Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it’s Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you’ve a date in Constantinople
She’ll be waiting in Istanbul.
These are the lyrics of Istanbul (Not Constantinople), a catchy song written in 1953 by Jimmy Kennedy with music by Nat Simon.
Those two words, "Istanbul" and "Constantinople," kept singing in my mind for months before I left for the World Congress on Public Relations sponsored by the International Public Relations Association which was being held at the Istanbul Hilton for four days.
The conference also marked IPRA’s 50th anniversary, so I had multiple reasons to go: I could learn more about public relations, meet my international colleagues, discover the diverse and rich culture of Istanbul, and bond with my husband Adrian ( my favorite traveling companion), and the other three IPRA Philippine chapter members Edd Fuentes, Rene Nieva and his wife Geny, Romy and Lulu Virtusio. Together we became the "Istanbul 7."
I was looking forward to an exotic trip, having read that Istanbul is the only city in the world to straddle two continents and the only one to have been a capital of two great world empires – Christian and Islamic. Istanbul’s distinct location between Europe and Asia makes it the city of contradictions: ancient and modern, religious and secular, mystical and earthly, past and present. Can any other place be more appealing than that?
Now I understand why that song was written: Istanbul represents centuries of ethnic and religious struggle, yet it took American music writers to capture the shift from old Constantinople to today’s Istanbul in a humorous, catchy song. And maybe comprehend that Istanbul and Constantinople are two different worlds. An interesting study in contrasts.
That’s exactly what happened to me on this discovery trip. The song became a mantra as every fascinating facet of Istanbul was revealed to me.
Let me share my Top 10 "Turkish delights" in Istanbul, which I would recommend to all first-time visitors:
1. The Hagia Sophia – This ancient basilica considered one of the architectural marvels of all time was built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century to become the greatest church in ancient Byzantium, a symbol of the power and wealth of its emperors. In 1453 when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks, the church was converted into a mosque. The major attractions inside the Hagia Sophia are its massive dome, which measures 31 meters in diameter and rises 55 meters above the ground, and the stunning mosaic panels, such as the Virgin between Justinian and Constantine and the Virgin and the Christ Child.
2. Topkapi Palace – For almost 400 years, Topkapi Palace was the residence of 24 Ottoman sultans, their entourage, and their servants and it was also the administrative center of the Ottoman state. Today, it is one of the largest palace museums in the world, carrying a rich collection of some 86,000 items. One of the most popular places in the Topkapi is the Chamber of the Holy Relics, which contains priceless relics of the Prophet Mohammed, such as his footprint, a piece of earth from his grave, and hairs from his beard.
3. The Dolmabahce Palace – This was built in the middle of the 19th century by Sultan Abdulmecit, who transferred the royal residence here from the Topkapi. Inspired by Versailles’ architecture, this palace’s most impressive part is its vast ceremonial hall, which has 56 columns and a huge chandelier with 750 bulbs weighing 4.5 tons. It’s awesome and ostentatious but compared to the Topkapi, the Dolmabahce is more French than Turkish.
4. Archeological Museum – This museum, located near the first court of Topkapi Palace, contains an abundant collection of artifacts of the many major historical influences of Turkey’s rich past, including the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great and the Athena Temple from Assos. IPRA held our welcome cocktail reception in the gardens of the museum and gave all delegates a privately guided viewing of the museum after the cocktails. It was a great way to saturate oneself in the opulent history of Turkey.
5. The Grand Bazaar or Kapali Carsi (Covered Bazaar) – If shopping is your trip, then this is a must destination. It is a grander version of our Greenhills and Divisoria combined, a virtual labyrinth of streets and arched passages with more than 4,000 shops carrying a sea of choices: local curios and souvenirs, bags, blouses, skirts, carpets, jewelry, lamps, beaded slippers, shoes, religious icons, leather, ceramics, water ewers, bronze and copperware and thousand other eye-catching items.
One point I found quite remarkable was that practically all of the vendors here are men – both adult and young men, some resembling known movie actors but all of them eager, friendly and aggressive about inviting you into their shops and stripping you of your precious lira. Euros and dollars are also acceptable – "it’s still money," as one of them told me. They will catch your attention by constantly asking, "Where are you from?" and once you step inside, they’ll turn on the charm. If you can resist, then they turn to your husband to get him to pay. Such marketing skills!
6. Beyoglu Istiklal Cadessi – To get a feel of more modern Istanbul, one must take a walk on this long, long cobblestoned promenade near the Taksim district. This walk is lined with modern, sophisticated shops and restaurants alongside a couple of foreign consulates and fashionable stores housed in buildings with old architectural details. It’s closed to traffic so people can stroll or take the old-fashioned tramway which runs the one-kilometer distance to Taksim Square. This is where we chanced upon St. Anthony’s Catholic Church (where we heard Sunday Mass coordinated by Filipinos) and modern coffee shops and fast foods like Gloria Jean’s, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Starbucks, and a Berlitz language center. The street attracts not only tourists but a lot of locals, especially in the evening when all the lights brighten up the place.
7. Turkish carpets – Some of the best carpets in the world can be found in the many bazaars that are located all over Istanbul. The oldest carpet stores, however, are located in the Grand Bazaar. These stores have supplied carpets that now adorn the major palaces and official residences of state heads all over the world, including the US White House. They have been visited by the likes of Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher and Francois Miterrand. The man who showed us his carpets looked more like a company CEO in his suit, and so convincingly presented to us a selection of his most striking carpets.
8. Turkish apple tea – In some high-end shops, the Turkish merchants will offer you a small cup of Turkish tea and when we had the chance to sip it, we found it delightfully refreshing, with its faint flavor of apple mixed with the perky taste of tea. Boxes of the tea are also sold at the Grand Bazaar.
9. Bosphorus boat tour – This is a very relaxing one-hour boat ride along the Bosphorus Strait, the body of water which divides Istanbul into the European half on the west and the Asian half on the east. On the European side, one can have a beautiful view of many palaces along the bank, including the grand Dolmabache Palace, while on the Asian side one can catch a glimpse of the villas and posh homes of those who belong to the upper crust of Istanbul society. Depending on which tour or boat you take, this boat ride can cost from as low as 3 lira (public boats) to 40 lira (for the private tourist boats).
10. Turkish kebap – Although this tour was not really a food expedition (since we ended up eating a lot of hotel food at the conference), the one common local food we all loved and could not get enough of was the kebap (or kebab), which simply means "roasted" and usually refers to lamb roasted in some form. This is more popularly known as shish kebap or chunks of lamb roasted on a skewer. Since I don’t particularly like lamb, I ordered chicken kebap rolled in a bread-like tortilla which instantly became my favorite. You can have it with flat bread or with rice, with their succulent tomatoes and vegetables on the side, but both ways, it’s deliciously light and absolutely easy to eat and digest. The best thing is that you can order it anywhere – in small eating places beside the bazaars, or in fine-dining restaurants, and feel that you’re eating authentic Turkish food. I also tried their baklava but found it too sweet for my taste. Surprisingly, I did have a liking for fresh olives, dried apricots, and raisins for breakfast.
Perhaps next time I’ll be more adventurous with other Turkish delights, like their famous Turkish bath, or travel to Cappadocia or Ephesus. I know I’ve barely scratched the surface of Turkey, but Istanbul was truly an enchanting and unforgettable experience and I can’t wait for the next trip. Next time I’ll book myself through Meteor Tours and Travel run by Ligaya Tabirao, who specializes in tours to Turkey, Greece, Egypt and the Mediterranean. Call her at telephone nos. 564-7613 or 0918-912-5177, or e-mail meteortoursph@gmail.com.