Today's tourists no longer arrive on the Orient Express, as the characters in Graham Greene's Stamboul Train did. Most travel by plane to Istanbul, the metropolis on the banks of the Bosporus Strait a place which connects continents as well as the cultures of Byzantium, Islam and the twenty-first century West.
Istanbul is divided into European and Asian sections by the Bosporus Strait, and the European part is itself divided into the old city of Stamboul (south) and the "new" city of Beyoglu (north) by the channel known as the Golden Horn.
If you happen to stroll over the Galata Bridge across the Golden Horn after midnight, enjoying the lodos, the prevailing southwestern wind, the moonlight, and the smell of the fish restaurants, you may suddenly hear the sound of a siren. The middle of the colossal iron structure then swings open to allow passage to seagoing ships. It is quite possible to get stuck on the far bank of hours.
Nighttime Istanbul is full of peculiarities. A bus driver may well make all his passengers get off when his shift is over, leaving them to walk or take a taxi.
At first glance this enormous city - with its population of over 10 million, its hustle and bustle, its traffic jams, and the bewildering array of historical relics from over 3000 years - may seem overwhelming. It is a good idea to start one's explorations from Eminönü Square and to head from there towards the Yeni Valide Cami mosque, which was begun on the orders of the favourite consort of the Ottoman sultan. Murad III and completed under Sultan Mehmed IV (who reigned from 1648 to 1687). It is easily recognisable from its four multicoloured cupolas which stand on four "elephant feet".
The Egyptian Spica Bazaar behind the mosque comprises hundreds of herb, flower and pet stalls, where colourful parrots and other small animals can be bought. Its size does not, of course compare to the Kapli Carsi (Great Bazaar), made up of several kilometres of labyrinths.
Wondering through the endless streets lined with the stalls of goldsmiths and leather goods sellers, it is very hard to resist the temptation to buy. Loaded up with brass dishes, furs and saddle covers in this shoppers' mecca, you'll eventually become eager to find your way out and consult the magic blue "glass eyes" - which, it is claimed, can tell you whether or not your partner has been faithful...
Hiring a taxi for the day is another way of combining shopping with sightseeing. It is not too expensive and at the same time offers a glimpse into Turkish folklore: your driver, who is usually called Ali or Yusuf, will more often than not sing you folk song while driving around town. Taking a taxi also allows you to visit places off the beaten track such as the Whirling Dervish Hall, where traditionally dervishes still whirl on the last Sunday afternoon of each month.
On the Asiatic side you can visit districts which have still not been touched by modern times. Here you can see some new-age "sheiks" warning burnous (hooded cloaks) and cowboy boots, as well as drinks and sweet sellers who walk the streets shouting "Lofat! Lofat!" Perhaps the taxi driver will introduce you to his relatives (all of whom happen to be bazaar keepers). In the course of haggling they will doubtless invite you for tea, but beware: this is all part of the deal and accepting the invitation means your are obliged to buy something.
The most straightforward route to the ancient Hippodrome of Constantinople leads through restaurant-studded Babiali Street with all the tempting scents of coffee, roasted nuts, carob, marjoram, saffron and roast lamb. The large park here is dominated by Aya Sofy (the Church of the Divine Wisdom), the greatest church in Christendom until the fall of Constantinople, and still the fourth largest building of its kid.
The two half domes that "bookend" the main dome, the row of windows that create the illusion of a half dome, the brilliant mosaics of the Madonna and Child and Christ as Pantocrator, the millions of gilded mosaic tiles and the soaring, brilliant weightlessness of the main dome make Aya Sofya one of the most memorable places to visit.
The Topkapi Sarayi (Topkapi Palace), residence of the Ottoman sultans for nearly four hundred years, is another place that must not be missed. Surrounded by fortifications, its ornately gilded and marbled interior was the perfect setting for the dramas of the Ottoman Empire, and there appears to be a room for every event and every occasion - from a Circumcision Room to a cloakroom for Prophet Muhammed's cloak. One day is barely enough to see all of it: thus it is wise not to spend too long at the First Gate or you will miss the other tree, which reveal such sights as the Harem, the Treasury, the sultan's throne, the famous Japanese porcelain, and the indescribable multitude of jewels and weapons.
While admiring all the marvels of the palace, you will doubtless regret not leaving yourself time to visit Constantine the Great's monumental reservoir in Jerebatni, the Museum of Islamic Arts...and for not taking a cruise ship on the Bosporus, lined with its rich palaces, up to the fortress that guards the strait's entrance to the Black Sea...It is all a good excuse for a return visit!
Stark R. László