A trip to Turkey – Istanbul, Cappadocia (Kapadocia) & Konya. Like all our international travels, this trip was also arranged by the unbelievably amazing team at Veena World. Special shout out to Roshni & Jahnavi. We felt like someone was there every waking moment to help, (almost like family) from the tiniest of things to major ones. 

Part 1 of 4 – In this post I will cover the trip details of Istanbul

Part 2 of 4 – In this post I will cover the trip details of Cappadocia 

Part 3 of 4 – In this post I will cover the trip details of Konya 

Part 4 of 4 will have a post on food in turkey.

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What we experienced in Turkey overall: 

1. We found each & every person we interacted with, to be warm, lively & mostly ready to help, with the exceptions of very few business people who tried their best (used all tricks of the trade) to over-charge / sell something that we did not need). The level of such exceptions was way less than what is experienced in India by many tourists. 

The gentleman who guided us in this trip at Istanbul, Mr. Haakan, is an art history expert & he gave us a beautiful peep into the food, culture, history, art & daily life of people in Istanbul.

2. We faced a medical emergency & the private hospital experience with English translator & doctors was worse than any such experience ever faced in India or anywhere. The doctors were ‘Satan’ incarnated & were lying to us about imaginary threat to life if we did not get a surgery done for a bone fracture in fibula!!! We cut short our trip by 3 days due to those exaggerated lies. Ms. Ajda, business partner of Veena Travels guided us through every minute of the situation till late in the night & we are indebted to her for life for walking us through smoothly in the difficult situation.

3. While we think jugaad is uniquely Indian, we saw glimpses of that in many people we met. 

4. The public places  are usually very clean (less standards as compared to Japan, way cleaner than comparable places in India). 

5. Cash is preferred means of transaction, followed by visa or Mastercard. AMEX was not accepted in 50% + places. They had nothing similar to UPI. 

6. In India we are used to apps like 1MG, Zomato, swiggy, porter etc. Those services & convenience was missed here. There are a few apps (in Istanbul) but did not seem to be as widespread as say in Delhi or Gurgaon (going by the number of branded scooters). Statistically I might be wrong.

7. Like in Far East Asian countries, no one asked for a tip. However, Unlike Far East Asian countries, people did accept a tip with a smile during our trip. 

8. Public transport in Istanbul seemed to be very dependable. One could buy a single rechargeable ticket for all modes of transport – bus, tram, ferry boats etc. in Konya (a smaller city) the public transport seemed pretty well. Public transport in Konya was also abundant. Kapadocia (hotel where we stayed) was the only exception where one had to hire a taxi for every trip. Infact good restaurants were providing a pick up & drop service to guests.

9. Literacy rate of Turkey is 95%. As of now approximately 30% schools are privately run. The Elementary level is similar in these schools vs. the Government run schools. We heard that Private schools are better for academically advanced students since the best teachers work there (they get better salary than government). Earlier Govt education was free till graduation. State own universities also had low fee.

10. Broad Occupation wise break up – 60% of people work in tourism & other services (retail), 20% in manufacturing (including handicrafts), 20% in agriculture. Going to office to do a corporate job is not the only way to financial success in job here. We got to know that upto 1970s, agriculture contributed to 70% value of GDP .

11. Madrasas used to be theological school & also learning centers for latest Science & Technology. CE 1600s onwards, these Institutions slowly turned into centres for theological learning only. Slowly the Country lost to technologically superior Europeans. 

12. We came to see a noble Ottoman & Celtuk Turk tradition – people commission fountains in memorial of a dear one who has passed away. These fountains were for use by the general public. Nowadays many fountains have been replaced by tap based drinking water.

13. At Ihlara, in North turkey, villagers communicate in a whistling like language to communicate with people in other mountains, similar to whistling village in Meghalaya.

14. June, July & August are summer months with highest temperature around 35 degree in the day. Autumn months are September to November. These months are not too cold, not too hot & usually it does not rain or does not snow. BEST TIME TO VISIT. Winter months are  December toFebruary. March to May is Spring. It sometimes rains & snows in Spring. We did experience a lot of snowfall in Cappadocia & Konya.

15. Most people speak only Turkish. Having someone who knows English is helpful. Else google translate helps. As we walked the markets, many sellers called out ‘eh bhai, idhar aao, sabse best milega’ at multiple places, after realising we are from India. 

