Kimberly’s Take on Turkey

Kimberly spent a few days in Istanbul, Turkey and returned home with lots of thoughts...

Stay at the Ritz Carlton.  My room over looked the Bosporus Sea and our bathroom  featured an all marble, steam shower and a 7 foot bathtub.

Club Level access included breakfast of Turkish, Asian and Western foods.  The hotel restaurant had excellent food and offered snacks all day, including an open bar, and the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome.
 
Tour the Dolmabahce Palace.  This palace sits on the Bosporus Sea.  It has beautiful gardens, the architecture is amazing and the views are breathtaking.  This is a great place to have a picnic lunch.  The inside of the Palace is very nice;  the silk rugs and furnishings are gorgeous.  The amount of crystal inside the palace is amazing too.  I’m not talking about crystal glass and serving bowls…the banisters, wall sconces and light fixtures... all are crystal.  The most impressive crystal chandelier I have ever seen is at the end of the tour in a large meeting hall.  It weighs over 9,000 pounds.  Photos are not allowed;  it is  still a working palace holding government functions.
 
Tour the Blue Mosque.  It was built in the 17th century by the Ottoman Empire.  I thought the outside was impressive and the fact that it has been standing there since the 17th century is amazing.  

Don’t miss Hagia Sophia. It’s across from the Blue Mosque and the most impressive site I have ever seen anywhere in the world.  It was built as a Christian church around 532 AD (5 years).  Inside are over 300 different kinds of marble.  The mosaic art work on the ceiling and walls is spectacular and beyond anything I have ever seen.  In the year 1400 the Sultan turned the church into a mosque.  They spent 6 years covering the walls and ceiling in plaster.  In 1938 the Sultan ordered that it should become a museum.  They have now started removing the plaster and have completed 1/3 of the work.  New discoveries are being made daily as the plaster is removed.   I would strongly recommend that you hire a tour guide to explain all the different aspects of the church.  I would go back to Istanbul just to see this church/museum.
 
From the Kabatas pier, enjoy a private motorboat  for a ride on the Bosporus sea.  You will see where Asia meets Europe…including the bridge that connects the two.  This is a great way to see the landscape, the beautiful homes built into the hills and all the different palaces and mosques.  Take this ride at the end of your stay in Istanbul.
 
Visit Topkapi Palace built by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet. Go first thing in the morning when it opens and head straight to the Jewels Museum. Later in the morning and afternoon the lines are VERY long.  The rubies, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds, jewelry, swords, and furnishings are something to see.  This is a major site for the Muslin Faith as they have Mohamed’s foot print in cement and his hair wrapped up in cheese cloth. 
 
Make time for the Egyptian Spice Market. This is a great place to pick up spices, nuts, and other items. The Grand Covered Bazaar is the largest bazaar in the world.  I had only 45 minutes to shop and was overwhelmed.  This market deserves at least a full day. To avoid the areas that are not good, I recommend getting a tour guide. Do not buy rugs from this area. They are likely made in China.
 
Visit a rug dealer and watch a Master Weaver make a silk rug.   We were shown all types of rugs.  This is the place to go to if you are going to purchase!  A few in our group bought rugs and had them shipped back to The States.   We were also shown how to clean and care for the rugs since they are considered artwork and range from $500.00 to $50,000.00.
 
Eat at Refik on the Bosporus Sea.  The views at night with the lights are gorgeous and I had the best pan seared sea bass ever! Sultanahmet Koftecisi, above the Egyptian Spice Market, was the perfect lunch site.  Everything on the menu was delicious.  We had the Chicken, Lamb Kabobs, and the Pistachio Kabobs.   We also had lunch at a local diner.  Not sure of the name but I would tell everybody to try a local spot. 
 
Are you headed to Istanbul?

Use a Tour Guide.  This is not a city I would do on my own.  I loved our tour guide.  He was like a history professor and took time to explain everything.  He answered questions truthfully and was very respectful of all types of religion. 

Include the Bible as one of your travel guides. 

Read some Turkish history!  You will have a better understanding of the country.  KB

Kimberly Bryant is a Corporate Travel Advisor.  She is quite traveled and has experienced China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Turkey, Great Britain, France, Germany, Caribbean and Mexico. Her favorites however, are Istanbul and Bangkok!  She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, knitting, antique shopping and you guessed it....traveling!