Return to Constantinople

Istanbul is just as exciting the second time around. I joined Laura for her last European jaunt along with two other friends, Jenny & Sarah, last weekend.

We arrived just in time to listen to the call to prayer from the rooftop terrace of our hotel on Friday night. And then went straight up to the action taking the tram and furnicular to bistro Soyfali 9 in Beyoglu for dinner and a couple of al fresco drinks. That's when I realised I'd packed badly. The chilly weather has already set in here but not so in Istanbul where it was still balmy at midnight!

View from the rooftop of the hotel

On Saturday I left the girls to sightsee while I joined an Istanbul Eats walking tour around the 'culinary backstreets of the old city'. It was a fantastic experience (see photos below), and I ate so much I was ready to fast for Ramadan, but I didn't.

Then came shopping in the Grand Bazaar. With 3 hours til closing Laura and I walked (at pace) through the alleys of carpets, gold & silver, ceramics and leather making it back to the hotel laden with goodies in time to see the sun set over the Bosphorus. Then it was back out to dinner in Beyoglu to join the buzzing atmosphere of the Istikal Caddesi and check out the view from the roof top bar, 360.

Bread street vendor

Breakfast! Kaymak (clotted cream) with honey, simit (sesame bread ring), bread, olives and turkish coffee

These guys carry tea to all the shop keepers in the bazaar

Outside the spice bazaar

Spices galore

Nuts and dried fruit

Kokorec - lamb intestine sandwich (at 10am!)

Through this door they've been serving red lentil soup for 20 years

Yum!

The turkish delight is made freshly upstairs. My favourite is infused with rose petals!

This turkish pide (pizza) was delicious

Stopping in an old caravanserai for a tea break

Tea and halva

Freshly made doner kebab layered with peppers

Fresh boza (sweet fermented grain drink) with roasted chickpeas and cinnamon 

18 year old vendor using his grandfather's cart

Street snack

An old man actually wearing a fez!

freshly squeezed pomegranate juice whenever and wherever you want it

The old... 

...and the new

Ay Cafe in the midst of the Grand Bazaar

Sunset over the Bosphorus

Saturday night on Istikal Caddesi

Sunday was a little more leisurely. I missed the Basilica Cistern last time I was in town so I was keen to get there on this visit. It's an impressive Byzantine subterranean water store. 

Basilica Cistern

From here we went to the hammam for a scrub down by friendly plump old turkish women in opulent ottoman marble surrounds. I've had this experience a few times now and it's still oddly delightful. It's a cross between a spa treatment and a return to childhood when your mother would bathe you.

Lunch was at a recommended restaurant where I got my authentic kebab fix. The girls had to leave for their flight afterwards but I stayed on for a few extra hours of exploring.

I went to the streets around the spice bazaar to pick up some bits and pieces including freshly made Turkish delight from a shop that has been a purveyor of the rose petal infused sweet since their ottoman decree by Topkapi Palace.

I saw the Suleymaniye and Rustem Pasa Mosques. I almost missed the entrance to the Rustem Pasa mosque as its just a dark doorway is hidden in between all the shop fronts on the bustling street. Sunday must be the local shopping day! I'm glad I didn't miss it because the tile decoration was lovely. I joined the locals for a much-needed pit stop for a glass of cay (cup of tea) afterwards. 

Laura and me 

Aya Sofya

Jenny and Sarah are excited by the fresh bread

Pistachio kebab

Mosque of Rustem Pasa

Mosque of Rustem Pasa and its gorgeous tiles

Suleymaniye Mosque

Suleymaniye Mosque - feet washing before prayers

Suleymaniye Mosque

Tea and shish time

At sunset, as scores of families and friends promenaded and picnicked along the banks of the Bosphorus, I dashed off to the airport and back to London.