By Adrian Rorvik
Istanbul - Destination Istanbul, not Gotham City or Metropolis. If you’ve seen the Turkish Airlines adverts you will know what I'm talking about.
And I had to chuckle as I buckled up for takeoff, having read that people have actually tried to book flights to those fictional cities.
Three days in Istanbul – enough but never enough. Enough to now know why a frequent traveller friend makes Istanbul her first stop on any European trip. Never enough to properly explore this ancient, exciting city – though we gave it a good go.
Leaving the old part of the city and the mosques, we set off on a cruise heading out of the Golden Horn into the Bosphorus straits – a 31km-long waterway that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and separates Europe and Asia and the two halves of hilly Istanbul – the only naturally occurring transcontinental city in the world.
Judas trees (Cercis siliquastrum, the tree from which Judas Iscariot is reputed to have hanged himself) were in deep pink bloom, the humidity replaced by cool air on the water. Beautiful. Gliding past palaces, fortresses, hotels and homes costing as much as $160-million, with either a guide or the boat’s public address system (in Turkish and English) filling you in as you go, a cup of dark Turkish tea or coffee.
Old and new sit cheek by jowl, history and progress. Founded as Byzantium around 660 BC, the city became one of the most significant in history. Re-established as Constantinople in 330 AD, it served as an imperial capital for almost 16 centuries, during the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires.
It’s seductive – and there’s something about the people. Maybe it’s to do with their unique geographical location, the age of their culture and its many influences. Whatever the case, they possess a certain laissez-faire. I see it in the busy traffic of this city of more than 15 million people where, they generally go with the flow.
People are self-assured, comfortable in their own skins. This is a city noted for its good nature and supreme salesmanship.
You are constantly taken for a ride that is so utterly charming that you almost offer to pay the fare. Enjoy it, budget for it, don’t fight it – and buy the carpet (if you can afford it), no matter what anyone says. They’re the best, and couriered to your door at no extra cost.
You’ll need a will of steel not to succumb to such slick deals and quality craftsmanship. We did the carpet thing, the leather thing, complete with private fashion show and jackets to die for.
A group tour is the fastest way to get into a site or museum. You will also get a lot more information as the social history – the scandal, the intrigue and the individual stories – is absent from Turkish attractions and brochures.
Our stay and sightseeing was co-ordinated by Renk Travel and the full day tours, including lunch, for E70, are very jacked and cheaper than an airport transfer. The public transport system is tops, with trams, subways and buses if you feel confident with a map and an app and asking for directions.
The unsuspecting may get fleeced by metered cabs taking roundabout routes, so perhaps try Uber.
Sunday Tribune