Turkish Forum

Tag: Istanbul

  • Istanbul municipality issues stars to its fish restaurants

    Istanbul municipality issues stars to its fish restaurants

    ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

    The restaurants in Kumkapı will be inspected every six months. DAILY NEWS photo, Hasan ALTINIŞIK
    The restaurants in Kumkapı will be inspected every six months. DAILY NEWS photo, Hasan ALTINIŞIK

    Fatih Municipality presented fish restaurants in the district’s Kumkapı neighborhood with flags signifying each eatery’s quality Tuesday as part of a larger push to improve the standards of the premises in the area.

    “The restaurants here should represent us in the best way. By creating a competition, we will make restaurants eliminate their problems,” said Fatih Mayor Mustafa Demir.

    The restaurants were given flags signifying their stars according to their hygiene, cuisine, quality and price.

    The locations will be checked every six months, said Demir, adding that they wanted the restaurants to keep high standards.

    “Restaurant owners should take care of every detail from welcoming guests to serving on tables and should not apply a price policy that abuses tourists’ lack of knowledge about the city,” said Demir.

    Kemal Duranoğlu, head of the Kumkapı Tourist Restaurants and Tradesmen’s Cooperation Association, or Kum-Der, said charging more money from tourists might bring profit in the short run, but would ultimately create a bad reputation.

    “A tourist who is deceived will tell his experience to many foreigners and this will reflect negatively on [Kumkapı entrepreneurs],” said Duranoğlu, who was given four stars for his restaurant, Kartallar Valentino.

    Receiving a five-star flag for his restaurant Kalamar, Celal Öğmen said they were informed about the project just six months ago by the municipality.

    “We reshaped our kitchen from scratch and hired additional chefs. We also put emphasis on health sanitation by keeping our restaurant [spotless] night and day,” said Öğmen, who added that he has kept his menu prices stable for two years.

    Valentino, Gölçek, Köşem, Çapari, İrdem, Ege and Lipsoz received four-star flags while Çapari Arif, Okyanus, Kırmızı Karides, Evren, Hoş seda, Afrodit, Olimpiyat, Patara, Meydan, Sandal and Deniz Kızı received three stars each.

  • For Some Iraqi Christians – Shelter in Istanbul

    For Some Iraqi Christians – Shelter in Istanbul

    ISTANBUL – A small community of Iraqi Christians is spending this Christmas Eve in a small basement chapel at a community center in Istanbul, straining its 150-person capacity.

    As many as half the estimated 1 million members of the Baghdad-based Chaldean Assyrian Church, facing threats and discrimination at home, have fled Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, seeking refuge in neighboring Jordan, Syria, Turkey and beyond. Around 3,000 have settled in Istanbul and its environs.

    Native speakers of Aramaic, members of the church have lived in the Middle East for centuries, with population spread among Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Iran, but they did not really belong to any country.

    “We are a national church without a nation,” said, Idris Gabriel Emlek, one of the Fathers of the Chaldean Assyrian Church.

    Their community headquarters in Turkey, at which Father Emlek presides, was founded in 1958 in the historical Beyoglu district and expanded in 1980 with a basement Chapel that hosts Sunday services and upper floors offering temporary accommodation for visiting fellows.

    Spurred by an attack in October in which their main church in Baghdad was besieged by gunmen and more than 50 members were killed, this Christmas season has seen a new exodus into the neighboring countries.

    “I’ve never seen as many people coming here as I have in the last few weeks,” Father Emlek said in an interview early this month, sitting under a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI.

    While Turkey does not allow refugees to resettle permanently, it does function as a stopping point for applicants seeking permanent resettlement in other countries and according to the office of the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, the number of Iraqi Christians claiming religious persecution in Iraq quadrupled in the last four months of 2010.

    “They also go to Lebanon, Jordan and Syria but it seems that Turkey is the most popular despite the fact that they do not speak the language,” he said.

    While the Ottoman Empire was home to hundreds of thousands of Christians, there are barely any left in modern Turkey, and despite tensions between their governments, Iraqi Chaldeans feel safe here and feel that they are treated with respect and sensitivity.

    “There is a lot of goodwill towards Turkey in Iraq,” Father Emlek said, “This is an ideal spot for many refugees awaiting their final destination. Turkey receives refugees very well.”

