Category: Travel

What makes Helsinki and Istanbul ‘liveable’?

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak

Earlier this summer, the style magazine Monocle published its annual Quality of Life surveys where it identifies what it judges to be the top 25 cities in the world. It is an interesting reflection on what makes people excited to live where they do.

Helsinki, Finland's capital, tops a list of 25 cities in the 'Quality of Life' survey by the style magazine Monocle. John Borthwick / Lonely Planet

Helsinki, Finland’s capital, topped the list.

I know what you are thinking: why would a city where the sun doesn’t shine much for a large proportion of the year get rated as the best place to live in the world?

Monocle says Helsinki’s selection is due to its “fundamental courage to rethink its urban ambitions, and for possessing the talent, ideas and guts to pull it off. Crime is low, unemployment rates sound, the education system world class, and the city’s food culture is thriving. Entrepreneurship and innovation is present in a young, skilled and technically proficient business culture. And the city’s hardware generally manages to perform like a dream.”

I think we’d all agree these are strong elements for any great city.

Trying to define the characteristics of what makes a city a great place to live is an issue never far from the top of the agenda for civic authorities, urban planners, architects and developers.

So what makes a city “liveable”?

Over recent years there have been attempts to apply scientific criteria to the question of a “liveable city”. Designed with the original intention of helping multinational companies decide where to open offices or plants and how much to pay employees, through relative grades in areas such as stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure, such lists attract much attention and discussion.

The annual Quality of Living Survey from the consulting firm Mercer compares 221 cities based on 39 criteria. New York is given a baseline score of 100 and other cities are rated in comparison. Important criteria are safety, education, hygiene, health care, culture, environment, recreation, political-economic stability and public transport. The top of the list is dominated by Europe. It is not the only ranking list with a rather Anglo-Saxon perspective.

In the annual list compiled by The Economist magazine, Canada, Australia and New Zealand top the list, with Vancouver at the number one spot. The Economist explains its criteria thus: “Cities that score best tend to be mid-sized cities in wealthier countries with a relatively low population density. This often fosters a broad range of recreational availability without leading to high crime levels or overburdened infrastructure.”

That sounds like Abu Dhabi.

But Abu Dhabi is not close to the top of these league tables of liveable cities. I don’t want to dismiss the beautiful cities that consistently top the liveable lists of Forbes magazine, Mercer and The Economist – Vancouver, Vienna, Zurich, Geneva, Copenhagen and Munich. They are clean and peaceful and well designed – all great characteristics in a city. But they are rather monocultural; they lack the friction, the energy and the buzz that make some cities more exciting places to live.

A more interesting best place to live list came from readers of the Financial Times, in May this year. Numbers two and three on the FT’s list were London and New York. No surprises there for their fans in the UAE: both have energy and excitement (and lots more besides) that many people look for in a place to live.

But the city that came out top was Istanbul. Surprising? Not really. There is nothing boring about Istanbul. It is cosmopolitan, busy, young in its population but historic in its fabric, socially mixed, accessible and a city that has always built on its status as a bridge between not just continents but civilisations, ideas, religions and peoples. Istanbul is an exciting city. Could you have an enjoyable and exciting time there? Definitely. Live there? Possibly.

And that is precisely the issue when it comes to liveability. Everyone’s criteria are different. After the mandatory issues such as safety, low crime, efficient infrastructure, far-sighted government and thriving economy, the rest is really up for grabs; a matter of personal choice.

So what about Abu Dhabi? From the perspective of the liveability indexes, it has many advantages. It is able to learn from the examples of other cities and incorporate the best into its plans – in education, healthcare, leisure, enterprise and infrastructure. The development of Abu Dhabi is focused on developing community environments that meet the needs of one of the most diversely populated cities in the Middle East. Its position as a relatively new city makes it easier to initiate measures – from infrastructure to recycling – than in a more established metropolis.

As the French philosopher Rene Descartes wrote when describing Amsterdam in the 17th century, a great city should be “an inventory of the possible”.

