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re: Has anyone been to Istanbul?
Posted on 5/24/16 at 11:01 pm to jmarto1
Posted on 5/24/16 at 11:01 pm to jmarto1
Wear your Make America Great Again hat. 
No, I'd love to go there and the muzz scares me... but that's what the terrorists want, right? Go live your life and do what you want to do. frick them.
No, I'd love to go there and the muzz scares me... but that's what the terrorists want, right? Go live your life and do what you want to do. frick them.
2
Posted on 5/25/16 at 1:37 am to jmarto1
I was there in 2009. The glory days
Posted on 5/25/16 at 1:42 am to OldHickory
quote:
No, I'd love to go there and the muzz scares me... but that's what the terrorists want, right? Go live your life and do what you want to do. frick them.
I agree with this sentiment, however, any time some thing goes down I think to myself, "some poor bastard gave himself that live your life pep talk and just got bombed to bits, what shitty luck."
Posted on 5/25/16 at 6:23 am to OldHickory
quote:
No, I'd love to go there and the muzz scares me... but that's what the terrorists want, right? Go live your life and do what you want to do. frick them.
I agree kinda, but there are plenty other awesome places and great experiences where this isn't an issue so it's not like they are preventing anyone from being fulfilled.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 8:31 am to jmarto1
quote:
How is the language barrier there?
I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who spoke great English, you shouldn't have a problem. (We also took the time to lean some basic Turkish words/phrases like, hello, goodbye, thank you, etc.)
Posted on 5/25/16 at 8:34 am to foreverLSU
Basic phrases is a must. Google translate should help me the rest of the way.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 7:00 pm to foreverLSU
quote:
I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who spoke great English, you shouldn't have a problem. (We also took the time to lean some basic Turkish words/phrases like, hello, goodbye, thank you, etc.)
I thought the opposite in some respects. Cabbies were quite low on the ability to speak English scale relative to other places I've been but if you are using Uber its not a problem. Which is also why Uber overseas is so awesome since you put in the destination on the map.
To combat the taxi dilemma, I had the hotel put specific instructions on a business card for us.
This post was edited on 5/25/16 at 7:02 pm
Posted on 5/25/16 at 7:37 pm to Teddy Ruxpin
What are the best areas to stay while avoiding as much of the scammers as possible?
Posted on 5/25/16 at 7:52 pm to jmarto1
Posted on 5/25/16 at 8:08 pm to lsunurse
Probably will be listening to the doors most of the way!
Posted on 5/25/16 at 9:18 pm to jmarto1
I posted this in a thread a while back about my experience there in September 2014.
quote:
My post on Istanbul from an old thread:
It's a fascinating place and without a doubt worth a visit. I was there for 6 days in September and that was perfect to see the main sites. With 9-10 days you could take some cool side trips that I was unable to take advantage of.
The city is HUGE... it never ends. I think it's something like the 5th largest city in the world. The good news is the main sites aren't too spread out and are easy to get to.
Lodging
Stay in Sultanahmet for at least half of your stay. This is the historical neighborhood in the old town. A lot of the big attractions will be within walking distance from here. You can also take light rail from the airport to the Sultanahmet stop to avoid traffic and save money. Across the Golden Horn is the newer part of the city. You may want to consider staying a few nights there to get more of a vibe of the modern city instead of the straight touristy area. This is also convenient to restaurants, nightlife, and shopping. Look around Taksim Square and Istiklal street. With that said, a taxi (taksi) ride from Sultanahmet to the new town is cheap and not too far. Also, wherever you stay, make sure it has a rooftop terrace. The views are incredible and it seemed like every restaurant, hostel, hotel, you name it, had a terrace.
Sites
- Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, St. Irene, Sultan Tombs, and Topkapi Palace. You can take care of these between 2 days. They're all in Sultanahmet near each other but some are closed on certain days/hours so plan around that. Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace will take up the most time. Audio guides are hit or miss (Basilica Cistern), but anything you can do to educate yourself before going makes visiting these spots much more impactful.
- Spice Market and Grand Bazaar. Also in old town, check these both out. Within walking distance from sites above. The Grand Bazaar is overwhelming. Took me an hour to find a way out of it. Absolutely insane.
