*View from the Bosporus waterway and old town to the newer part of Istanbul*

Between Athens and the Greek Isles, we crossed over to Türkiye for a brief stop. Istanbul is such an exciting place that we were glad to return after having visited over ten years earlier. Our hotel’s location was ideal: just inside the historic city wall, but close to a ring road connecting the old (Sultanahmet) district and new (Karaköy, Beyoğlu, etc) districts, and having a roof top restaurant with stunning views of the Bosporus Strait, the waterway forming a continental boundary between Europe and Asia.

*Rooftop restaurant at our hotel overlooking the Bosporus Strait*

The hotel carried a touch of nostalgia as well, hosting weekly Tango evenings in their conference room, where people dressed up and danced and swirled reminiscent of a bygone era. We also enjoyed the bustling activity on the Bosporus, a waterway teeming with yachts, freighters, ships, little boats, and, unfortunately, big cruise ships.

We revisited what, in my memory, excited me most about Istanbul, and it surely was the highlight of our stay: the Basilica Cistern. Hidden beneath the old city, this enormous 1,500 year old underground water reservoir survived despite centuries of earthquakes and was breathtakingly restored in 1985. It is magnificent and huge with 336 ornately decorated marble columns supporting a vaulted roof evoking in me a similar sensation to when I visited the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba in Spain several years ago.

With our friends, we explored the iconic landmarks of Istanbul: the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar. In my memory, the covered bazaar had narrow passages lined with similar shops grouped by specialty. However, today, the shops are more intermingled, with fewer truly interesting and specialized stores, more touristy in a way, primarily featuring jewelry shops, ceramic ware, and fabrics. Nothing tempted me to give up highly coveted space in my carry-on bag though.

*One of the many passageways of shops inside the Grand Bazaar, which is now more hi-tech and touristy than I remember*

*Inside the Hagia Sophia, women must again cover their heads as it has been converted back into a Mosque in 2020*

When we last visited the Hagia Sophia, it functioned as a museum, and therefore we were able to explore every nook and cranny of it. Nowadays, it has been converted back into a mosque, so visitors are restricted to the second floor chambers, while the ground floor, now sprawling with carpets, is reserved for prayer.

Built initially by the Roman Empire as a church in the 5th century, it stood as the epitome of Byzantine architecture until 1453. After the fall of Constantinople, it served as a mosque, with its minarets added soon afterward.

*A street vendor just selling strings of garlic bulbs*

Turkish cuisine is quite different from what we’re accustomed to, yet very delicious. We indulged in popular dishes like souvlaki (grilled marinated meat seasoned with lemon, garlic, and oregano on a skewer), döner kebap (meat rotating on a vertical stick, also known as gyros in Greece), and the sweet baklava (a pastry made from phyllo dough, filled with a pistachio or walnut paste, and drenched in honey).

*One of the food stops offered wine and Turkish coffee pairing which was surprisingly our favorite stop of the tour*

We joined another food tour in the Karaköy district on the Asian side of Istanbul to learn a bit more of the daily Turkish food culture and habits. This offered a glimpse into the diverse culinary landscape of Türkiye, a vast country with numerous regions, each with its own unique people and traditions.

For instance, the Black Sea coast on the north favors a seafood-centric cuisine, while the mountainous eastern region and southern areas are known for their lamb dishes. To the west, along the sea, the healthy Mediterranean diet prevails, emphasizing a variety of fruits, vegetables, and olive oil in daily meals.

Also, on the Black Sea coast, breakfast staples are abundant, featuring corn-based dishes like the delectable Muhlama (melted cheese with crunchy corn flour), Menemem (omelet with very small cut tomatoes, peppers and cheese) and Böregi (anything made with phyllo).

*A wall decorated with Iznik tiles in the entrance of another mosque in the old town*

One afternoon, we visited the Çinili Hamam, an enjoyable experience where males and females segregated to their own spaces: getting soaped in with clouds of soapy foam – very relaxing and fun.

*Relaxing area before and after the Haman Foam Bath - tastefully renovated*

Istanbul, with its unique and captivating city skyline, is an ideal destination for Urban Sketching.

We sat on the shaded rooftop of our hotel with a great view of the Blue Mosque, a complex building with lots of extra domes attached to it. Its six minarets, a distinctive feature, signify its construction by a sultan. In contrast, a building with four or fewer minarets is typically built privately, or so I have been told.

Later, after having drawn this one famous mosque, we were able to identify all the additions of other mosques and compare the differences, as our sketching taught us to observe the details. All those secondary domes are necessary to stabilize the huge Qubba (central dome) of the mosque - so interesting!

Our time in Istanbul flew by, and we’re all eager to return and explore more of this amazing country. Centuries of history and culture in Türkiye offer so much more to discover.

Istanbul

Enchanting Austria

Greece

Pacific Peregrination