Istanbul - 2

(follow up to part 1)

Now remember this name if you want to visit most happening, most shopping, most eating and most popular street in Istanbul - Istiklal Avenue. It is located in old historic Beyoglu district. Besides many trendy shops and tasty food courts, it is great place to go for people-watching. If you don't have much time, still try to go there (not far from Galata Tower and Taksim Square where you'll definitely end up somehow!) just to walk through once, but if you have time then try to explore all hidden side streets and passages there. And be ready to be ripped-off tourist way :)) Well, last sentence is just a joke, but every joke hides some truth.


Towards the mid part of the avenue is located Galatasaray Square and Galatasaray Lyceum. The name actually more known for the football club Galatasaray SK. As I know all the management people of the club should be the graduate of this lyceum that gives education in Turkish and French. It's sort of elite school.


As you reach the other end of Istiklal street, you open up to Taksim Square.

Another attraction in Istiklal Avenue is the tram that operates only along this street. More for tourists than a public transportation.

Taksim Square is located in a major shopping, tourist and leisure area. It has same meaning for Istanbul as Wencesclas Square for Prague or Tiananmen Square for Beijing. It is the main central square of the city, and all kind of celebrations happen here. These can be national holidays or the victories of Turkish football teams or some concerts. In the middle of the square stands the Republic Monument that commemorates the formation of the Turkish Republic. In past, it was the main place for the political protests. Nowadays the protests are forbidden.

My big friend and host in Istanbul - Maha, standing in front of the Republic Monument.

As I wrote earlier, another must-do thing is the Bosphorus tour by boat (Yulia, note them all down!). You can for the long tours that takes you around the Bosphorus, or you can just hop on the ferry that operates between few ferry stations. It's also very practical if you want to reach Kadikoy from Eminonu, for example. This time I didn't go for it, but during my previous visits I've been to many tours. One of the best ones was the night Bosphorus tour organized by Koc University for the international debaters in 2003. We had whole big boat for our own, music playing loud and people dancing while touring the Bosphorus, flow of doner kebaps and drinks... And it stopped right opposite Laila, probably the most famous high-class night clubs of Istanbul by seaside, and suddenly people in Laila was watching us!


Later we ended up in the local weekend attraction point - Ortakoy. The beauty of this place lies in its view of the Bosphorus, the combination of the mosque, sea and the bridge that connects two continents... There are lots of restaurants and teahouses, as well as street sellers in this area. and it's one of the popular places for the locals to spend their weekends..


Later in the evening we were invited for some tea in Doni's house. It was to catch up with old buddy and remember old good days. And I got the latest updates on some other buddies who had been living in Turkey. His son is already grown up! Well, he's the first to get married among our classmates although we were always thinking that he'd be one of the last. :)


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Istanbul

Denizde balıkla doğa kaynaşır,
Martıları kanat çırpar oynaşır,
Asya, Avrupa'yla sevgi paylaşır,
Güzellik aşkıyla yanar İstanbul.
(Kadir Kaya)

Agree with me or not, but I see Istanbul as the connecting point of the world. Seriously! Well, there are tonns of reasons and here are some; it connects continental Asia with Europe, Black Sea with Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, Christian world with Muslim world, the gateway to Arabic and Turkic world for the Europeans and vice-versa. Where else can you find that?

Every visit gives me something new about this place besides satisfying my nostalgia about life in Turkey. The itinerary is more or less the same every time. Start a day somewhere in Taksim square, have a walk along famous Istiklal street, enjoy Turkish cuisine and excellent customer service in one of the local restaurants, pay visit to Blue Mosque and enjoy its calming atmosphere, take yet another series of photos of the same things to get the feeling of being tourist in this amazing city. Next comes walking down to Eminonu and getting into Grand Bazaar or Misir Bazaar, and then go for Bosphorus tour on the boat... Maha, friend of mine from university days, hosted me and showed around. Istanbul is one of the cities where I have many friends even though over the past years many of them left the city, thus a roof and a bed is always guaranteed.

One thing I always miss about Turkey is tea. Not that they have special sort of tea. Neither that tea has its own culture like in Indo-China. I think it's the timing. Like Spanish enjoy the coffee after meal, Turks enjoy tea. What makes this tea sessions more pleasant is these typical Turkish small glasses with slim belly;


Another must-do in Istanbul is the visit to historic Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque, 1616). It's called Blue because of its interior blue tiles. It's interior and exterior views makes it one of the most impressive monuments in the world. Sheer brilliance of Middle Ages architecture!

Getting ready to pray, washing certain parts of your body - abdest.

I decided to explore couple of other famous spots that I never stepped on (into) before. One of them was Galata Tower (1348). It's the cylinder like shaped tower with conic roof that is located on one end of Istiklal street, Taksim Square is on the other end. It was built Byzantines. From the observation point on the top, there's great view of Istanbul, its mosques and castles, Golden Horn, sea, etc.

