Istanbul

[GASOUTHERNVOL]

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night


The wife and I are headed there are part of our honeymoon adventure, anyone that has been there, any recommendations of must see things or food?

 

[@1RBFjr]

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night


The wife and I are headed there are part of our honeymoon adventure, anyone that has been there, any recommendations of must see things or food?

Erdogan has gotten strict since I was there, but Turkey is probably the U.S.'s best Muslim ally. I seem to recall a synagogue or two. Not once in Istanbul did we see women wearing the head to toe clothing. The further east in the country you go, the more you'll see it. They'll provide disposable paper pants to put on before you go in some religious places. Your wife should carry a scarf to cover her head with in some religous places. The city's population is crazy large- it's something like four times bigger than NYC.

Hagia Sophia- originally a church, but the Muslims are understanding to other religions, so they did not get rid of all of the Christian symbols. It's an absolutely amazing building.
Blue Mosque- the name says it.
the Grand Bazaar- the largest one in the world. It's an incredible sensory overload. Spend at least half a day. Be prepared to bargain; if you start to walk away, the price will drop. Turkish rugs are great- those guys can wrap up a large rug into a really compact bundle.
take a cruise on Bosphorus between two continents
food- doner, baklava. The ice cream is goat milk- definitely a different texture and taste.

Find a Rick Steves video on youtube.

 

[GASOUTHERNVOL]

Erdogan has gotten strict since I was there, but Turkey is probably the U.S.'s best Muslim ally. I seem to recall a synagogue or two. Not once in Istanbul did we see women wearing the head to toe clothing. The further east in the country you go, the more you'll see it. They'll provide disposable paper pants to put on before you go in some religious places. Your wife should carry a scarf to cover her head with in some religous places. The city's population is crazy large- it's something like four times bigger than NYC.

Hagia Sophia- originally a church, but the Muslims are understanding to other religions, so they did not get rid of all of the Christian symbols. It's an absolutely amazing building.
Blue Mosque- the name says it.
the Grand Bazaar- the largest one in the world. It's an incredible sensory overload. Spend at least half a day. Be prepared to bargain; if you start to walk away, the price will drop. Turkish rugs are great- those guys can wrap up a large rug into a really compact bundle.
take a cruise on Bosphorus between two continents
food- doner, baklava. The ice cream is goat milk- definitely a different texture and taste.

Find a Rick Steves video on youtube.

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Go aeiou]

Erdogan has gotten strict since I was there, but Turkey is probably the U.S.'s best Muslim ally. I seem to recall a synagogue or two. Not once in Istanbul did we see women wearing the head to toe clothing. The further east in the country you go, the more you'll see it. They'll provide disposable paper pants to put on before you go in some religious places. Your wife should carry a scarf to cover her head with in some religous places. The city's population is crazy large- it's something like four times bigger than NYC.

Hagia Sophia- originally a church, but the Muslims are understanding to other religions, so they did not get rid of all of the Christian symbols. It's an absolutely amazing building.
Blue Mosque- the name says it.
the Grand Bazaar- the largest one in the world. It's an incredible sensory overload. Spend at least half a day. Be prepared to bargain; if you start to walk away, the price will drop. Turkish rugs are great- those guys can wrap up a large rug into a really compact bundle.
take a cruise on Bosphorus between two continents
food- doner, baklava. The ice cream is goat milk- definitely a different texture and taste.

Find a Rick Steves video on youtube.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's been 15 years since I was theer, and most Americans didn't go on the Muslim side then.
Grand Bazaar? Isn't that underground. It's really unbelieveable.
Women should dress conservativlely. No short dresses (cover knees). Cover upper body. You might be given shoe covers to visit a Mosque or two.
Some of the best rugs in the world. I have no idea about shipping cost to US.
Enjoy.

 

[@1RBFjr]

Thank you for the advice.

Izmir is a pretty city. Cappadocia is interesting. I don’t recall where it is, but there’s a shrine to Mary, where she supposedly stayed. Ankara may be worth it if you have extra time, but it’s not as historical and interesting as Istanbul.

 

[GASOUTHERNVOL]

Izmir is a pretty city. Cappadocia is interesting. I don’t recall where it is, but there’s a shrine to Mary, where she supposedly stayed. Ankara may be worth it if you have extra time, but it’s not as historical and interesting as Istanbul.

The Mary shrine in Kusadasi, we are headed there the day before Istanbul.

 

[@1RBFjr]

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's been 15 years since I was theer, and most Americans didn't go on the Muslim side then.
Grand Bazaar? Isn't that underground. It's really unbelieveable.
Women should dress conservativlely. No short dresses (cover knees). Cover upper body. You might be given shoe covers to visit a Mosque or two.
Some of the best rugs in the world. I have no idea about shipping cost to US.
Enjoy.

Maybe you’re thinking of the Basilica Cistern (which is underground), rather than the Grand Bazaar. It too is worthy of a visit.

