Istanbul (not Constantinople)

- The Blue Mosque is truly a sight to behold. It's even more beautiful than I had imagined.

- The underground cistern is unforgettable. Although the cheesy classical music and strange lighting put me off at first, it won me over by the end.

- The Grand Bazaar is not to be missed. Although not as exotic as other places we've been, it's a great way to pick up a few souvenirs.

- Topkapi Palace, although excrutiatingly expensive, can't be missed. It's huge. There is an incredible amount of culture inside its walls.

- The ferry to Kadikoy was cheap and rewarded us with some incredible views of the Bosphorous and Sultanahmet.

- The Tunel metro in Taksim (the oldest metro in the world) was a quick ride, but a great experience.

Quick Tips:

- We have lots more photos on our web site, at www.ianandwendy.com

- Stay in Sultanahmet, dine elsewhere. Almost all of the tourist sites are in Sultanahmet, so it only makes sense to base yourself there as well.

- Exercise big city caution. This is a huge city, and has big city problems. Don't walk alone at night. Don't display wealth prominently.

- If you visit in the summer, plan your day such that you will be indoors or relaxing in the hottest part of the day. You won't feel like doing much else.

Best Way To Get Around:

A combination of walking, taking the tram, and taxis where necessary, will get you to almost all of the sites. Almost all of the main sites (in Eminonu and Sultanahmet) are walkable. The traffic is also not dangerous enough that it affects walking (like certainly Italian capitals).

For the sake of convenience (and not because of price!) we found a hotel in Sultanahmet. Moonlight Pension (http://abone.superonline.com/~moonlight, 517 54 29, 87 Akbiriki Cad) was our guidebook's recommended hotel - and while it was clean and conveniently located, it wasn't the nicest place we've stayed in.

The hotel is located about a 5 minute walk from the Blue Mosque, and it was pretty easy to find. As you try to find your hotel, you *will* be hassled to go to another hotel. Just ignore the pushers; they are not persistent. If you take a taxi, and he claims the hotel is no good, or is already full, insist on going there anyways. They're often paid a commission to re-route you to their brother's hotel.

The hotel is in a nondescript, small building with few rooms. The room was a reasonable size and very clean, although the railing on the stairs had fallen off, and the lights in the hallway were often broken. (We once had to use a flashlight to get back to our room!)

We paid 50 Euros per night, with AC in the room. The AC worked well (although sometimes a little too well). The price for our room also included breakfast on the rooftop, which unfortunately started rather late (8am) and was slow to arrive. The wife of the owner of the hotel made and served the breakfast. They had a very cute (but sadly unentertained) child hanging about on the rooftop. What was strange was that every morning we had breakfast, the child had a different set of filthy clothes on. It was upsetting to us that we were paying what (in Turkish lira) was a huge amount of money, and yet this child did not appear to be being taken care of properly.

We didn't prepay for our room, or leave a credit card imprint. The owner was fine with this until the day before we were supposed to leave, when we could feel he was getting a little uncomfortable. We offered to pay with a credit card, but suddenly the price of the room jumped 5%. We told him fine, we'll pay cash then, but we need to hit an ATM, we'll be right back. But even that he was uncomfortable with: we ended up splitting the difference of the 5%. It was just sort of surprising to us. (of course, unintentionally, we got him back: When we returned to California we realized we'd stolen the room key.. that's what happens when you leave a hotel at 5am!)

The Aya Sofia was built in 532. The exterior was painted blood red by Emperor Justinian to warn potential revolutionaries. The dome was originally a lot higher and bigger then what you see today, but an earthquake just 20 years after its construction destroyed it. It remained one the most beautiful churches in the world for a thousand years, when Mehmet the Conqueror tacked on a Minaret and converted it into a Mosque. Finally in 1932 Attaturk converted it into a Museum.

Unfortunately when we visited (Summer 2002), the interior was undergoing massive restoration and we couldn't see much of the roof. The size is amazing, but we were underwhelmed by the state that it was in. There's a lot of damage here, and only a hint at the former beauty. Be sure to check out the sweating pillar. It is rumoured that if you stick your finger (and turn it around) and feel water, you will be healed. Uh huh. :)

There is a gallery on the second floor, but it's expensive to get in ($10) and we passed.

Before you visit, make sure you have a high enough credit limit. The Palace is the most expensive site we've ever visited, anywhere. Admission to all three sections of it (main entrance, Harem, and Treasury) will cost you about $30. Of course, we paid. I understand gouging the tourists (and applaud their understanding of capitalism for doing so - who is going to come to Istanbul and *not* see the Topkapi palace?) but what was unfair was that the prices for students and for Turks was not substantially lower - putting an amazing part of history out of the reach of a lot of people.

