Turkish Delight by Abigail Mathias
SoundCloud Audio by Abigail Mathias
A travel piece on Turkey that also featured on the mygola blog...http://www.mygola.com/blog/?p=97
Music holds the key to my soul. When it comes to a live music concert, I’m usually pretty kicked to attend. Hitching a train from Bombay to Bangalore for a Roger Waters’ concert with a bunch of office colleagues, including my boss, is certainly a memory I’m waiting to relate to my kids.
Eight years and two children later, one of the biggest acts in music history and certainly in my book, were headed this way.
I couldn’t believe it. U2 was in town. Ok so they weren’t particularly in my town but they were going to be somewhere in the vicinity. Actually they were going to be a four-hour flight away in Istanbul but hey, it was a great opportunity to see Istanbul as well, right. Luckily my amazing husband, agreed.
Of course a few people thought I was insane to take a five-month-old baby on a vacation. What they didn’t understand was that I needed the holiday more than anyone else. The joy on my family’s faces as we sailed on the Bosphorus time and again is something I will always treasure.
Our holiday was meant to be and the signs were all there. Concert or no concert, this was one holiday we were going to never forget. To begin with, we were lucky to get our visas in time before the rush of visitors for the upcoming Eid holidays. I must admit being a little afraid we’d pull it off in such a short time. My husband reassured me that the shortage of time worked in our favour. He was right, with more time I’d probably have carted our entire house. I didn’t!
We also managed to book a budget airline and cut down on costs tremendously. What was doubly rewarding was the fact that the flight was at a decent hour in the morning which didn’t mean we’d have to lug sleepy children (or ourselves) on board.
Our first glimpse of this famous city and indeed the rock band about to descend there was on a mammoth-sized poster that greeted us as we got off the plane at Istanbul’s Sabiha airport. Not much later my otherwise tolerant husband was fed up of hearing the words ‘you too’ in any shape or form.
Charming Istanbul
Let’s make no mistake about the fact that this was one awesome holiday destination.
Istanbul holds the rare distinction of being on two continents at the same time! Don’t be surprised if you feel a lump in your throat when crossing from the Asian side to the European side. The locals don’t appear thrilled about it but they’ve probably gotten used to shuttling back and forth a number of times.
Turkey has the ability to be exotic, modern and ancient all at the same time. Trams, taxis and ferries make their way down every avenue.
Everything was magical. From mouth-watering kebabs (called Chebabs in Turkish), to busy streets which have no clear name (that’s not just an ode to a U2 track, its also the fact that most street names are written in Turkish leaving tourists confused despite possessing maps).
The majestic Bosphorus River (locally referred to as the Bogazi) stretches out over Istanbul like a sea-blue welcome rug. Its Bosphorus Bridge was lit up at night in a number of different shades and was a sight I will probably never forget. Our guide told us that Bono was going to be given special permission to walk on the bridge. That was going to be my last chance to view him in the flesh but more about that later.
Time for Turkey
Cafes bustling with life and live music, people at every corner, all the time, all day. That’s bustling Taxim Square. I’m glad we didn’t choose to stay there as it was a bit too crowded for my liking. Naturally the hotel rates for the area are considerably higher than the rest of Istanbul too. Perhaps what made Taxim a sour memory is the fact that we waited in line for two hours at the only store that was selling U2 concert tickets. What lends this story its tragic ending is that I was so close to buying my own ticket when a riot broke out in the book store. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe that I’d come this close for nothing.
I guess I could have joined the riot and demanded a ticket. The only problem was there were probably only two or three people, five at the most who spoke English in the crowd of about 75. An international basketball tournament was on in the city and we were all forced to stand in the same line for tickets. It isn’t hard to picture a crowd of very irritated people being told they’ve wasted a day. As consolation my husband was thrilled to see himself on Turkish TV the next morning as we were right in the middle of the action the previous day.
Looking back I guess I will live to regret the fact that I didn’t fight for my chance to see what I consider the fab four. Bono if you are reading this, you are right, ‘Sometimes you can’t make it on your own.’
It was time to do justice to the rest of my trip. Turkey didn’t let me down. We took a tour of the city which included a number of the main sites. We took the ferry where ever possible and enjoyed every ride.
The magnificent Blue Mosque is the only public mosque that’s open to visitors. The mosque is enveloped in blue due to the marvellous blue stained glass windows that lend a vibrant hue to the interiors.
