Tag: Istanbul

Lisa Lubin – November 10th, 2010

An obvious bonus of staying put in one place for a long time is discovering ‘real’Istanbul and its neighborhoods where people live, work, and play. The Lonely Planet guide book goes about as far as Taksim Square—the busy town center, so to speak, of Istanbul.

The colors of the Cihangir Neighborhood.

(photo by Lisa Lubin)

It is here where the broad cobblestone-lined pedestrian drag, Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Street), begins, or ends, depending on which way you are walking. It is flanked on both sides by clothing shops, the ubiquitous Starbucks, kebab and kofte (yummy Turkish meatball) eateries, and bookstores.

Shopping street of Istiklal Caddesi.

(photo by Lisa Lubin)

Beautiful French inspired early twentieth century buildings tower overhead and an old fashioned narrow trolley trundles up the hill for those not wanting to do the popular stroll. And just a ten minute walk down the hill behind Istiklal, toward the Bosphorus Strait, was my neighborhood, Cihangir. It is a former Bohemian enclave now full of expats and artists turned yuppies and hipsters. Nearly everything you need is right there. There is a small produce stand selling plump fresh cherries, apricots, and veggies on every corner. There are grocery stores, bars, cafes, a gym, and an odd plethora of pharmacies. Sounds permeate the air harkening back to an old European village:

“Hot Simit (a kind of Turkish sesame seed ‘bagel’)!! Fresh, hot Simit!!”

“Junkman!! I can take away all your nasty junk!!!”

“Waterman!! I will bring big bottles of spring water right to your apartment!!”

One of my favorite sounds was, strangely enough, the gas man. When I first heard the sweet tunes tinkling out of his truck as he drove around the ‘hood, I thought it had to be an ice cream truck: “Aygaz…get your sweet delicious Aygaz!”

The view from our blogger’s apartment in trendy Cihangir.

(photo by Lisa Lubin)

The third floor apartment I was staying in while I cat sat for “Oscar” and “Wilde,” aka “the OWs,” was far from what I was used to staying in. It had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and huge living room. The back had a balcony overlooking a beautiful stand of tall, leafy trees full of cackling seagulls and feral cats in heat. The one problem? They didn’t seem to believe in screens in Istanbul, so I would say I got moremosquito bites inside that apartment than I had on most of my trip. Unfortunately, because of the summer heat, I had to keep the windows open especially at night while I slept. Well, this was just an open invitation to all the stinging insects to come suck some of my blood. Just as I would drift off to a serene sleep, a high-pitched mosquito buzzing around my hear would jolt be into a total state of itchy ‘awakeness.’ I’d often wake up with new bites on my hands, feet, and even face. The ‘plug-in’ mosquito repellent devices Brigid had did not seem to be working all that much. Some nights I literally had to spray on some repellent just to get more of a sound sleep. There’s nothing like going to bed with the lovely smell of “Off” to give you that camping feeling.

Modern Istanbul at the Kanyon Mall.

(photo by Lisa Lubin)

I lived on a side street right around the corner from several trendy cafes with tables spilling onto the sidewalks in classic European fashion where locals sipped on drinks, tapped away at their laptops (including me), and just about everyone puffed away on a cigarette. The most popular café was Leyla’s, an ultra trendy spot that could be inNew York or London. Café Smyrna’s atmosphere seemed a bit more relaxed, although two nights in a row, paparazzi were staked outside with three television cameras waiting for a shot of a few local celebs. Kahvedan was owned by a gal from San Francisco and was a breezy comfortable place to hang out and have a latte or nice bite of something off their international menu of samosas, pad thai, and ceviche—not the norms in the very homogenized Turkish food scene. I love a good doner (spinning roasted meat) sandwich every now and again, but Turkey isn’t the most ‘international’ as far as cuisine goes, although this is slowly changing. Even though it is speeding along into the twenty-first century like the rest of the world, in many ways, Turkey is still proud of its strong roots and not entirely embracing the Western world. Although it is 99% Muslim, you would never really know this by looking, contrary to popular belief. What I mean by this is the US is about 80% Christian, but you also can’t see this just by looking, at least not in central Istanbul.  Here they are Muslim by name, but many I met were not religious or practicing. There is a wrong assumption by many that Turkey is an Arabic country. In fact it is quite the opposite; Turks are fiercely defensive of their secular state which was founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, a general in the Turkish Army from World War I. His Turkish state is based on Western principles of government and is said to be, in theory at least, modern, democratic and provides a definite separation of church and state.

