Istanbul in June

Istanbul is a wonderful city to visit, a city on the cusp of two continents. As site of Byzantine (Christian) and Ottoman (Muslim) empires, the history from over 2 millenia of settlement is palpable. Both the modern and the ancient sites of Istanbul offer much to the visitor. While old Istanbul is like stepping into the Arabian Nights, much of Istanbul is very European and cosmopolitan. Shannon''s Top Five Tourist Diversions

1. Hagia Sophia
2. The Egyptian Spice Market
3. The museums in Gulhane Park
4. Yerebatan Sarnici - Basilica Cistern
5. Exploring the ancient walls and palaces

Quick Tips:

Advice for Women Visitors should really follow the local dress code. Wearing conservative long-sleeved shirts with long pants and skirts will save you so much hassle. If you are a young woman, having a man to accompany you as this will reduce many of the problems that we had in Turkey. That said, women going along to Turkey will be safe. It is more a matter of annoyance than safety. Western women in the arms of their men could easily wear tank tops, but as single women, we felt more comfortable in long-sleeved shirts and long pants. There was a shocking difference in treatment the one night that we wore sundresses out to dinner.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking About Istanbul is highly walkable, especially the Sultanahmet district. The old streets of the city are made for walking, and the sidewalks are wide and well-maintained. It is very safe to walk around, even in the non-touristy areas. Taxis ( Taksi) and related info You can also get cabs to more far-flung parts of the city. Be careful with the fares. When we were ''scammed'' by our taxi driver, we found out that other tourists had lost far more money than we had. Also, some cabs want to take you to their friend''s business rather than where you want to go. One suggested that we go to the mall rather than Taksim Square! That was after he suggested that we all go to bed together. The taxis in front of the Hagia Sophia are known in the area for scamming tourists and getting away with it. Your hotel can call up a good taxi. Boats and Ferries Another option is taking the ferry up the Bosphorus. The ferry crosses the water seven or eight times, hitting both the Asian and the European side of the city.

We stayed at the Hotel Empress Zoe, in the Sultanahmet. This boutique hotel is in the older quarter of the city, near most of the tourist attractions.

From our room at night, I could hear the calls to prayer from three different mosques. Rather than a nuisance, these beautiful songs became the soundtrack to my trip and a gentle way to awaken in the morning.

The beautiful local art that serves as decor here makes this hotel a unique place to stay. Rooms There is a narrow spiral staircase to our room. Our room is small and dark, with a balcony overlooking the inner courtyard, where we take breakfast each day.

One special suite on the top floor has its own private deck from which you can view the domes of the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.

Access to all rooms requires climbing the spiral staircase. Luckily the hotel staff will carry up your bags when you arrive! Breakfast Included and the Rooftop Bar Breakfast consists of yogurt and cucumbers, local cheese on cenet. We sat and drank our American coffees next to an 15th-century Turkish bath-house. Breakfast is thankfully complimentary.

There is a rooftop deck from which to sip a cocktail and look out on the old quarter at night. You can also see the Marmaris. The bartender will make any drink you like. Hotel Staff The hotel is owned by an American woman and its staff are well-spoken in English. They can offer advise on what to do and be a great help sorting out misunderstandings. One of the staff was a great help in translating a dispute we were having with a taksi driver, as well as helping as navigate the cultural differences. He explained, for example, that the tourist police and the taksi companies have a special relationship, and we were not likely to get our money back. Special Tip If you pay in American dollars, cash, you will get a 10% discount on the room. Location Hotel Empress Zoe is ideally located in the Sultanahmet. Hotels and restaurants line this street. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi are within a five minute walk.

The name translates to The English Prison. This unique Georgian restaurant is located near the Galata tower, in what used to be the English prison. Bars and cells still exist; you can eat in a courtyard. For history lovers, the atmosphere can't be beat.

