A crash course in Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

When you plan a trip to anywhere during a global pandemic, it shouldn’t surprise you if last minute changes happen. I was surprised though, when 5 days before my flight to Istanbul, Turkey locked down. The pandemic has been going for over a year, and they‘re just now entering their first full lockdown. Being from the U.S. where lockdowns are old hat, I was pretty disappointed with the timing. However, this visit is merely a long layover on my way to the mighty African continent, and I plan on returning to Turkey and seeing it properly in a couple years.

All that being said, there are some major perks to visiting Istanbul during lockdown. The main one being that you (almost) have the city to yourself. It’s easy to keep a safe distance when hardly anyone’s around, and there’s virtually no traffic! The quiet streets are peaceful, and there are still plenty of shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions open. There’s also the benefit of added security. Plenty of friendly police around, keeping an eye on things.

My first sunny day in early May was warm (bordering on balmy) and the city inviting.

Being fairly jet lagged, I slept in until 10:30, and delighted in the warm day when I finally got up and sat on my balcony. I ate a small breakfast and pinched myself that this long awaited and dreamed of moment was finally here. I had been looking at pictures of this apartment and imagining myself here for many months, and just like that, here I was.

You can call me a happy camper

My Airbnb is in the Sultanahmet neighborhood, right by the sea, and only a 10 minute walk to Hagia Sophia, through quaint cobbled streets.

Early in the day, I fell for what I came to understand was a fairly typical ploy to get me into a shop. A friendly young man said hello and asked where I was from, and he said he was Kurdish, from east Turkey. He told me about a nearby rooftop I should visit for excellent views of the city. He pointed in the direction, then said “Come, I‘ll show you”. He then brought me across the square to (big surprise) his family’s shop. The men inside greeted me warmly and the father (who has traveled extensively in the states for work) gave me a hug in welcome (I went with it but was screaming inside. COVID is REAL people). The son, whose name I‘ve forgotten, brought me to the roof, and indeed, there was a lovely, panoramic view of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, and the rest of the city. He fed his pigeons and I took some photos.

The photo I almost had to get married for

I was then led down a couple narrow flights to the carpet showroom. I told him they were beautiful but I had much more traveling ahead and couldn’t afford them anyway. He wanted me to have a seat on the couch, but I was ready to leave. He called down to his father while I looked at the carpets and up the man came.

The father asked me what I would like to drink, but I declined, as I was ready to leave and too hot for a hot drink anyway (warm day and nerves, a deadly combo). I knew it was all part of the game to keep me there longer and I wanted none of it. He insisted I have a seat, so I did, not wanting to cause offense, and they sat on chairs on either side of the couch. It felt like an interview, and even more so when the first words out of the father’s mouth were, “So why aren’t you married?” I wanted to keep things polite so I said I had been for 12 years, and that we had gone our separate ways. He then asked why. At this point I told him I didn’t care to discuss the reasons. Then I good humoredly said: “I see what’s going on here, you’re looking for a girlfriend for your son.” Neither of them denied it and I said I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend and that I really did need to go. They were polite and I got up and said I wished the father well on his next journey to the U.S.. The son then lead me down to the store front and suggested I buy a scarf. There did happen to be a very beautiful silk scarf and I made the mistake of seeming interested. The uncle bee lined it over to the counter and started the hard sell. He said that the scarf was over $150, and I told him I didn’t want to buy today anyway. He kept on, and he asked what I would be willing to pay. My next mistake was to tell him $50, thinking he would never come down that far. It was my lucky day though and he begrudgingly kept lowering the price, after I repeatedly said no thank you (why didn’t I just walk out?! Not wanting to be rude), until he got to $50. I again said “I don’t want to buy anything today”. At this point he got mad and shoo’d me to the door, though I was already on my way. I stood outside while he grumbled at me and I told him he was being very rude.

All that was left to do was walk away. It was a strange encounter but I didn’t feel unsafe or shaken in any way. Just mildly annoyed and amused.

Off I went to visit the quiet lawns between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Few tourists around, though it was about a 50/50 split on who was wearing masks and who wasn’t. I sat in the shade by one of the many city dogs who was napping. He began to howl when the call to prayer began, but quickly left off.