16. The letters of the alphabet are English mostly with a few different. Also some signs on top of the letter denote a different sound. The Turkish people The Turkish people pronounce the word exactly as the spelling. No silent letters. So our guide was saying ब्यूलडींग for building टल्क for talk etc 

17. The Turkish language has many similar words like we use in India due to historical linguistic influences, especially from Persian and Arabic. Below are few examples:

किताब – Kitap (Book)

साबुन – Sabun (Soap)

दुकान) – Dükkan (Shop)

बाज़ार – Pazar (Market)

हकीम  – Hekim (Doctor)

मौसम) – Mevsim (Season, Weather)

शहर – Şehir (City)

चाय) – Çay (Tea)

कुर्सी) – Kürsü (Chair, Podium)

दावत – Davet (Invitation, Feast)

मुलायम – mulayim (smooth)

Divan means couch.

The Turkish word “havalimanı” (meaning “airport”) is a word derived from:

1. “Hava” – meaning “air”• Borrowed from Arabic (meaning “air” or “atmosphere”).

2. “Liman” – meaning “port” or “harbor”, borrowed from Greek liménas, (meaning “harbour” or “port)

Istanbul – places we visited & things we saw:

1. The skyline of Istanbul is unforgettable – the tango of the past & present.

2. Bosporous strait was formed naturally after a major flood in BCE 6000. 

• Bosphorous cruise / boat ride is a must if you are in Istanbul. Just sit & soak in. Food for the eyes & the mind…..

• We chose a large yacht (they served finger food & soft drink on the house & alcohol on extra payment) but most importantly, a fabulous Guide who told all of us vivid & very interesting stories about the buildings that we were seeing on each side of the Bosphorous strait. The breeze was gentle. It was a long sunset cruise. It got etched as a memory…..

. There was an option to go for a cruise ship & have dinner on-board but that’s without a guide. So we preferred the yacht option.

 

3. The famous Spice market of Istanbul was built in 1664 – to fund the mosque the mother of sultan made the market first & that funded the mosque. It took 60 years to build. The lady did not live to see the finished mosque

4. The grand Bazaar is also a very beautiful centuries old building & it was planned forever as a market. We bought some beautiful handicrafts products from the Grand Bazaar. One is a hand-made ceramic wall hanging piece depicting a whirling dervish. Red coral stone powder was used to colour the piece. James Bond movie was shot here.

5. An underground, underwater train connects Asia & Europe parts of Istanbul, in addition to other modes of transportation.

6. We saw some cafes in Asia part of Istanbul where guests were chilling & playing Backgammon tavlaboard game. 

7. Istanbul streets are full of cats like we have dogs all around us in public spaces in India. There is a story of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad related to his cat – once the Prophet was sleeping & his cat also fell asleep on his cloak. The Prophet woke up to find that the cat was still sleeping. He had some work to do. So he asked someone to cut off the part of the cloak where the cat was sleeping (to not disturb the cat) & he got up.  

8. The flag of Turkey is Red in colour. Red is a symbol of power & love. Inspired by the colour of blood of Turkish soldiers martyred in WW1.

9. Hagia Sofia was originally a Church. Then it became a mosque. Last century it became amuseum. Now it is again a mosque. Non-muslimsare not allowed in the main prayer hall. Hagia means holy & Sofia means wisdom in Greek 

10. Hippodrome of Constantinople

The Hippodrome of Constantinople (now part of Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul) was the social and sporting area of the Byzantine Royalty. Hippo mean horse. This area (could accommodate 40000 people) was primarily used for horse chariot races and other public events. There have been many changes to the original area over the centuries, by the different rulers. As of now the area has some very interesting structures –

• Obelisk of Theodosius (Erected by Pharoah Thutmose III ,14th century BCE, Egypt) – This was brought to Constantinople by Emperor Theodosius I & re-erected in CE 390. Imagine the engineering prowess to erect this massive, heavy structure without breaking it & then subsequently withstood all natural calamities including earthquakes. The base of the obelisk has some very beautiful marble carvings that depict the life & times of the Pharoah.

• The Serpent Column (5th century BCE) – A bronze column brought from Delphi, originally part of a monument celebrating the Greek victory over the Persians. The heads of the snakes were broken by Islamic rulers later since orthodox Islam does not allow animal or human figures in art.