Ok, so it's time for a note of warning. The Palace is big. Really, really big. There is a lot to see. And it's all very impressive. Be prepared to spend a full day here, and be well rested beforehand. Bring food and water, as there aren't that many options inside the palace. And bring a lot of film, although they won't let you take pictures in many places.

There are four courtyards to the palace. Only the first is accesible without a ticket, and there is really nothing to see here. The second court contains the Inner Treasury, with gold leaf ceilings and a peep-hole the Sultan once used to spy on arriving VIPs. Off this court you will also find the Imperial Kitchens, and a collection of silver and European procelain. Some of these rooms might be closed; it depends on when you go.

The third court contains the Library of Ahmet III (closed), the School fo the Expeditionary Pages (costumes and kaftans, and the first baggy trousers - isn't it amazing how style comes full circle!) As well, you will find the entrance to the Palace Treasury, and the Hall of the Treasury, with 37 portraits of 37 sultans. If you're not tired and moving at about 10 sultans a minute by now, you're doing better then we did. The treasure dormitory houses Islamic works of art, although it was closed when we were there. Or maybe we'd just had enough. The Pavillion of Holy Relics was probably beautiful, but we were really tired by then. I remember the soundproof glass cubicle from which the muezzin made the call to prayer.

The fourth courtyard has a beautiful Tulip Garden (or whatever happens ot be blooming when you're there.) There is another Iznik (blue) tiled pavillion, the Circumcision Room (where young princes would be snipped), and more upliftingly, a beuatiful view of the Bosphorous.

Oof. I get tired and dizzy just thinking about the amount of stuff in that museum.

The Harem now requires you to take a guided tour. You must first line up to buy a ticket (it is not available in the main ticket booth). Then, you are herded through the narrow corridors of the Harem (we counted 50 tourists in a group that was only supposed to have 30) with your tour guide so far ahead you have no chance of being able to follow. Make sure you bring your own guidebook - especially if you want the time to take pictures. A security guard brings up the tail of the pack, and prods you on if you fall behind in the tour, so that you don't get mixed up in the group coming right up behind you. It wasn't a pleasent experience, and they were making a LOT of money off it!

That being said, however, the Harem has some magnificent rooms. See our photos for some examples of the splendour that your $10 will get you.

The Treasury features the Spoonmaker's diamond (7th largest in the world), as well as the Topkapi Dagger. The diamond is truly a sight to behold - the other displays of unthinkable wealth also make this a worthwhile experience. There are golden thrones, amazing chain mail, a diamond-encrusted anchor, and a silver hand with reportedly John the Baptist's bones.

This underground area is located between the Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque. It is a huge cave with 336 columns, with walkways leading you around the cave, over the water. Water drips down the roof above, and piped in classical music accompany the funky light show playing off the pillars and water. The cistern was created for the Topkapi Palace - it's served many purposes, from moving goods to watering the lawn. Watch your step as you walk here; the ground is often wet from the dripping water. Be sure to check out the sideways and upside down Medusa Head at the end of the cavern, whose origin is still debated today.

There is a cafe overlooking the water, where there are sometimes concerts. You exit the cavern through a set of a stairs leading to a bookstore with some English language books.

Taksim Square is the location of some very upscale hotels, as well as the Ataturk Cultural Center. Istakal Cad is the main road leading off from the square, and is an upscale shopping area during the day, and a club scene at night. There is a tram that runs up and down Istakal Cad, but it's not really faster then walking, and it closes early. At the bottom of Istakal Cad is the Tunel Metro, which is the world's oldest (and shortest) subway. It's only got one stop, and leads straight down to the port and Galata Bridge, near the fish market.

Istakal Cad at night is an amazing scene, and it is not to be missed. Be careful however to plan your route back. At midnight, we found ourselves a bit stranded. The Tunel was shut down, and there didn't seem to be an easy way to get a bus back across to sultanahmet. We should have cabbed it, but instead decided to walk. It was a long walk down some very dark streets (with some nervous moments), back to the bridge, and on to the tramway (we caught the last one!) on the other side back to Sultanahmet. It was not a walk women should take alone. So, if you're staying in Sultanahmet, either be prepared to take a cab ride home (and potentially be ripped off), or leave early while public transportation is still feasable.

The Grand Bazaar has over 4000 shops, banks, mosques, police stations, fountains, and restaurants. It is the largest bazaar in the world. As you walk in on Kalpakcilarbasi Cad., you will think it's just like a shopping mall. This is only jeweller's row, however. Take a right and dive into the main bazaar area, with shopkeepers nipping at your heels, carpet sellers begging you to have tea with them, etc. After our experience in Moroccan medinas, this seemed pretty tame. The shopkeepers knew when to back down, and the carpet sellers, while persistent, were never threateningly so - even when we teased shopowner after shopowner as we tried to find the perfect carpet.