There is no doubt residents in Abu Dhabi are on a journey towards fulfilling their own list of dreams and our ambitions of the possible.

But the heart of a city cannot be located in buildings, plans and statistics. This lies in its people. Throughout the world the cities that are most alive, most “liveable” contain a mix of social and economic classes. When cities are doing things right, lots of people want to come to live in them, with a resulting buzz that comes from a diversity of population.

These are characteristics at the heart of great cities. You won’t find them in a list. In these, Abu Dhabi is strong. And could be great.

* Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak is the deputy chief executive of Aldar Properties.

via Full: What makes Helsinki and Istanbul ‘liveable’? – The National.

September 20, 2011
A Greek Travel Guide to Istanbul

Cathedral of Agia Sophia in Istanbul | Photo Credit: Rachel Portele

Constantinople, Byzantion, Poli, Istanbul. These are the names that Greeks usually use to refer to the once capital of Byzantium and today’s largest city in Turkey. Istanbul is a multicultural, modern city, and an attractive tourist destination that offers everything from ancient history to fabulous nightclubs.

A tourist destination for many Greeks or admirer’s of Greek ancient history, Istanbul is home till this day to about 3,000 Greeks.

In 685 B.C., settlers from the ancient Greek town of Megara chose to colonize the town of Chalcedon, in today’s Kadıköy district. Some years later, in 667 B.C., famous Greek King Byzas went on colonizing the European side of the Bosporus further, thus founding the city of Byzantion.

As Today’s Zaman mentions, two prominent examples of ancient Greek architecture are the Serpentine Column and Leander’s Tower.

Approximately 2,500 years-old, the Serpentine Column is said to be İstanbul’s oldest remaining Greek monument. Erected to honor the triumph of the Greeks over the Persians at Plataea, it originally stood at Delphi and was moved to İstanbul in 324 B.C. by Constantine the Great to mark the declaration of the new capital city of the then-founded Roman Empire under the name of Constantinople.

Surrounded by no fewer stories is Leander’s Tower, often referred to as Maiden’s Tower and located offshore in the Bosporus in the Üsküdar district. It was actually built in 408 B.C. by an Athenian general to control Persian ships sailing along the Bosporus.

Although the Greek footprints exist around every corner of the city some major sights that have great Greek interest include Hagia Sophia (Αγια Σοφία), Topκapi, the Patriarchate and Saint George Church, Halki School and Princess Islands.

Agia Sophia

Hagia Sophia or Saint Sophia (from the Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, “Holy Wisdom”) is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as the Greek Patriarchal cathedral of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople of the Western Crusader established Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from the 29th of May 1453 until 1931, when it was secularized. It was opened as a museum on the 1st of February 1935.

The Church was dedicated to the Logos, the second person of the Holy Trinity, its dedication feast taking place on 25 December, the anniversary of the incarnation of the Logos in Christ.

It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and was the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site, the previous two having both been destroyed by rioters. It was designed by the Greek scientists Isidore of Miletus, a physicist, and Anthemius of Tralles, a mathematician.

Topkapi Palace

The palace complex is located on the Seraglio Point (Sarayburnu), a promontory overlooking the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara, with the Bosphorus in plain sight from many points of the palace. The site is hilly and one of the highest points close to the sea. Topkapi includes a lot of Greek treasures including ancient artifacts, books and unique architecture.

View of Topkapi Palace from Bosphorus Sea

During Greek and Byzantine times, the acropolis of the ancient Greek city of Byzantion stood here. There is an underground Byzantine cistern, located in the Second Courtyard, which was used throughout Ottoman times, as well as remains of a small church, the so-called Palace Basilica on the acropolis have also been excavated in modern times. The nearby Church of Hagia Eirene, though located in the First Courtyard, is not considered a part of the old Byzantine acropolis.