- New Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque, other Mosques. Admittedly, some of these just start looking the same after a while, but the architecture really is spectacular. Make sure you have pants and sleeves on. Two mentioned are in old town.
- Galata Bridge walk from old town to new town. Check out all the old fishermen and fish restaurants down below.
- Churches/Christian Sites. If you are Christian or have any interest in Christian history, there is a ton of it in Istanbul. Aside from Hagia Sophia, the first large Christian cathedral (built 1500 years ago!), there are other churches that still remain, unconverted to Mosques and not torn down. Chora church is the most recommended. Also, take the short taxi ride to the Fener neighborhood to check out the Greek Orthodox patriarchate. In a way, it is the Orthodox equivalent to the Catholic's Vatican, as it is where the Patriarch is still seated even after the sacking of Constantinople 500 years ago and gradual population decrease of Christians to essentially zero now. Small church but it is beautiful on the inside.
Activities
- Whirling Dervishes. A religious dance ritual. Technically not an entertainment performance, but a few times a week there are venues around town holding the ceremony for tourists to watch. Mesmerizing. I did the one held at the Sirkeci Train Station. Old town near Spice Bazaar if I remember correctly.
- Bosphorus Boat Cruise. Awesome views. You can either do this on the cheap by taking a commuter ferry to the Asian side or through a boat tour company. Be sure to haggle if you go through an actual tour.
- Hamam/Turkish Bath. If you're the least bit adventurous and OK with submitting the control of your body to a large Turkish man... DO IT! My most memorable experience by far was this. You don't travel half way across the world to stay in your comfort zone. Cemberlitas is the one I went to.. not far from Sultanahmet.
Eating
- Sultanahmet is pretty much limited to overpriced places catered to tourists. Even with the tourist prices, a bunch of the restaurants around the Blue Mosque are still fine and offer great rooftop views. Definitely check out Doy Doy for a place with a more casual vibe, lower prices, and still fantastic views.
- Street food is abundant. And delicious. And cheap. Doner kebap. Watermelon, grilled corn, sesame pretzel looking things. Buy a fish sandwich from the colorful boat near Galata Bridge.
- Nevizade street is a small alley off of Istiklal street, which is the heart of the modern city. Tons of places to choose from. At the very least, walk down the alley one night. Plenty of bars in this area too.
Side Trips
- Princes' Islands. Perhaps my favorite day was a trip to the largest of these islands in the sea of marmara. Take the fast boat out there. It takes 45 minutes or so. Rent a bike (no automobiles) and explore. Hike to the top and check out the old Greek Orthodox chapel and amazing vista. Reward yourself with a beer and some mezzes. Bike to the back side of the island and hike down to a tucked away "beach". Relax. Maybe consider spending a night on one of the less busy islands if you're with a S/O.
- Other trips include Cappadocia, Ephesus, Troy... I'm sure there are others. We didn't have time to explore the rest of Turkey but with 9-10 days, you should explore beyond Istanbul
This post was edited on 5/25/16 at 9:19 pm
Posted on 5/25/16 at 9:30 pm to Tigerbait46
I'm looking at 9-10 days right now. Dong cappadocia and Troy area must for me.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 9:31 pm to LC412000
Posted on 5/26/16 at 8:04 am to Tigerbait46
Istanbul is pretty incredible. It comes across as a sort of madhouse if you’ve never been before, and it wasn’t until I read a book by a Turkish author that made me see sort of the method to the madness. It’s "A Strangeness in my Mind" by Orhan Pamuk. The story itself makes it worthwhile, but its all the better for how it sheds a light on how the people and the city function. Definitely worth reading if you have the time.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 10:00 am to Teddy Ruxpin
quote:
I thought the opposite in some respects. Cabbies were quite low on the ability to speak English scale relative to other places I've been but if you are using Uber its not a problem. Which is also why Uber overseas is so awesome since you put in the destination on the map.
To combat the taxi dilemma, I had the hotel put specific instructions on a business card for us.
