I went to Turkey and I loved it

Of all the places on my travel bucket list, Turkey didn’t even register, and I can’t think why not. It just seems ridiculous that I had never thought of visiting is amazing country.

The universe obviously knew that I needed to see this place, and conspired to include me on a recent media trip to Istanbul, sponsored by Turkish Airlines. And I’m so glad it did, ‘cos Istanbul is amazing.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, maybe a bit more of a third world vibe – old cars, lots of bicycles, roadside hawkers – but I was pleasantly surprized at its complete and utter first-world-ness. With the exception of ridiculous traffic, with rush hour lasting most of the evening, there was nothing to suggest a lack of infrastructure or development. The roads are tarred, the traffic lights work and everyone obeys the unspoken and hard-to-decipher rules of the road. Modern skyscrapers tower over the three-storey older buildings – an odd mix, but it gives the city a wonderful character.

Remnants of the city’s fortifications are scattered along the coastline, a very real historical reminder. And unlike most of the history found in Istanbul, you’re allowed to touch it. There are a large number of ancient palaces that have been restored and are open for public viewing, but you have to make sure to cover your shoes when you enter, and you’re not allowed to touch or photograph. They’re still worth a visit, though. I really loved the opulence of the Beylerbeyi Palace and I’m glad I got to see it.

Istanbul is the place to go if you’re looking for fabulous quality leather goods. The jackets and coats I was offered were too rich for my blood (averaging R10k for a jacket and R20k for coat from a wholesaler, including a decent discount), but the quality of the material and craftsmanship made me drool over the merchandise.

Turkish carpets are also of extremely high quality, and after seeing a demonstration of the art, I can appreciate the price tags. Here I wasn’t tempted, but I enjoyed the display.

The city is teeming with international cuisine, mostly in the form of fast food chains – KFC, Dominos, Burger King and MacDonalds to name a few – and prices are reasonable. If you want to taste the local cuisine, there are restaurants catering to tourists and locals. But be warned – the food isn’t what you’d expect. I ordered a shawarma from Gelik, being told by a guide to ask for the doner kebab. What arrived was a plate of thinly-sliced, oddly-spiced lamb with a few chips – not my best meal and I ended up feeding most of it to the stray cats prowling around for a meal. But I think I was the only one who didn’t enjoy  it, so perhaps I was too fussy.

While fruit, veg and nuts abound, meat and veg are served separately at meals. You’ll get a bowl of salad, followed by a plate of meat and carbs (at one meal, my delicious lamb meatballs were served with chips, rice, pida bread and a wrap), and then dessert. Twice I was served sweetened pumpkin chunks, which I tasted just to be sure that I really didn’t like it.

I think I’d have better luck with the street food where you can see the ingredients being prepared. Unfortunately, I didn’t get an opportunity to try any on this trip, but next time I will know better.

The Grand Bazaar was an experience, but I would have preferred to visit a less touristy marketplace. The Egyptian, or Spice, Bazaar was worth a visit and a good place for people who don’t feel comfortable haggling over price as it’s considered rude to try and bring down the price of food. Get yourself some fresh Turkish Delight – it really is wonderful and makes me wonder what the hell it is they put in boxes and sell in the shops as Turkish Delight, because one is nothing like the other. Most places will vacuum pack your fresh-food purchases so that you can take them out of the country without hassle.

I’m definitely planning a return trip to Istanbul, and I’d like to see other regions of the country too. If Turkey isn’t on your list of travel aspirations, remedy that right now. Istanbul is safe, the people are friendly and helpful and there is so much to see. And the exchange rate of about R5 to 1 Turkish Lira makes it an affordable holiday.