The library is a beautiful example of Ottoman architecture of the 18th century. The exterior of the building is faced with marble. The library has the form of a Greek cross with a domed central hall and three rectangular bays. In 1928 the books of the Enderûn Library, among other works, were moved here as the Palace Library (Sarayı Kütüphanesi), housing a collection of about 13,500 Turkish, Arabic, Persian and Greek books and manuscripts, collected by the Ottomans. Located next to the mosque to the northeast is the Imperial Portraits Collection.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Patriarchate – Saint George Church

Constantinople has been the center of the Eastern Christian Church since Constantine moved the Roman capital there in the 4th century. To this day, the city remains the home of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who is recognized as the “first among equals” of all Orthodox spiritual leaders. The Patriarchate’s church is Saint George.

St. George

St. George had been part of a monastery before it welcomed the Orthodox Patriarchate. Over the centuries, it has been periodically damaged, the last time during the fire in 1941. Repairs began in 1989 and were completed in 1991.

The church’s main boast, aside from its association with the Patriarch, are its artifacts and relics, which include: the patriarchal throne, believed to date from the 5th century; three rare mosaic icons; the Column of Flagellation to which Jesus was tied and whipped; relics of Sts. Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom; and the tombs of three female saints.

The Patriarchate complex includes the Authorization Offices, the Patriarchate Library, the Financial offices, the public enterprises of Patriarchate and the Patriarchate Cathedral Church of Saint George.

Princess Islands

During the summer months the Princes’ Islands are popular destinations for day trips from Istanbul. In the past Princess Islands used to be home for thousands of Greeks but till this day there are a lot of Greeks living there. The largest island is Prinkipos where is also located the Orphanage of Saint George. As there is no traffic on the Islands, the only transport being horse and cart, they are incredibly peaceful compared with the city of Istanbul. They are just a short ferry ride from both the Asian (at Bostancı and also Kartal) and European sides (from Sirkeci/Eminönü, Kabataş and Yenikapı) of Istanbul. On the island of Halki there is the famous Greek Orthodox Theological School

Theological School of Halki

The Halki seminary, formally the Theological School of Halki (Greek: Θεολογική Σχολή Χάλκης), was founded on 1 October 1844 on the island of Halki (now called Heybeliada), the second-largest of the Princes’ Islands in the Sea of Marmara. It was the main school of theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church’s Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until the Turkish government stopped its use in 1971. The theological school is located at the top of the island’s Hill of Hope, on the site of the Byzantine-era Monastery of the Holy Trinity. The premises of the school continue to be maintained by the monastery and are used to host conferences. Visitors can see the school and wander around the campus. As of January 2011, an international campaign to reopen the theological school is entering its 40th year. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople is among the schools alumni.

How to get there:
Turkish Airlines offers many daily flights from Athens and Thessaloniki Airport. The award winning air carrier also offers international flights that connect most major international cities directly with Istanbul. New York, Los Angeles, London and Tokyo are only some of the cities that Turkish is flying directly. Turkish Airlines is flying in more than 200 destinations worldwide with an excellent fleet and unique services.

Where to stay in Istanbul:
Armada Hotel, is one of the best hotels in the neighborhood of Sultanahmet, inside the walls of the old city. The Hotel is situated afew minutes away from the Blue Mosque and Agia Sophia. The hotel’s terrace often hosts wedding parties and offers breathtaking views of the old city, Bosphorus sea, Blue mosque and Agia Sophia.

Where to eat: Near Istanbul’s Taksim square at the neighborhood of Pera, there is Krependeki Imroz, a family restaurant owned by Greeks. The restaurant offers great ‘meze’ dishes in a great environment.

September 19, 2011
Turkish Tourism to target Weddings and Bollywood to increase Indian arrivals

Turkish Tourism to target Weddings and Bollywood to increase Indian arrivals

By P Krishna Kumar | New Delhi

Turkish Tourism is planning to target large wedding groups and the film industry from India to increase their share of Indian outbound travellers. According to Özgür Aytürk, Culture & Tourism Counsellor for India, Turkish Embassy-New Delhi; Turkish Tourism will organise dedicated FAM trips for wedding planners and film industry specialists to Turkey to showcase various facilities and destinations. Turkey will also be engaging the Indian market in the coming months through a variety of cultural events.