Personal Experience That night, we ate at a Georgian restaurant in an old British jail in a neighborhood called Galata. We took a cab to Galata Tower, and from there, wandered down every street and were completely lost and scared. It was clearly trash day, or else people always leave their trash on the sidewalks. The streets are narrow, but the sidewalks are filled with trash and people, so you are forever jumping back onto the sidewalk as cars rush up the streets with abandon.

Luckily, a doorman from a nearby hotel found a Turk to lead us to the restaurant. The food was delicious! We ate outside on an inner courtyard balcony. The owner talked to us about Byzantine history for some time, and while there were no other customers, we had the place to ourselves.

We tried Raki - the anise-flavored alcohol that they call Lion's Milk. We also got an appetizer plate for two, that was mostly salads. I had the Georgian dumplings in a tomato-based sauce, delicious! Alli had veal and potatoes. We shared a dry chocolate cake with our Turkish coffees. This elaborate meal in a beautiful setting only cost 20,000,000 TL - about 13$.

We ate at Cenet. That night, there was a folk troupe there singing traditional music. They would come to each table and sing to us. When we came in, they put some silly bangles and hats on us! We were laughing so hard at the silliness of it! We ordered about four entrees as our dinner, since we hadn't eaten yet that day.

Cenet is easy to find, a large restaurant with big windows, on your right as you walk towards the bazaar from Sultanahmet. We ate here several times during our stay in Istanbul.

Diners may be seated on a pile of pillows around a low table. One time, we were given traditional hats to wear while we were serenaded by a Turkish band. Red-faced from embarassment, it ended up being quite fun. But don't worry - you can elect not to participate in this activity and they do not always do this.

We enjoyed their mezes, very yummy. I do not think this is the place where the locals eat, but if you're not ashamed to be a tourist, it is worth checking out.

The municipal ferry sails up and down the Bosphorus at least three times a day. On its way, it makes landings in both Asia and Europe. From the river, you can view the beautiful mansions along the straits. It''s your option to hop off and explore the neighborhoods along the way.

On the ride back, we caught a sunset on the Bosphorus - gorgeous. Some Spanish musicians were playing guitar on board, adding to the atmosphere. I have no idea if that''s typical. Where to Pick Up Ferry Emimonu - north of the Spice Market. On the Golden Horn between Galata Bridge and Sirkeci Station. Proceed to Dock 2. Buying Tickets You want to make sure you get the municipal ferry up the Bosphorus, because it''s fairly inexpensive and goes to all the same places as the private tour boats. You can buy tickets right at the docks. Sustenance Halfway up, yogurt vendors board and sell the delicious local yogurt. Other snacks and drinks are sold on board. The fishing village at the last stop is famous for its fish dishes. Anadolu Kavagi - Ruins Exploration The final stop is a small fishing village (Anadolu Kavagi) where you have fish and ice cream, or walk up to an abandoned fifth-century castle on the hill. The fish here was very fresh, but not very well-prepared. The highlight of the final stop was climbing to the abandoned castle. It''s quite a pastoral scene up there, with the ruined castle, the hills, and the deep turquoise-blue of the Bosphorus. We were lucky enough to witness a wedding couple having their pictures done.

You go to the Grand Bazaar to buy souvenirs, and you come to the Egyptian Spice Market to see what a real market is like. It is a crush of people, many of them Turks, in this smaller market. Food, candies, spices, cooking supplies are all sold here. Most of the stalls carry similar merchandise. You''ll probably get a cup of a tea if you stop to look at the merchandise. You can also buy some of that apple tea that you''ve no doubt been drinking at every carpet store along the way.

Prices on Saffron are amazing low. Saffron makes a great gift for cooks.

Many stores can vacumn-seal your purchases to ensure that they survive your trip home.

Watch out for bugs. Everything we brought home, apart from the Saffron, was infested with bugs. This was something of a disappointment. However, it shouldn''t have come as a surprise - the market was open-air.

