Made in Japan, Outsourced Globally

Warning: This post may make you extremely, extremely hungry...

2 Asian girls wandered into Istanbul – a little tired of Old Europe, without much sleep, and with a gargantuan appetite. Thanks to Emir, an Instanbul local, Mel and I had a wonderful opportunity to see what all the Turkey-philes were raving about.

We also witnessed the political spice in the air while we were there – hundreds of Turks went to the streets, as they protested against the parliamentary election of a Muslim president. The secular population rallied with Turkish flags and pictures of Ataturk (founder of the Turkish Republic) in hand. The military in Turkey considers itself the guardian of secularism, and therefore ominously broadcasted that it will “protect secularism in Turkey, no matter what it takes.” It’s a bit of a head-twister when the military is willing to go against the state in the name of an open and secular nation. On the last day that we were leaving, Mel and I saw tanks and police barricades in the streets. I later learned on TV that there was a semi-violent suppression of the demonstrators by the police that day.

But otherwise, we were able to enjoy the beauty and wonder of Istanbul with ease. Sunshine smiled upon us, as we spent most days under a clear blue sky.


The Blue Mosque. Although it fades in historical significance compared to the Aya Sofya, it is still beautiful and prides in the fact that it is the only mosque in Istanbul with 6 minarets (towers). The interior is also breath-taking, with the intricate painted tiles (it is because of these tiles that this particular architecture became renowned as the “Blue Mosque”).


Aya Sofya. Originally a center of the Byzantine empire, this building has turned from the main attraction of Constantinople to Istanbul. The dome-shaped church was cleverly turned into a mosque with the addition of minarets. The interior is more interesting with the dome that looks as if it was floating, and old mosaics with Christian icons (which was painted over when it turned into a mosque). It is no longer a functional mosque, and is considered a museum (that is why the Christian symbols that have been excavated are on public display).


Relax and enjoy the local scene at Ortakoy. You can spend a good half of your day walking around this area – there are small shops, cafes, and street-food vendors. You can also take a small boat-trip that zig zags along the Bosphorus from here.


All the mosques have a beautiful interior with lamps and stained glass windows. If you are a woman, you need a scarf to get in (or you can borrow one at the entrance).


The cistern. It is a water storage system for the Ottoman royalty. Not to be missed, as it is one of the more interesting sites in the city center (right near the Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque).


Whet your shopping appetite and choose wisely. Everything can be bargained at the souk. Bargaining takes a certain technique – assume that the price is inflated 50-70% at first, and don’t feel bad about walking away. There are always more shops that sell similar items. Bundling items together is also a good way to decrease the asking price (“if I buy 5, will you give me a 20% discount?”).


Enjoy walking along the Spice Bazaar. The most interesting thing is to listen to what the vendors are saying to get you to buy: “Are you looking for me? I am here!” “How can I make you spend your money today?” “I have a great poison for your mother in law!!!”


Smoking a shisha, sipping some infusion tea, and playing backgammon. A great past time and a way to hang out with friends. (By the way, shisha with milk in the pipe is wonderful – it makes a very creamy smoke).


The Austin connection: Mel and Emir enjoying the morning ferry ride on the Bosphorus.


Being silly... we found a quirky shop that sold G-loves.

Istanbul is one of the most delicious cities in the world. Mel and I were in food heaven, as we tasted everything & anything fried/grilled/sauteed that street vendors had to offer, to the indulgent snacks that tickled our sweet-tooth.

Each day started with some simit (roasted sesame bread, which can have spicy Turkish sausage, olive paste, or cheese inside) and Çay, as we hopped on the ferry from Kadıköy to Eminönü. Sometimes we would even get some freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juice.

We slurped, devoured, nibbled... we just could not get enough of the flavors of Turkey! My personal favorite were the mediye tava (fried mussel sandwich with hollandaise sauce) and balik ekmek (grilled fish sandwich) - cheap and amazingly good! We tried anything we could get our hands on - kumpirs, kebabs, kefta stews, fish and various pastries. There is every reason to believe that Turkish people have it pretty darn good with such great food at a reasonable price.

There are plenty of munchies after downing a couple glasses of Efes beer, but one of the most memorable is the steamed mussels with spicy rice inside. The vendor opens the shell, dallops a few drops of lemon, and voila! A quick shot of spice and the sea goes straight down to your stomach. (And you may be ready for more Efes and Yeni Reki).

And let's not forget... desserts are essential to the taste of Turkey. We enjoyed söbiyets with pistachio powdered on them were one of our favorites, while our eyes strayed to amazing range of Turkish delights (lokum). Some of the notable desserts were the kazandibi (rice pudding) and the tavuk gögsü (a mochi-like rice pudding - with a very unusual ingredient inside). You just have to try it. Being tourists, we also enjoyed the entertainment of the Turkish ice cream (a stretchy ice cream that provides both amusement and a yummy flavor).














This is what we looked like most of the time. Food in hand and all smiles :)