    The life of a refugee, though, no matter how well the country receives them, is no bowl of cherries.

    The Immigration Police dictate the locality in which refugee applicants must live, without offering any guidance for work or providing any kind of allowance. Medical expenses are another challenge with doctor visits often unaffordable for large Iraqi families which average up to 10 people each.

    “People come here with severe psychological problems but do not have the means to see a doctor.” Father Emlek said.

    Sitting in one of the ornate chairs neatly placed against the walls of their meeting room, he sounded hopeful for more international help, and increased acceptance of refugees, to come after the media coverage of the recent attack in Baghdad.

    “I hear European Union nations trying to reach out, which is very good,” Father Emlek said. “Unfortunately, only after the wave of violence, have Chaldean Christians been more properly received.”

    This year, however, they are simply thankful to have their modest chapel in which to celebrate Christmas.

    via For Some Iraqi Christians – Shelter in Istanbul – NYTimes.com.

  • Sirkeci Gare – Istanbul’s emblematic train station

    Sirkeci Gare – Istanbul’s emblematic train station

    Orient Express and Sirkeci Gare are two tightly connected key words. Although the famous luxury train no longer runs all the way to Istanbul, a visit to the station is a worthwhile trip down memory lane.

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    The pink brick, white stucco and black wrought iron structure is a prime example for late 19th century Ottoman architecture which sought to combine oriental elements with western modern style. The architect of the train station was a German, August Jachmund, who had come to Istanbul to study Ottoman architecture and ended up lecturing at Istanbul’s polytechnic. The building was completed in 1888 and inaugurated in 1890.

    Approach the station from the street car stop of the same name and admire a gleaming steam engine which is exhibited at the left of the side entrance. The exterior is beautifully maintained whereas the interior serves as a modern day train station which connects Istanbul to the Balkans and Greece.

    However, 19th century nostalgia remains very much in evidence. First is the Orient Express restaurant which serves excellent food and is full of photographs and memorabilia of times gone past.

    Next to it is a tiny museum. Admission is free and it’s only one room, but you can admire a lot of exhibits connected to the Orient Express, like old log books, the reconstruction of a luxury dining car, a conductor’s uniform, even cutlery and crockery which was used on the famous train. The charm of this museum lies in its small size and the fact that, short of touching, you can get really close to the exhibits and study them at your leisure.

    Also within the station is a community hall. For some reason this is the venue where several nights a week the Sufi lodge of Istanbul arranges a performance of the whirling dervishes, the best I have seen outside of the festival in Konya because the performers are Sufi who have trained many years to achieve perfection. Tickets to the event can be obtained from many shops and kiosks in the vicinity or along Divan Yoglu.

    Leave by the front entrance, cross the square and take a last look at the graceful structure which is an important historical landmark of Istanbul before crossing the Galata Bridge to sample some fish buns and perhaps proceeding to visit the Galata Tower.

    via Sirkeci Gare – Istanbul’s emblematic train station | Tips from the T-List.

  • Metro on Istanbul’s Anatolian side to have cars ‘without conductors’

    Metro on Istanbul’s Anatolian side to have cars ‘without conductors’

    ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

    The Istanbul mayor and other officials pose in their construction gear.

    istanbuls anatolian side meets with its metro in 2011 2010 12 22 lIstanbul will receive its first fully computerized metro trains in 2011, according to Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş.

    “With the advance technology we are using, the wagons will be able to enter into the system without the presence a conductor when required,” Topbaş said Wednesday during a speech at the under-construction Küçükyalı Station on Istanbul Anatolian side.

    Küçükyolu is the ninth station on the 16-station Kadıköy-Kartal metro line.

    The construction of the metro line was started in March 2008 and was continuing apace, said Topbaş, adding that the 22-kilometer line was part of a metro project costing $1.5 billion.

    “In a single line 70,000 commuters will be transported an hour and the total commute time will be diminished to 29 minutes between Kadıköy and Kartal,” said Topbaş, noting that approximately a million passengers would benefit from the metro line every day.

    Topbaş said 83 percent of the construction, 40 percent of the detailed work and 21 percent of the electro-mechanical work on the line had already been completed.

    “We are hoping to do a test drive in May 2011 while the project will be ready for use at the end of 2011,” said Topbaş.