We decided to divide our trip in to the Asian and European side of Istanbul staying in both parts for equal amounts of time. We visited the mighty Grand bazaar and promised ourselves that we wouldn’t buy anything before entering its premises. Wrong again. The bazaar is hard to resist, even a cup of coffee inside is worth your time. It’s a labyrinth of shops selling everything from scarves to musical instruments, mirrors, t-shirts and even sweets.
The Grand bazaar almost seemed like a world in itself. Colour was everywhere and the salesmen have somehow made it a habit to flirt with every customer in a harmless fashion. It didn’t seem to matter to them that couples might not be in the mood to bargain. Most of the sales people were only too quick to strike up a friendly conversation just for the heck of it.
We saw the Turkish flag everywhere and were later told that it is an attempt to unify the different kinds of people who make up Turkey.
The majestic Hagia Sofia Museum was first built as a church before it was taken over by a muslim ruler who wanted to retain its original aspects while converting it to a mosque. In a way Hagia Sofia almost represents the myriad aspects of Turkey as a nation where everything blends with each other.
Sufi Dervishes
To get over my music fix we hunted for performances by Sufi dervishes. A quick search online led us to one on the other side of town at the Hodjapasha Centre. The performance was an unforgettable experience and left us speechless.
The ascetics danced to Sufi music in a mesmerizing ritual that left all of us amazed. According to Wikipedia, their meditative whirling is the practice of the Mevlevi Order in Turkey, and is part of a formal ceremony known as the Sema. The trance like dance coupled with the music has captured the world’s imagination. How anyone can turn so many times without falling is almost magical.
Can’t live without U2
We didn’t meet Bono or the Edge but we met some pretty remarkable people on our trip. Like Amaan from Bangladesh, who insisted on viewing Topkapi Palace with us and helped click a number of our family photographs. And Singaporeans Ai Choo and her charming husband who helped push my son’s stroller when the rain suddenly came pouring down on all of us during our tour of the city. Another Turkish mother of four children simply communicated with her smile as she and her daughters helped play with my baby while we enjoyed a meal in a café.
As we sipped Turkish tea in tulip shaped glasses and were told of the tulip’s repeated symbolism in this country, I made a mental note to recall the taste of a journey well spent long after we had said goodbye to this magical place.
Teşekkür ederim (Thank you) Turkey.
Blog post courtesy Abigail Mathias freelance travel guide for mygola.com.
A travel piece on Turkey that also featured on the mygola blog...http://www.mygola.com/blog/?p=97
Music holds the key to my soul. When it comes to a live music concert, I’m usually pretty kicked to attend. Hitching a train from Bombay to Bangalore for a Roger Waters’ concert with a bunch of office colleagues, including my boss, is certainly a memory I’m waiting to relate to my kids.
Eight years and two children later, one of the biggest acts in music history and certainly in my book, were headed this way.
I couldn’t believe it. U2 was in town. Ok so they weren’t particularly in my town but they were going to be somewhere in the vicinity. Actually they were going to be a four-hour flight away in Istanbul but hey, it was a great opportunity to see Istanbul as well, right. Luckily my amazing husband, agreed.
Of course a few people thought I was insane to take a five-month-old baby on a vacation. What they didn’t understand was that I needed the holiday more than anyone else. The joy on my family’s faces as we sailed on the Bosphorus time and again is something I will always treasure.
Our holiday was meant to be and the signs were all there. Concert or no concert, this was one holiday we were going to never forget. To begin with, we were lucky to get our visas in time before the rush of visitors for the upcoming Eid holidays. I must admit being a little afraid we’d pull it off in such a short time. My husband reassured me that the shortage of time worked in our favour. He was right, with more time I’d probably have carted our entire house. I didn’t!
We also managed to book a budget airline and cut down on costs tremendously. What was doubly rewarding was the fact that the flight was at a decent hour in the morning which didn’t mean we’d have to lug sleepy children (or ourselves) on board.
Our first glimpse of this famous city and indeed the rock band about to descend there was on a mammoth-sized poster that greeted us as we got off the plane at Istanbul’s Sabiha airport. Not much later my otherwise tolerant husband was fed up of hearing the words ‘you too’ in any shape or form.
Charming Istanbul
Let’s make no mistake about the fact that this was one awesome holiday destination.
Istanbul holds the rare distinction of being on two continents at the same time! Don’t be surprised if you feel a lump in your throat when crossing from the Asian side to the European side. The locals don’t appear thrilled about it but they’ve probably gotten used to shuttling back and forth a number of times.
Turkey has the ability to be exotic, modern and ancient all at the same time. Trams, taxis and ferries make their way down every avenue.
