The Music of Istiklal

On the weekends, something special happens: music fills Istanbul’s busiest street. Most Friday and Saturday evenings, there is a wonderful addition to the old street car that runs through the heart of Taksim, along the pedestrian street of Istiklal. Behind it, you will find a moving stage car with a group of musicians performing inside of it. Each night there is a different band playing a different type of music. I have heard everything from salsa to blues to rock and roll. As the old street car moves down Istanbul’s busiest street, the musicians play. Catching a short performance is always the highlight to my evening.

Read more about the Tramway here.

Van Kahvalti Evi: The Best Breakfast Place in Cihangir

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As you may know, Cihangir is home to many cozy, charming and lively cafes that offer wonderful breakfasts. One of my favorite weekend activities is a breakfast date in Cihangir. As a result, over the past year I have written rave reviews about several different breakfast places in Cihangir. But, if you only have one morning in Cihangir, you must go to Van Kahvalti Evi.

This place is the star of the Cihangir breakfast scene. There are lines of young hipsters and expats along the sidewalk, awaiting a coveted seat in this bustling cafe. The staff runs around delivering one glass of tea after another  and work harder than any other wait staff I have ever seen. Several minutes after you place your order, numerous small plates cover the table. Unfamiliar delicacies await you. They include a ground walnut paste with honey, a hearty mixture of wheat and egg and the best tahini you wil ever sample. Additionally, a wide variety of incredibly fresh cheeses, the juiciest tomatoes, fresh kaymak (clotted cream) and homemade honey.

A Boat Ride Along the Golden Horn

One of my close friends returned to the United States this week. He was my Turkish study partner, as well as our neighbor. Before he left, we had the opportunity to celebrate with him and his roommates. We spent last Saturday on the Golden Horn.

One of the best things about Istanbul is the numerous opportunities to celebrate along the Bosphorus. I have spent evenings in terrace bars and hotels with 180 degree views of the Bosphorus. I have enjoyed glorious nights hanging off the Bosphorus at seaside bars and restaurants. And, this week we explored the Golden Horn in a small little boat with 12 interesting people who were all in Istanbul for different reasons. We had a Copy Editor for the Turkish Daily News, a Spanish translator who translates Ottoman maritime texts into English, a Turkish lawyer and an aspiring pastry chef.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year was my fifth Thanksgiving away from home. While it breaks my heart to away from the established traditions, lively discussions, delicious food and my wonderful friends and family, I am delighted by the wonderful new and established traditions that shape my own celebration!

My friend and I befriended a Turkish man with a New York accent on the bus, while we were returning from the Sabanci Museum yesterday. He was a Business professor at the esteemed Bogazaci University and lived in the United States for many years, while teaching at Temple University. We started by talking about Seattle and the Bosphorus, but after leaving the bus, our interaction continued with one final conversation. He reemerged from the crowd to wish us a happy Thanksgiving. In fact, he was off to celebrate with his Turkish American friends!

He inspired us. His enthusiasm for American life and Thanksgiving was surprising, but also endearing. Originally, I was saving all of my energy for our established weekend extravaganza with friends (we always reschedule Thanksgiving festivities to ensure we get the whole weekend to celebrate and prepare), but we decided to have a Thanksgiving dinner of our own last night as well. Now, keep in mind we came to this decision at 6 PM last night…so we did not have much time.

How do you prepare for Thanksgiving dinner in 2 hours?

My Istanbul To Do List:

After 3 1/2 years there are still new experiences awaiting me in Istanbul.  Here are some of the  places I want to explore this Fall:

1.) Visit SALT Galata 

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2.) Visit the Istanbul Aquarium

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3.) Read The Museum of Innocence, then go to the Museum of Innocence

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4.) Spend the Evening at Sefahathane

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5.) Admire the Mosaics of the Chora Church

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My Date with the US Consular General (and his fabulous wife)

As I walked through the gates of the Consular General’s residence, I knew I was in for a treat. The home is perched on the steep hillside in one of my favorite neighborhoods of Istanbul. The grounds are green, the staff is friendly and the Consular General and his wife proved to be the most gracious hosts.

We gathered for the monthly meeting of Professional American Women of Istanbul. We sipped coffee and tea out of porcelain cups and used napkins with the seal of the United States printed on them. We snacked on the comprehensive breakfast buffet. Eventually, we gathered in the main sitting room to listen to introductions from the Consular General, the head of US Security forces in Istanbul, 2 Marine officers and a liaison from the Citizen services office. Here are some of the highlights of the meeting and the lively discussion:

1.) The Istanbul Consulate is busy! There are more than 14,000 Turkish students travelling to the United States each year and more Turkish people are applying for Tourist visas than ever before. As many of you know, Turks are required to complete a long and comprehensive visa application process before they travel to the US and many other countries. Thus, the Consulate is very busy filing these applications and conducting interviews to complete the visa process.