Almost the entire bazaar is covered, so it's a great place to go if it's raining, or too hot. If you still get too hot, just wander into any carpet shop and they will close the door and turn on the AC, plunging the small room into subarctic temperatures in no time at all.

The shops sell almost everything. What was missing (and what I much preferred about the Moroccan medina) were the craftsmen creating the goods. Nothing is made in the bazaar; it's all imported (sometimes even from Turkey) and just sold here.

Although all the guide books warned us about how hopelessly lost you will certainly get, we found this was totally not the case. Not only were there street signs and tourist information signs up everywhere, but the layout of the city is pretty straightforward, with many landmarks (like the old bazaar) helping to locate you when you get lost. But again, nothing (and I mean nothing) compares to the complexity and confusingness of the market in Fez!

The Grand Bazaar is an easy 10 minute walk up the tram tracks from Sultanahmet. It is another *must see* when visiting Istanbul.

Be prepared to haggle. They expect it. You should never buy something for more than 50% of the original asking price. As the day wears on, sales get better - especially if the shopkeepers have had a bad sales day. After we finally agreed on buying a carpet, we got into a great conversation with the shopkeeper - we talked to him for an hour after closing. It's a great opportunity to meet Turkish people. It was clear to us that their friendliness wasn't just a ploy to get us to buy, as it continued well after the sale, even when we made it clear that we wouldn't be back in Istanbul for a long time, if ever.

Although a lot of deals can be had, a lot of ripoff's can also be had. It's been said that the Grand Bazaar has the best and the worst of Turkish shopping, and I have to agree. Be aware of the prices and set expectations before you enter the bazaar.

Misir Carsisi, or the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, is a good next destination after the Grand Bazaar. Walk through the narrow streets filled with everyday shops, and you will eventually get to the Spice Bazaar. Don't be worried about asking anyone for directions, everyone we talked to was very helpful.

My guidebook describes the Spice Bazaar as a "sensory overload" and I couldn't agree more. There are dozens of stalls selling very fragrant spices, tea, nuts, etc. We got the feeling that this was more authentic then the Grand Bazaar (and no carpet shops!). Just outside the waterfront gate in the Spice Bazaar, Rustem Pasa Camii is a mosque worth seeing.

We took a ferry from Eminonu to Kadikoy to get a sampling of the Asian side of Istanbul. This is a residential and commercial area that is an easy escape from the tourist trap that is Istanbul. Frequent ferries run quickly there. There is a street market, jeweler's stores (with reasonable prices), bakeries, traditional restaurants, etc. There is not much English spoken here, and we felt we were the first tourists they had seen in months! It was an interesting experience though, and we got some killer photos of the sunset over the Blue Mosque on the way back. We'd like to say that was planned, but, well, not so much.

Our first stop in Istanbul was the Blue Mosque. It's not actually blue on the outside, but the tiles inside it are. It was the Sultan Ahmet's response to the Aya Sofia and was completed in 1617.

Be sure to attend outside prayer times. Men should be wearing pants, and women should cover their head (if you don't have a head covering, one will be provided for you). When we visited, the Mosque was packed with noisy tourists. The locals who were praying seemed oblivious to it, but I can't help but think they get tired of it. Yes, there were a lot of tourists, but people were not making much effort to lower their voices - they just didn't seem to care this is actually a holy place of worship, and not just another tourist site.

Once inside, you will be amazed by the blue tiles, and the massive chandelier hanging down from the ceiling with barely visible wires.

In the evening, there is a light show outside the Mosque. The show is in a different language each day. We happened to catch it in English, and left half way through, bored (as most tourists did). If you happen to be in the area, it's worth stopping for a few minutes to look at the Mosque bathed in blue light, but the story is really not worth your time.

We arrived in Istanbul from Ankara on the bus. The bus first stopped at a port on the Asian side of the Bosphorous, then went on to the main bus station. As is the case elsewhere, the bus station is located quite a distance from downtown. We made the mistake at this point of taking the free 'connector' bus service to downtown. This small shuttle waited around at the station for about half an hour before leaving for downtown. We would have done much better getting local transportation to get downtown (although this is slightly complicated, and involves taking a bus, and then connecting to the tram).

For tourists, Sultanahmet is the place to be. All of the big 'must-sees' are clustered around in this area: the Blue Mosque, the underground cisterns, the Aya Sofia, and of course the Topkapi Palace. The Grand Bazaar is also just a short walk away.

Unfortunately, there are a few safety issues you should be aware of in Istanbul. Taxis are notorious for ripping off tourists picked up in Sultanahmet or Taksim - make sure the 'day rate' is set during the day (one light on the meter, not two). It's a good idea to ask at the hotel you're staying at where there is a reputable taxi stand.

In addition, be aware that there are other tourist scams going on in night clubs. New 'friends' will leave an exorbitant bill. That drink might be drugged. Use common sense. It's a very, very big city with typical big city safety problems.