Ten days in Turkey - Part 9

The Bosphorus, Spice Bazaar and Hamam

Every great city has a river. In Istanbul, it is the Bosphorus, Bogaziçi to the Istanbullus. No visit is complete without a boat ride up and down the Bosphorus. We boarded a cruise boat at the Eminönü docks, paying 5 YTL per person for a two-hour cruise. It was a two-level boat that could easily accommodate about 300 people. As the boat leaves the dock one sees fantastic views of the city skyline dominated by architectural delights on the various hills that are part of Istanbul. There is the Yeni Camii next to the docks, the Suleimaniye Camii, the Galata Tower, the Topkapi Palace and various other mosques.

Travelling up the Bosphorus from the Golden Horn towards the Black Sea, the Asian part of Istanbul is on the right shore and the European part on the left shore. From the panoramic views, one cannot help notice the European bank to be dominated with the most important historical monuments of Istanbul. The Asian bank appears largely residential with Ottoman houses dominating the hills and fancy (and very expensive villas) along the river. Orhan Pamuk’s description of the Bosphorus in his “Istanbul: Memories of a City” comes alive. The Bosphorus yalis (Ottoman houses) Pamuk describes from his childhood are gone, but one can occasionally spot an odd one, half burnt, standing by itself, waiting to be torn down and replaced by an expensive villa.

A tower with smaller buildings around it stands in the water. This is the Kiz Kulesi also called Leander’s Tower. Originally built in 4th century BC and used by Greeks to regulate Bosphorus traffic, the tower was rebuilt by Sultan Mehmed II and then again in 1716 by the Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha. As the Ottomans consolidated their Empire the tower lost its defensive function and was used as a lighthouse. Legend has it that a fortuneteller predicted a princess to die of snakebite. The hapless girl was sent to this tower away from land to save her; the snake however made its way to the girl in a basket of fruits brought on by the locals. Historical records however reveal other uses for this tower.

The boat goes under the first bridge that connects the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. From here on, one building clearly dominates the Asian bank of the Bosphorus. This is the Çiragan Palace, now the Çiragan Hotel. This wooden palace of Fatima Sultan, wife of the Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha, was named Çiragan due to its night parties. Later it became a summer resort for the sultans. The main structure came up in the mid-19th century during the rule of Sultan Abdulaziz. This palace had a troubled history of imprisonments, rescue efforts and murders, but also served as a meeting place for the Ottoman Parliament. In 1910, at the time of the Turkish Revolution, the palace was burnt down to its bare walls and was reconstructed as a hotel in 1980.

As the boat approaches the second bridge across the Bosphorus, it starts turning back. The sun is low and colors the Bosphorus silver-grey. At this point the Rumeli Hisari (Rumelian or European Fortress) dominates the view. Sultan Mehmed II built this fortress in 1452 while preparing for the final assault on Constantinople. Built at the narrowest point on the Bosphorus, its purpose was to prevent the entry of Byzantine ships. With canons placed on the fortress walls, the channel was completely closed to the passage of ships. After the conquest of Constantinople, the fortress served no military purpose and has been used over the years as a prison and now as a museum.

Riding back, the European part of Istanbul that is on our right. At the suburb of Ortaköy the view is dominated by the small but beautiful Ortaköy Camii. Built by Sultan Abdulmecit in 1853, this mosque in Baroque style has wide and high windows to bring in the changing lights of the Bosphorus. The Istanbul skyline dominated by the hills and mosques comes in view again as we come to the end of a wonderful excursion over the Bosphorus. A trip to Istanbul is indeed incomplete without seeing the city views from this lovely channel connecting the Golden Horn to the Black Sea.

Across from the ferry docks in Eminönü stands the Yeni Camii (New Mosque). Only in Istanbul you have a 450-year old mosque called the New Mosque! Next to it is the Spice Bazaar. Good-natured shopkeepers recognized us as Indians and greet us with names of Indian movie stars. Indian movies are quite popular in Turkey and are dubbed in Turkish. I would really like to see how they dub Bollywood songs in Turkish. It was fun. We bought black olives, olive paste, and loads of lokum (Turkish delight), a form of gooey candy filled with nuts. This market is filled with interesting stuff such as tea in all flavours and “natural Turkish viagra”. Whether the stuff works is anyone’s guess.

After an early and lazy supper and on my son's insistence, we decided to visit a Turkish hamam. Public baths (or hamams) are an inseparable part of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture, many still in operation across this region. Unfortunately, many public baths, especially those in the West, have gained notoriety in this AIDS-sensitized world. We were told that Turkey is different and going to the hamam as a family is still a tradition here.