As part of the cultural events planned, Turkish troupes will be visiting India to perform in some of the main cities, including Mumbai and Delhi. Turkish Sufi dancers will perform in Mumbai at the invitation of National Centre for Performing Arts on November 13, 2011 and in Delhi on November 16, 2011. “In 2012, India and Turkey will be celebrating their 60th anniversary of establishing cultural relations. We are planning various cultural exchange programmes next year,” informed Aytürk.

According to Aytürk, Turkish Tourism is also planning to promote the destination for Golf Tourism in India through some novel initiatives. The first among these is a golfing event planned by Turkish Tourism in partnership with Delhi Golf Club on September 21, 2011 in Antalya. The event is in collaboration with Antalya Golf Club and Kempinski Hotel, Antalya. “The sea-side resort city of Antalya is in Belek region, which is famous for international standard golf courses,” stated Aytürk.

Commenting on the various facets of the destination, Aytürk said that, Istanbul, which is a major destination for shopping and nightlife in Europe, is not well known for these aspects in India. “Some of the major shopping malls of Europe are located in Istanbul along with exciting street markets. While Indians go to Dubai for shopping, people from the Middle East generally travel to Istanbul for shopping,” informed Aytürk.

Turkey received 63,000 Indian visitors last year registering almost 15 per cent growth compared to the previous year. However, according to Aytürk, the first seven months of 2011 have witnessed a growth of almost 25 per cent in Indian arrivals over the same period last year. “We are looking at a 20 to 25 per cent growth in Indian arrivals this year,” stated Aytürk.

via Travel Biz Monitor :: Turkish Tourism to target Weddings and Bollywood to increase Indian arrivals.

September 18, 2011
The heart will know a good deal at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar

Mo Gannon

Sep 17, 2011

The city’s sprawling Grand Bazaar is more than 500 years old; a labyrinth lined with thousands of shops and stalls that sell everything from carpets to spices. Getty Images

The Rixos Elysium Suites Taksim in Istanbul.

I’ve been sent into Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar on a simple mission: to drive a hard bargain. And I have failed on my first attempt, my heart softening like Turkish Delight while trying to buy a trinket from an old man. It seems I’ll brave a lot of things in the name of journalism but bargaining does not seem to be one of them. To me, the stress of haggling over such a small prize is just not worth the savings, especially when I’m trying to be a gracious visitor in a strange land.

Before entering the maze of the covered market, its streets teeming with tourists who are all undoubtedly more ruthless, I enlist the help of my tour guide, Gunay Guc.

Say I find something for 100 Turkish lira (the conversion is easy: double the price for dirhams), I ask. Gunay explains: “You will say, ’20’. He will say, ’50’. You will say, ’25’…”

This seems rather outrageous and time-consuming, but I’m willing to give it a shot – just once.

Already weary from touring Sultanahmet, my group has just over an hour before returning to the bus; the problem is how to begin. The sprawling bazaar, which has survived fires and earthquakes over its 550-year history, is a chaotic assembly of thousands of shops. The official online directory looks like a pirate’s treasure map, lacking any information about specific stores. And if you heed the guidebooks’ warnings about pickpockets and bag-slashers, it’s advisable to look like you know where you’re going.

Most overwhelming for the first-time visitor (and novice haggler) is the range of goods: from the low-end (fezes, belly-dancing costumes, painted ceramics, Turkish linens and knock-off bags) to the high-end (jewellery, carpets, Islamic art and antiques).

Entering through the Nuruosmaniye gate, clock ticking, I run the gauntlet of sellers at the cheaper souvenir stalls calling out: “Hello, lady, come into my store. Where are you from?”

My only stop is Cevahir Bedesten, a cluster of shops that sell antiques under the market’s oldest dome, at the heart of what was once the Ottoman Empire’s centre of trade. A neon “Old Bazaar” sign designates the oldest of the old. Unlike the rest of the market, the halls are quiet, and the shopkeepers sit like librarians in their stores, seemingly uninterested in making a deal.

