The ever-inviting Istanbul

travel

Destiny took us once again to Constantinople, the capital city of Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and the cradle of Greco-Roman and Ottoman civilisations. In fact, the region where Turkiye lies today has a primeval history dating back to Paleolithic period which has a long timeline of 11,000 BC to more than three million years BC. The influence that these long prehistoric milieus and the later civilisations have had on this transcontinental country has turned it into a treasure trove for tourists particularly those who are interested in history and heritage.

The influence of Greco-Roman culture increased considerably when the region known as Anatolia which is contemporary Turkiye, came under Roman Empire’s sovereignty with Alexander the Great leaving his native Macedonia in 334 BC and initiating his eastbound conquests.

Against the backdrop of such rich cultural heritage, the present-day megalopolis of Istanbul offers a characteristic blend of antiquity exhibited by ancient monuments or artefacts and modernity mirrored by the urban development associated with the top-ranking cities of the world. Who would not want to join the gold rush when looking for some nuggets?

The icing on the cake was the family get-together of ten people who were there to celebrate the graduation of my son, Salman who secured an MBA degree from Sabanci University. Salman speaks fluent Turkish and hosted us like an expert tour guide. Life would have been tough otherwise since most Turkish men on the street are not very conversant in English language. Traditional bazaars such as Grand Bazaar or Spice Bazaar are exceptions where you would find salesmen grappling with English to close the deal. A Smarter Alec, sure of your Pakistani or Indian origin, would call from behind “bhai sahab kya chaheay?” (Brother, what are you looking for?)

Istanbul has efficient and diverse conveyance systems. One would use taxis, buses, trams, underground metro trains and above all thousands of ferries plying across Bosphorus and Golden Horn - a tributary of Bosphorus flowing into the European side of Istanbul. There is immense marine traffic in and around Bosphorus as the strait connects the Sea of Marmara, in fact Mediterranean, with the Black Sea. Urban mass transit systems, no matter how far-reaching they are, do not drop you at your doorstep. Therefore, if you are not prepared to walk long distances then Istanbul is not the city for you. The undulating terrain makes your walk more laborious. Perhaps that is the reason why we find a restaurant or a cafe in every nook and corner of Istanbul with people leisurely enjoying their food and tea for hours.

The challenge of keeping up with the tourist influx is surely a reason for the excellent housekeeping by the municipality (called Belediye in Turkish, Baldia in Urdu) but Turkish people in general and Istanbullus in particular are extremely conscious of cleanliness and beautification of their city. They are experts in town planning and have a great aesthetic sense. The Turks also seem to be proud of their legacy and have preserved their relics exquisitely.

Turkish people treat animals gently. The stray cats and dogs are invariably overweight as they are fed by all. You wouldn’t find a stray dog barking at any pedestrian. The dogs are vaccinated and tagged by the municipality. In one of the pictures, you can see that the local police department has labelled the dog as ‘Dog Police’ instead of ‘Police Dog’. The intended love (and respect) to the animal is evident. One can find seagulls everywhere in Istanbul because the city is surrounded by water. Crows, kites or other scavengers are rare as the city is clean and hardly leaves anything for them to feed on. The pigeons and doves look the same as the breeds found in Pakistan but crows are slightly different - a wee bit smaller in size with whitish back and breast.

Taksim Square is the heart of the city. The adjacent Istiklal Street is buzzing round-the-clock. And if you have not been to Fatih district where Blue Mosque (also known as Sultan Ahmed Jami), Aya Sofia and Top Kapi Palace Museum are situated, you have not seen Istanbul. This Fatih district used to be the real Constantinople in the days of yore.

Istanbul seems to have a never-ending list of places thronged by tourists all the time. To name a few, there is Dolmabahce Palace which was built by Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid-I (pronounced Abdul Majeed) on the shores of Bosphorus strait during the period 1848 to 1856. It has now been converted into a museum exhibiting artefacts of the Ottoman period as well as belongings of Mustafa Kamal Pasha Ataturk who occupied the palace after the exit of last Ottoman sultan. The Galata Tower is another unique historic monument. Built in the 14th century at a strategic location, it overlooks both Bosphorus and the Golden Horn Sea channels. A recent wonder that Turkish people have built in Istanbul is Miniaturk which is an open-air museum, a kind of park, where they have displayed models of major Turkish monuments, structures and relics. If you do not get to see the real ones, enjoy these equally fascinating bonsai replicas.

The latest addition to the city’s architecture is the Çamlica (pronounced Chamleeja) Mosque and the Islamic Museum built underneath. It seems that the motto of Turkiye in this regard is ‘more the merrier’. Çamlica is now the largest mosque in Turkey. The Museum has a vast collection of Islamic exhibits including the Moey Mubarak (Sacred Hair) of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The graphic arts presentation in the museum is out of this world. It mesmerises you with a grain of divinity around it.

So, if you are planning a trip to Istanbul, plan it to the hilt as Istanbul is a city you never get enough of!

The writer can be reached at mirzamnayyar@yahoo.com