• Ormedikilitas (CE 10th Century) – A massive pillar, commissioned by Emperor Constantine VII using stone bricks, though it has suffered damage over time.

• The German Fountain – A 19th-century gift from German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II to commemorate his visit to Istanbul.

11. Blue Mosque

The Blue mosque got its name from the 21000 hand painted & baked Blue tiles. Blue is the colour of heaven & also of Prophet Muhammad  During this trip we got to know from our guide that Dome of a mosque symbolises heaven. 

The mosque was commissioned by Prince Ahmed 6th. The mosque has 6 domes. The main structure is held by 4 elephant pillars that each measure a 6 meter diameter. 

Like all mosques, earlier Prayer call was given 5 times a day by the Muezzin from top of the huge 64 meter Minaret. Now microphones are used at the Blue Mosque. Live prayer is read by the Imam everyday instead of playing recorded prayers.

Nowadays there are light bulbs in the mosque. Earlier the interiors used to be lit with oil lamps. There was a system of the fumes to pass out without blackening the walls, The accumulated Dust of the oil lamp (collected from the chute) was used for calligraphy. 

The min blowing design was all Floral & geometric. No human, no animal figures. 

The traditional belief (in some African & Middle Eastern countries) that we got to know here is that there are no spider webs in the Mosque because of the many ostrich eggs that have been blended into the design. Spiders can’t operate in presence of Ostrich eggs, we were told.This however has not been proven Scientifically yet.  

12. Taksim Square

• Taksim Mosque in background of a large concrete open area. Modern buildings on the other side. Great place for hangout

• A beautiful unforgettable retro single bogie tram

• Many Street-food options next to the open area.

 

13. Asia side Vegetable & seafood Market walk – it started with a stroll & our Guide Mr. Haakan told us stories about the buildings, the people, the culture & food habits. We saw many beautiful roadside seafood cafés, vegetable market, meat market, fish market, other food items market & hot to understand a great deal about the way the Turkish eat. All stories from here coming up in part 4 of 4.

14. Orient Express Museum & Restaurant –

orient express, the train made famous among many of us Indians was the famous Agatha Christie’s novel, later made into a movie. The super luxury train (1889 to 1977) used to connect Paris & Constantinople. It had lavishly decorated sleeping cars, fine dining cars, beautiful lounges & luxury in every element. 

The station is beautiful & has been maintained very well. The waiting room has been maintained as it is. The restaurant stands back in time – we were too full when we had visited Thai place. So could not eat anything here. 

The museum was small & beautiful. It had the original silver cutlery, signalling devices, small parts, miniatures & many very interesting artefacts. We absolutely loved the time spent here. 

15. Galata Bridge – Galata bridge is designed as a bascule bridge, allowing it to open for larger vessels to pass through. Usually ships are let to pass at night, causing minimal disruption to traffic. It’s beautiful to just hang in there in the openings & the evenings. We saw many people Fishing from the sidewalk of the bridge & they were actually catching a lot of fish. Some were doing this for fun & others were selling the fresh catch right there.  

16. Top kapi palace – canon तोप kapi mean gate. This was the palace where the Ottoman Sultans lived.

The area was divided into private quarters, work area & Guests entertainment / interaction area. This reminded of the concept of Diwan e khas & Diwan e aam in Mughal palaces in India.

During the tour we got to know that the word Harem comes from ‘haram’ (not to be done) as it is wrong for other men to enter this area.

Some very interesting sections of the palace that intrigued us.

Dormitory of Tressed Halberdiers

A section of the palace was kept for the stay of members of ‘The Corps of Tressed Halberdiers’. The Corps of Halberdiers was established in the 15th century and served as clearing the path of the army during wars. The company of halberdiers assigned in the palace were responsible for 

• cleaning Harem and Selamlik (Official Section) of the Palace, 

• ensuring safe and secure correspondence for the Sultan, 

• moving and placing the throne during enthronement and bairam ceremonies,

• carrying the coffins of the Sultan and his family during funerals. 

 

The term “Tressed” (Zülüftü) comes from the side locks of hair hanging down from both sides of their headgears. These side locks, along with the broad and high collars on their garments prevented them from viewing their surroundings whilst on duty in the Harem. 

The number of Halberdiers in the palace was ranged between 120 and 200. There was a full detailed hierarchy with well defined powers & duties. 