Feeling more relaxed in the absence of touts, I browse windows full of old watches, revolvers, calligraphy, cameras, vases, subhas and jewellery boxes, none with listed prices. Then I stumble upon an open stall with copper lamps and other hardware hanging from floor to ceiling. “This is the best shop in the Grand Bazaar,” Ali Guzeldemirel boasts. “I’m here 50 years.”

Ali brings me an antique brass whistle with a compass that I’d been admiring, normally 300 lira, but for me, he says, 250. I tell him that’s too much. (I’ve been told not to even try bargaining unless you’re sure you want something. Even more stress.) So, Ali shows me my next choice, an old lock and key. “Normally 200, but for you, 150,” he says.

“How about 100?” I ask meekly. (By Gunay’s calculation, I should have started at 30.)

He holds one hand over his heart, explaining he can’t bargain like the others. “I am an old man.”

Now, for me, there are two kinds of people who are especially hard to bargain with: the elderly and children. This I learned at a bazaar in Goa, where a little girl I was haggling with over a bracelet clutched it to her chest and said, “Please, m’am, don’t break my little heart.” It was only after I parted with my rupees that I noticed her father smiling at me from a distance, as if to say: sucker.

Anxious to return to the bus with something, I buy the lock. My tour mates, some of them hauling bags full of hard-fought bargains, turn up their noses. I show it to Gunay and ask him if I got a deal.

“If your heart is OK, it’s OK,” he smiles, all too sympathetically. He has a point, though: why spend my time trying to save money by arguing with people, particularly if I’m not comfortable with the practice? Soft of heart, I need a different plan of attack.

Taking my inspiration from Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, the bazaar’s creator, I decide to return on my own time over the next two days in hopes of making a conquest. And even if I can’t master the art of a deal, I vow to discover the best places to spend my money.

Back at my hotel, I pull out the coloured map I found online (www.grandbazaaristanbul.org). Searching the web, I discover the colours are codes: yellow for gold, pink for souvenirs, purple for fabric. While this isn’t strictly the case, it’s a good place to start. I mark down the “must see” stores, plotting my entry and exit gates.

The next afternoon I begin at the Old Book Bazaar, outside to the left of the Beyazit gate. An alley with shops full of books in English and Turkish, it’s refreshing to browse in the open air before entering the market proper. This time, I make my way to Halicilar Caddesi, a street cutting through the middle of the bazaar. I find it to be a thoroughfare for more modern, hand-crafted goods, including: Iznik Art, for painted pottery and tiles; Cocoon, for felt hats and crafts; Cambaz, for woven jewellery; plus the funky Fes Cafe and its sister store, Abdulla Natural Products, where I pick up some stylish gifts including patterned Turkish towels, hand-made soaps and tealight holders with spinning whirling dervishes. I don’t even bother bargaining because it seems like a proper store, but I’m delighted with my purchases anyway, wrapped up with natural string and packed in a net sack.

Somehow, I end up back at the Old Bazaar, where Ali Guzeldemirel remembers me. Having changed my mind about the lock, I ask if I can trade it in for the whistle and compass for the 250 lira he offered, and he makes the exchange without argument.

As the prayer call sounds from one of the bazaar’s mosques, I walk down the hall to Bagus, a store I’ve read about that carries hand-crafted jewellery and beads from far-flung places. The owner, Faruk Kasik, sits at a desk inside. I admire his pieces, displayed in the nooks of his old stone walls. I’m just looking, I tell him, and he’s fine with that. He invites me to sit and have some tea, and we get lost in conversation about the bazaar’s history.

At the end of the day, I exit through the Nuruosmaniye gate to visit a shop just outside, where I spotted a carpet bag hanging from a tree the previous day. At Pirlanta, I begin chatting with Rami, who tells me the bag is made from an antique kilim; he holds a lighter to it to prove how durable it is. It’s 450 lira, he says, but for me, 390. Still determined to cut a deal, I get him to settle on 350, and he helps me pack my belongings in it. (I later spot one like it in the bazaar for 550 lira, so this might be my first real deal.)

