Top 10 Sights of Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

Our top 10 things to do in Istanbul may not by yours but there is sure to be a similarity.

Old Istanbul a painting on the wall of the Grand Bazaar

1. Stroll around the historic part of Istanbul. This stroll would include visits to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, the Hippodrome, Suleymaniye Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar.

Bosphorus Ferry

2. The Istanbul ferries. Istanbul would not be the attraction it is without the Bosphorus, which divides Istanbul in two. The European side and the Asian side. Any ferry trip is an adventure but to take the day trip up the Bosphorus toward the Black Sea is a delight.

Princes Islands

3. A day trip to the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara. Emy and took two trips to the Islands. There are no cars on the islands other than electrical vehicles so the islands are very quite. As it was summer we enjoyed our time swimming, strolling around and having a fish meal.

Istiklal Caddesi

4. A walk down Istiklal Caddesi from Taksim Square. Enjoy a carton of chestnuts as you stroll with the crowds passed the shops. The lower part of the street is very bohemian with numerous music shops and clothing fashion shops. A lot of graffiti adds to the bohemian atmosphere.

Whirling Dervishes

5. A show of the Whirling Dervishes. We watched a free show at a cafe just opposite the Blue Mosque.

Gulhane Park

6. A wander in the gardens of Gulhane Park. This garden offers shade and therefore, coolness from a hot afternoon. At the entrance just a few meters from the entrance to the Topkapi Palace there are vendors selling chestnuts or corn as well as bottled water. Groups of locals and visitors sit beside the fountain and the pool with feet in the water. Others sit on park benches or on the grass admiring the flowers. Beautiful butterflies fly from flower to flower. In the evening a cafe overlooks the Bosphorus and a coffee can be enjoyed with a view to die for.

The circumcision ceremony

7. A view of the Golden Horn from Pierre Loti cafe. This can be done by taking the bus or ferry or even by walking along the Golden Horn. Visit also Eyup Sultan Mosque where the circumcision ceremonies take place for Moslem boys aged about 10 years.

8. A walk across Galata Bridge and a visit to Galata Tower. Include a fish sandwich and hot cup of tea  at Karakoy.

9. A visit to Kadakoy on the Asian side of Istanbul to watch the sun set over the historic centre.

Walk besides the Bosphorus

10. A walk along side the Bosphorus. Go to Sariyer by ferry and walk some of the way back. The walkway is an absolutely beautiful walk and it goes on and on for kilometres. If it is a weekend many of the young boys are swimming and men are fishing along the route.

A Day in the Life of David Pollock - 11 August 2014.

Selling Bottled Water

So what made this day so memorable. It would not have been if I had not taken so many photos. On the 11 August 2014 I sold bottled water from an open air stall outside a large shopping mall in Şişli, Istanbul. Business was brisk. Turkish people were a bit surprised that a foreigner, who could not speak their language, was selling water. Emy and I loved being in Istanbul and we actually considered staying on instead of returning to my job in Aqaba. How did it come to pass that I was selling water? Emy and I had met a Syrian fellow who had married a Turkish woman and it was while hanging out with them at their bottled water stand that I sold the water.

Tram on Istiklal Caddesi

After socialising with them for much of the day, Emy and took the bus to Taksim. In Taksim Square Emy loved being photographed with the flocks of pidgeons. After which we started to walk down Istiklal Caddesi (Avenue). We walked past the tram and street sellers selling corn and chestnuts. We so enjoyed eating chestnuts while we were in Istanbul. Istiklal Caddesi is the busiest street in Istanbul. It is a pedestrian only street apart for the tram some motorbikes and official vehicles such as

Police in Istiklal Caddesi 

the police. The police had a huge presence and I mean huge (see the photograph) I presume because of protests that had been taking place around Taksim Square. The upper part of Istiklal Caddesi (nearer Taksim Square) is less crowded than the lower part of Istiklal Caddesi.
The upper part of the street and in Taksim Square itself has many hotels and prestigious shops. As you walk down the street, downhill that is, an interesting church is passed on your left, many food shops including take away shawarma, chips, sandwiches, chocolate shops, ice-cream shops, and shops selling Turkish delight. Interesting also is the number of institutions for learning English.

Street food stall, corn and chestnuts

Shawarma take-away food

Learn English 

The further down the street you progressed the more bohemian it became. Buskers and street performers made for interesting entertainment. These buskers some times had such a crowd around them that the street became almost blocked. What I noticed in the walked towards the Galata Tower the smaller the shops and the more graffiti and posters more evident. What caught my eye was the increasing number of music shops.

Fish Sandwich

Finally we arrived in the Karaköy area where found food vendors at a place with small table and stools. So we decided to finished the day with a fish sandwich and a drink of Turkish tea. We hung around the area till after dark then crossed over the Galata Bridge and caught a ferry back to Kadaköy.

Galata Bridge

On my google +1 profile page under photos you can view as a slide show an expanded album of photos related to this post.

Fun in Kadıköy, Istanbul.

Sunset over the Blue Mosque.

One year ago Emy and I took a trip to Turkey leaving from Aqaba, Jordan. Turkish Airlines flew from Aqaba to Istanbul three times a week. The only place we went to in Turkey was Istanbul. For two weeks we stayed on the Asian side, Anatolia in the district of Kadıköy. The Eysan Hotel became home. The hotel was on the waterfront so we had the greatest of views over the Sea of Marmara, looking directly at a setting sun over the minarets of the Blue Mosque.The hotel is just 200 meters from the Ferry Terminal to Eminonu, a 20minute ferry trip across the Bosphorus. From Eminonu it is but a short walk to the Spice Bazaar, the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia. But I shall leave all this for another post. This post will be limited to Kadıköy, called Chalcedon back in the first centuries of the modern era.

The fruit market Kadıköy.

The Beatles Cafe.

There is so much to be seen in Kadıköy, but it is not a tourist trap. One of our enduring memories was the shock we had at the size of the fruit. The cherries and strawberries were huge. Kadıköy has a big fruit and vegetable, and fish market which was really interesting to walk around. Looking at the residential places above the shops I found the architecture so different, I liked the feeling of this place. Walking along the narrow streets, many of them pedestrians only, you come across cafes or restaurants with names such as 'The Beatles' or 'Woodstock'. We had the most fun in a speciality gadgets shop. The owner did not mind us having a good look around and taking some photographs. We found items to do magic with, masks, and some very funny toys. These can only be appreciated by including a few photographs. I had to laugh so much at the biker girl.

Emy pulling on a mask.

Start your engines boys.

1960's

Bad ass biker girl.

Some of the bars had interesting advertising as well. I liked the one shown in the photo. Buskers and political campaigning were common when out on an evening stroll. Some of the street music was fantastic and quite big crowds gathered taking videos and some dancing.

Statue of man with beer mug between the two windows.

Erdogan political campaign.