Istanbul, Turkey
Merhaba my friends,
I have been absent for a while due to a very busy schedule. It was busy not only because of work and the baby, but also because we were getting ready for a new adventure. This time we had the courage to go a little further than the usual 2-3 days get aways. I am ready to write about it now when the bags are unpacked, almost all the goodies have been eaten and we are almost back to reality.
We visited Istanbul - the city of contrasts. Honestly, I did not want to have any expectations before the trip. I knew very little about Istanbul and Turkish culture in general. Unlike many girls of my age, I have not watched any Turkish TV series :) (although there are a lot of them). So i did not know what i would find there.
The best thing about our vacation was that we were not real tourists. A few people know that my sister-in-law lives there with her family. Therefore we were lucky to discover the Turkish life style from the inside. We were also lucky to visit the country during a very important period of the year - the end of Ramazan. The timing was perfect so we could see how they celebrate. We even got to learn some traditions and to try some special dishes.
Istanbul is a beautiful city. It is a combination of modern and antique, a splash of colors and tastes. One week is surely not enough to get to know everything. But at least we have started, and now we have more reasons to come back.
So let me tell you everthing. We have arrived there in the middle of the night, tired and exhausted. The moment i saw how big the New Istanbul Airport was, I knew that much more was expecting us. By the way, this airport is designed to be the biggest in the world. Trust me, it is HUGE, and i haven't even seen all of it. So is the city. An entire week I could not stop admiring the skyscrapers, the gardens, the flowers, and the mosques. Everything was so new!
These are the places that we have visited:
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque
It is a very popular tourists site also known as the Blue Mosque. The tourists are allowed to enter inside. But they have to respect a dress code. Women should have their head covered. The Mosque is beautiful both inside and outside.
- Hagia Sofia Museum
We did not entered inside. But I have to admit that it is beautiful.The square which devides the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia is always crowded and full of life. Although it is a museum now, it used to be a former Greek Orthodox Christiam cathedral.
-The Bosphorus
One cannot go to Istanbul and not see the Bosphorus. It is one of the most visited places in Turkey. And i understand why. Where else can you see the reunion of 2 worlds? (In our case continents). The Bosphorus is a natural strait which forms a continental boundary between Asia and Europe. It basically devides Istanbul in two parts..We took the ferry boat and admired both sides European and Asian. I think it is one of the best way to admire the city. You seat and enjoy the view and maybe have a good cup of Turkish tea.
- The Asian part of Istanbul or Anatolia
I found it rather different from the European one. The streets are more narrow and the buildings less tall. There is a hill from where you can clearly see the European part of the city. It was breathtaking. We also had to pass through a recently built underwater tunnel in order to get on the other side. I think i am a little claustrophobic because knowing that we were underwater made me a little nervous.
- Maiden's Tower
It is a tower lying on a small island located at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus. You have to take the ferry boat in order to get closer. If not, you can look at it and take pictures from the shore. We have walked along the seaside and had dinner in a cosy restaurant with a beautiful view on Bosphorus.
- The famous bridges
There are 3 big bridges which link the both sides of Istanbul. They have become one of the symbols of the city. Every tourist wants to have a picture with one of them. Now,we have one too.
-The sea
We spent 3 days at the Egee Sea. These days were wonderful. The weather was perfect. The water was not very warm yet but nobody seemed to complain (except me). Oliver was the one who has enjoyed the most. He ate the sand, swimmed in the water, and even had fallen inlove for 5 minutes. Boys are so boys!!!
I need more space and time to write about Turkish cuisine. It is very variate, but rather spicy. If you are not a spices lover, you might need some time to get used to it. I personaly loved to drink Ayran, which is a drink that Turkish people usually have while eating specific meals. The ayran is smilar to yogurt, but it is more liquid and it is very good. You probably know that they like to have late breakfasts. Scrumbled eggs, sausage, olives, cherry tomatoes, toasts - you can find all of these on the breakfast table. The thing which i discovered was kaymak, which is spread on the bread and served with honey. It had a squisite taste and I enjoyed it very much. We also tried the lahmajoun ( turkish pizza) which is served with salad and lemon juice, kofte, different soups - corba(to read ciorba). I am a corba's lover! and of course we couldn't ignore the famous Turkish delights. Their desserts are very sweet. Maybe too sweet for me. But there was always a cup of cay (to read ciai) -tea to wash away the sweetnes. Sometimes i think I shoul have been Turkish in one of my previous lives, because i love tea, and i can drink 3 or 4 cups a day with no remorse.
Listen to my advice, If you go to Turkey, do not count the calories. Of course you should not exagerate but try a little from everything. There are too many delicious things and you won't regret if you try them.
We took hundred of pictures during this trip. Obviously they do not express the real beauty of Istanbul. This city is more than what you see on TV or on the internet. It has its own magic and I am very happy that we went there. Hopefully that we will have the chance to go back soon! We are gratefull to our family for their hospitability and great atmosphere. We really felt at home!!!
Interesting observations:
- there are many cats and dogs on the atreets of Istanbul. But they are not agressive at all. They are sweet and want to play;
-every restaurant will offer you a cup of tea at the end of the meal. You are their guest and it's a sign of respect;
- the ice-cream (dondurma) in Turkey is made based on a different receipe that the one in Europe. It is very creamy. I loved it!
- you might hear an unknown sound 5 times a day while in Turkey or any muslim country. This is Adhan - the call to prayers. They come from every mosque and reminds the people that it is time to pray.