The Dormitory of Tressed Halberdiers was comprised of two-story barracks surrounding a long, narrow, and open courtyard, a glass-encased waiting room, a summer coffee house, a two-story masjid, a three-domed hammam, and its furnace, a pipe room, the chiefs’ living quarters, ablution fountains, and a fountain. These buildings were designed in the architectural style of traditional Turkish residences and look like a separate neighbourhood.

Female candidates for to-be brides

The Sultan’s mother was the most powerful lady in the palace. She would recruit good looking & intelligent girls to an academy in the palace. The girls would go through learning in arts , etiquettes, manners, social behaviour & in different other fields for 9 years. They were given a place to stay – like a top notch hostel attached to a great college. After 9 years, some of them would be chosen for the Sultan & the other princes. 

The Sultan’s mother would write a certification note for those not chosen, so that those girls can leave & eventually be married to other noble households.

The female candidate’s hammam

• There is a small “undressing” area at the entrance through the “cold room” section with a large dome and hearth. 

• In traditional bath culture, the cleansing ritual begins with the ladies leaving their belongings they brought in their bath bundles here and putting on their loincloths. 

• Then, they move to the slightly warmer section called the “warm room” and prepare their bodies for the high temperature in the “hot room”

• After scrubbing, they wash with a silk washcloth containing soap and rinse with running water. Cleanliness was considered essential for their health and beauty and the fulfilment of their religious obligations.

Yanussaries

There were separate area for the elite fighters, the ‘Yanussaries’ – Christians converted to Islam. Mehmet 2 & many other sultans depended of these top notch soldiers & fought many battle. They were paid much higher.

About 1000 Yanussaries used to guard the palace at any point of time.

King’s bath

The Sultan’s bath had a cage for his bathing, so that no one can attack while the Sultan is bathing.

We were amazed to see so much natural sunlight in every room

Lion cage

We saw a room to keep African lions in cages, near the harem. In case of a breach, the lions would be released.

Topkapi Museum

There are many museums & then there is this. The choice of artefacts is ace. The maintenance & the descriptions are too good.

We were excited to see a throne of Nadir Shah – someone we could recognize among many unknown names that we had heard since morning.

Story of Istanbul

Istanbul has a very long & fascinating history. A lot about the history has to do with the Bosphorus strait. This water body had made turkey an important region throughout history to the modern times. So let’s talk about the Bosphorus first.   

The 30 km naturally formed strait (not a river/ sea/backwater) connects two seas – Black Sea & Sea of Marmara. Later that connects to the Mediterranean Sea via the Dardanelles Strait. The width of the strait varies from 1 km to 4 km approx. This strait is important because it separates Europe and Asia  and ships going up north do not have any option but to pass from here – Russia, Ukraine & other countries next to the Black Sea. 

As of today the strait is controlled by Turkey under the Montreux Convention (1936), which governs naval transit. Ships pay a tax to Turkey. 

Coming back to a brief history of Istanbul- 

1. Hitite 2000-1200 BCE came from Caucasiousmountain area & settled here. Hitite people were worshipping feminine divinity. Similar time (BCE 2000-1500) the Aryans came to India from near the caucacious mountains.

2. In the same geographical spot as Istanbul today, Byzantium was founded by Greek settlers around 660 BCE & they held this till 330 CE. 

2. Constantinople 

The same location of Byzantine empire was Re-founded by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in 330 CE as Nova Roma (new Rome), later called Constantinople. The emperor converted to Christianity before death. So this slowly became an orthodox Christian empire. 

Hagia Sophia church with its massive dome was built in 537 CE. 

Turks came from Azerbaijan 9th CE & captured part of Turkey. The Ottomans started ruling other parts of Turkey from 12th Century.

3. Ottoman rule was established at Constantinople by  Sultan Mehmed II on May 29, 1453 (I strongly recommend you watch a 2 part Netflix series OTTOMAN to understand this part of the Turkish history & the genius of Sultan Mehmet II. It’s a story of resilience.)

The Ottomans ruled Turkey (Constantinople as capital ) till 1922. 

This almost 600 year rule set the base for more than 95% Muslim population in tej country now. 

1. Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923 after a 3 year struggle led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. 

Ankara became the new capital in 1923.

Istanbul name was officially started in 1930