Incredible Istanbul

By Liang Chen Source:Global Times Published: 2014-10-31 5:03:03

A trip to the most spiritual city in Turkey


A view from a window in the Hagia Sofia Photo: Chen He/GT

View of Istanbul from the Bosporus Photo: Chen He/GT

Traditional Turkish desserts Photo: Liang Chen/GT

This week's destination

I can give you thousands of reasons to visit Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey.

The most recent being that Istanbul took the top spot on TripAdvisor's world destinations list this year, based on opinions and remarks made after visitors visited the city.

No other city is quite as amazing as Istanbul, as it is the only city in the world that spans two continents.

Istanbul is more than romantic. A transcontinental city, Istanbul straddles the Bosporus, a strait in northwestern Turkey between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.

My trip to Istanbul was special for many reasons, not least of which because it really was a dream come true.

I had dreamt of visiting the city for about 14 years.

Back then, Taiwanese pop singer Jay Chou had just released his first album and one of the more well-received songs was named "Istanbul", about a heart-broken girl seeking for spiritual healing in the city after breaking-up with her friend. The song's sorrowful and melodious music made a huge impression on me. That was the first time I had heard about the city and the image of a fairy tale-like city would linger on in my memory for years to come.

I knew I'd visit the city someday, but I had no idea it would take so long.

Refreshing spirit

I started my journey at the end of September, a good time to visit the city. According to Lonely Planet, the best season to visit is from April to October, when the climate is amiable, especially in coastal cities.

I didn't do much research before going. As they say "the best sightseeing is always on the road," so when I travel I always like to visit places without doing much preparation so I can look forward to all kinds of surprises.

Istanbul can be anything, surprising people with all its aspects. The city is definitely a hybrid of the past, the modern and the future.

Dozens of grand and elaborately decorated mosques with towering minarets dominate the skyline. Doves fly by the domes and minarets, bringing the century-old mosques to life.

The city is unique and austere, laden with history, as it might be the only city named after a world-famous mosque, the Yeni Cami, built around 400 years ago as "The New Mosque."

The city never forgets to remind you of its religious history. With over 90 percent of Turkey's total population Muslim, the ancient ritual of morning prayer never stopped once during my visit. At around 6 am everyday, a deep, solemn voice chanting the Koran descended from the minarets into the dreams of the people, awakening Muslims to come pray.

When I was woken by the chanting voice the first time, it felt like I had been grabbed from my dream by some spiritual hand. It was like the refresher of spirit and something empty in my chest was filled.

Despite its religious traditions, I didn't feel any tension as an outsider. Before I went there, I had presumed that I would run into huge crowds of women wearing burkas and would drown in an ocean of black, but it was actually quite the opposite. Most of the women in Istanbul were dressed in the latest fashions and seemed to be made up with different colored heavy make-up. Everyone seemed to have scarves, with some wearing scarves with the logos of world-famous brands, such as LV, Hermes and others.

A journey through  time

Istanbul certainly felt exotic. From the moment I stepped out of the airport, I was captured by its characteristic Islamic culture.

The taxi driver who came to pick me up was such a committed Muslim that he counted beads with his right hand all the way. Despite the language barrier, the silver-haired driver welcomed me in such a respectful manner that I naturally attributed it to his religion.

It was drizzling when I arrived. The taxi driver turned on the radio and Arabian music blended with the odor of autumn and darkness. I almost fell asleep.

Driving not too far, my half-closed eyes were refreshed by the shimmering sea in the bright moonlight.

This is not the first time I was impressed by the sea of Istanbul. Before our airplane landed, I looked covetously down via the window, hoping to see its beauty from the perspective of God.

It was amazing. At the end of vast open water, a city palace welcomed me with starry-like neon lights that shone and decorated every corner. It was so warm and beautiful, like a lighthouse that shows sailors the way back home. The sea was dark while the land was bright. I almost cried out when I saw the city from the airplane. The unique warm temperament of Istanbul captured me at first sight.

The sea was like a magnet, drawing countless visitors to its top attractions. The Bosporus, the huge strait that connects the Black sea and the Sea of Marmara, straddling along the city, has acted as the inspiration of a number of world-famous names, Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, among them. Born in Istanbul and living in the city for most of his life, Pamuk once said that "life can't be all that bad...whatever happens, I can always take a long walk along the Bosporus."

Driving along the coastal way, you can barely see any tall buildings blocking your view of the sea. As the centuries-old remains of the city wall jumped into my field of vision, for a moment, I felt like I was intruding into an ancient Istanbul. The city wall, stretching seven kilometers from the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn Bay, was built in the 5th century during the reign of Theodosis II and has been repaired many times since then. Currently, only a part of the walls remain due to the passage of time. It has been listed on the UNESCO conservation list.

A city that never sleeps

After a half-an-hour-drive, I arrived at a hotel located in the Sultanahmet District, the old district where most travelers choose to stay because of its convenient location near many of the city's famous scenic spots.

Staying in the old district, the most-famous tourist attractions, such as the Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand bazaar were within a few minutes' walk.

The best way to explore Istanbul is to stroll within the old district following the recommendations or route plans provided by Lonely Planet. You can take a half-day tour walking up and down along the alleys of the old district to take a closer look at ordinary life in Istanbul.

Some of the most amazing sites I saw in Istanbul were mosques.

The Hagia Sofia has distinguished itself from other mosques, as it has the unique status of being one of the few buildings in the city to have served as a church, a mosque and a museum during its nearly 1,500-year history. The Hagia Sofia is a symbol of the fusion and collision of different histories, cultures and religious beliefs. It originally served as a cathedral when Istanbul was Constantinople in the 6th century, then became a mosque after Sultan Muhammad ruled the country. Currently it is now a museum.

The building represents the highest accomplishments of Islamic architecture. "Hagia Sophia's dimensions are formidable for any structure not built of steel," writes Helen Gardner and Fred Kleiner in their book Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History.

A few minutes' walk from the Hagia Sofia is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque for its blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. It constantly attracts visitors with its splendid tiled artworks and paintings. Make sure that you arrange your visit to avoid prayer time, as the blue mosque is emptied during this period.

After visiting these famous scenic spots for a few hours, you can relax by walking to the harbor near the Galata Bridge. You can take a walk on the Galata bridge, have a chat with the fishermen there, buy and try a fish-sandwich (balık-ekmek) from the fish-sandwich cart by the bridge, or walk North to a local fish market to buy some fresh fish.

I also highly recommend you board a yacht and take a 90-minute boat tour along the Bosporus. For around 10 Turkish Lira ($4.50), you can get an overall picture of the city in a fast and wonderful way. I was inundated with picturesque scenery, fancy ancient buildings with decorations and carvings and the distinguishing line that separates the city's Asian and European districts.

Life is never boring in Istanbul, as it is a city that never sleeps. Hundreds of bars, restaurants and shops were open until late at night. When I found a fancy fish and meat restaurant at around 1 am to celebrate my first night in the city, I saw a wedding banquet had just started, with guests and the bride dancing cheerfully to ancient musical instruments. The fan-shaped food plaza, surrounding a Roman-style fountain, was packed with diners until midnight. Whispers, laughter and the cries of peddlers mixed into a symphony keeping me awake until morning shone bright.

Rules of thumb

Getting there: There are direct flights to Istanbul from Beijing. It takes about 10 hours to reach Istanbul.

Where to stay: The Ciwan Hotel in the Sultanahmet has very friendly staff who speak very good English. This hotel is about a 10-minute walk to the main tourist attractions of Istanbul.

What to wear: The temperature can drop quite a bit when it rains and it can get cold even in the daytime. Remember to bring along a down jacket.



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