East meets West in Istanbul

***image2***The third largest city in the world straddles the continents of Asia and Europe, connecting the East to the West. It was once called Byzantium and later Constantinople; today it is called Istanbul.

The Turkish city is inhabited by 12 million people and more than 1,200 mosques. As you walk off the plane, you are quickly reminded of the large Muslim population in Istanbul as more women are wrapped in scarves than those that are not.  

The city’s splendor of history, culture and food will fill your agenda quickly.

You can’t walk far in the city without running into a mosque. Two mosques you must see while visiting the city are the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. The Blue Mosque, which is properly named the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, dates back to 1616. It was nicknamed the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.  The Hagia Sophia, unlike the Blue Mosque, was built as a church in 537 and was later transformed into a mosque in the mid-15th century with the addition of minarets. Female tourists will be asked to cover up their arms and legs with a scarf which they issue with your entry and everyone must take off their shoes before entering the carpeted mosques. 

Some of the oldest history in Istanbul dates back to times before Christ at the Istanbul Archeological Museum. The three buildings that make up the museum are full of ancient porcelain, marble carvings and a substantial collection of sarcophaguses. The most famous sarcophagus on display is one historians believe was built and used for Alexander the Great. 

More fascinating tours of the past can be seen at the Topkapi Palace located on the Sea of Marmara. This maze of buildings was the focal point during the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. The palace has impressive harem quarters that gives visitors an idea of how the polygamous lives of sultans were lived.

A more modern palace dating back to the 19th century, the Beylerbeyi Palace, is located on the Asia shore of Bosphorus in Istanbul.  It was Sultan Abdulaziz’s summer residence. The impressive gardens lead to a massive palace that contains 26 rooms and six great halls. The most impressive room is a colossal reception room with a two-ton chandelier that dangles from the ceiling.

Once you have seen the museums and palaces, it is time to shop at the Egyptian Spice Market and world-famous Turkish Grand Bazaar.

The spice market has common spices that are used in everyday cooking, as well as hundreds of foreign spices used by cultures in the Far East. The 86 shops display more than spices; there are also herbalists and tourist shops.

The largest and most well-known shopping area for tourists and locals alike is the Turkish Grand Bazaar located in the middle of Istanbul. The bustling market is open seven days a week and covers 61 streets with more than 3,000 shops.  There are more than 40 entrances to the bazaar, so remember where you entered. While in the bazaar, you can find anything from Turkish carpets, light globes, gold jewelry, hand-made scarves and other goods. There is also a slew of Turkish eye jewelry sold, which is believed to keep away evil spirits. 

After you have shopped for the perfect living room carpet, you can get a bird’s eye view of Istanbul from the Galata Tower, also called Christea Turris (Tower of Christ). The tower is one of the city’s most striking landmarks and dates back to 528. It was originally built by a Byzantine emperor as a lighthouse. You can take an elevator to the top of the nine-story tower for amazing photos of the city.

***image1***And while you are strolling around the city streets, you will find an array of fabulous food. The famous shish kabobs are stocked in several restaurants, giving you a choice of chicken, beef or lamb. You will always be offered Turkish Tea after every meal, which is a sweet, mellow tea worth trying. You will also see several Turks playing backgammon at restaurants and bars as they sip their tea or beverage. The game dates back to ancient times and is available to guests of an establishment if you ask for a board, which comes free of charge.

From the heights of the Galata Tower and throughout city streets, it is evident that the East does meet the West in Istanbul.