The Archaeological museum and the Oriental museum located in Gulhane Park, near Topkapi, are a good way to spend a morning. Budget travelers will love the low entrance fees. It costs around 2.50 to see the Archaeological Museum. The artifacts here are extremely old, mosaics from Babylon and other ancient cities. You can even see the purple tombs of the Byzantine royalty.

There is a small snack bar just outside the museum, where you can eat seated amongst ancient stone monuments.

This church/museum contains some of the most beautifully preserved mosaics in Istanbul. Unlike many churches here, it was never converted to a mosque. It is considered one of the most important artistic and historic sites in Istanbul.

If you are staying in the Sultanahmet, you may wish to take a cab here. This is a very popular site, and there will be many tour busses here. For the same reason, there is a small market and a touristy restaurant here, Asitane. Details Open every day except Wednesday from 09.30 to 18.00
Entrance fee: 7.000.000 TL Nearby Attractions Walls of Theodosius, Yedikule Fortress, Blachernae Palace, and Palace of the Porphyrgenitos.

The mini-museums at Topkapi Palace do not hold much for more westerners. Seeing painted miniatures of all the Ottoman sultans isn't most people's cup of tea. Christians will be surprised at the amount of relics related to Mohammed, as there is nothing left of Jesus' personal possessions.

A highlight of the palace is when you reach a plaza that overlooks modern Istanbul. The breeze here is quite refreshing.

The harem tour costs as much as the Topkapi entrance, and you must buy tickets for it at the entrance. You cannot enter the Harem without a tour, and so the experience loses something when you cannot linger. The harem is bereft of its furnishings and may not be very interesting.

This may be the coolest (literally) site in the Sultanahmet. After paying a small fee to enter, you descend into a dark, cavernous space. In addition to the music of dripping water, classical music is played as you wander the dark corridors of this ancient cistern.

Built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian using columns from the hippodrome and elsewhere, it lay undiscovered for some time after the Ottoman takeover. Then the Ottomans discovered some city residents could lower buckets into their basements and collect water. For years, it lay vacant until the late 20th century, when it became a tourist attraction.

All the columns are very old, and are lit up with tiny lights. This place is unbeatable for ambience.

One highlight of your visit will be seeing the overturned Medusa head blocks, which may have come from a shrine.

There are also still fish in the water. Photography Tips With its twinkling lights in the water and ancient columns, the cistern is an ideal place to take photographs.

Bring high speed film if you must use a point and shoot. Flash will not result in the best pictures. If you have the luxury of controlling the exposure, you can use slow film and your results will be less grainy. I used 800 speed film with satisfactory, if grainy, results.

If you are working without a tripod, rest your camera on the ground and use a long shutter speed to capture the ambience.

Here''s a tip to get a great overview shot of the cistern. As you are descending the staircase into the cistern, rest your camera on the steps facing out. Set up a long exposure with a high aperture to get all the details. Try 30 seconds with an aperture of 8. You will get a very atmospheric shot including the details of the vaulted ceiling. Practical Details Finding It Near the Aya Sofya, in the direction of Gulhane Park. There are clear signs marking the entrance. Hours Open 09:00-18:00 daily, except Monday (October to March : 09:00-17:00 )

These sites are free to the public, and not built-up as tourist sites at all. Therefore, they make a great budget excursion. However, the neighborhood may be a bit sketchy.

Here, I only describe one section of the walls. The walls encircle the old city, from the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn. These 4 miles of 5th-century walls include a few gates, fortresses, towers, and castles, mostly in ruins.