I have been absent for a while due to a very busy schedule. It was busy not only because of work and the baby, but also because we were getting ready for a new adventure. This time we had the courage to go a little further than the usual 2-3 days get aways. I am ready to write about it now when the bags are unpacked, almost all the goodies have been eaten and we are almost back to reality.We visited Istanbul - the city of contrasts. Honestly, I did not want to have any expectations before the trip. I knew very little about Istanbul and Turkish culture in general. Unlike many girls of my age, I have not watched any Turkish TV series :) (although there are a lot of them). So i did not know what i would find there.
The best thing about our vacation was that we were not real tourists. A few people know that my sister-in-law lives there with her family. Therefore we were lucky to discover the Turkish life style from the inside. We were also lucky to visit the country during a very important period of the year - the end of Ramazan. The timing was perfect so we could see how they celebrate. We even got to learn some traditions and to try some special dishes.Istanbul is a beautiful city. It is a combination of modern and antique, a splash of colors and tastes. One week is surely not enough to get to know everything. But at least we have started, and now we have more reasons to come back.
So let me tell you everthing. We have arrived there in the middle of the night, tired and exhausted. The moment i saw how big the New Istanbul Airport was, I knew that much more was expecting us. By the way, this airport is designed to be the biggest in the world. Trust me, it is HUGE, and i haven't even seen all of it. So is the city. An entire week I could not stop admiring the skyscrapers, the gardens, the flowers, and the mosques. Everything was so new!
These are the places that we have visited:
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque
It is a very popular tourists site also known as the Blue Mosque. The tourists are allowed to enter inside. But they have to respect a dress code. Women should have their head covered. The Mosque is beautiful both inside and outside.- Hagia Sofia Museum
We did not entered inside. But I have to admit that it is beautiful.The square which devides the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia is always crowded and full of life. Although it is a museum now, it used to be a former Greek Orthodox Christiam cathedral.
-The Bosphorus
One cannot go to Istanbul and not see the Bosphorus. It is one of the most visited places in Turkey. And i understand why. Where else can you see the reunion of 2 worlds? (In our case continents). The Bosphorus is a natural strait which forms a continental boundary between Asia and Europe. It basically devides Istanbul in two parts..We took the ferry boat and admired both sides European and Asian. I think it is one of the best way to admire the city. You seat and enjoy the view and maybe have a good cup of Turkish tea.
- The Asian part of Istanbul or Anatolia
I found it rather different from the European one. The streets are more narrow and the buildings less tall. There is a hill from where you can clearly see the European part of the city. It was breathtaking. We also had to pass through a recently built underwater tunnel in order to get on the other side. I think i am a little claustrophobic because knowing that we were underwater made me a little nervous.
- Maiden's Tower
It is a tower lying on a small island located at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus. You have to take the ferry boat in order to get closer. If not, you can look at it and take pictures from the shore. We have walked along the seaside and had dinner in a cosy restaurant with a beautiful view on Bosphorus.
- The famous bridges
There are 3 big bridges which link the both sides of Istanbul. They have become one of the symbols of the city. Every tourist wants to have a picture with one of them. Now,we have one too.
-The sea
We spent 3 days at the Egee Sea. These days were wonderful. The weather was perfect. The water was not very warm yet but nobody seemed to complain (except me). Oliver was the one who has enjoyed the most. He ate the sand, swimmed in the water, and even had fallen inlove for 5 minutes. Boys are so boys!!!I need more space and time to write about Turkish cuisine. It is very variate, but rather spicy. If you are not a spices lover, you might need some time to get used to it. I personaly loved to drink Ayran, which is a drink that Turkish people usually have while eating specific meals. The ayran is smilar to yogurt, but it is more liquid and it is very good. You probably know that they like to have late breakfasts. Scrumbled eggs, sausage, olives, cherry tomatoes, toasts - you can find all of these on the breakfast table. The thing which i discovered was kaymak, which is spread on the bread and served with honey. It had a squisite taste and I enjoyed it very much. We also tried the lahmajoun ( turkish pizza) which is served with salad and lemon juice, kofte, different soups - corba(to read ciorba). I am a corba's lover! and of course we couldn't ignore the famous Turkish delights. Their desserts are very sweet. Maybe too sweet for me. But there was always a cup of cay (to read ciai) -tea to wash away the sweetnes. Sometimes i think I shoul have been Turkish in one of my previous lives, because i love tea, and i can drink 3 or 4 cups a day with no remorse.
Listen to my advice, If you go to Turkey, do not count the calories. Of course you should not exagerate but try a little from everything. There are too many delicious things and you won't regret if you try them.
We took hundred of pictures during this trip. Obviously they do not express the real beauty of Istanbul. This city is more than what you see on TV or on the internet. It has its own magic and I am very happy that we went there. Hopefully that we will have the chance to go back soon! We are gratefull to our family for their hospitability and great atmosphere. We really felt at home!!!
Interesting observations:
- there are many cats and dogs on the atreets of Istanbul. But they are not agressive at all. They are sweet and want to play;
-every restaurant will offer you a cup of tea at the end of the meal. You are their guest and it's a sign of respect;
- the ice-cream (dondurma) in Turkey is made based on a different receipe that the one in Europe. It is very creamy. I loved it!
- you might hear an unknown sound 5 times a day while in Turkey or any muslim country. This is Adhan - the call to prayers. They come from every mosque and reminds the people that it is time to pray.
What an interesting blog entry, and the pictures are so beautiful!
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