Istanbul, Turkey
by Mike Siegel
Straddling Europe and Asia, this massive city has a story like no other.
Mike’s Snapshot Review
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When: November, 2011
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Duration: 5-6 days
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Stayed: Hotel in Old City neighborhood of Sultanhamet-walking distance to many tourist sites.
POSITIVES
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Cost– Not as expensive as Western Europe;
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Cleanliness– for a city of nearly 14 million, it was cleaner than I expected;
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Food– the Turks love meat and know how to cook it.
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Rich cultural history;
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Good** nightlife**. Not exactly a pub culture, but there are plenty of bars and discos. Action tends to start late and go late into the night.
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Unlike many Muslim countries, Turkey, and especially Istanbul, is modern and forward-thinking, and women work and hold many positions of power.
NEGATIVES
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Lack of** diversity **amongst the locals.
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Crime– Locals can be a bit hard-core. I saw two fights on the street in the short time I was there, and the Besiktas soccer match I attended had the heaviest security and darkest vibe of any stadium I’d been to in the world.
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Trains and buses can be overcrowded, and look out for panhandlers, pickpockets, scam artists- typical big city stuff. Use street smarts.
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Traffic
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I found the famous Turkish baths to be way overrated, pricey, and not worth it.
MUST DO
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Blue Mosque
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Hagia Sophia
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**Roman Cisterns **(very cool)
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**Topkapi Palace **
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Grand Bazaar
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boat ride on the Bosphorous River
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Eat a kebab
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smoke a hookah
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try a coffee (too thick for me but people love it), and also drink the excellent tea.
RECOMENDED?
Absolutely!
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