On my third day, I’m starting to feel in the rhythm, more comfortable taking my time, more interested in having tea with the storekeepers than doing business. I begin by having lunch at the Fes Cafe’s other location, a stylish diner that’s a short walk from the bazaar. Zeynep Balaban, who runs the place, picks my bag off the ground and puts it in a chair. “We have a saying in Turkey that if you put your bag on the floor, no money will come,” she says, smiling. Maybe that’s my problem.

I’m feeling sleepy from my lunch of chicken rolled with tirpasi and cheese (like a Turkish Cordon Bleu), but I’ve still got half of the bazaar left to cover. I enter through the eastern Kiliccilar gate and head north, past the alley of currency traders on their mobile phones and stopping by just to get a look at Zincirli Han, an old courtyard that houses the well-known carpet shop of Sisko Osman. Resisting the invites to step inside, I make my way to Perdahcilar Sokagi, to the shop of Muhlis Gunbatti, who specializes in antique Ottoman fabrics. By this time, it’s no surprise that the friendly man inside is Muhlis Gunbatti himself.

“Sit here, princess,” he says, patting a bench. He tells me he’s been there 56 years, pointing out the old vaulted ceilings. A tea seller enters swinging a tray of tulip glasses and Muhlis asks him to serve me. “She is my guest.”

He introduces me to his son Murat, who picks some vintage kaftans for me to try on. Near the end of the third day, I’m not in the mood to make a big purchase, but they’re happy to pass the time showing them off. Instead, I ask about a pomegranate vase on the shelf, ubiquitous in the market but these ones are hand-crafted. “If you get this, you will have good luck all of your life,” Muhlis tells me with relish. Already, I can feel another potential “sucker” episode coming on …

In vain, I ask about the price. It’s normally 60 lira, he says, but for me, 40. “What about a deal?” I ask. His son smiles, “You already have a deal.”

He’s right, of course, but not in the way he thinks. This occurs to me after I leave the store’s peaceful shelter. Murat has walked me out into the bazaar so he can show me the exit. He even gave me the coins to take the tram – a cynic would no doubt attribute his generosity to my paying way over-the-odds for the vase.

Walking past a stall of pomegranate vases that look more mass-produced than the one I just bought, a seller tells me they’re 30 lira, and as I walk away, he calls out 25, then 20.

But here’s the deal: I wouldn’t trade the vase I have thanks to the experience – the memory of the conversation and the hospitality – that is now attached to it.

Go to the bazaar only in search of a bargain and you might miss the point: the steady rhythm of tea servers selling from store to store, balancing little glasses on hanging trays; men playing backgammon on folding tables in the alleys; workers weaving through the crowds with piles of carpets and trays stacked with simik; cats stealing naps on its paths. Just then I realise that I’ve lost my map, but it doesn’t matter to me. Now, I can truly say that I’ve conquered the bazaar.

[email protected]

If You Go

The flight Return flights with Turkish Airlines (www.turkishairlines.com) from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul cost from €276 (Dh1,385), including taxes

The stay Double rooms at the Ritz-Carlton in Istanbul (www.ritz-carlton.com; 00 90 212 334 44 44) cost from €275 (Dh1,385) per night, including taxes

September 17, 2011
Turkey’s Diverse Attractions

Those looking for an exotic and remarkable vacation can do no better than Turkey. The country is so large that nearly every climate a vacationer could want is available. Whether you want to shop, experience culinary delights, or swim in tropical waters at a beach resort, Turkey has it all. It also has gorgeous scenery and some of the most historic sites you can visit on this planet.

Despite, this many people don’t realize that Turkey has all that it has to offer. Or, if they do, they hold certain beliefs because the country is predominantly Muslim — perhaps they heard news stories about Israel and the tensions with Turkey.

In fact, Turkey has some of the earliest advanced civilizations known to man. Hacilar and Catalhoyuk date to between 7,000-6,000 B.C. Also, Turkey has had equality for women going back many millennia. In fact, Turkey gave women the right to vote before most European countries and the US.

