PHOTO STORY
Istanbul, Turkey
PHOTO STORY
Istanbul, Turkey
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Istanbul, Turkey
I have never eaten so much bread within a week, walked a city as hilly, experienced culture as modern and history as fascinating as Istanbul.
I have never eaten so much bread within a week, walked a city as hilly, experienced culture as modern and history as fascinating as Istanbul.
This was a week-long trip for a good friend's wedding with only döner in my itinerary, but Istanbul gave me so much more.
Istanbul is one of the best cities I have ever been as a tourist. A city deeply rooted in religion and traditions in a vibrant coexistence of multicultural history and contemporary lifestyle.
Istanbul is one of the best cities I have ever been as a tourist. A city deeply rooted in religion and traditions in a vibrant coexistence of multicultural history and contemporary lifestyle.
We booked ourselves into a pretty cool loft in the trendy Cihangir neighbourhood, where we walked to most places, with Çukurcuma and harbor-side Karaköy as our favourite stops for Turkish breakfast, cafes and antique stores.
We booked ourselves into a pretty cool loft in the trendy Cihangir neighbourhood, where we walked to most places, with Çukurcuma and harbor-side Karaköy as our favourite stops for Turkish breakfast, cafes and antique stores.
While Istanbul is known for its 400 years old Blue Mosque, the city has over 3,000 mosques, during prayer calls the entire city is enveloped in a veil of prayers echoing off each other in one of the most peaceful and surreal experiences I have ever had. Growing up in Malaysia, prayer calls are dominated by 1-2 nearby mosques, the only other time I have experienced this was in Sarajevo.
Besides simit, turkish coffee and stray kittens in every alley. One of my favourite food discovery of all time is the combination of dil peyniri (string cheese from cow's milk) and fresh bread with a drizzle of honey for breakfast. Since then, I've never skipped the chance for one when I see them on menus or in stores. I've even done Turkish Airline layovers just to run by duty-free to pick some up.
Besides simit, turkish coffee and stray kittens in every alley. One of my favourite food discovery of all time is the combination of dil peyniri (string cheese from cow's milk) and fresh bread with a drizzle of honey for breakfast. Since then, I've never skipped the chance for one when I see them on menus or in stores. I've even done Turkish Airline layovers just to run by duty-free to pick some up.
Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) was recently (2020) converted back to a mosque, I'm not sure about the extend of the change to its interiors but the history of Hagia Sophia and witnessing the 1,500-year-old detailed Christian mosaics next to Islamic furnishings and art from the Ottoman era before the conversion is the most remarkable religious history and coexistence I have ever seen.
Hagia Sophia, Turkey's iconic mosque-cathedral-museum is one of the most unique religious wonders I have seen.
Hagia Sophia, Turkey's iconic mosque-cathedral-museum is one of the most unique religious wonders I have seen.
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