Rumor has it that a movie was made in the palace and that there are tunnels that go throughout the palace. Some intrepid explorers have found their way in, and there is also a sign near the entrance where it looks like you might be able to pay to enter. You shouldn''t count on this though, and don''t count on a taxi finding this place either. Finding the Walls and Palaces Walk directly away from the front of Chora, and you will eventually hit the walls. From here, head right along the wall, having the wall on your left. You will see the Palace of Porphyrgenitos. Further down is Blachernae Palace. We never made it as far as Blachernae Palace, and the guidebooks left it unclear whether Blachernae and Porphyrgenitos were the same structure. Personal Experience The walls of Theodosius are fascinating. People live and work right next to these walls, and yet there are no signs announcing these historic walls. There are no tours here, only us. We climbed the walls, walked along their tops, explored little niches where we often found discarded trash. I brushed the ancient walls with my fingers, delighted to be so close to a piece of Byzantine history.

We continued further to find Blachernae Palace and the connected Palace of the Porphyrgenitos. I have heard that there are tunnels inside. I love tunnels. Supposedly a caretaker will let you in. After exploring for some time, we did find it and there wasn''t much there. A parking lot and a soccer field behind it. In the parking lot, some gypsy children tell us that they will hold our bags if we wish to climb over the wall. Climb in...to a thirty foot drop - I think not!. I suspect they had ulterior motives. The caretaker wasn''t at his post and there appeared to be no other entrances. We''re not even sure which palace we''ve found, as they are listed separately in one of our guidebooks. But we took pictures, gorgeous black and whites. Then, we leave to get a taxi to Yedikule Fortress.

Here's another budget sightseeing option. Bucoleon Palace is the ruined remains of a Byzantine palace, and there isn't much left here. The walls alone are all that remain of this once great residence. Finding It Wander south from the Sultanahmet in the direction of the Marmaris. You will eventually have to pass under an underpass. Bucoleon Palace faces the highway and the Marmaris.

On the way, you will pass through some very quiet neighborhoods that don't see tourists everyday. It seemed safe to walk here. Personal Experience We tried to find Bucoleon Palace. This involved wandering outside of the tourist area, through a very poor area - well, to my eyes - I imagine it may have been a middle or working class neighborhood. The houses were poorly constructed, with bits of odd metal and no real windows, part original house, part scrap - but...it seemed like a safe area. We wandered around - found a mosque that used to be St. Sergius & Bacchus. Its graveyard was overgrown and we spent some time in that and its courtyard, peered in to the mosque from some windows. Next to it was a huge abandoned building, and after walking uphill, we realized it was an abandoned mosque, complete with a broken minaret.

Following down to the water (Marmaris Sea) at last, we found Bucoleon Palace. Facing the highway, it is built up against the sea wall and through its extant marble window frames, one can see more of what I would call "slums". Imagine, looking out each day onto an ancient palace! Not much remained - cubbyholes that may have been towers, where homeless people had moved in. Remnants of their meals and alcohol binges. Two men drinking near the other side of the wall.

The Blue Mosque is the first place we saw in Turkey. With its huge dome and many minarets, it is hard to miss. There are benches in front of it, and at night, people gather to see the light show.

Of course, you will probably be approached by many carpet touts as you sit here. Also, some say it is dangerous to linger here after the light show, that there have been muggings.

Dress Code and Expected Behaviour If you are going to enter the mosque, please cover your knees and elbows. If your clothing is inappropriate, you will be given a shawl. You will have to remove your shoes to enter the mosque.

Do not take pictures of people praying. You may take photographs inside the mosque, however. Do not shout or point inside the mosque. This is an active place of worship, after all. Light Show The light show begins every night at 9PM. Each night, the light show is done in a different language for the benefit of international tourism. All of this completely free! Any of the touts in this area will be happy to tell you what night the show will be broadcast in your native language. How we saw the Blue Mosque In the afternoon, we had met Abdullah, a carpet store tout, outside AyaSofya. We talked to him for a bit. He was so nice and offered to show us around Istanbul. It was prayer time at the Blue Mosque so he asked us to escape the heat in his rug store. He served us apple tea, and we chatted. Then the sales pitch came - he was just the person who gets us in - the manager starts laying out rugs. I thought Alli was tempted to buy a gorgeous rich red rug. She certainly egged them on to show her more and more rugs!