Gotcha. We only took 1 cab during our 4 days there. Our to and from airport shuttle was provided by the hotel, and for everything else we either walked or took the subway/metro.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 1:34 pm to jmarto1
ahhh yes, constantinople prior to the muslim invaders.
ahhh yes in the dardenelles. great hsitory there.
lots of great history in asia minor prior to the invaders who wiped out christians.
hagia sophia was a beautiful byzantine greek orthodox church(post great schism) prior to the invaders.
quote:
Gallipoli
ahhh yes in the dardenelles. great hsitory there.
lots of great history in asia minor prior to the invaders who wiped out christians.
hagia sophia was a beautiful byzantine greek orthodox church(post great schism) prior to the invaders.
This post was edited on 5/26/16 at 1:47 pm
Posted on 5/26/16 at 1:48 pm to jmarto1
Istanbul is an awesome city. I went last Spring and stayed in old town near the haige sofia and sultenmeht mosque and grand bazzar (sp) and had an amazing time. You can get dirt cheap flights flying out of IAH with Turkish airlines. The food is great, check out the bath houses and get to konw some of the locals. Turkish people are very westernized and are fascinated with americans
Posted on 5/26/16 at 1:58 pm to jmarto1
quote:
What are the best areas to stay while avoiding as much of the scammers as possible?
I wouldn't have good advice on that. I planned my trip there like 48 hours before leaving from Rhodes. Guy that was with us was a part time bartender with Marriott in Massachusetts so he got us a cheap rate at the then new Courtyard Marriott next to Ataturk.
That hotel was nice, but it was unsettling when our cab pulled up, mirrors were used to check for bombs on the undercarriage, and our bags were sent through an airport scanner at the front door
This post was edited on 5/26/16 at 1:59 pm
Posted on 5/26/16 at 6:00 pm to Teddy Ruxpin
Thanks for all of the advice. Looks like. I will be booking once in confirm couple things on my international calling plan.
Posted on 5/28/16 at 11:41 am to jmarto1
Tigerbait 46's post has a lot of good info for you.
I have kind of a unique view on Istanbul bc of my background so perhaps this will be helpful. I've never really been to the city as a tourist, but I've been there 15 or so times, usually for 3 weeks at a time. Almost all of my family is there, and while I have been to the major touristic sites, it's usually not a huge part of my stay there.
Dolmabache and Topkapi are definitely worth a visit and are two great palaces/museums. A lot of the stuff in Abu Dhabi is done to compete with Dolmabache. The mosque in Abu Dhabi that looks a bit like the Taj Mahal (Sheikh Zayed Mosque) has the world's longest carpet and the world's largest chandelier. This was done pretty much so Dolmabache was no longer the top dog in the Middle East.
I speak the language fluently, so I don't have to worry about English, but I will say that the level of English isn't strong among the working class and anyone over the age of 50.
If you go to wealthy places like Nisantasi or Bebek, everyone will speak English, but if you are in other parts of the city, it's not a guarantee. On the other hand, I found English levels much higher in Greece. However, in general, Turkish people are very nice to tourists. It's because there is a chip on many of their shoulders about Turkey not being quite up to par with major European cities, so they want to impress foreigners.
I don't think there is much dislike of Americans or Westerners at all, unless you end up in some shithole like Yeni Bosna or a super religious part of town like Fatih. Actually, I would say it's the exact opposite. You will be treated well, but be aware of some potential ripoffs and being taken advantage of. Here is a good link showing a traditional scam run by Turks which is aimed at single, male Western tourists. LINK It works so well because there are actually many Turks who are truly intersted in having a drink or quick meal with a tourist and have innocent intentions, so it is tough to discern the fraudsters from the rest.
There is a curiosity towards tourists moreso than Paris, London, etc. I remember even 12-13 years ago there weren't that many tourists in town. This year tourism numbers are down bc of the terrorism, but it's still got way more tourists than the early 2000s.
Istiklal is much emptier these days, which is sad. The last few years it was crowded with so many people and was definitely worth seeing. I hope it makes a comeback.
