Things to do in August
Concerts at Rumeli Hisar
From July 7 to August 31, there is a series of concerts held at Rumeli Hisar. This is a good way to kill two birds with one stone since you can hear some of the favorite musicians of Turkey and hang out in a 15th century Ottoman fortress on the Bosphorus. I recommend the following shows:
To get to Rumeli Hisar, take a bus along the Bosphorus towards Sariyer (going through Bebek, Ortakoy and Emirgan). Do not get on the buses that say “Rumeli Hisar Ustu” because these drop you off above the fortress (Ustu means “above”) which is a long walk. The fortress is right on the shore and really obvious.
WATER! WATER! WATER!
To be quite honest with you, Istanbul can be a bit hard to deal with in the summer. It is hot and crowded, has too much traffic and the water cuts are more frequent. Those who can, head for the Mediterranean or the Aegean. Those who can’t just deal with it. The key to survival is water. Spend as much time as possible near it, drink lots of it (mixed with Raki, if you like) and look at it as much as possible.
The Sea of Marmara
The Marmara stretches from the end of the Bosphorus to the Dardenelles. From the walls of the Topkapi Palace, you can watch the ships and tankers, all looking a little too large for their surroundings, waiting to file into the Bosphorus on their way to the Black Sea. This summer, my obsession is the Prince’s Islands (or “Adalar”).
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This set of islands is the best way to escape the crowds and traffic of the city. An hour ferry ride ($2) brings you to a place full of evergreen forests, fresh air, beaches, historic monastaries and beautiful villas. There you can rent a bike, walk or ride in a horse drawn carriage, enjoying the views of the other islands and the Marmara.
The magnificent thing about the Islands is that cars are not permitted. These places were meant for relaxation. If you only have time to visit one island (don’t rush), go to Büyükada. Bike, walk or take a carriage to the St. George Monastary. Once you get there, if you look at the neighboring hill, you can see a large wooden building. This used to be a Greek Orphanage. I heard it is the largest wooden building in Europe. However, I’m a bit sceptical about this because it is in Asia. Picnic supplies can be bought in town or you can eat at one of the many restaurants.
The other islands include Burgaz, Kinali, and Heybeledi. Each has its share of nice old houses, monastaries, forests and beaches. To get to the islands, go to the “Adalar” ferry dock, the farthest from the Galata Bridge. Boats seem to operate hourly.
The Bosphorus
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Steeped in history, garnished with palaces and shore houses, the Bosphorus is the blue-green ribbon that ties Istanbul together while dividing it between two continents. Take a tram down from Sultanahmet around 10am and buy a ticket ($2 round trip) on the “Bogaz” ferry. This is the no frills Bosphorus cruise. There are other privately run cruises which are more expensive, leave more frequently and are on smaller boats but I always go for the cheap one. This boat will take you up the Bosphorus and back. There are several stops along the way but I recommend going all the way to Anadolu Kavagi where you can stop for lunch at a fish restaurant and take a walk up to the Genoan Fortress on the hill.
If you want to know more about the places you will see on the tour, I recommend “From the Bosphorus” by Rhonda Vander Sluis. It is available in many Istanbul Bookstores and contains a lot of information aobut interesting sites you might otherwise miss or die of curiosity wondering what they are.
From Anadolu Kavagi, you have a magnificent view of the Black Sea stretching off into the distance. There is something philosophical about standing in an ancient fortress, wind in your hair, watching the elegent, cosmopolitian Bosphorus disolving into the bleak wild expanse of the Black Sea (although I guess it is actually the Black Sea, tiptoeing into the Bosphorus.)
The Black Sea
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Kilyos is the over-populated Istanbulite Summer escape. Because of its popularity, it has lost most of its escape value. The beaches are crowded and covered with trash and when the waters get warm in the summer, little sucky water worms appear and stick to you if you go swimming…YUCK!!!!! Perhaps the Asian side is better.
Istanbul’s water ways are still beautiful but I am terribly worried about their future. Ten years ago, dolphins swam in the Bosphorus, now all you see is trash and jellyfish. The Bosphorus was made an international water way by the Montreaux Convention in 1936. This took away Turkey’s control of the strait. The abundance of unregulated shipping traffic has led to many accidents including an oil spill last winter and much damage to the historic buildings lining the shore. Although I am not sure that giving Turkey control would help matters any, it would be nice if some international attention was paid to this problem.
A final place to visit on your water worship tour, is the Naval Museum in Besiktas. Although it is not anything near the level of Dolmabahce and Topkapi, it has a wonderful gallery of caiques: carved wooden boats which once were the only form of transportation on th the Bosphorus. Some of thes are amazing, with intricate carvings and paintings, silk upholstery and lengths 30 – 40 meters long.
The museum also contains naval artifacts, numerous paintings of ships being blown up in the Dardenelles, Atatürks belongings from his ship, the Savrona, and a room devoted to the Turkish admiral, Barbarosa.
More info about Istanbul and other stuff
An on-line journal of sorts about how I spent my weekends in and out of Istanbul. The emphasis is more on the places than my personal life.
Everything else (travel writings and photos of other places, stories, artwork, a game, etc. etc.)
All photos and text are copyrighted ©2000, Tamia Lum
Geography
Turkey is between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Greece and Bulgaria are to the West, Armenia, Iran and Azerbaijan are to the East.
Istanbul is in the Western part of the country and falls right on the border between Asia and Europe.
Accommodation
The area to the left of the Blue Mosque (if your back is to the Aya Sofya) has lots of small hotels ($45-80/double).
Sari Konak: Mom raved she could eat off the bathroom floor it was so clean. She also loved the hostess’ fresh jams at breakfast every morning (included in the price).
Hotel Poem: a little lower in price and quality than the Sari Konak but still decent.
Kybele: I love the decor.
For more listings, see www.istanbulshotels.com
Transport
Ticket info:
Akbil: a magnetic pass (with discount). You pay a deposit ($5) and purchase credit on it when needed. It is very convenient if you are going to do a lot of travel by public transportation. Before you leave Istanbul, return it and get your initial deposit back.
IETT Tickets: bought from ticket stands, some stores, sellers on the street.
Tokens: available at station.
Transport Types:
If you have to take a taxi from Sultanahmet, have your hotel call a reliable taxi service. Honest taxi drivers who might read this, excuse the generalization but you are greatly out numbered.
Airport Transportation:
To Taksim: take the Havas bus ($3.00) and get off at the last stop.
To Sultanahmet: take the Havas bus, get off at Aksaray and take the tram($.50) to Sultanahmet.
Money
July 20 – 635,000TL/$1
Cost of living: lunch $3-5, bread .15, bus ticket .50, local beer $1-3 depending on the place…. can be more), soft drink .50;
Admission to sites: $10 Dolmabahçe Palace; Trendy clubs and bars: $20+
Cheap Eats
Internet Cafes
The Yagmur Cyber Cafe Between Tünel and Asmalimescit in Beyoglu has a direct line and a power generator so you don’t have to worry about the sudden and fairly frequent Istanbul power outages.