We said we'd be back in the morning with a final decision & Abdullah took us to the mosque. He showed us where the muslims wash their feet, and showed us how we had to remove our shoes. We didn't have to put on a headscarf because we were appropriately dressed already, but it wouldn't have bothered me. I carried a headscarf the entire time we were there, but never wore it because I was afraid I would do it wrong. We never once got to speak to a woman who may have been able to clear up the headscarf mystery. Anyway, Abdullah told us about the Imam that stands at the front of the church, and how the women are segregated from the men and pray in back. We learned about the orientation of the prayer rugs towards Mecca, and about the origin of the blue tiles. Then we left, gave a small contribution to the mosque, and went to the cisterns alone - bidding Abdullah goodbye.

Early in the morning, we walked to the Grand Bazaar. It was an intimidating maze of hallways, feeling indoors and out at once.

I do remember liking the old bazaar - where supposedly antiques are sold. It is quieter and the wares are more interesting. However, no matter where you are in the bazaar, you cannot stop for even a moment to browse without being pelted with sales maneouvering. Really - you can't even look at something for a second. So shopping was difficult. We ended up at one place, drinking apple tea as Alli bargained for a tea set and I bought a lamp. We both overpaid significantly, and I actually got cheated. We were asked to go out later that evening for dinner, and I was kissed on the hand as I left while Alli was kissed on the cheek! Eek!

So, later I found out that he gave me the wrong change, knowing I would confuse the 100,000L note with the 1,000,000L note. That wiped out all my bargaining. And then he packed my purchases away out of my sight and forgot to include the "extra" hook he had thrown in. At this rate, I didn't ever want to dare bargain again.

The coolest part of the market is at the center, an antique section. Careful exploring around here - it's so easy to get lost. We found an exit, right into an old book bazaar and near Beyazit Square.

The bazaar's elaborate entrance is hard to miss, and when you see it, you know you have truly entered the world of Arabian Nights.

The Divan Yolu, also the old Road to Rome, is the main street through Old Istanbul. It travels from the Sultanahmet, past Constantine's burnt column, to the Grand Bazaar. It ends at Beyazit Square, home of Beyazit Mosque and the university. Along the way, you pass a mosque with a tiny cemetary, an artist's collective, and the delightful tourist restaurant Cenet.

In Sultanahmet, this road contains many restaurants, money-changers, and convenience stores.

Continuing on, there is a small inlet on the right side of the street. If you enter this area, it is actually an artisan school and we were told a good place to buy rugs. Soon after, you can enter the cemetary of a mosque. The unique tombstones are carved into different types of headwear, indicating the status of the dead person. Women's graves are typically decorated with floral designs. A wreath of red roses lay across the white marble of a tomb. Also, large tombs of sultans and their wives are located in this cemetary, and they have visiting hours.

Cenet is located about halfway to the Grand Bazaar. It is a good place to stop and eat. See my restaurant review elsewhere in this journal.

You also pass some Turkish baths. I did not partake, but apparently the baths and massages are quite fun!

The Burnt Column is an interesting site. It is located in a small square and hardly anyone takes any notice of it. This obelisk was erected in 330AD in honor of Constantine. It was burnt and damaged over the years and now is in a very sorry shape.

Soon after, one entrance to the Grand Bazaar opens up on the right. It's pretty hard to miss, with all the vendors out front and the gold lettering across the entrance.

At Beyazit Square, our little walking tour ends. You can visit Beyazit Mosque or check out the bookseller's market nearby. There are pidgeons all over the square, reminding one of London.

From here, you can also go around (not through) the university and visit Suleymaniye Mosque. This mosque was very peaceful when we visited, with well-kept and expansive grounds.

The road changes names, but technically you could walk all the way to Rome!

Everyone who has gone to Istanbul has probably encountered Regip.