The Çemberlitas Hamam is Istanbul’s oldest and best. Based on a 16th century design of the master architect Sinan, this hamam has been in continuous operation for the last 145 years. It has separate sections for men and women, is pricey at 36 YTL per head for a 45-minute session, but comes highly recommended. We changed into wrapping cloth and were led into the public central room that was hot and humid. We lay there on the central marble slab and sweated for the next 20 minutes. The sinuses clear up and all the aches and pains disappear. The massage had not begun yet. A good natured and burly masseur started working and for the next 15 minutes it was pure bliss. The first part was a scrubbing with a coarse mitten that is meant to loosen the dirt and get rid of dead skin. This is followed by a soapy massage and a thorough wash down. Later we were wrapped in thick towels and asked to rest in our cubicle for the next 30 minutes. A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice to end the experience and you already feel like a new person for whom no challenge is too great.

For once, I was glad I listened to my son.

Ten days in Turkey - Part 8

Walking in Istanbul

We walked through the Sultanahmet and Beyazit districts to the Istanbul University campus. This took us through streets bustling with activity, shoppers and tourists alike. This area is a good example of how the ancient and the modern flourish next to each other in Istanbul.

We went past the Sebil (water kiosk) and Turbé (Tomb) of Sultan Mahmud II, a mid-19th century monument. The mausoleum has a plain, octagonal design, displaying the impact that western architecture had started making on Ottoman buildings. The tomb is noteworthy for its window railings that are elegant examples of iron embroidery.

Along the way are shops and craftsmen selling calligraphy on metal, pottery and tiles, as also enclosures where one could enjoy çay and nargillé (water pipe, hubble-bubble or huqqa). There are eating places of all kinds from McDonald’s to traditional Turkish fare such as Gözlemé and Baklava. We were to come back to the Gözlemé restaurant for an interesting meal the following day.

We went past the Çemberlitas Hamam, walked along the outer perimeter of the Grand Bazaar to finally land up in a large open plaza, the Beyazit Square, with the Istanbul University Gate on one side and the Beyazit Mosque on the other, both imposing structures in their own right.

Entered through an impressive gate done in Imperial style are the large gardens and buildings that make up the main campus of Istanbul University. Completed in 1866 during the reign of Sultan Abdulaziz, the main building originally housed the Ministry of War. This was the first building in Istanbul built in the Beaux Arts style with a central courtyard covered with a glass ceiling. In 1924 this building was given over to Darülfünun (House of Sciences) and in 1933 it became Istanbul University. Within the gardens stands the Beyazit Tower built in 1828 during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II as a watchtower for fires. Today, in addition to that, this 85 metre high tower is also used to collect meteorological data.

The Beyazit mosque was built in 1501-1505 on orders of Sultan Bayezid II, who succeeded Sultan Mehmet II to the throne in 1481. Known for his piety and administration, he provided stability to the Ottoman Empire and a platform for subsequent rulers to patronize arts and architecture. The Beyazit mosque is in a complex that also includes a public kitchen, a primary school, hospice, a medresse, a hamam and a caravanserai. The design is similar to other Ottoman mosques of that period, with a prominent sadirvan (ablution foundation) in the middle of a large courtyard. Stonework, woodwork and stained glasses inside this mosque are of high artistic value. On the Kiblah (direction of Mecca) side of the mosque are the tombs of Sultan Bayezid II and his daughter.

The Sahaflar Çarsisi (Book market) stands adjacent to the Beyazit mosque. Entered through an arched stone doorway, the market is a collection of shops around a small park with chinar trees and a bust on a pedestal (I forget who this is). All kinds of books are available in this market, from antique Persian texts to the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Windows. Many shops sell Turkish miniatures, mostly at exorbitant prices claiming these to be originals. I wonder how so many originals could have survived over the centuries. We bought a book on Turkish cooking, hoping to occasionally relive the tastes of Turkey.

I learnt later this was also a good place to shop for Istanbul classics such as Melling’s watercolors of Bosphorus views and the writings of Tapinar and Yahya Kemal on life in mid-20th century Istanbul. Thats for another day.

From the Book market we entered the Grand Bazaar or the Kapaliçarsi. Built originally by Sultan Mehmet II in 1461 and then rebuilt after being completely destroyed in the 1894 earthquake, this is an Istanbul landmark. The covered bazaar is spread over 30 hectares and consists of 61 streets and three main sections. It houses dealers in antiques, carpets, garments, leather, etc with each street dedicated to one profession.

Just walking through the Grand Bazaar is quite an experience. Bargain your heart out and you will land a good deal.