Travel: Enjoying 'New Rome' on the Bosphorus

 ISTANBUL-Finding myself on a private yacht on the Bosphorus during a sunny Sunday afternoon, surrounded by friendly Turkish businessmen and a visiting professor from Denmark referred to as “the Oracle of Davos,” I had to ask myself, how did I end up here?

 The truth is my Turkish friend Erdem is extremely assertive and nice. We met at a bare-knuckle boxing event I was covering six months ago. He was hosting Rasheda Ali, Muhamid Ali’s daughter, in the city, and we exchanged numbers. He promised a tour of the city the next time I was in town, and he was good to his word.

 Our host, who seems to always appear in a three-piece tailored suit, said, “Istanbul is a city where every step allows you to experience the past and present,” referring to the city’s incredible history. As one of the most strategic locations in the world between east and west, the area has always been valuable. The city was controlled by the Byzantium Empire from 660 BCE then became the new capital of the Roman Epire in 330 AD, giving the city the nickname 'New Rome'. In 1453, the Ottomans made it their capital until 1923 when Modern Istanbul took shape after the Turkish War of Independence.

 Erdem is always an advocate for his home town and proud to show it off as he has done for many of his VIP guests, including Professor Henrik von Scheel, the leading strategist behind the “Digital Agenda” of Europe who joined us on the boat tour. As the sun started to set and dolphins appeared next to our boat, I realized Erdem is a romantic about the city as well. He said, “One should love like Istanbul, irreplaceable and passionate.”

 Our hotel was a great find, the Orientbank Hotel Istanbul, located right next to the Spice Bazaar. It was formerly a posh art nouveau German bank built in the 1880s. The property was converted to a hotel five years ago after a period of abandonment. A welcome cup of tea after a long journey was appreciated during the seated check-in.

 During our tea service, we learned our hotel was used in the James Bond film, “Skyfall.” This was verified by the line of people waiting to have their picture taken in front of the only entrance door. The hotel rooftop provided a retreat with an incredible view for sunset prayer calls that seemed to bring a calm to the city.

 Next on the agenda was a city walking tour. “I love the contradiction,” said our guide Unis, who has been a guide for 17 years. “To see conservatives living together with secular people in the same neighborhood. I like the chaos of the city spread across two continents.” He guided us around the main sights around the city including the Grand Bazaar on the tour. We ended the tour at his shop for tea and Turkish Delight.

 History, change, and contradiction is no more evident than in the city’s most popular attraction Hagia Sophia. The current structure was completed in 537 as a church. When the city was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453, it was converted into a mosque. Next, it was converted into a museum from 1935 until 2020 when it was converted back into a mosque.

 The interior which is currently under renovation is still magnificent. Since most mosques are built facing Mecca as indicated by the Mirhab (a niche in the wall, usually the head of the mosque facing Mecca), in Hagia Sophia, the direction of Mecca is a little off center which makes it unique.

 The structure also includes ninth century Christian mosaics which are slightly covered since it is prohibited in Islamic tradition to display images of holy figures in an active mosque. From the second floor viewing area, you can still get a glimpse of them. You can also see other mosaics including the masterpiece near the exit which shows Emperor Justine I presenting Hagia Sofia to the Virgin Mary and Emperor Constitine presenting the city of Constantinople on the other side of her.

 One morning we went to the colorful and popular neighborhood of Balat. The streets were lined with colorful houses, Instagram-able posh cafes and independent boutiques spread over a dramatic hill. At the top of the hill was the photogenic Fener Greek High School, known as the red castle, that overlooks the neighborhood and the Golden Horn (a large historic waterway that divides the European side of Istanbul).

 A traditional Turkish breakfast is one of the many benefits of visiting the country, and we took full advantage. The communal meal consists of fresh vegetables, cheeses, breads, eggs, olives, honey, and cream accompanied with black tea. On an early Sunday morning we hiked across town which felt calm and abandoned.

 At Botamia 1928, our pilgrimage was rewarded with a traditional Kurdish breakfast, similar to Turkish with just a few differences including qaymax, a Kurdish clotted cream, and Turkish coffee made with ground almonds and chocolate. The small family run café was outstanding and reasonably priced.

 “What a magical place to hear my first prayer call echoing across the many mosques.” said Jodi, our well-traveled friend from the Washington, DC area who joined us. She enjoyed seeing all the kilim textiles and eating the Turkish breakfasts as well. She was inspired to learn more about the culture and history which is a good sign of having had a positive travel experience.

 This trip was a better first impression than my wife and I experienced 20 years ago when we found ourselves hiding underneath the bed during our first prayer call which happened at five a.m. Our hotel was located directly in front of the Blue Mosque (one of the largest in city). We had thought that some sort of attack had occurred because the sound was so loud with the speaker just outside our hotel window. By the end of the trip, we found the charm in the prayer calls throughout the day and fell in love with the city.

 The modern Turkish capital with a deep routed history spread across the Bosphorus is always a welcome destination visually, culturally and from a culinary perspective. The restaurant rooftop culture invites you to experience the chaos from a peaceful perspective with the Golden Horn in view calming the city. mlp