Discovering Istanbul. Day 78. July 16th 2019
We seem to have incredible luck with first time experiences leading to friendships. Our first Couchsurfing experience has lead to an ongoing warm friendship with our host in Warsaw Now here in Istanbul after our first Eatwith experience we have two new friends. Today we added a wonderful day of memories with Ata and Ahmet.
On our way to Georgia we had a few days in Istanbul and signed up for our first Eatwith dinner having no idea what it would mean – the idea of dining with local people in a local setting seemed to offer a way to gain a deeper relationship with a place and its food. The dinner was a 7-course taste sensation. Our evening was filled with easy conversation, warmth and a feeling this could not be the end.
It was not. Back in Istanbul after our visit to Georgia we met up with Ahmet and Ata – who not only generously gave up a day for us – they ensured it was a day to remember. What a day! A day of secret places, new discoveries, local foods, all with endless conversation and fun.
Our meeting spot in Taksim Square was a comfortable walk from our apartment – most of it along Istiklal Caddesi one of the most famous shopping precincts. I had read over 3million people visited this street in one day! How lucky we were that it was just waking up – we had the wide boulevard almost to ourselves as the array of international brand shops, souvenir stalls and cafes prepared for the day.
The first treat of the day – in addition to seeing Ata’s wide grin, and greeting – was two little gifts from The Living Room #thelivingroomistanbul– perfect travel gifts for we minimalist packers – a little bottle of “evil eyes” to keep the evil spirits away, and a dainty, lightly scented miniature soap sitting on its own teeny soap stand.
The day began with a meander through Taksim Square and on to the streets nearby. All the while accompanied by animated chatter as we made our way to meet up with Ahmet. This lead us into an area we fell in love with – Cihangir. Yes – those oft spoken words of my dearly beloved were heard: “We could buy a place here?” Which leads quickly to a study of any Real Estate windows along the way.
The streets were quiet, leafy, narrow and cobbled. Cafes were poked into all kinds of spaces. Art and antique shops spilling out onto the pavement – I did not dare look to closely. Buildings layered and squeezed together in a seemingly impossible stack.
Entering a tiny laneway we came to a more modern entrance and above us Ahmet waving from an upper balcony. A stop for chats and rich, smooth, Turkish coffee in the apartment accompanied by a very cute, seemingly earless, cat.
Wandering Cihangir with Ahmet was, as I imagine stepping out with a celebrity – only this was community – warm greetings, chats, and smiles around every corner.
TifTix an interior design store was filled with unique and fascinating pieces. Osman Aşoğlu was generous with his time and knowledge and I was happy to bombard him with questions about the magnificent and unusual rugs. Some silk, some hand knotted, some re-died to give new patterns and life. My favourite – an antique Persian rug with an unusual look created by acid being used to remove the wool in part making an intricate pattern. Recently re-died a single shade, the pattern become more visible moving away from the piece. I know, I know – there was so much more. It’s just rugs are a bit of a thing for me.
We continue a wander through the streets – me looking out for potential places to stay next time. Peering into courtyards and alleyways where remnants of lives are piled up around the edges.
Soon we reach our lunch spot – Zanaat Atelye. This day was definitely one of conversation and eating, with sightseeing linking one eatery with another! Lunch was in a rambling, old building with tables spread throughout the large unkempt but charm-filled garden and verandah.
Surrounded by fruit trees, vegetable gardens, herbs and old buildings it was the perfect place for a long lunch and wonderful conversation. Conversation spanned the development of The Living Room. Lack of protection for historical buildings and precincts in Istanbul. The ingredients growing around us lead to the use of each along with the entwinement of food and culture.
A question about our life and love and what made it so – how lovely to sit in the sun, with two warm-hearted people and remember what is wonderful about our relationship. Such easy flow from such new connections.
We said a temporary “Goodbye” to Ahmet as he headed off to work and we continued on our ramble. Heading towards another well known suburb Bisetek. The walk took us along the road – following part of the coastline we had travelled by boat last night. The romance of a city from the sea contrasting with the life of roads and construction on land.
Walking past a huge building project for Museum and University the massive construction site was mollified by large dusty photographs shielding the site. A name new to us -the famouse Turkish photographer Ara Güler . The photos depicted everyday life in Istanbul most focussed on ship and life along the seafront. I was captivated by a simple evocative shot – a woman reaching up with something and a man reaching out of the porthole with the ships hull forming the blank background.
As we reached the ferry terminal I slipped on a step and a short sharp twist lead to a throbbing ankle and a limit to my walking from there on. Oh dear we will just have to go sit and have a beer, talk some more and watch the world go by instead! Finding a spot at a people filled junction in Beşiktaş . Here we sat and chatted over a beer or two watching Bisetek life pass by in waves.
We did squeeze in a little sightseeing – the lively little market with bright eyed fresh fish for sale, the shopping streets vying for attention. One small mall had created a ceiling of objects and lights. All hung in a crowded, chaotic cover above as you walked through. The centre of the precinct housed a large statue of an Eagle the symbol of the Beşiktaş football team.
Along a narrow street Ata guided us past rows of men with stalls working over grills that seemed to house large sausage type meat. This was the treat we had been promised – a treat we had undertaken to taste. Kokoreç – in brief: sheeps intestines stuffed with seasoned sheeps stomach. This is grilled and chopped, sprinkled with herbs and served in a roll with chopped tomato. It was surprisingly delicious even to our unaccustomed taste.
While we did not want to overdo the food tasting before our dinner cooked by Ahmet that evening – we visited Ortaköy – a popular suburb beyond Bisetek where rows of street stalls vie noisily to sell you baked potatoes with a range of fillings that are displayed in multi coloured pyramids along the front of each stall. Look don’t eat was our mantra here. The warm smell of potatoes baking and the array of fillings on display made this hard to resist but resist we did.
The Ortaköy area was more populated with tourists than other places we had visited during the day. Visitors in a wide array of dress from colourful sundresses, to long black abaya, all adding to the holiday feel of the suburb.
Dominating the waterfront area is the unusual and beautiful Ortaköy mosque . Of European rather than Islamic design it has an exterior filled with ornate more European features.
And finally on to dinner. A quick, fast, and furious – the latter in all senses of the word – taxi ride brought us to our final stop of the night – Karakoy. Another suburb under construction with a major marina being built along the waterfront.
Dinner was in the rooftop restaurant of the Novotel where Ahmet is now working. An open kitchen meant that while we could not sit and chat with Ahmet – we could watch his busy work over the woodfired oven, and gesticulate our appreciation of each course. The latter particularly important as we had abrogated full responsibility for our menu to Ahmet. And what a feast it was.
And what a feast it was! To begin a small crisp Pide topped with Sorrel and a taster of Turkish “chorizo”. Followed by juicy, slow cooked and suberbly spoonable lamb. There was accompaniements but our minds have been overtaken by the memory of the lamb and come up blank. We do remember the series of exceptional Turkish wines. A final treat when we thought we could eat no more was a sample of two deserts to share.
A final quick goodbye to Ahmet still quickly rotating dishes through the hot glowing oven and following a farewell to Ata with assurances from each of us this would not be the last meeting – our perfect day was over.