    The construction of 15 of the 16 stations was continuing, while Ayrılık Çeşme, which the Kadıköy-Kartal line is sharing with the Marmaray rail project, was finished in December, said Topbaş, adding that they planned to extend the metro line to the Asian side’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport in the upcoming years.

    The stations connecting Kadıköy and Kartal metro line include İbrahimağa, Acıbadem, Ünalan, Göztepe, Yeni Sahra, Kozyatağı, Bostancı, Küçükyalı, Ayrılık Çeşme, Maltepe, Gülsuyu, Cevizli, Hastane and Soğanlık.

    The metro project owned by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is being realized by Avrasya Metro Group, a joint venture of Astaldi, Mak-yol, and Gülermak.

  • I finally arrived! And in one piece to boot!

    I finally arrived! And in one piece to boot!

    Random impressions of Turkey so far:

    Surprise, surprise, the Bosphorous is beautiful!

    A couple of nights ago was a full moon, and we sat out on the balcony with some friends (because it has hovered around 60 degrees here) which overlooks the Bosphorous and had some conversation, wine, and music.  It. Was. Wonderful.

    I love the neighborhood we’re staying in – a strange mix of genuine Turkish and globalized upscale (Swatch stores and piercing parlors, and also the office of the Communist Party of Turkey).There’s an adorable tram system (called tramvaj, like in Russia, and tokens are jetoni, like in Russia), which looks antique and matches all the rolling carts that the roasted chestnut vendors use (no I haven’t tried them yet, yes I plan to.)  I could easily use this to get around, but instead I’ve been walking next to them.

    If you stop moving even for an instant, you have a pack of men descend on you like vultures on some choice carrion.  Here, in no particular order, is a list of my favorite things street vendors have said to me so far:

    -“Sir!  Sir!”

    -“As soon as I saw your beautiful green eyes, I knew you were from America”

    – (extending a half eaten sandwich) “I will share my bread with you!” (Actually I’m not sure what this one was about.  I almost stopped just to find out.)

    -(In the Spice Bazaar, in a high-pitched English accent) “Ooooh Cindy look at the colors, they’re LOVELY!”

    -“Devushka!” (because I am always happy when someone does not automatically assume I’m American.  Score two for me!)

    In Istanbul, neighborhoods are divided up by what kind of crap they sell.  So, for example, there’s the rug section of town, the home appliance section of town (I actually saw someone selling bathroom fixtures of all varieties at the market, ps), and the musical instruments section of town (which I have to walk through to get to the Galata Bridge to cross over the Golden Horn).  The musical instruments part of town is characterized by the steepest hill in the universe.  There are stray cats everywhere here, but they seem happy and healthy and I always see people playing with them.  By which I mean full grown men sitting on the street drinking tea and playing with kittens.

    Last night I went to DoRock which is a heavy metal club.  When I got there they were playing 80s metal videos from VH1 on a giant projector screen.  The band was actually great – they played everything from “Johnny B. Goode” to “Smoke on the Water” and I was (pleased to be) dance-abducted (I was bouncing around in my chair when the 50s music started) by this GIANT Turkish guy with full mustache and beard and scene-appropriate 80s hair who was a GREAT dancer  and kept lifting me above his head and dipping me and profusely kissing my hands.. The only downside was the TURKISH TOILET, which even the hostel does not have.  DISPLEASED.

    Side note: Turkey’s beer is Efes – it comes in several variants, and is both cheap and delicious.

    Today I saw the Hagia Sophia, which was amazing.  I’m still surprised how much cooler these churches are than outside when I walk in, even after a million times.  I also keep forgetting the impossibility of getting a good shot.  All those angles, but something’s always in your way.  I tried anyway.  People have also scratched their names into the beautiful stone, which is disgusting.  The light was amazing, though.

    There are tons of street musicians, and I’ve found that Turkish people will just start singing spontaneously to themselves.  I like this.

    Two days ago, Leah and I wound up right outside the Blue Mosque just as call to prayer started.  The call to prayer is BEAUTIFUL, especially if you are close.  The only problem is that if you are in an area with a lot of mosques, they all play it over their PA, and they are all slightly off as it moves from one direction to another, so its just a cacophony of competing sounds.  In general, there’s always music or shouting or tram bells coming from somewhere.  Combine that with wafting incense, kevaps, etc, and Istanbul is a sure bet for sensory overload.

    via I finally arrived! And in one piece to boot! – Istanbul, Turkey Travel Blog.

