No. But congrats! (I think I missed it the first time) and have fun!
And if I hear there's a Turkish Spring going on, I'll know why!
I have been there and 10 days seems like a long time for it. We sort of ran out of things we wanted to see after 3 or 4 days. Maybe my style of travel is different than yours. Have you considered also ranging out to see some of the coastal ruins?
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So here is some some advice from myself and my Wife..
When you go shopping in with the street vendors * Bazaars, Grand Bazaar* they will make deals with you, always start of saying you will pay half what they are asking for then you might go back and forth a bit until you get a price that is lower then you asked for. If your American, they will ask for more!
Make sure you visit the Spice Bazaar, all the mosques, palaces, Under ground city and Sultanahmed.
Take a tour on the Golden Horn.
Drink Turkish tea
Bring medicine for you stomach, you will need it!
Watch out for pick pockets, keep a close eye on you wallets, pocket books.
Be careful of Scams, since you are not a Single male that will be less of an issue.
You will find most people you meet will be very nice, some of the Merchants may even ask you to sit with them to drink some tea or coffee, Go ahead and do that, you will hear some great stories, though they will try to sell you some stuff ;).
I would suggest you send an email to the Pathfinder Society Venture-Captain in Istanbul, he would be able to pass along more info and may be even willing to show you around, having a Turkish friend will save you a ton of money on merchants!
Here is the list of VCs, Turkey is on the bottom.
If you plan on going to Izmir, Antalaya, Adana, or Ankara shoot me a message, I have friends and family in those locations that can help you out.
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My wife and I are heading out on our delayed honeymoon, we will be spending 10 days or so in Instanbul. Has anyone been and have any advice?
I have the Rick Steve's Istanbul guide book, so the basics are covered (Hagia Sophia etc..).
What ever you do don't ask about the massacres of the Armenians between 1914-1918 or they will arrest you as a commie agitator and stone you to death.
What ever you do don't ask about the massacres of the Armenians between 1914-1918 or they will arrest you as a commie agitator and stone you to death.My wife and I are heading out on our delayed honeymoon, we will be spending 10 days or so in Instanbul. Has anyone been and have any advice?
I have the Rick Steve's Istanbul guide book, so the basics are covered (Hagia Sophia etc..).
Hey ding dial down the rabid foam a touch. I more than sure that Robert is a mature traveller and is in Istanbul for good time not a nutty dingo time.
Have fun Robert, I am jealous... I will get to Greece and Turkey one day.
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What ever you do don't ask about the massacres of the Armenians between 1914-1918 or they will arrest you as a commie agitator and stone you to death.My wife and I are heading out on our delayed honeymoon, we will be spending 10 days or so in Instanbul. Has anyone been and have any advice?
I have the Rick Steve's Istanbul guide book, so the basics are covered (Hagia Sophia etc..).
Hey ding dial down the rabid foam a touch. I more than sure that Robert is a mature traveller and is in Istanbul for good time not a nutty dingo time.
Have fun Robert, I am jealous... I will get to Greece and Turkey one day.
Syria is just across the border...so don't do anything American and cross it.
Rick Steves is awesome.
I've never been to Istanbul (or anywhere in Europe yet) though it's one of my top destinations. The city of Constantine! Byzantium! The Hagia Sophia! The Grand Bazaar! The Bosporus! It can't be anything but awesome.
Have fun!
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So far:
Left Vancouver - flew to Amsterdam, then to Istanbul, about 22 hours travel all told. Felt like we were trapped in a series of rooms with very loud advertising. Travel is no longer romantic and there is no scenery. Dutch sounds like a weird form of pig latin - so many borrowed english words in all the official announcments. Schiphol airport is incredibly loud - bathrooms are clean though.
Arrived in Istanbul at about 1 am. Visa and passport was painless. Baggage came quickly. The airport was suprisingly lively for how early it was. Eventually found our name in the scrum of signholders for car services.
I am always interested in how and why things work and I wish I spoke turkish because I could see that there was a system in place for getting a car - Our name was on a piece of paper, we spoke to the guy holding it, he spoke to another guy, I shook someones hand, a phone call was made, a car showed up. The guys in the scrum seemed to be handing signs and customers off to each other and possibly competing for people who couldn't find a car? Little things like this fascinate me.
The only thing that stands out from the drive to the hotel is the amount of advertising on buildings - Vancouver has strict bylaws about the amount of signage and limits on size / number of billboards.
The hotel is very nice, woke up this morning and went to the breakfast buffet, enjoyed a nice meal and then saw the bill. Heh - we will be eating out from now own.
Next thing to do is find out where to get more bottled water that isn't from the mini bar or determine if the tap water is safe. Should have brought my ketadyne :) Then, venture outside.
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Braved the metro, went to taksim square, ate at Haci Abdullah restaurant and then another place for desert. Had Tavuk göğsü or milk and chicken pudding for desert with cinnamon.
The Metro was fast and easy to use, everything well labeled in Turkish and English.
Headed to the Bosphorus tomorrow for brunch!
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Rick Steves is awesome.
I've never been to Istanbul (or anywhere in Europe yet) though it's one of my top destinations. The city of Constantine! Byzantium! The Hagia Sophia! The Grand Bazaar! The Bosporus! It can't be anything but awesome.
Have fun!
We haven't made it to the old city yet. But so far it has been exciting.
Rick Steves is funny - he is utterly unhip (compared to say the pilot guides/globe trekker/ lonely planet girls) but seems to have some awesome trips and his guides are the best.
When I think of Turkey I think of hashish and harems...
Sounds like your having fun!
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Just remember, if you hear this, run!
Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison? [/Capt. Oveur]
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Mandatory soundtrack.
I just posted how I was soooo tempted to post this but wouldn't only to find someone already had.
EDIT prefer this version
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Short update:
Yesterday we did Pierre Lottie Hill and the cable car, then Rustem Pasha Mosque (spelled incorrectly) a tour of the Bosphorus, a stroll through the spice market (grabbed some lokum and then lunch at the Kybele hotel.
The afternoon was Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern. All were amazing.
Tonight, we are going to our friends henna and bachelor parties over on the asian side.
LOL sounds like a good time!
My wife and I are heading out on our delayed honeymoon, we will be spending 10 days or so in Instanbul. Has anyone been and have any advice?
I have the Rick Steve's Istanbul guide book, so the basics are covered (Hagia Sophia etc..).
The Grand Market is closed on Sundays and your tour bus driver will try to sell you a rug.
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woooo Raki! Tequila ! Efes! wooooo
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz
I can't stand Efes, it is like Europes Budweiser.
During my wedding in Antalya Turkey I got drunk with my brother-in-laws on Raki.
Latter my wife said she was confused how I got drunk since she never saw a drink in my hand, then she saw the video of her brothers buying me a bunch of drinks... ;)
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I would love to go sometime, too.
If you really want to go United and Delta routinely have DEEP discount sales from New York to Istanbul in the fall.
Right now I've been able to find tickets in October and November for about $550.00 round trip with all taxes and fees included.If you're flexible you can find them as low as 500 bucks coach but those tend to be at the least convenient times you can find.
I'm planning on doing a run to Istanbul via Amsterdam at the end of the year.