along with some close friends of mine. I proclaimed the song from the video above to be this trip’s soundtrack (loved it back then when i first heard while watching that episode of Tiny Toons). Based on my 4 day trip I give some observations in a nutshell.
- Istanbul is huuuuuuuge and beautiful (at least most of the central parts of the city I visited).
- Turkish language is required, people do not speak English. Even if you manage, avoid shopping, you’ll definitely pay more than a locale.
- Do not drink tap water.
- People are friendly, however, one needs to be aware where they are going and avoid certain areas (that applies in every city in the world, but it was the first time I felt it). You may need to mind your wallet as well in most crowded places like markets, etc.
- People in the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate are not familiar at all with the word politeness (and I mean the Greek people inside the Patriarchate’s premises).
- The historical monuments of the city are definitely a must see (e.g. Hagia Sofia, the Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Galata Tower, etc.).
- Getting around with the public means is cheap (bargaining with the taxi drivers is a must too) and adventurous (one must literally catch the moving bus).
- Food is great (apart from the fact they miss pork, they eat a lot of lamb – and I hate lamb!), as you can’t go wrong no matter what you choose to taste. I was lucky to have an amazing guide (Teşekkür ederim Arkadaş) and also try his mother’s cooking (delicious!).
- Midye Dolma rocks! It’s stuffed mussels with rice, herbs and spices. Once you find someone selling them (yeahp, there are people serving them in almost every corner), go for it. On my last night, and on our way home for dinner, we made a quick stop close to the bus stop and had 10 each.
- I need to comment on the Greek heritage of the city that is rather vivid everywhere.
- A walk at any point of the day on İstiklal Caddesi (in Greek: Μεγάλη Οδός του Πέραν) towards Taksim Square is also highly recommended.
- There are 4 things that no matter how much you try you can miss; Kemal’s portrait, the turkish flag, mosques and horrible traffic jams.
- Greek drivers aren’t the worst anymore.
- I’m still looking for those beautiful Turkish girls that some friends of mine were talking about. Big disappointment I must say
. - A boat tour of Bosporus is mandatory, as it gives you the chance to have a different view of the city’s coasts as well as the two bridges (Once again all the flags on most of the surrounding hills serve as a constant reminder of where you are).
- Leaving aside the touristic areas, one will face either wealthy and modern parts of the city or extremely poor and dirty (e.g. Fener, the area around the Patriarchate is the most dirty and poor area I have ever visited on all my trips).
All in all, I loved my time in the City and there are still many places to visit, things to do and lots of food to try 
. I will definitely go back. Photos are coming soon (i hope) in Picasa.
. I will definitely go back. Photos are coming soon (i hope) in Picasa.
Posted by Cωνσtantίnoς 
Posted by Cωνσtantίnoς 
Posted by Cωνσtantίnoς 