Western Turkey, especially Istanbul, looks like any European city. But what is different is how homogeneously Turkish it is. And by that I mean it is not exactly the melting pot of Chicago, New York, or London. Maybe there are a few Bulgarians, Kurds, and expats sprinkled around, but by and large, Turkey is full of young Turks and they are very proud to be Turkish. Here there is little need for the English language or American products. Turkey has a huge manufacturing sector so they manufacture many of their own goods. In fact, many clothes we wear back in the states are made right here. There are no H&M, Gap, or Banana Republic stores yet (they were rumored to be there the following year), but a lot of their clothes are actually made there cheaply and exported to the states. So, there are some ‘irregulars’ floating around outlets, markets, and the black market.

The “Starbucks” in affluent Bebek overlooking the Strait.

(photo by Lisa Lubin)

In every country I have a habit of checking out the grocery store. In Istanbul’s supermarkets my point is quite evident. Among aisles and aisles of mostly Turkish products the only American names I’d come across were Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Tabasco, Miller Genuine Draft, and Budweiser. I think for some expats that may be all they need. But I have to admit I occasionally have a hankering for some nice comfy, all chemical Kraft Mac and Cheese every now and again.

In my hip ‘hood sushi was just catching on. There were only a few sushi bars around and each savory raw morsel was priced like a rare gem. I desperately needed a sushi fix so I stopped into Tokyo, a slick, contemporary, minimalist Japanese restaurant like any you’d find on nearly every corner in Chicago except there simple maki cost fifteen dollars. That’s a little steep. On the flip side, the drugs there were cheap…and easy to come by. No, not those drugs…prescription drugs. Many pills that we pop in the states can only be had after commandeering a prescription from our “primary care provider” or first getting a referral from our “primary doc” to then go see a specialist who then may give us the prescription we need. In Istanbul for many drugs, no prescription was necessary. Simply walk into any ubiquitous Eczane (drug store) and get what you need…and get it cheap. I acquired a year supply of some pills I needed for $8! At home that would cost me about $100. Hmmm, that gave me a business idea…but probably an illegal one.

A night at the clubs on the Bosphorus Strait.

(photo by Lisa Lubin)

Another cool area of Istanbul not really detailed in the guide book is what’s known as the Bosphorus villages. Along the water, several beautiful and quite affluent neighborhoods overlook the water from expensive apartments, white gleaming trendy cafes, and some glitzy nightclubs. I met a guy from Spain who was living in my neighborhood and working for Nortel. He invited me along to join him and his friends one night at the fancy schmancy Sortie Club. High along the edge of the Bosphorus in an area called Ortakoy are about a dozen swanky outdoor clubs, one after the other, that are pricey, slick and give off an air of elitism with their velvet ropes and beefy security guards blocking the entry. This is the place to see and be seen.

Here you can fork over about $100 a person for some magnificent views, ravioli and a few drinks. It was a bit phony and plastic and reminded me a bit of some of Chicago’s Gold Coast clubs, but there was no denying the gorgeously captivating moonlit views of the water.

The Mighty Bosphorus Bridge.

(photo by Lisa Lubin)

The setting was quite marvelous with white leather couches, dimmed paper lanterns, and the indisputable beauty of the mighty Bosphorus Bridge lit up like a Christmas tree with its own kind of light show, with all its, and the city’s, lights reflecting in the sparkling waters of the strait. So if you take a trip to Istanbul, of course go see the touristy areas and old quarter—it is beautiful, but then be sure to check out some of these ‘off the beaten tourist trail’ spots and see where the real hip Turks are hanging out.

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Lisa Lubin is an Emmy-award-winning television writer/producer/photographer/vagabond. After 15 years in broadcast television she took a sabbatical of sorts, traveling and working her way around the world for nearly three years.  You can read her work weekly here at Britannica, and at her own blog,http://www.llworldtour.com/.

Every now and then, Turkey’s publishers manage to conjure up an unexpected gem. I chanced upon one of these on Monday: the first of ten volumes in a series detailing many of the 10,080 cases heard by two of Istanbul’s 16 courts during the 17th century.* While the remaining volumes in the series will focus on topics such as trusts, partnerships and credit markets, two of the topics covered in the first volume are likely to be of more immediate interest to many foreigners living in the city: ‘Communal Affairs of Christians and Jews’ and ‘Foreigners.’

In this post, I want to provide a flavour of the fascinating glimpse of centuries-ago Istanbul that the book provides, by sharing a few of its English summaries of the court cases it covers. (As well an English and Turkish summary of each case, the book contains a transliteration of the record kept by the judge—typically in Ottoman Turkish—in the court register.)