Attached are a couple photos of one of the rugs we came back with. It’s about 12 feet long. The guys we bought it from are so good at what they do that it was folded up where it was accepted as a carry-on by the airline without question. It was real heavy, but it worked. It took about a week of laying flat to get all of the wrinkles out.

 

[GASOUTHERNVOL]

Maybe you’re thinking of the Basilica Cistern (which is underground), rather than the Grand Bazaar. It too is worthy of a visit.

Attached are a couple photos of one of the rugs we came back with. It’s about 12 feet long. The guys we bought it from are so good at what they do that it was folded up where it was accepted as a carry-on by the airline without question. It was real heavy, but it worked. It took about a week of laying flat to get all of the wrinkles out.

Oh those are nice. What would be considered a decent cost for one of these rugs?

 

[@1RBFjr]

Oh those are nice. What would be considered a decent cost for one of these rugs?

Thanks. That one I bought in Izmir. It’s been around ten years ago, so my fuzzy recollection is around $300 to $400.

In the Grand Bazaar there are probably a hundred rug merchants, so take your time looking around and be prepared to bargain.

 

[Go aeiou]

Maybe you’re thinking of the Basilica Cistern (which is underground), rather than the Grand Bazaar. It too is worthy of a visit.

Attached are a couple photos of one of the rugs we came back with. It’s about 12 feet long. The guys we bought it from are so good at what they do that it was folded up where it was accepted as a carry-on by the airline without question. It was real heavy, but it worked. It took about a week of laying flat to get all of the wrinkles out.

Beautiful!
Those rugs will be here long after we are gone.
We have one that is about 40 years old, and it still looks like new. Actually better than new.

 

[@1RBFjr]

Beautiful!
Those rugs will be here long after we are gone.
We have one that is about 40 years old, and it still looks like new. Actually better than new.

Thanks. Yes, they do last, and the colors remain vibrant.

 

[EasternVol]

It's a great city to visit. History all around, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, etc. Good food too.
There's plenty of good advice given above. I would add Topkapi Palace and Suleymaniye Mosque. Just walking around the residential areas and parks is nice if you have time.
It's a good place for leather goods.

 

[@1RBFjr]

It's a great city to visit. History all around, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, etc. Good food too.
There's plenty of good advice given above. I would add Topkapi Palace and Suleymaniye Mosque. Just walking around the residential areas and parks is nice if you have time.
It's a good place for leather goods.

I agree those are good places to visit.

 

[AF_VOL]

I was stationed in Turkey for two years (2014-2015). You've got some good suggestions so far. I concur with the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazar (more so for the wife to shop). I highly suggest the Basilica Cistern, it was one of my favorite sites. It had such a cool vibe and I'm a history buff, so anything like that I enjoy. Galata Tower is great if you want to get some panoramic pictures of the city. The Hippodrome of Constantinople (they call it the Sultanahmet Square now) is right next to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, it's worth strolling around to see the Egyptian Obelisks.

My favorite meal from Turkey is İskender kebap, it won't disappoint! Try some of their yogurt soup, it's not yogurty like it sounds, more creamy and savory. Baklava is always a winner. Down in the South of Turkey they had chocolate baklava, but I think that might have been more of a regional thing.

I'm not sure if you're going to have a chance to get out to anywhere else in Turkey, but Ephesus near Izmir is an amazing ancient city with tons of archeological ruins. Cappadocia has an incredible landscape that makes you feel like you're on a movie set or another planet. The underground cities and cave Churches there are a must see. I've got a hundred more places to suggest around the country if you're interested, but I know you'll probably have limited time.

Congrats on getting married and enjoy your honeymoon!

 

[feathersax]

Izmir is a pretty city. Cappadocia is interesting. I don’t recall where it is, but there’s a shrine to Mary, where she supposedly stayed. Ankara may be worth it if you have extra time, but it’s not as historical and interesting as Istanbul.

Spent a couple of weeks in Izmir & the area (including Ephesus) in 1996. Very interesting. Also purchased two lovely Turkish rugs, which still look awesome.

 

[Go aeiou]

The Mary shrine in Kusadasi, we are headed there the day before Istanbul.

True story.
We visited the Mary Shrine. At Mary's tomb there is a wall where you can write a prayer request and put it on the wall. My wife wished that our 37-38 year old daughter would be blessed with a child. Three month after we returned home our daughter was expecting.

 

[T Clifton]

Awesome place. Enjoy east meeting west, but don't buy one of those rugs. You can get the same thing in America and it doesn't come close to the shipping cost now.

No one other than you give a flying f about rugs in your own house.

 

[vollygirl]

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night


The wife and I are headed there are part of our honeymoon adventure, anyone that has been there, any recommendations of must see things or food?

I was there in 2004. Beautiful!

 

[EasternVol]

Awesome place. Enjoy east meeting west, but don't buy one of those rugs. You can get the same thing in America and it doesn't come close to the shipping cost now.

No one other than you give a flying f about rugs in your own house.

Yes, the ones you can get in America make good souvenirs of trips to the strip mall.