18/03

So I decided to spend my birthday weekend in Istanbul with fellow WHO intern, Coralie. I was hanging out for mosques and meze. We finished work early that day and caught a sunset flight over the Swiss alps. Stunning scenery.

I’m not usually one to care for in-flight dining experiences, but I was amazed at how Turkish Airlines put so much taste into their dinners. They’d apparently commissioned a famous Turkish chef to design the dishes. Irrespective of the propaganda, they had somehow managed to retain some taste in their meals. The stew and meze were both delicious. A surprising 7.5/10.

19/03

Now, one of the perks of waking up in Istanbul is the amazing day of eating ahead of you. Breakfast included fetta and three types of olive. Yes! An hour later and I was far too tempted by all of the baklava shops lining the main street of the old town. Morning tea no. 1.

Being on holiday means that you have interesting things to distract you in between meals/snacks. This was my first voyage to the ‘Middle East’ and, having done my homework, I was determined to soak up some Ottoman history.

First stop was the Blue Mosque, a majestic old thing with six minarets – a scandal at the time it was built, as the only other mosque with as many minarets was the one at Mecca.

Very peaceful on the inside, though it must be a bummer as a local having to compete with the tourists to get in. It’s the price you pay for building something so impressive, I guess.

Next, catching the boat to Asia. The Bosphorus is the fantastic strait demarcating Europe and Asia. Together with the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus splits Istanbul into three distinct parts – Old Europe, New Europe, and Asia. It also provides a great reason to ride the ferries all day;  big old things with bench seats and in-built cafes serving Turkish tea and simit, delicious sesame bagel snacks. Second morning tea and it was only 11am.

Asia is generally cheap, and this is true of Istanbul. We got off at Uskudar and suddenly paid half price for everything. Fresh lahmacun, ayran (salty yoghurt drink), and doner made for a small tasty lunch.

Now, I’m sure we visited other historical sites. The subterranean Basilica Cistern, for example. But my mind started to wander. It was the Spice Bazaar I was craving. We got lost in the backstreets of the Grand Bazaar and had to ask a local for directions. He was heading through there, so we took a wander with him. Once he heard that I was a big baklava fan he pointed out his favourite ‘baklavaci’.

After teasing my palate with a delicious borek, I struck the gold I was after…

Double pistachio. It was kind of like the experience Matt Preston seems to have whenever he bites into something delicious on Masterchef and his face loses muscle tone. The world fades as your whole mind focuses on the taste. I imagine heroin to be similar in this way. I had just found the pinnacle of dessert pleasure. 10/10.

After walking around the Spice Bazaar in a kind of post-baklava bliss, we wandered out into the open and saw another mosque. A peaceful place to reflect upon the spiritual moment I’d just endured.

The interior of the Turkish mosques were obviously impressive. I prefer the kind of stoner-math geometry that goes on here more than the stained-glass Catholic church I’m used to inspecting. The lighter colours and patterns tend to soothe me more.

Nevertheless, it was dinner time. We’d been given some tips by my WHO workmate’s ex-housemate who was now living in Istanbul. Despite being on the main tourist street, it took a while to find the narrow storefront stairs leading up to a daggy ‘koftecisi’ restaurant full of locals. Modest plates of delicious kofte, chillies, bean salads and yoghurt came out. Clean and simple tastes, with a focus on meat. Hearty 7.5/10.

A night-time vista of the scandalous minarets on an after-dinner wander was followed by a few beers at a packed part of the New European part of Beyoglu, followed somehow…

…by a second dinner at midnight. Amazing stewed beans, some kind of cheesy spinach deliciousness, and other small dishes.

I was impressed that such a classy eatery was open so late. 8/10. I went to bed rather sated.

20/03

Another day, another breakfast. Fish caught fresh from the Golden Horn are cooked up by guys on boats who then serve it up in sandwiches on the pier. Simple and tasty, 6.5/10.

Here’s a view of the fish-sandwich boats from the ferry…

…on which we were served morning tea. We took a tour of the Bosphorus, inspecting the yali, opulent waterfront houses on the Asian side.  I enjoyed the scene a little too much and forgot to take photos.

Boat tours make me peckish. It was time for another meze experience. We ordered six or seven small dishes such as this olive, tomato and walnut number. Diverse and tasty samplers. I was enjoying a tomato eggplant stew when my iphone decided it all was too much and shut down, therein ending my photojournalism for the trip.

Delicious meals, snacks, teas, and temples. A winning combination in a scenic city. I’ll be back to eat and explore you again, Istanbul.

Next episode: Geneva pt. 2 & train ride to Italy

Cheers,

A.