Istanbul in the 17th century had a population of 700,000. Of these inhabitants, 59 per cent were Muslim, 35 per cent were Christian and 6 per cent were Jewish. The court records suggest that the city’s population of foreigners was small, particularly in comparison with the much larger proportions in later centuries. Less than 1 per cent of the 10,080 cases covered involve a foreigner (most of whom, incidentally, were either English, French or Venetian). One consideration that weighs down on the number of foreigners mentioned in the court records is the fact that only non-Muslims were classified as foreign. Muslim subjects of other states were classified in the same way as the city’s indigenous Muslims.

* Social and Economic Life in Seventeenth-Century Istanbul: Glimpses from Court Records, vol 1, ed Timur Kuran

*****

(1604; Galata) A group of Christian tavern owners in Galata sues Piri and Ali, two gate keepers working at the Balıkpazarı and Karaköy gates of the Galata walls. The tavern owners state that customarily the two gates are opened at the time of the morning prayer. Yet, Piri and Ali have been opening the doors earlier to allow some tavern owners to slip in. Once inside, these early entrants secretly purchase spirits from ships and take them to their taverns. Consequently, they sell in the taverns within the city walls more spirits than their allotted shares. Undermining the established equilibrium, they harm the business of the other tavern owners. The plaintiffs want Piri and Ali instructed to refrain from opening the gates before the designated time. The court tells Ali and Piri that they will be penalised if they open the gates earlier. Piri and Ali promise to obey the rules from now on. In conclusion, the court registers the testimony of the two sides.

*****

(1618; Central Istanbul) The Christian notables of the caviar tradesmen are in court with Recep. The caviar tradesmen state that Himmet, appointed as their steward, is performing poorly. They want Recep appointed in his place. The court appoints Recep as the steward of the caviar tradesmen.

*****

(1618; Central Istanbul) The Christian subjects of the Yeni Cami Waqf in Galata are being harassed by tax collectors when they travel through Istanbul. The Sultan sends this buyuruldu to the judge of Istanbul to request the protection of these subjects.

*****

(1683; Galata) Avraham, communal leader of Ortaköy’s Jews, goes to court with a group of Jews. They state that some foreign Jews have established residence in their village. The villagers are worried that these foreign Jews might cause some trouble and then leave, in which case the local villagers will be held responsible. They have this decided jointly that both newcomers and currently settled foreigners should provide sureties as a condition for residing in their village. Finding the request of Ortaköy Jews necessary for the peace of the village, the court registers the agreement.

*****

(1689; Galata) Some Christians from Beşiktaş, Kasimpaşa, Tophane and Galata go to court against Ali, the keeper of their vineyard in Beşiktaş. According to the plaintiffs, the defendant allowed others to graze their sheep and cattle in the vineyard. The plaintiffs present to the court a Sultanic order, an imperial decree, and a hujjet, all of which forbid the grazing of animals in the vineyard. The court examines the documents and then instructs Ali not to let animals into the vineyard.

*****

(1689; Galata) The barkeeper Nikola had sold to some sailors beverages and bread. He claims that the buyers still owe him 90 kuruş. According to Nikola, the protected foreigner Kofar was he surety for this debt. Kofar denies that he provided suretyship. Now, Nikola sues Kofar for the debt and Kofar rejects his claim. Nikola fails to bring evidence to support his claim. The court asks Kofar to take an oath that he is not the surety. The defendant Kofar takes an oath, and the plaintiff Nikola thus loses the case.

*****

(1689; Galata) Vidkat, a protected English merchant, rents some rooms of the Levent Farm from the farm’s steward Yorgaki for 9 kuruş a month. Vidkat paid Yorgaki 4.5 kuruş in advance. Yet, when Vidkat asks for the farm’s owner’s permission to use the rooms. his request is denied. Now, Vidkat wants his down payment returned. Yorgaki agrees to return the money.

*****

(1690; Galata) A British captain named Esmit sues diver Mehmet through his legal agent Savic, another foreigner. According to Savic, his client Esmit landed his shop on a dock near Anadolu Hisarı, intending to unload the iron on the ship. However, by accident the iron fell into the sea. Esmit told diver Mehmet to keep the iron at sea for the time being. However, ignoring Esmit’s request, Mehmet brought the iron out of the water and claimed its ownership. The legal agent wants the iron back from Mehmet. The court asks Mehmet for his opinion. He denies their account. The court asks the legal agent Savic for evidence. He produces witnesses. Through their testimonies, he wins the case.

