I’ve always been fascinated with Istanbul, having read extensively about Constantinople, the Ottoman empire and the Byzantine era. My first trip to Istanbul was in April 2013, when spring was in the air and 3 million tulips were in full bloom in time for the Istanbul Tulip Festival. I was on a week-long business trip and determined to experience as much of the city as I could in the evenings and over the weekend. During that first trip, I managed to explore the Old City and visit the Bosphorus area.

Tulips
Tulips in Bloom in the Old City

During my second trip, about a year later, I had more time on my hands. This time, I was staying right by the strait of Bosphorus with a gorgeous view of the Marmara sea and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridge. I even experienced a glimpse of the Istanbul nightlife. (Those Turks can party, I tell you!)

The gorgeous view of the Bosphorus from my hotel room
The gorgeous view of the Bosphorus from my hotel room

This is the ONLY city in the world that sits in both Europe and Asia and is perhaps the largest city in the world, by population (17 million) within city limits. Throughout its long history, Istanbul has acquired a reputation for being a cultural and ethnic melting pot. Some of the most beautiful examples of Byzantine, Ottoman and modern Turkish architecture can be seen in the Old City, that is still partially surrounded by the Walls of Constantinople built in the 5th century.

Armed with my iPhone, I managed to capture the essence of this unique city, as best as I could. These are images I edited mostly on instagram, snapseed and colorblast. Interestingly, my instagram was on fire when I started posting these while in Turkey. Within seconds of the post I would get ldoznes of likes from strangers with Turkish sounding names.

You can buy anything in Grand Bazaar! Mannequins outside Grand Bazaar
The awe inspiring Hagia Sophia, around 1451 years old. First a church, then a mosque, now a museum
Initially i thought these were pretzel stands. But they turned out to be selling Turkish bread shaped like doughnuts and eaten with nutella!
Such beautiful old buildings all over old #istanbul
The Topkapi Palace conservation park is filled with Tulips
A striking building opposite the Cistern Basilica in Sultanahmet, Old Istanbul
The Grand Bazaar is overwhelming on the senses
More sights from the Old City
I love these quaint little cafes all over Istanbul. People seem to survive only on endless cups of tea and Turkish coffee
I managed to grab some lunch at the famed Pudding Shop known as the popular rest stop of the Hippie Trail in the 60s & 70s. Fantastic food & wide choice of veggie dishes!
Reina is a popular nightclub in Istanbul and we spent an interesting night partying there!
Finally, I got to see one of the eight wonders of the world, the Hagia Sophia (or Aya Sofia in Turkish). The only structure as far as i know that was once a church in the byzantine empire, then a mosque during the Ottoman period and now a museum.
The hip Nishantishi neighborhood where my Turkish colleagues took me to dinner one evening.
I highly recommend drinking fresh pomegrenate juice from the pushcart. Delicious!
The Grand bazaar is a riot of colours
The building at the entrance of the Topkapi Palace, the seat of the Ottoman empire, now a UNESCO world heritage site
I love Turkish Lamps. This one in an old coffee house in Grand Bazaar
#JustMarried this couple was at the #Topkapi palace to take wedding pictures. They got more than they bargained for as tourists turned to paparazzi!
Fresh organic produce in Nishantisi’s City’s mall just looks so tempting
My favourite Turkish breakfast dish has to be Bal Kaymak – Honey with cream and Turkish Pretzel
More beautiful buildings in the Old City
It is rather odd but very amusing to find a centuries old Church in the middle of Istiklar street, filled with shops, restaurants and bars! Eat, Pray, love?
You’ve got to love the skyline of Old Istanbul
I love the little bird houses on bare tree tops which a local told me were built by the tourism board to protect the little birds from hawks!
Bebek, was the first nightclub we went to, which is half projected over the water. They had a live violin player playing to trance beats in the background.
Heard this guy playing a lovely melody on the harmonica from the office. Went running down to the street to see who was playing. He’d started to walk away already, threw me a smile as he saw me chasing him camera in hand!
Love the dry foods display
Colours of Grand Bazaar
The Conqueror’s Pavillon (Fatih Köşkü) houses the Imperial Treasury of the Topkapi Palace
Sights from the Old City
The magnificent Sultanahmet mosque in Old Istanbul, also known as the Blue Mosque
One of the oldest mosques in Turkey in Nishantisihi area of #Istanbul
My final dinner in Istanbul was in Haci Abdullah, a historical place established in 1888 adn still going strong
As you can see i was clicking away at the sight of every pretty structure in the Old city.
I love the coffee houses dotting the old #istanbul area
Refreshments anyone? Reminded me of the coloured soda water sold in small indian cities in a pushcart.
I got lost finding my way back to the car from Istiklar street. Guess what landmark i gave the driver?
Church of Hagia Eirene in the First Courtyard of the Topkapi Palace complex and the stunning gardens around it.
Stuning street art in Sultanahmet #OldCity
Tried my hand with the ColourBlast app on this one. Nice isn’t it?
This tram almost ran me down. But then it has no business even running on Istiklar street, one of the busiest streets in the city at any time of day or night!
The minute i say I am vegetarian, all restaurants offer me artichoke in Istanbul…why???
The beautiful grounds of #topkapi palace.
The Gate of Salutation (Bâb-üs Selâm), entrance to the Second courtyard of Topkapı Palace
A cup of Turkish Coffee is like a an IV shot of Red Bull to the veins. Thick as sludge and oh so aromatic! This one was one of the best I had.
On a Saturday evening, came across these people doing a traditional dance from Northern Turkey in Istiklar street.
The magnificent Blue Mosque as viewed from the Hagia Sofia
Tulips in bloom in the Old City

Food is an important part of Turkish culture and despite my diet restrictions as a vegetarian, I was able to feast on an amazing variety of delicacies. Breakfast in Turkey was quite a surprise. Turkish people love cheese. I counted about 7-8 different types of cheese available in the breakfast buffet at the hotel and was told this is the norm.

turkish breakfast
A typical Turkish breakfast when a few people get together.

I fell in love with two Turkish two breakfast dishes.

  • Bal Kaymak – Bal is honey, and Kaymak is a type of clotted cream (remember those Enid Blyton books?). This cream is made from the milk of water buffaloes. The honey (sometimes with bits of the honeycomb) is poured over the Kaymak. Then you break a piece of Simit, a type of sesame encrusted Turkish bagel and dip it in this mixture and bite into a little piece of heaven!

Warning: This stuff is loaded with calories and if you are watching your waistline, this is not for you. Despite my attempts at healthy eating, I simply could not resist Bal Kaymak for breakfast almost every day that I was in Istanbul.

  • Menemen – I am afraid to call it scrambled eggs, because this is much more than that. Menemen is a type of creamy Turkish scrambled eggs mixed with tomatoes, peppers, onions and generously drizzled with olive oil. Eat it with a side of salty cheese, olives, and some good crusty bread. The eggs are cooked till they are just about to set, which gives it that beautiful creamy texture. The dish is typically cooked in mini copper pots and the pot is served directly to your table. It reminded me of its middle eastern cousin the Eggs Shakshuka, but this has a unique texture and taste I haven’t experienced before.

During a third and very brief trip to Istanbul during a long layover from London to San Francisco, I met my now former colleagues for breakfast at this amazing place overlooking the Marmara sea. Even before I could open the menu, my friends said – So, you want Bal Kaymak and Menemen, right?

Ofcourse!

Teşekkür ederim!