Galata Tower from below

View of the city and Bosphorus from Galata Tower

View of the Galata Bridge from the tower

Video panorama:


(View of the Bosphorus from Galata Tower)


(View of the Golden Horn from Galata Tower)

There's also Galata Bridge. Although I am not sure about its history (doesn't look historical anyway), but it is very popular among the locals as a fishing spot. On the other side of the bridge there's Eminonu; famous place with its Eminonu Fishermen Boats that cook and sell the freshly caught fish directly from the boat!

Fisherman on Galata Bridge

Fishermen Boat at Eminonu

While at Eminonu, I met up with my friend from school, Doni, in Spice Bazaar. He works there in the silver shop that sells all sort of silver jewelery and kitchen stuff. He is also my souvenir gift supplier every time I come to Istanbul. In the evening, we met up with more other friends, Sadyr and Manas, and went to the supposedly best Iskender Kebap restaurant in the city (forgot the name, but I can ask).

Spice Bazar (Misir Carsisi)

Due to the triumph of Galatasaray in Turkish Football league this year, the streets and balconies are decorated with yellow-red Galatasaray flags. My favourite team, by the way. ;)


Another place I never visited before was Yerebatan Sarnıcı, or the Basilica Cistern. This time I didn't miss my chance. It is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that still lie beneath Istanbul. It is located close to Hagi Sophia. And was built during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I in the 6th century. This underground structure was known as the “Basilica Cistern” as its was built underneath the Stoa Basilica. It provided water for the Great Palace of Constantinople, and continued to provide water to the Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and into modern times.




There are 2 columns with the head of Medusa on the base. Wikipedia says that the origin of the two heads is unknown, though it is rumoured that the heads were brought to the cistern after being removed from an antique building of the late Roman period. Another mystery is why one of the heads is upside down, while the other is tilted to one side. It is commonly accepted by scientists that they were placed that way deliberately.


Another place I wanted to visit, but had no chance this time, is Kiz Kulesi (Princess' Island). Well, next time.

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Photo of the Day: Ortaköy Mosque and Bosphorus Bridge

DSC04494, originally uploaded by aibek_dunaev.

For me, it's one of the symbolical views of Istanbul. Combination of mosque, sea and the bridge that connects two continents... There are lots of restaurants and teahouses, as well as street sellers in this area. and it's one of the popular places for the locals to spend their weekends..

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Her majesty Istanbul

P6170149, originally uploaded by aibek_dunaev.

I love this city. And every time I pass via Istanbul, I steal a day to go to some favorite places to realize that how much I admire it even though I never lived there.

See you next month!

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Turkey Trip (being back "home")

My "journey for future" ticket.



My plane waiting to depart Taipei.



Blogging in Singapore Changhi airport ;) while waiting for my plane to Istanbul.



...over Indian ocean...



Dubai International airport



Topkapi Palace (22 Ottoman Sultans lived there) view from the bridge connecting Europe to Asia.



Inside Topkapi Palace.



I love Istanbul, I love its atmosphere (not everywhere)...



Inside Topkapi Palace.



Inside Topkapi Palace.



Topkapi Palace and Mramor Sea.



Cesme, spring water, just near the gates of Topkapi Palace.



Souvenir booths nearby Topkapi Palace.



near Hagia Sophia



Roof of Hagia Sophia.



Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii) in Istanbul, built during Ottoman Empire. (one of my favourite places in Istanbul)



Blue Mosque. How it looks from inside. Blue mosque is bult during Ottoman empire. Far at the front you can see people praying.



Blue Mosque door



Baktygul and Janna, my dearest friends.



Blue Mosque roof view from inside.



Souvenir shop at the basement of Hagi Sophia(used to be room for horses), my friend works there.



Istanbul University gates.



Feeding the pigeons in front of mosque.



Flag of Fenerbahce F.C. is hang everywhere, Fenerbahce became champion in football league this year. (Personally, I hate them, forza Galatasaray!!!)



One of DHL Turkey offices in Istanbul. "More Power".



Istanbul, tramway and cab sharing the same road.



Simitci - person who sells simits. It looks like dougnut, but not sweet. Traditional turkish bread, the best thing is to have simit with turkish black tea in the breakfast!



Kocatepe mosque in Ankara



Kocatepe Mosque at night.







Tank in Ankara, that day there was a protest by some party members (usual thing in Turkey).



Science tree, symbol of METU.



METU, Department of Computer Engineering. Where I studied.



2 Cups, our Ankara and Kyrgyzstan team became KVN champions among students in Turkey. (KVN - very popular game among university students in ex-USSR countries, here teams compete in cleverness, ability to be quick-responsive and funky and to compose all of these in songs).




Friends in Ankara, and my brother Kylych (2.row, 2. from left)



Mahamat and Anarbek, Kyrgyz friends who study in Ankara. Thanks for your hospitality, guys!



Bilen (big guy near me), friend and project team-mate, .Net geek ;). Traditional Turkish breakfast. Thanks for hosting me, guys!



Memati, one of Bilen's 2 kittens, were the main joy during our work on the project.



Cakir, the second kitten, was tired fighting with Memati and sleeping :).



Katana - sword of Samurai, I brought it for my friend Bilen from Taiwan. "The box" (read prev. posts) contained this katana. :)
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