Hundreds of underground cisterns lurk beneath the surface of Istanbul, the largest of which is the Yerebatan Sarnıçı, or the Sunken Cistern. Built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century to provide water to his palace, it's survived the ages in remarkable form.
At the last second, I nearly lost my nerve and ordered chicken. But I stayed strong and, in a confident voice, ordered the "Ciğer Şiş": the Liver Shish Kebab. At least, I think I sounded confident. I might have whimpered a little, but if the waiter caught it, he didn't let on.
The pedestrianized shopping street of İstiklal Caddesi boasts one of modern Istanbul's most nostalgic sights: antique tram cars rattling along the mile-long street from the Tünel funicular station to Taksim Square.
The beginning of our stay in Istanbul coincided with the beginning of March, and the slow onset of spring. The temperature was still cold, but blossoms were starting to appear on the trees and every day was milder than the last. And on the streets, we could sense the optimistic, expectant energy which always goes hand-in-hand with the end of winter.
Standing 66.9 meters in height, the Galata Tower dominates the skyline of Beyoğlu and is one of Istanbul's most instantly recognizable landmarks. Anxious for a birds-eye view on our first full day in the city, we visited the tower, showing up just in time for sunset.
Istanbul, one of the world's great cities, was going to be our home for the next 91 days. Minarets, mosques, harems, hamams, kebab, coffee, Turkish delights, towers, castles, islands, whirling dervishes, Greeks and Ottomans, hills, ferries, markets and music... it's enough to make the experience-hungry traveler delirious. We knew we'd have to hit the ground running, because there was going to be a lot to do.