2.)Istanbul is a very popular destination among high ranking officials. During our visit, Secretary Janet Napolitano was in town. Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and President Obama have also been to Istanbul in recent years. The Istanbul Consulate receives more high-ranked officials than most US consulates around the globe. The city’s geopolitical significance rivals its touristic appeal…

3.) American companies are looking to Istanbul as a center for business in the region. 3M is planning to establish a super-hub in the upcoming year. It is predicted that with the weakness in the Euro zone and the instability in the Middle East, Istanbul will continue to be a desirable location for investors and American business interests.

The Istanbul Marathon

One day every year, the city stops. Roads are closed and pedestrians own the streets. This event is the Istanbul Marathon and it occurs the first weekend of November. With perfect weather we joined the festivities for the first time this year. Now, I will stop pretending and let you in on a secret: you do not have to run to be part of this special day. We signed up for the Fun Run and the unique opportunity to walk across the Istanbul bridge, the symbolic union of Asia and Europe.

We danced as we awaited the beginning of he race. We watched as red balloons were released into the sky. We gathered Turkish flags as we crossed the starting line. We walked triumphantly past the Mayor of Istanbul as we began the 8 km walk. Within 15 minutes, we found ourselves walking across the bridge. People stopped and posed for photos and took in the view. The whole city was ours to embrace. It was the perfect day and a wonderful way to introduce Istanbul to my dear friend Jenny.

You can sign-up for the Fun Run in the two weeks prior to the marathon. Booths can be found in the busiest areas around the city. Locations include the Mecidiekoy Metrobus entrance and near the Taksim Square Metro entrance, as well as most shopping malls on the weekend.  It is free and registration allows you to receive a t-shirt and a medal for completion of the race;)

The Perfect Turkish Bath Experience

The women’s entrance is in the back of the building, with a much smaller sign. Thus, this photo…

Turkish baths, or hamams are central to traditional Turkish life. It is where the women of the community come together to gossip and discuss their relationships, home life and news. Historically, the hamam was a strategic site for a discerning mother to find the perfect wife for her son, as well as an important part of pre-wedding festivities to prepare the bride for her wedding night. Hamams are slowly loosing their significance in every day life, and the most glorious and historical hamams are becoming expensive tourist traps. Thus, an authentic neighborhood hamam is hard to find and provides a truly unique experience.

I spent a lovely day with three of my friends from my old school, as well as one of my best friends visiting from Seattle. We gathered in Besiktas to start our day at one of the lovely and hip cafes hiding in the backstreets around Balik Pazari. Then, we took the ferry to the Asian neighborhood of Uskudar. Located right along the waterfront, this neighborhood is one of the city’s busiest and most conservative neighborhoods. It is also a wonderful place to experience a unique slice of Turkish life. We talked to 5 different taxi drivers before we found someone who knew where the hamam was located AND was willing to take us for this short 6 lira fare (It is somewhat off the beaten path and at the top of a hill so a taxi is recommended)

Cinili Hamam was commissioned by Kosem Sultan and built in 1640 . This Turkish bath is also known  as ‘Eski Hamam’ or ‘Old Bath’ and is considered to be one of the most historical Turkish baths in the area. It is frequented by locals and expats alike. It is beautiful, as well as inexpensive and authentic. I would go so far to say that is probably one of the best hamam experiences in Istanbul.

We were quickly ushered into our own dressing room  and then welcomed through the doors of the warm steamy bath itself. The hamam is arranged in a star shape.Each corner is composed of benches with sinks flowing with warm water. In the middle there is a large marble slab, where you are summoned for your scrub, massage and cleansing by  women in their underwear for a full-body exfoliation, followed by a round of soap. As you await your turn, your job is to soften your skin by pouring shallow buckets of hot water all over yourself. With each bucket, comes a wave of relaxation and rejuvenation. 

We came prepared: we brought flip flops, Turkish bath towels, our own bath scrubs, soap and shampoo. The entrance fee was 18 lira and the scrub cost 12 lira. For 3 relaxing hours, and indulgently soft skin, this was a steal!

Copenhagen Trip Highlights

While I have allotted several posts to Copenhagen, I will provide an overview of the trip and my favorite photos here:

Day 1 and 2:

I took the train directly from the Copenhagen Airport to the lovely town of Lund in southern Sweden, where my darling friend Gizem is completing her Masters degree in Human Rights. Lund is a beautiful medieval town, built by Sweden to establish roots at a time when the region was predominantly Danish. The town is absolutely beautiful. The campus is in the heart of the town and it is surrounded by beautiful parks, full of old trees with vivid orange, red and yellow leaves.  Students from all over Europe come to Lund to pursue their studies and complete their degrees. Old cobblestone streets lead you around the town and a beautiful cathedral sits in the middle of the city. I spent my first day exploring Lund, playing in the leaves and meeting some of Gizem’s wonderful friends. The following day, I had the unique opportunity to go to Malmo, to explore the 3rd largest city in Sweden and experience Swedish nightlife. 

Halloween in Copenhagen

The bakeries were full of ghosts, eyeballs, witches and bloody hands. Tivoli, the amusement park in the middle of the city opens for two special weeks to celebrate Halloween. We bought an unlimited pass and spent most of Saturday night jumping from ride to ride, and celebrating Halloween with all of its charms and quirks. We even dared to enter a Haunted House! For this homesick American, it was a perfect escape…