*****

(1697; Central Istanbul) Two churches in Galata, which have been used by French priests, were destroyed in the 1695 fire. The French ambassador has sought the Porte’s permission to repair the churches. Experts conducted an investigation and questioned local Muslims to determine the original condition of the churches. This is an imperial order sent to the judge of Galata and vizier İbrahim Paşa specifying which parts of the churches are to be renovated and prohibiting interference with the restoration. It stipulates that the restoration should be based on the original plans of the churches.

https://istanbulnotes.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/foreigners-in-istanbul-in-the-17th-century/

ANKARA, Turkey — A court in Istanbul began hearing a case Tuesday (November 23rd) against 39 former military conscripts charged with killing 12 prisoners during a riot ten years ago. During the 2000 incident at the Bayrampasa prison in Istanbul, the defendants were serving in a paramilitary force, which transferred political prisoners to new, maximum-security facilities. The inmates were protesting being moved to smaller cells. The former conscripts are also accused of trying to kill 29 other inmates by using excessive force, including higher than permitted amounts of tear gas. (AP, Haber 50, Timeturk, Ajans5 – 23/11/10)

via Former military conscripts face trial in Istanbul (SETimes.com).

You may be a diehard photographer whether you come to Istanbul for pleasure or on business. But time is still money no matter how you look at it.

İzzet Kehribar, Merih Akoğul, Arif Aşçı, İbrahim Zaman and Timurtaş Onan are all professional photographers who have been photographing the city for years. We asked them about the tricks of the trade. The sights you can’t leave without recording, the best itinerary for a week-long stay, the hidden corners that nobody knows, the best times for capturing the major landmarks…
If a Photographer is Skilled and Curious – İzzet Kehribar Those who come to Istanbul for a couple days have little choice but to stick to the classic itinerary: Topkapı Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, Yerebatan Cistern… They take one day. That leaves the morning of the second day for the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar and the Eminönü area and the afternoon for Ortaköy. And in the evening the Galata Tower and the sunset.

