Istanbul Summary & Review

Before this trip we had been to Istanbul before, very very briefly last summer.  The Mediterrean cruise we went on last summer stopped for a half day in Istanbul and we did a 4-5 hour tour of the city.  It was August so it was very hot and we quickly realized that Istanbul is a big vacation spot for Europeans. 
When planning this world-trip, Chris knew he wanted to come back to Istanbul.  Kate wasn't so sure but agreed to the stop anyways.  Now that we've spent almost a week here, Kate claims this was her favorite stop on the trip so far!  Good thing Chris added it to the itinerary!  We were there in June (even though we're writting this post in August!) so the weather was the perfect and having the breeze from the sea was amazing. Such a change from hot Dubai and humid India!

The Food:
SO much amazing seafood! And the doner (smoked lamb on a stick) is to die for. Chris is a huge fan of the famous Turkish (but also claimed by the Greeks) dessert, Baklava. Kate preferred the sweet, chewy Turkish delights. This was also the first place on our trip where we could get good wine and at a fairly reasonable price. Asia does not have much good wine and the good wine they do have is really expensive. Breakfasts here are better but not great or filling. It's breads, meats, cheeses - very European.

The people:
Istanbul is a very touristy town so the people are used to tourists roaming the streets. Most of the people working the restaurants, hotels, and tourist sites speak English. There's also plenty of English speaking tours given at each site.   However, it can be limited and we definitely had some cab drivers that didn't speak any.  The people in Istanbul are very nice.  The last time we were in Istanbul we had a tour guide we really liked so we met up with her on this trip.  She wasn't available to take us on a tour of the sites but we did get to meet up with her for coffee.  It's always fun to meet people that live in the cities that you visit.

Religion:
In the middle-east and in Turkey, religion is very important to the people living there.  Several times a day we heard the call to prayer ring through the streets and outside our hotel room.  It's interesting to experience this very prominent practice of religion.  It's always nice to experience other spiritual rituals but when it's something that in-your-face everyday, it makes us happy to live in a country where one religion isn't pushed on you.  Where you can practice, or not practice, any religion that you choose. 

In summary, Istanbul is truely a unique and incredible city.  It's geographically the center of world.  It's where Europe meets Asia across a stretch of water a few hundred meters wide. The only city that exists in two continents.  Istanbul is also very easy to get around and it's a historic town with a relaxed beach vibe.  We highly recommend that you visit.  We also recommend our hotel: Hotel Tashkonak Istanbul.  It was centrally located, in a nice and very European-looking neighborhood.  And the staff were some of the nicest people.