Re-do of Istanbul

Though I loved our first five days’ adventures in Istanbul, I couldn’t help but walk away with the feeling that it was a densely woven machinery of tourism operating at maximum capacity. The admissions to sights and attractions were expensive and often had hidden “supplementary fees” for especially popular parts. Yet there were little or no signs of explanation of anything. Everywhere in the city, we felt that we were walking around with “TOURIST” name labels on our foreheads as we were frequently solicited at every corner for expensive meals that would subsequently include a $10 “bread + water service.” As a result, we were a little jaded. So, coming back from Cappadocia for one more day of Istanbul, there was not much on my itinerary except to see the Suleymaniye Mosque and maybe take in a reputedly worthy meal at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art’s café overlooking the beautiful Golden Horn bay.

To my surprise and delight, our search for the Suleymaniye Mosque led us through the beautiful tree-lined campus of Istanbul University where students enjoy a magnificent view of the mosque daily. Unfortunately, when we finally arrived at its doorstep, we found we could only visit a small section of it as it was undergoing a major restoration. Still, we were happy to have visited it. Afterwards, we ventured behind the campus and discovered a portion of the city not catered to tourists. To my gastronomic delight we began a street-food tour starting with a flat bread sandwich of grilled chicken and fresh tomatoes and corn-on-the-cob bought from a vendor on the campus. Within ten feet of leaving the Istanbul University campus, we stopped at the mussels stand and enjoyed a popular snack of individual mussels stuffed with rice, herbs and a touch of lemon juice all flavorfully packed inside the shell. Then, instead of taking the gridded main street back to the hotel, we opted for the remote one-way streets and back alleyways down a hill that miraculously transported us to another Istanbul world. This neighborhood breathed a welcomed local feel with even more street food vendors selling their goods at lovely non-touristy prices. Finally, after our fill of skewered deep-fried mussels, we washed our palates with a cup of fresh-squeezed orange & pomegranate juice. At this point, we were hopelessly lost. But, as you can imagine, I could not be more pleased. This last day in Istanbul proved to be such a redeeming and enriching experience.