Being here for a week changes everything. You can tour the above sights to your heart’s content and then explore other areas, like Eyüb and its environs, Balat and the Greek School area, Kariye at Edirnekapı, and Çarşamba (and don’t miss the remarkable mosaics in the chapel next to Fethiye Mosque). I especially recommend the little ferryboats that depart from jetties along the Golden Horn and go to Üsküdar (best on a sunny morning). One morning should be set aside for Kuzguncuk and Beylerbeyi, with lunch at one of the restaurants next to Beylerbeyi ferry landing. Take a Bosphorus cruise, keeping in mind that the European side gets the morning sun and the Asian side the afternoon sun. And then a day on the islands.
In Beyoğlu it’s a good idea to stroll from Tünel up to Taksim, ducking into the side streets along the way, and have a bite either at the Çiçek Pazarı (Flower Market) or on Cezayir Sokak. The best time for taking pictures is at evening when the lights start to come on. There aren’t many places left that nobody knows, but if a photographer is skilled and curious, he can get some fabulous shots in the back streets of Tarlabaşı or of the old houses along the train track at Samatya.
Everyone Seeks His Own Adventure – Arif Aşçı
For a photography buff who’s come to Istanbul for two days, the best shots, apart form the Hagia Sophia and Sultanahmet Square, would be sunset from the Galata Bridge and the Historic Peninsula. The fish sandwich vendors on the Eminönü side of the Galata Brdige and the Karaköy fishmongers at Perşembe Pazarı should definitely be photographed too. At a certain hour of the evening, the fishermen deposit their fish waste in crates right next to the bridge as crying gulls by the thousands hang in the air overhead. Cats keep watch with the gulls over the fishmongers’ tarpaulins. You have to be in the neighborhood of the Galata Bridge at evening to capture these images, which are not available anywhere else in the world.
If you have a week, then you can add Beyazıt Square, the Secondhand Book Bazaar and, next to it, the Grand Bazaar, the slope leading down from Mahmutpaşa to Tahtakale, and Fener, Balat, Eyüp and Ayvansaray on the shores of the Golden Horn. Üsküdar Square, mosque, market and ferry landing are well worth a day, including a meal, and Beşiktaş, Ortaköy, Arnavutköy, Bebek and Rumelihisar as far as İstinye Bay are worth another. A Bosphorus cruise is de rigueur. There is a ferry departing from Eminönü every morning at 10:35. It gets to Anadolu Kavağı in an hour and a half and starts back after lunch. The route from Karaköy to Kuledibi (below the Galata Tower), the Galip Dede Slope down to Tünel and İstiklal Caddesi up to Taksim Square, including a meal at Balık Pazarı (Fish Market), is worth a day as well. And if you have one more day, Fatih Mosque, Süleymaniye and Zeyrek (including the Kariye Museum) make a fabulous strolling tour. There are some upscale restaurants near Kariye, but my own preference is for Turkish white bean stew (don’t forget the pickles and pilaf) in front of Süleymaniye.
For the human aspect, my recommendations are as follows: the area with the mussels vendors and the boat repairmen at Rumeli Kavağı, the fishermen’s cafes at Menekşe Station on the Sirkeci-Halkalı suburban train line, the courtyards-cum-workshops near Büyük Valide Han, and the entire area along the city walls from Yedikule to Ayvansaray.
Capturing The Unexpected – Merih Akoğul
Besides straddling two continents, Istanbul also harbors an indescribable mélange. Wherever you go, it’s possible to get incredible shots at unexpected moments. And being in those places in the different seasons and at different times of day means getting unusual photographs as well.
The first itinerary I’m going to recommend is the route that runs through Yenikapı, Kumkapı, Sultanahmet, Cağaloğlu, Eminönü, the Galata Bridge, Karaköy, Salıpazarı and Beşiktas all the way up to Rumeli Kavağı. The Golden Horn area through Karaköy, Galata, Beyoğlu and İstiklal Caddesi to Taksim is another ideal itinerary for taking photos. And both these routes can be done on foot without using any transportation.
Photographing The Istanbul Skyline – İbrahim Zaman
For the skyline, Moda, Harem, Üsküdar, Anadolu Hisarı, the Golden Horn, Pierre Loti, Ulus Park, the Technical University Social Facilities over Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Ortaköy, the Khedive Palace, Galata Bridge, Tepebaşı and Eminönü Bridge… Any time from sunrise to 11 a.m. and between 3 and 6 in the afternoon is good for normal shots in these areas; for shots of the skyline, 6 to 8:30 in the evening is preferable. Moda, Harem, Üsküdar, the Khedive’s Palace (views of the European side and the historic peninsula from its courtyard) all give excellent results. Some other places that few people are aware of are the Wednesday market at Yeşilköy, Tuesday market at Kadıköy and Beyazıt flea market.
The Aphrodisiac Route – Timurtaş Onan
Some simply must-photograph places in Istanbul include the Historic Peninsula, the Golden Horn, and Beyoğlu, or Pera, as it used to be known. The Mısır Apartment Building, Tokatlıyan Han, Narmanlı Yurdu, Hazopulo Arcade, St. Antoine Church and the Suriye Pasaj are some important venues chock full of memory. With the historic tram that operates between Taksim and Tünel in the foreground and the urban fabric of Beyoğlu in the background, these are images any tourist would want to take home. At the lower end of Beyoğlu, the area between the Galata Tower, Azapkapı and Tophane with its wonderful architecture (Doğan Apartment Building and the Greek, Georgian and Armenian churches) are worth photographing. And you can go up the Galata Tower in the early morning hours or just before sunset for views of the Istanbul panorama.
The Historic Peninsula and the Golden Horn are a phenomenon in their own right. The boats on the Golden Horn with Galata in the background yield beautiful views at first light. And in the Fener-Balat area with its multicultural diversity of architecture ou can also capture the neighborhood life of the Turkish people who have migrated to the city from Anatolia. Besides the touristic sights on the Historic Peninsula, there are the back streets. Vefa, for example, and the surrounding area. And quarters like Samatya and Kadırga are a gold mine for those seeking stories. With their seagulls, their people catching fish, their people just gazing spellbound at Istanbul, and their historical backdrop and general layout, the Galata and Unkapanı bridges, at dusk especially, are views no photographer would want to miss.
With its waterfront mansions and pavilions, tea gardens and boats, the Bosphorus offers magnificent landscape shots. My favorite thing is to get chummy with the boatmen at Beylerbeyi and Çengelköy and take their pictures, or to park myself at one of the little ferry landings and shoot the human landscape with the sea and the historical texture as backdrop. Morning’s first light and sundown are ideal here for landscape photographers. And shoots made from the hills of Ortaköy or Beykoz give especially good views with the Bosphorus Bridge. And of course the Maiden’s Tower should not be forgotten when it comes to sunsets.
As for the aphrodisiac route, that means crossing the Unkapanı bridge and, starting from Zeyrek Mosque and environs, strolling through Cibali, Fener and Balat all the way to Eyüp. Human interest stories, landscapes, documentary shots… All are possible any time of day.

http://www.lovingturkey.com/photogenic-istanbul-2.html