A Youth Backpacker in Europe
Part III Chapter VI-III
Istanbul, from the Golden Horn to Bosphorus
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Take a measly minute to cut out Old Istanbul City from the scarcely available printed Istanbul map and then season with three-drop of creativity juice you squeezed so hard from your rusted brain onto the map. What you will get is not an oyster plate in an extravagant French restaurant, but what Turks call the Golden Horn.
At first I was purely fascinated by the similarity of its shape to a horn, but then relating the many renowned destinations located within the Old Istanbul City district made me realised why the horn is a golden one.
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How could anyone not love Old Istanbul City? Not only it does accommodate the landmark Blue Mosque, the church-turned mosque Haghia Sophia, the massive underground water cistern Yerebatan Sarayi, the bustling Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, and also the resplendent Topkapi Palace, it is also where the best kebab and balik-ekmek could be found abundantly.
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Connecting the Old City to the Modern Istanbul City is the Galata Bridge. Coupled with Galata Tower, these two locations have always been the hottest spot to admire the sunrise, the daylight, the sunset and the night scene of Istanbul, regardless on whether you are revolving around the panoramic viewing platform of the Galata Tower, or standing along the Galata Bridge with hundreds of “fishers”.
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In the Modern City, splendid monuments are not lacking either. These include the Dolmabaçhe Palace constructed alongside the Bosphorus (also is where I got 90% discount on entry ticket, ha!), Otokol Church that overlooks the simply elegant New Bosphorus Brigde, the buzzing Taksim Square and the shopaholic heaven Istiklal Caddesi.
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On a warm sunny morning in Istanbul, the best indulgence should definitely be a boat trip along the Bosphorus that sails all the way from New Bosphorus Bridge to Old Bosphorus Bridge, which are two absolutely identical bridges uniting firmly Asia and Europe. Not to miss are also the expensive lodges sprawling along the Bosphorus and the fortress of Rumelihisar which I was told to have held concert of Elton John.
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And voila! Four paragraphs summarising all the most exciting venues in Istanbul. Bear in mind, it takes days to really digest and appreciate the charm and beauty of these attractions, but it worth the time and apparently the sore feet.
Istanbul, like many other cities in Turkey, crowded. But ironically, the pressure of living is hardly felt. Perhaps it was because I was a tourist. But I was convinced that no matter how busy you are, there is always time for family, for the love one, for friends, for a glass of apple tea under a tree, for an afternoon of fishing on a bridge, for a glimpse of the mesmerising sunset, and a few bites of baklava or Turkish delight.
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Turkey, with picturesque landscapes, heart-warming people, intriguing legends and history, deliciously healthy street cuisine, and exciting adventurous activities, is at least in my opinion, the ultimate travel destination. I rate the country five-star!
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