It didn't seem possible. Had our 91 days in Istanbul really come to an end? I couldn't believe it, so I opened my journal and counted the pages. Although it felt as though we'd just arrived... although we were still in the process of settling into the city's rhythm... that was it. Our time in Istanbul had reached its conclusion.
It was a common sight in Istanbul. You'd be standing in front of some amazing building like the Hagia Sophia or the Galata Tower, and all the tourists would be completely ignoring it. Their cameras were trained on something cuter than some ancient old structure: a playful pack of mewling kittens.
Before our arrival in Istanbul, we had no idea how much döner we were about to eat... Ach, who am I kidding? We knew exactly. Scarfing down plate after heaping plate of delicious döner meat was our plan from the very beginning. It's part of the reason we chose Istanbul in the first place.
A hookah pipe is called a nargile in Turkey. It's a surprisingly popular activity among Istanbullus of all ages, and we partook in quite a few smoking sessions ourselves. You can order tobacco in a variety of flavors, and spend hours lounging around, smoking and drinking tea.
One of the most popular excursions in Istanbul is a ferry ride to Anadolu Kavağı, near the entrance to the Black Sea. The Bosphorus Cruise offered by the city-run Şehir Hatları company costs just 15 Turkish Lira, making for a cheap and easy day out on the water.
The Imperial Harem, the private pleasure palace of the Sultans, is the most well-known aspect of Ottoman royal life. But why has the Harem proven so persistent in the mind of popular culture? What is the secret behind its fame? Is it the fabulous tile-work which decorates its walls? Or is it the concept of hundreds of beautiful concubines with the sole mission of providing pleasure to a single man? Hmm... it's a toss-up.
Istanbul is most famous for ancient mosques and a starring role in world history, but there's another side to it. One that most tourists never bother to see. It wasn't until our last couple weeks in the city that we ventured into modern Istanbul. On the outskirts of the city center, new skyscrapers are springing up like weeds, and the focus is squarely on business.
Rocketing 780 feet into the air, the Sapphire building in the modern neighborhood of Levent is Turkey's tallest building. A cafe on the top floor and an open air viewing platform on the roof offer one of Istanbul's most breathtaking views.
Istanbul is the kind of place which favors bold exploration, as we learned after a day spent in the maze of streets around the Grand Bazaar. The city is filled with quiet, secret spots... if you can muster up the courage to go down that darkened hall, into that empty courtyard, or up those crumbling stairs.
Marbling, or ebru, is one of the most popular forms of Turkish art. We decided to introduce ourselves to the technique, and joined a workshop offered by Les Arts Turcs in Sultanahmet. By the end of the entertaining session, we had managed to create a few minor masterpieces.