At the end of the day, after seeing all the sites, we were stopped by some Americans outside the Blue Mosque. One of whom was a carpet-seller - Regip. The other, we find out from our hotel, is a backpacker posing as a carpet importer from the US. This backpacker would get a free room in the Regip-owned Sultan Hostel. He looked like Moby. Their method of carpet-selling was to give you a carpet lesson so that you don't get gypped by anyone else.

After a short discussion, They take you back to a store with no name [because he doesn't want to pay for a business license.] and then says, "Well, normally I don't sell to tourists, no offense, but tourists are a pain in the butt, I sell direct to design firms, but....because you are my friend now, I will show you some of my rugs...." Avoid Regip at all costs unless you are a strong-willed person.

Alli ended up rolling on the floor on a rug at Regip's insistance. I was completely taken in, enjoying hearing about the travels of the "rug importer" and Regip's witty repartee. I told Alli that I would do anything to help her get the rug of her dreams, that it is the least I could do to help her out. She plays along and said she had to go back to the hotel to check her checkbook balance. Stupidly, I tell her I'll wait here and keep hanging out with these folks. She practically has to drag me out and Regip sends us in a car, only a few blocks to our hotel. Up in the room, she revealed to me that it was a known scam and that I was falling for every line of it. Then she walks downstairs and tells Regip's driver that she doesn't have the money and she's not interested.

But the Regip story isn't over yet. The next day, we heard Alli's name being called and there is Regip. He wants to offer her the rug for half the price, practically begging her to take it. During this conversation, his price drops from $900 to $600 before we walk away.

This is the first time we got cheated in this way. We gave a 20,000,000 note for a 6,000,000 cab ride. He takes it, asks "Where are you from?" to distract us, and then shows us a 250,000 note, shaking it as if we gave him the wrong amount. I assume we have, since the money is confusing and Alli hands over another 20,000,000. For this, he gives us change. This happened twice in a single day, same trick. We figured it out when we realized most of our money had disappeared - we had spent 80,000,000 on cab rides that should have cost 12,000,000.

After seeing Chora, we catch another cab to go to Yedikule Fortress. He doesn't speak English - at least to us, but pulls a local over to figure out where we want to go. We want to go to Yedikule Fortress or the Church of St. John the Studius (oldest church in Istanbul, only walls remain). The guy says they are closed now and keeps repeating the word "kontrol." We end up back at the Hagia Sophia, less much more money.

When we figure out their scheme, Alli and I report it to our hotel. They take us to the taxi stand where they tell us it's the Hagia Sophia drivers who like to cheat. We find our taxi driver from the morning over at the Hagia Sophia. We say that we lost our camera lens in his car and may we look inside. The idiot shows us his car, and I memorize the license plate. We take this information promptly to the tourist police. They say "We'll look into it and bring your money to your hotel tonight - will you be there?" and they get me to write down the information! Then they tell us to get going. I want to watch but the idea seems to make Alli queasy and she makes us hurry along.

Bad idea. Turns out the tourist police are in league with that group of taxi drivers - we learn this from the original taxi stand. They say we'll never get our money unless we get our hotel guy to call. He says he will but it won't mean anything - others have been cheated for so much more - one couple paid 60 million to go to Taksim Square (an 11 million ride at most). We rest in our room and then go back down to go *somewhere* - we think possibly to walk around Gulhane Park, find the Goth's Column - which I thought would be a good photo op.

The taxi driver in question is waiting outside and rushes in when he sees us. In a flurry of Turkish, our hotel deskman and the taxi driver argue. The end result was that it was our word against his, and he claims it was nothing. Alli refuses to shake his hand after saying she just doesn't care about the money. This causes the man to throw an adult-sized tantrum, ripping up small bills and leaving them on the floor. He rushes out - Alli & our hotel guy chase after him! They get him back in, negotation is had, he washes his hands, he shakes Alli's hands, and our hotel is taping his money back together for him.