I headed to Hagia Sophia to give the inside a look. Long ago (completed in 537 AD) it was a church, during the Byzantine (Roman) era, then it was converted to a mosque when the Ottoman Empire came to power in 1453. For a short time it became a museum, and now it is back to being a mosque. I sat inside on the carpet floor after covering my head with a scarf and removing my shoes. I admired the huge domed ceiling, the kitties wandering freely inside, and the pigeons flying among the rafters. The interior is remarkable and enormous. I got my fill and headed out.

Mosque kitty

The blue mosque is under construction and the inside was disappointingly concealed by a false, low ceiling, above which you can hear construction noise. I had been asked to cover my arms before entering (short sleeved tee shirt), and I just cruised on out as there wasn’t much to see, and headed in the direction of the Suleymaniye Mosque, which sits atop a high hill and looks down at the city below, and the Galata Tower across the Bosphorus river. It was about a 15 minute walk, past the closed Grand Bazaar (sheds silent tear) to a much quieter part of the city. The mosque grounds were quite peaceful, with million dollar views. It is very large, and imposing atop the hill. I went inside and a volunteer worker approached me and asked about my beliefs, and shared his with me. It was a very nice exchange and we thanked one another for the pleasant conversation. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are the main ones you hear about, but this was a must see spot if you’re in Istanbul.

Suleymaniye Mosque

Off I went, navigating the narrow streets toward the Eminonu metro station I knew was nearby. I wanted to skip the walk across the bridge to the Galata tower and was starting to feel famished. I stumbled upon the Arasta Bazaar, which my host had told me was more of a local bazaar that the “Grand” one. It was a feast for the eyes, with many shops open, selling towers of spice and dried tea leaves. I will return here to properly shop another day, but for now, lunch.

My morbid fear of going to a super touristy spot and having to sit down for an ordeal of a meal had me moving quick. I found a place that was selling some breads and I bought a pita stuffed with lamb and spices. Super yummy and only 4tl, which is about 50 cents. Buying food in Turkey is so inexpensive!

I butchered a Turkish thank you to the counter lady, but she smiled and helped me say it, and appreciated the effort. Before the attempt, her face was made of stone.

I sat on a nearby bench and wolfed down the delicious pita, then off I went.

Catching the metro was easy enough, I just bought a card from a booth for 10tl, ($1.20) and fed the machine 20tl, so had 10 to use for getting around. It was a short ride in the above ground tram to the Galata Tower stop (Karakoy), and then a trek up the hill, through a very old neighborhood. I bought a Turkish tea nearby for 5tl, and sipped it to get a little motivation. By this time it was about 4:40pm.

At the ticket booth I used my credit card to pay 30tl for entry, and once inside I had to present my health form that I filled out through the Turkish government website before my flight. Strange, and I’m not sure why they wanted it, but thankfully I had enough presence of mind this morning to bring it just in case.

Galata Tower

I happily rode the elevator to the top, and walked the final flight to the tower balcony. The light was getting softer, and the 360 views were truly grand. Plenty of other tourists taking selfies, many unmasked. I just kept mine on and drank in the views of Europe and Asia‘s meeting place.

Feeling like I had done enough for one day, I walked down the tower stairs, briefly glanced at the exhibitions on each floor, and headed back down hill to the metro station I had arrived at. I caught the line heading the opposite way (I think it was 3.50tl per ride) and got off at the Sultanahmet stop, ever so grateful for easy public transportation to save weary feet. By now I was pretty familiar with the neighborhood (having gotten lost in it earlier) and I headed for my apartment. I stopped at my Airbnb host’s shop to pick up some fruit, local cheese, olives, and delicious fresh bread for dinner. It all came to a whopping 38tl, or $4.50 usd.

Back at my place I got on YouTube and watched some vlogs about Istanbul, for any extra tips on what to see and do, and one guy mentioned a scam where a guy dropped a brush on the ground in front of him and kept walking. When he pointed it out to the dropper, the man grabbed it and insisted on shining his shoes as thanks, then proceeded to ask for money for his services. This made me laugh because I had this exact thing happen to me by the Galata Tower, but when the guy tried to get me to stop for a shoe shine I just kept walking. I had had my fill of games for the year.

Today surprised me with how many interactions I shared with people, some good and some bad, but all interesting. Istanbul is a colorful city full of history and character (and characters). It is also surprisingly easy to navigate both on foot, and using the metro system. I’m looking forward to another day of roaming tomorrow.

Views of Fatih from Galata Tower