Wandering Istanbul: İstanbul at contrast with itself

Dear Reader,

I must apologize for the long gap between this post and the last. The last several weeks have been very busy, papers, finals, and then a somewhat stressful hostel experience. Though, in between all of that, I’ve had fun and have done plenty of wandering.

After exams, my program at Boğazici University finally came to an end and I needed a new place to stay at. I eventually settled in Sultanahmet, the oldest district of Istanbul. It is the district with Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace; the three major tourist destinations in Istanbul. There are several really interesting museums to visit, especially the archeology museum. It was also great to have breakfast every morning overlooking the old walls and the straits, while watching the sun rise over Asia.

Sultanahmet is not only a fascinating area of Istanbul, it is also very clean, as to keep appearances for local families looking for fun and the tourists. At night, it almost feels like I’m at my hometown’s summer festival. Children are frolicking about, while couples and passersby gather around the lit up fountain and watch the water show. The lawn around the fountain is worn out by shoes, so many bring their blankets to recline and enjoy the wonderful weather.

Yet, it is expensive and tiresome to sleep at. It’s like living at IKEA, but all the employees will not stop talking to your money. However, Gülhane park was always nearby. Even though plenty of visitors frequent there, it's very tranquil. I've probably napped there everytime walking through it. A day in Sultanahmet is never wasted time, but I don’t recommend staying there if you are trying to experience Istanbul outside of being a distant observer. Yet, if you are looking for a very nice dinner and evening, Sultanahmet is the place to go. If money is also not an issue, or you are on a family vacation, I would not worry about any of the problems I had.

Before I tell you about where I am currently staying at now, I should point out a part of Sutlanahmet that I was completely unaware of before yesterday. In searching for Küçük Ayasofya (there are two Hagia Sophias), I found myself walking through a part of Sultanahmet that did not have any hotels or high-end restaurants. On the contrary, the place was as dilapidated as any I have seen in the city. Although the vicinity around Küçük Ayasofya was a little more clean, much of the housing was small, and barbed wire decked sheet metal walls. I suppose this sight should not have come of a surprise. Even in the upscale districts of Istanbul, there are pockets of poverty. However, it is still difficult to fathom that the Four Seasons hotel is only a three minute walk from Küçük Ayasofya, and that both occupy the same street. It would seem as though the life a traveler living in Sultanahmet is significantly more comfortable than for the people living there.

Across the Galata bridge to the north is Beyoğlu. Another old area of Istanbul, it is otherwise quite different from Sultanahmet. Whereas most of Sultanahmet and surrounding Fatıh is conservative and touristed, Beyoğlu is modern and gritty. Tourists do come here, but in lesser number. Istanbulites seeking modern Turkey come here. It is much easier to blend in here, which is one of the reasons I moved up here for the next week instead of continuing to stay in Sultanahmet.

İstiklal Avenue. Not as touristed, but crowded. An estimated 3 million visit it daily over the weekends.

Name-brand clothing stores, cinemas, night clubs and bars line Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue in central Beyoğlu.* Erotic shops are also a fairly common sight in Beyoğlu, and they outnumber mosques, which are conspicuously almost completely absent. Instead of hearing the call to prayer, I hear music emanating from the streets and out of clubs. Over Ramadan, I’ve noticed more Turks eating during the day than in other parts of Istanbul. As the neighborhood successfully protested against recent plans to build a mosque in the middle of Taksim, I am not surprised. Meanwhile, a large monument of Atatürk and secular republicanism dominates the center of Taksim square.

I’ll try to get back to you all about my experiences in the other areas of Istanbul, as the landscape reflects the attitudes and backgrounds of the people living there. It also tells us how Istanbul is one of the most dynamic cities in the world, and is also one of stark contrasts.

*You might be thinking, “Weren’t you just complaining about living in a shopping mall?” While it might be true that there are more stores here than in Sultanahmet, I am not being constantly approached by salesmen, and I can find good, cheap goods here, especially food.