  • Little America in heart of İstanbul: Kemerburgaz

    Little America in heart of İstanbul: Kemerburgaz

    Kemerburgaz is the latest address of choice for those seeking a peaceful lifestyle away from the traffic jams and noise of İstanbul. It is a sub-district of Eyüp, right next door to İstanbul.

    kemerburgaz istanbulIt is only 25 kilometers away from İstanbul’s city center. It takes 15, 20 and 25 minutes to travel, respectively, to Maslak, Etiler and Taksim and there are neither traffic nor parking problems in Kemerburgaz. These are not the only reasons why Kemerburgaz is such an attractive location. With its lush forests and clean air, it also offers a suburban lifestyle near the heart of the city. With its rising luxury residential sites and charming communities, it is a location of choice for celebrities, businessmen and politicians. Thus, ministers Ahmet Davutoğlu and Ömer Dinçer and celebrities Hülya Avşar, Yılmaz Erdoğan, Yağmur Atacan, Pınar Altuğ, Mehmet Aslantuğ and Arzum Onan are among those who have chosen to live in Kemerburgaz. More and more İstanbulites from the upper income groups are moving to Kemerburgaz. We peered into the changing face of Kemerburgaz and looked into the luxury addresses.

    Kemerburgaz is considered İstanbul’s wellspring. Driving there we are welcomed by the looming aqueducts of the Roman and Byzantine eras. It still provides much of the drinking water for the inhabitants of İstanbul. Trailing behind by a number of water tankers, we reach Kemerburgaz without being stuck in traffic jams. As we arrive at the center, we get the impression that it has really not changed much. It is still reminiscent of a small town with its mosque, health center, park and the small teahouse in the square. Only a few occasional housing estates scattered among apartment buildings and old houses are noticeable.

    Leaving the town center, we head to İstanbul Street toward the Gezi pastry shop and immediately feel as if we have arrived in a completely different country. The luxury houses and estates are striking: Kemer Rose Rezidans, Kemer Park Evleri, Mesa Yankı Evler, Mesa Yamaç Evler, Zengin Bahçe Konutları and many more luxury housing estates are lined up here. Most of them have interesting designs. These residential estates feature all kinds of sporting facilities, including golf driving ranges, swimming pools, saunas and tennis courts. The luxury living estates are particularly favored by families who seek a natural environment for their children to grow up in. The quality of education offered by a newly opened private high school plays an important role in luring new residents to the area.

    New employment opportunities for local residents

    Long-time inhabitants of Kemerburgaz say they have been observing with amazement the changes in their district over last 10 years. They say there were once gardens and stables where there are now these luxury estates. “Until 10 years ago, Kemerburgaz did not even have proper roads,” says Hüseyin Diyar, who has worked as a butcher in Kemerburgaz for 30 years. He adds that after the initial luxury communities moved to the area, many others mushroomed in Kemerburgaz. But he does not complain about this situation, because he sees that the increase in wealthy residents in the area will lead to new employment opportunities. He gives the example of local women, who stayed at home in the past, now earning an income by taking domestic jobs cleaning the homes of the well-to-do. Some young people have become drivers and security guards. There are even jobs for retired people in the area. Real estate experts indicate that many famous apparel brands as well as restaurant and cafe chains have opened branches in the district during the last year. Thus, popular brands of Etiler, Bebek and the like are now rushing to have a place in Kemerburgaz. This is also driving the labor market in the neighborhood.

    What about real estate prices in Kemerburgaz?

    As house prices are generally high they tend to attract residents from the upper income group. Rental prices in the area vary greatly, depending on individual premises and size of the apartment. For instance, you can find an apartment at Mesa Yankı Evleri for TL 2,500 while you can rent one for TL 1,700 per month at Atrium Hill. We can say that rentals on average range from TL 2,000 to TL 5,000 per month. There is also a similar variance with respect to properties for sale. Of course, the expenses don’t end with buying an apartment or villa as you will also have to pay the high monthly outgoings that can range from TL 200 to TL 2,000.

    via Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news.