Technically, Turkey has no national religion. They also have no sanctions against religions other than Islam. They are a Democracy with full religious freedom. They are one of the oldest democracies in the region.

So, if you are looking for a vacation you won’t soon forget, in one of the world’s oldest civilizations, consider a trip to Turkey. There are delights waiting for you there guaranteed to last a lifetime.

via https://www.huffpost.com/entry/photos-visiting-beautiful_b_962242#s360904&title=Tetrapylon_at_Aphrodisias

September 16, 2011
Turkey, the perfect place to escape the apocalypse

By Vicki Woods

8:36PM BST 09 Sep 2011

Istanbul: Vicki Woods wondered why she had never been before Photo: ALAMY

Since I have to cross the Atlantic several times a year for my other job, I try not to step on an aeroplane unless someone’s paying me to travel. We staycate, mostly. On canal boats or in villas close enough to drive to (Brittany, Lot-et-Garonne).

Since the dread day of infamy that is commemorated tomorrow, all the soaring excitement one used to feel when pulling into Heathrow has totally gone. Can’t be just me who resents the pouring away of liquids: there’s always one stupidly expensive unguent I’ve forgotten to decant.

But this year, I badly wanted to get outta here. Out of the eurozone, out of the Anglosphere. Especially now. The post-apocalyptic public discourse is a) draining and b) inaccessible to the fiscally illiterate. Was Gordon Brown right all along? Search me. Should Alistair Darling now be Chancellor? Lord knows. Are European banks more perilously “extended” than American banks? Dunno. I just know I’ve had it with Merkel and Sarkozy.

I saw a picture of the Blue Mosque and my heart leapt. Istanbul is one of those place names, like Acapulco or Montego Bay or Casablanca, that resonate magically. I’d never been (astonishing at my age). Why? I kept asking myself, as I leaned out from the hotel terrace in Sultanahmet, looking at blue-black plums growing thickly below and hearing a trickling fountain in the garden. We were between Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque, both of which I’d only ever seen in books.

We booked it in euros: 230 euros a night, bed and breakfast, with 10 per cent off for cash. They would arrange airport pick-up for 25 euros, also 10 per cent off for cash. I find very few monetary transactions more satisfactory than when somebody says: “That’ll be a hundred, then – ooh – you’ve got notes? Call it 90.” We didn’t pay in euros, though. We paid in Turkish lira, because they’re a better deal. While Greece is in the eurozone, Turkey is not. I’m not saying Turkey should be in the eurozone, because I have no idea about whether or not it meets anybody’s Five Tests. I’m just saying that Istanbul is a fabulous city that works brilliantly in many ways that Athens does not.

What I liked was being somewhere that works of itself and for itself. The little café garden in an old medresi near the Grand Bazaar is packed with old Turkish gentlemen smoking nargile in a country that has banned smoking inside all public areas. (The old chaps are “outside”.) I liked the young woman inside the Blue Mosque handing a shawl to someone and telling her to cover her arms. (Not her head.)

I liked seeing whacking great ships at anchor in the Sea of Marmara, all along the road from the airport, and I really liked chugging up the Bosphorus in a tourist ferry, passing Russian oil tankers close enough to spit plum stones at. It’s thrilling to be somewhere that connects the Mediterranean with the Black Sea. Out of 150 million tons of cargo passing through the straits each year, 100 million tons are oil.

“They want to move the port, though, the government,” said an Istanbul native at my hotel. She said there were plans to cut a ship canal east of the city to replace the Bosphorus as the main route from the Black Sea. “They would close down the port at Eminönü so you wouldn’t have the big boats anchored there any more. It would free up a lot of land.”

She put on an expression that invited the question, so I asked it: free up a lot of land for what, exactly? “Houses,” she said, “for very rich people, who like big gardens and wonderful views. And moorings for their yachts.”

via Turkey, the perfect place to escape the apocalypse – Telegraph.

September 16, 2011