Istanbul

Istanbul, ne Constantinople, ne Byzantium, a city of 17 million along both shores of the bosphorus, and my destination for winter vacation this year. These pictures are a bit haphazardly organized, but hopefully convey my new found love for the legendary Ottoman capital.

The view form the Galata bridge. In the foreground are floating restaurants that serve fried fish on a bun.

Another, less ostentaious fish seller working out of his boat, at the harbor in Ishikoy.

Minarets outfitted with cell phone relays. Maintaining aesthetics and culture vs. modernizatoin and cost saving, common sense design...

High up on the list of things to love about Istanbul, and there are many, is fresh squeezed juice stands everywhere. $1 for a glass of fresh pomegranate juice might be the best deal ever, anywhere.

Cay (Chai) is served everywhere, all the time. On the street, on the ferry, in the restaurants, at home, etc. always in this distinctive stubby flute. Always glass, always a little porcelin service plate with a sugar cube, and metal spoon; no disposable plastic ever. Very classy.

A special butcher shop that doesn't sell meat, just everything else.

Ece's mom (Ane-cim) and myself had a very warm relationship. She makes some of the most incredible food I've ever had. And I won her backgammon board. Teşekkürler Ane!

Ece was a fantastic host for this trip, so introducing her to the genius of Frank Herbert's Dune was the least I could to to repay her.

These girls mistook Matt for someone famous (Joey Fatone?) and asked for a picture. The famous Blue Mosque is in the background.

Inside the Blue mosque.

The spread for New Year's Eve Dinner. A side note: Every single meal in turkey is served with bread, usually a loaf of fluffy, fresh white bread.

This is a view of the Beyolgu neighborhood from the Tokapi Palace, looking out across the Golden Horn. Our Apartment was right next to the Galata tower.

This was the view from the balcony of our apartment. Amazing. Thanks Jannan!

This is the Aya Sofia Mosque, and it is 1500 years old. It has one of the largest domes in the world, and was the biggest cathedral in the world for almost a thousand years. Minorly embarrassing that I was almost equally impressed by the scaffolding, which has apparently been up long enough to be considered part of the architecture. Wikipedia took a better picture than me:

Traffic in Istanbul was terrifying. Turkish drivers are completely unphased by lanes, blinkers, pedestrians, or other vehicles. Ece was an amazing driver, and I never got behind the wheel. Too bad I was unable to capture the bedlam of the roads with the camera, but it was a source of constant excitement. Woe to the cyclist who braves the streets of Istanbul, my hat is off to you (both of you... I saw two the whole trip.)

Matt-o and I enjoyed a lot of Efes beer, nargile (flavored tobacco through a hookah) and backgammon. Backgammon, much to my delight, is a great game it turns out. I've always dismissed it as a convenient throw in for those 5 in 1 game sets that everyone gets me for christmas, but there is actually a nice combination of luck and skill. It's perfect for conversation and passing time while people watching, and despite the chilly evenings the streets were still lined with tables. In the summer time, I think I would do little else.

The ever present fishermen of Galata bridge pull untold buckets of little silver fish from the Golden Horn.

This is Iskender kebab. It is beef kebab covered in a buttery sauce, served over rice with veggies and a kind of cheese. It's much better than it sounds, and though provides substantial calories it is the only meal you will require for the day.

Stray cats everywhere, and this local seemed baffled by my willingness to touch one. But it wasn't a stray cat, it was a stray kitten.

THIS is a stray cat. Living down by the water, patroling the fish market, and clearly an alpha bruiser. I did not pet him.

Another tough guy/gal getting theirs in Beyoglu. Side note: I can't believe I forgot to photograph the stray dogs of Beyolgu. We had two big fellows who lived in the square, lazing about and making rounds for territory and handouts. The Turks have a great system for strays, vaccinating them, tagging them, and them leaving them to their business. They never bother anyone, and are quite keen to be pet and scratched. I never did cause they were kind of gross, but locals showed lots of love. Also interesting was the absence of packs. It was nice to see such a low key approach (leave them alone and they will sort themselves out) work so successfully.

Going to the barber is something I always enjoy when visiting another country. It's a great way to experience a culture, as it is both active and passive. You just get to sit there and observe the daily goings on at the barber shop, which is almost universally guys shooting the shit. I got the full service treatment that include a wide variety of lotions, creams, and ablutions as well as a flaming wand that was slapped on the side of my head repeatedly to (presumably) remove the fine hair in and on my ears. I was reminded of a similar experience in India, but thankfully my Turkish experience did not include spinal adjustments:

Here is a video from the Galata bridge. One of my favorite things about Istanbul was the sound of the daily calls to prayer echoing around the city. It felt very exotic and special, but the citizens on the street almost didn't hear it, because of course it's just a normal part of the auditory landscape. Still, I was struck each time I heard them, and I stood listening as the city went about it's business.