Everything was magical. From mouth-watering kebabs (called Chebabs in Turkish), to busy streets which have no clear name (that’s not just an ode to a U2 track, its also the fact that most street names are written in Turkish leaving tourists confused despite possessing maps).
The majestic Bosphorus River (locally referred to as the Bogazi) stretches out over Istanbul like a sea-blue welcome rug. Its Bosphorus Bridge was lit up at night in a number of different shades and was a sight I will probably never forget. Our guide told us that Bono was going to be given special permission to walk on the bridge. That was going to be my last chance to view him in the flesh but more about that later.
Time for Turkey
Cafes bustling with life and live music, people at every corner, all the time, all day. That’s bustling Taxim Square. I’m glad we didn’t choose to stay there as it was a bit too crowded for my liking. Naturally the hotel rates for the area are considerably higher than the rest of Istanbul too. Perhaps what made Taxim a sour memory is the fact that we waited in line for two hours at the only store that was selling U2 concert tickets. What lends this story its tragic ending is that I was so close to buying my own ticket when a riot broke out in the book store. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe that I’d come this close for nothing.
I guess I could have joined the riot and demanded a ticket. The only problem was there were probably only two or three people, five at the most who spoke English in the crowd of about 75. An international basketball tournament was on in the city and we were all forced to stand in the same line for tickets. It isn’t hard to picture a crowd of very irritated people being told they’ve wasted a day. As consolation my husband was thrilled to see himself on Turkish TV the next morning as we were right in the middle of the action the previous day.
Looking back I guess I will live to regret the fact that I didn’t fight for my chance to see what I consider the fab four. Bono if you are reading this, you are right, ‘Sometimes you can’t make it on your own.’
It was time to do justice to the rest of my trip. Turkey didn’t let me down. We took a tour of the city which included a number of the main sites. We took the ferry where ever possible and enjoyed every ride.
The magnificent Blue Mosque is the only public mosque that’s open to visitors. The mosque is enveloped in blue due to the marvellous blue stained glass windows that lend a vibrant hue to the interiors.
We decided to divide our trip in to the Asian and European side of Istanbul staying in both parts for equal amounts of time. We visited the mighty Grand bazaar and promised ourselves that we wouldn’t buy anything before entering its premises. Wrong again. The bazaar is hard to resist, even a cup of coffee inside is worth your time. It’s a labyrinth of shops selling everything from scarves to musical instruments, mirrors, t-shirts and even sweets.
The Grand bazaar almost seemed like a world in itself. Colour was everywhere and the salesmen have somehow made it a habit to flirt with every customer in a harmless fashion. It didn’t seem to matter to them that couples might not be in the mood to bargain. Most of the sales people were only too quick to strike up a friendly conversation just for the heck of it.
We saw the Turkish flag everywhere and were later told that it is an attempt to unify the different kinds of people who make up Turkey.
The majestic Hagia Sofia Museum was first built as a church before it was taken over by a muslim ruler who wanted to retain its original aspects while converting it to a mosque. In a way Hagia Sofia almost represents the myriad aspects of Turkey as a nation where everything blends with each other.
Sufi Dervishes
To get over my music fix we hunted for performances by Sufi dervishes. A quick search online led us to one on the other side of town at the Hodjapasha Centre. The performance was an unforgettable experience and left us speechless.
The ascetics danced to Sufi music in a mesmerizing ritual that left all of us amazed. According to Wikipedia, their meditative whirling is the practice of the Mevlevi Order in Turkey, and is part of a formal ceremony known as the Sema. The trance like dance coupled with the music has captured the world’s imagination. How anyone can turn so many times without falling is almost magical.
Can’t live without U2
We didn’t meet Bono or the Edge but we met some pretty remarkable people on our trip. Like Amaan from Bangladesh, who insisted on viewing Topkapi Palace with us and helped click a number of our family photographs. And Singaporeans Ai Choo and her charming husband who helped push my son’s stroller when the rain suddenly came pouring down on all of us during our tour of the city. Another Turkish mother of four children simply communicated with her smile as she and her daughters helped play with my baby while we enjoyed a meal in a café.
As we sipped Turkish tea in tulip shaped glasses and were told of the tulip’s repeated symbolism in this country, I made a mental note to recall the taste of a journey well spent long after we had said goodbye to this magical place.
Teşekkür ederim (Thank you) Turkey.
Blog post courtesy Abigail Mathias freelance travel guide for mygola.com.
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