The political situation is disappointing. The ruling party has made great improvements in infrastructure. The public transit is awesome and affordable. Use MarmaRay, MetroBus, and the new metro for traveling between the Kadikoy and the European side. It will eliminate all of the traffic issues and cost so much less than a cab. The economy remains strong and the construction industry is booming.
On the other hand, the party is highly autocratic and tries to do evertyhing possible to to squash dissent, limit freedom of speech, and silence critics. Many journalists are imprisoned, and rivals to Erdogan are ousted from power for minor disagreements.
This will have very little impact on a 10 day trip, of course, but it is worth knowing, especially if you interact with a college educated neo liberal Turkish person. They will likely express their frustrations at some point if you get into a serious discussion.
I think you can do Istanbul in 4-5 days. There is good stuff in the rest of the country, and I will go into some options in another post later today. I would suggest the Aegean coast for sure. One added benefit is that you can make a day trip to a Greek isle from one of the Aegean coastal towns. I have had great interactions with people in these small beach towns in Greece. Very nice and outgoing group of people. Also fairly affordable due to all of the financial issues in the country.
I have kind of a unique view on Istanbul bc of my background so perhaps this will be helpful. I've never really been to the city as a tourist, but I've been there 15 or so times, usually for 3 weeks at a time. Almost all of my family is there, and while I have been to the major touristic sites, it's usually not a huge part of my stay there.
Dolmabache and Topkapi are definitely worth a visit and are two great palaces/museums. A lot of the stuff in Abu Dhabi is done to compete with Dolmabache. The mosque in Abu Dhabi that looks a bit like the Taj Mahal (Sheikh Zayed Mosque) has the world's longest carpet and the world's largest chandelier. This was done pretty much so Dolmabache was no longer the top dog in the Middle East.
I speak the language fluently, so I don't have to worry about English, but I will say that the level of English isn't strong among the working class and anyone over the age of 50.
If you go to wealthy places like Nisantasi or Bebek, everyone will speak English, but if you are in other parts of the city, it's not a guarantee. On the other hand, I found English levels much higher in Greece. However, in general, Turkish people are very nice to tourists. It's because there is a chip on many of their shoulders about Turkey not being quite up to par with major European cities, so they want to impress foreigners.
I don't think there is much dislike of Americans or Westerners at all, unless you end up in some shithole like Yeni Bosna or a super religious part of town like Fatih. Actually, I would say it's the exact opposite. You will be treated well, but be aware of some potential ripoffs and being taken advantage of. Here is a good link showing a traditional scam run by Turks which is aimed at single, male Western tourists. LINK It works so well because there are actually many Turks who are truly intersted in having a drink or quick meal with a tourist and have innocent intentions, so it is tough to discern the fraudsters from the rest.
There is a curiosity towards tourists moreso than Paris, London, etc. I remember even 12-13 years ago there weren't that many tourists in town. This year tourism numbers are down bc of the terrorism, but it's still got way more tourists than the early 2000s.
Istiklal is much emptier these days, which is sad. The last few years it was crowded with so many people and was definitely worth seeing. I hope it makes a comeback.
The political situation is disappointing. The ruling party has made great improvements in infrastructure. The public transit is awesome and affordable. Use MarmaRay, MetroBus, and the new metro for traveling between the Kadikoy and the European side. It will eliminate all of the traffic issues and cost so much less than a cab. The economy remains strong and the construction industry is booming.
On the other hand, the party is highly autocratic and tries to do evertyhing possible to to squash dissent, limit freedom of speech, and silence critics. Many journalists are imprisoned, and rivals to Erdogan are ousted from power for minor disagreements.
This will have very little impact on a 10 day trip, of course, but it is worth knowing, especially if you interact with a college educated neo liberal Turkish person. They will likely express their frustrations at some point if you get into a serious discussion.
I think you can do Istanbul in 4-5 days. There is good stuff in the rest of the country, and I will go into some options in another post later today. I would suggest the Aegean coast for sure. One added benefit is that you can make a day trip to a Greek isle from one of the Aegean coastal towns. I have had great interactions with people in these small beach towns in Greece. Very nice and outgoing group of people. Also fairly affordable due to all of the financial issues in the country.
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