June+29+-+Day+1

Istanbul Monday June 29, 2009 

Day 1, Mon June 29 ISTANBUL PM: Arrival in Istanbul, transfer to your hotel. 19:30 PM Welcome drink and tour briefing with your Tour Guide and fellow travelers at the hotel. 20:00 PM Welcome dinner. Overnight at the Hotel.  Commentary: 

We landed in Istanbul, quickly got our Visas, collected our bags, and cleared customs to meet Orhan Sezener our fantastic guide. He came highly touted from previous travelers and he has not disappointed. After the trip from the airport and Orhan’s quick overview of the city’s geography (Sea of Marmara, Bosporous, Byzantine city walls, Europe, Asia….) and eras of history, we arrived at the hotel shortly before noon. We learned that the other half of the group from Tennessee and South Carolina flying via Chicago would not be arriving until 7:00 PM so we had seven hours to roam in Istanbul. We covered a lot of ground in that time…

We headed first to the Grand Bazaar – a twisted maze of shops that overwhelms the senses. Shopkeepers shout as you approach and try to lure you to “just have a look, please.” Carpets, ceramics, shoes, futbol jerseys, lights and just about anything else you can imagine. The Turkish wit and humor quickly became evident: “you look like a cowboy….Houston or Austin?” “You want to shop here; I will not cheat you as bad as that guy!” All delivered with a warm smile and a friendly handshake. Overall, it’s quite a bit of fun and I get all the facts about Istanbul futbol league and its three best teams.

After losing Jim and Kathleen in the market, Mike, Patrick and I navigated to Galata bridge and crossed the Golden Horn from the Old Town (Constantinople) to the “new” European side. We walked the steep incline to Galata tower and climbed to the top for a panoramic view of European Istanbul around the Golden Horn. The birds’ eye view helped in orienting ourselves for the days ahead. The trip back across the bridge was an experience in itself: fishermen shoulder to shoulder, bread vendors with stacks of simit (much like large round sesame bagels) on their heads, even a wedding party posing for photos.

Back across the bridge we check out the Balik Ekmek (“fish bread”) boats. What an experience… Hordes of people right along the Golden Horn buying filleted fish sandwiches that are grilled on the boats floating right next to the promenade. Families and friends of all ages gather on small stools around tiny tables as men in company vests call out for everyone to partake. The busy intersection behind with the boats in front, all in the shadow of nearby towering mosques, creates a very memorable experience.

We finish our wanderings at the Spice Bazaar. A symphony of color and smells make for a most pleasant atmosphere. Vendors stand in front of their shops amid vats of brightly colored spices and heaps of Turkish Delight shouting specials to passers-by. Not nearly as large or as frenetic as the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar is a singularly enjoyable experience. We enjoy the show of a Dondurma (a taffy-like ice cream) vendor as he teases customers with his playful serving antics. I guess the best way to describe it is an ice cream puppeteer clown; it’s well-worth the price of a cone just for the entertainment…  We make our way back to the hotel and meet up with the groups from Tennessee and South Carolina. They are very nice and we hit it off immediately. After a few words from Turkish Cultural Foundation Executive Director Guler Koknar and Istanbul Director Huyla Yurtsever, we have a traditional Turkish meal on the roof of the hotel. We have a perfect view of the Blue Mosque and the Bosporous before us. After dinner a few of the guys from the group head to a local café for project development time. Istanbul awaits in the morning...

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