The nights are quite cold in Istanbul. Evidence of the oncoming winter is everywhere. It was time for the second full day of exploring Istanbul. The hotel served yet another full breakfast of healthy foods. It was mostly the same items as the previous day, except for a different type of mayonnaise salad and bread. A full plate of those items is enough to keep one stuffed till well after noon. This day we used the efficient tram system to get around.
The idea was to visit the Serefiye Cistern first. This was just a three minute walk from the hotel. However, there were cops and police vehicles all around. We were not permitted to go in the direction of the cistern. Later in the day we learnt that the President of Turkey was visiting and hence, the elaborate security detail. The itinerary was improvised on the spur of the moment and we decided to go to Grand Bazaar instead. The Cemberlitas tram station is just a five minute walk from the hotel and almost at the foot of the Column of Constantine. The tram came by soon and it was crowded; office goers, we surmised. We had just one station to traverse, which came very soon. A few steps from the tram station and the entrance to the Grand Bazaar came into view.
The Grand Bazaar is considered to be the oldest shopping mall in the world and is one of the largest and oldest covered shopping centres of the world with construction beginning in 1455, shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. By the 17th century the Grand Bazaar and the neighbouring caravanserais had become the hub for Mediterranean trade. By then the Ottoman Empire had influence over three continents and complete control over the road network and communication. Constantinople and Grand Bazaar grew in importance as trade zoomed. In the present day the Grand Bazaar has over 4000 shops in over 60 covered streets which attract more than a quarter million visitors every day. Jewellery, cloth, souvenirs, ceramic, food products, spices, lamps and lanterns – you name it, there were shops vending those. Of course, bargaining is a way of life in here. As we entered the gate of the Bazaar we were struck by the order and cleanliness there. The idea of a Bazaar normally is that of a bustling, noisy place with people jostling and animatedly bargaining. Indeed, in India a bazaar is far from clean with litter and garbage aplenty. We were drawn like moths to a fire to many shops and finally ended picking up Turkish Delights – yet again – hand painted ceramic plate and bowl, a traditional Turkish Coffee pot and a couple of souvenirs. If we had not got out of that Bazaar then we may have had to hire a coolie to carry things back to the hotel!
The Suleymaniye Mosque is only about 10 minutes of leisurely walk from the Grand Bazaar. But then, the sidewalks are full of vendors selling stuff ranging from toys to branded jeans and footwear. We could hear hard bargaining and soft banter. Derya had told us that bargaining may begin by seeking a cut of about 40% from the stated price. In one of the shops we found small ceramic hand painted bowls that were on a discount. Naturally, we picked them up too!
The Suleymaniye Social Complex is situated on a hill and commands an impressive view over the Golden Horn area. Commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1550 and inaugurated in 1557, the mosque was the largest mosque in Istanbul until the commissioning of the Camilica Mosque in 2019. The mosque has a central courtyard with four tall minarets that reach over 200 feet. During prayer timings the mosque is restricted for visitors. Besides the mosque the complex also houses two mausoleums that has three Ottoman rulers and their families, including Suleiman the Magnificent, interred there.
Less than 800 meters away, vending its way through crowded and narrow streets, is the Spice Bazaar. Before getting into the Spice Bazaar we spotted a fruit juice vendor. A large glass of pomegranate juice, freshly squeezed, was our order. It was a bit sour, with no added sugar. The leisurely walk in the Spice Bazaar gave us a clear indication of the enterprise of the local people and their keen business sense. Anything and everything were available for sale. Bags, household items, electrical stuff, food, drink, cloth, etc. we stopped at a shop to look at table cloth and place mats. Not to be guessed, we picked up a table cloth for what we thought was a bargain. The initial price was 200 TL and we took it for 150 TL. The ease with which the shopkeeper gave into our bargain made us wonder if we should have pitched for a higher discount! Then came another shop with exotic looking Turkish Delights that were announced as homemade. We drifted in there and sampled a few of the items and bought rose, lemon and peanut filled Turkish Delights.
The Spice Bazaar in Turkish is Misir Carsisi, which means Egyptian Bazaar. Apparently the Bazaar was built with the revenues of the Ottoman Empire that flowed in from the administrative region of Egypt. The construction of the Bazaar started in 1660 and formed part of the mosque complex. The construction was impeded by the great fire of 1660 and took more than scheduled time to complete. However, over a period of time the bazaar has started selling not only spices but also jewellery, teas, Turkish delights, dried fruits and nuts and souvenirs in its 85 shops. Once again we were astounded by the cleanliness and order in that Bazaar.
Exiting the Spice Bazaar we took an underground passage and got to the Galata Bridge walk. The Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn and the present bridge, built in 1994, is the fifth in its place spanning 500 meters linking Karakoy and Eminonu. In the past, the bridge was seen as a symbolic link between the traditional city of Istanbul and the districts where largely non-Muslims, traders and diplomats lived and worked – seemingly a catalyst for the melding of two civilisations and cultures. The bridge that links the western and eastern portion of European Istanbul has three lanes for vehicular traffic, a tram lane and passenger sidewalk in each direction. The passenger sidewalks are dominated by anglers and some even try to sell their catch to you. Beneath the Galata Bridge are more than 50 restaurants that specialise in seafood. They are quite highly priced.
We had Nutella spread on Simit, a type of staple bread, for lunch. The pomegranate juice and many free helpings of Turkish Delight had dulled our appetite. From Eminonu tram station we took a tram to the station that served our hotel. We had to leave the stuff we had bought in the hotel and also take some rest as the last two days of sightseeing had taken a toll on our limbs.
The Serefiye Cistern was the only thing on our minds for the rest of the day and that was just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel. Derya agreed to join us for the trip. The Serefiye Cistern is an ancient underground water storage and distribution system. The Cistern was built during the Byzantine period of Theodosius’ rule in the 5th century and is part of many that dot the Old City of Sultanahmet. Derya told us that many were discovered during construction of new buildings. Apparently, there is an elaborate system of permissions to be taken to build in the area so that ancient heritage is not disturbed or destroyed. The entrance to the Cistern is regulated by a fee which is three times more for foreigners. There are prescribed timings as a visit has a light and sound show attached to it, which we could barely make sense of! The arched roof of the Cistern is supported by 32 marble columns, each. 9 meters tall. With the Basilica Cistern under restoration the Serefiye Cistern draws a fair share of visitors.
The superb food of the Ortaklar Hotel pulled us in again for the night meal. While I wanted to have a Doner on rice the steward told us they had run out of that. I settled for a delicious portion of charcoal cooked chicken wings on rice while Derya and Hetal ordered humus, yogurt in mashed eggplant, ezme and green salad with pide. We had the pistachio paste filled pancake, Katmer, for desert and washed it down with Turkish chai.
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