Istanbul Again 2017
Up Las Vegas 2017
 

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Istanbul Again
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Kilyos Turkey: This is the Hotel Kilya over looking the Black Sea beaches. The receptionist insisted it is the best hotel in town which my inspection of other hotels in the area seemed to confirm.


Kilyos Turkey: Sign in front of the Hotel Kilya over looking the Black Sea beaches. The receptionist insisted it is the best hotel in town and it definitely was the best of the several I checked.


Rumelifeneri Turkey: Walking west along the hillside road from the outskirts of the village I finally caught my first glimpse of the Black Sea.  Wherever I looked I could see hardly any tidal action.

Istanbul Turkey: Back in the Best Western Plus President Hotel I discovered the dining room staff had remembered my preference for decaf coffee.


Istanbul Turkey: Another view of the surrounding city as seen from the sixth floor dining room in the President Hotel.

Istanbul Turkey: Based on  their attire a large majority of guests staying in the President Hotel are Muslims. This is one of the more cultured families; many were boisterous with obnoxiously unruly children.

Istanbul Turkey: Stepping out of the Metro station this spectacular view of the Finansbank building in the background presented itself.

Istanbul Turkey: This is the drug store where I refilled two of my prescriptions in the last days of my stay in Istanbul... no questions asked!


Istanbul Turkey: Searching for pharmacies, I walked right by many until I realized they are called "Eczines" in this country.


Istanbul Turkey: Sidewalk display of rolling travel bags blocks the walkway next to the President Hotel.


Istanbul Turkey: Another view of the surrounding city as seen from the sixth floor dining room in the President Hotel.


Istanbul Turkey:
Historical ruins along the outer wall around the city.


Istanbul Turkey: Ahirkapi lighthouse built in 1775 stands atop the city wall south of the city.


Istanbul Turkey: Sign identifying the Ahirkapi lighthouse built in 1775 which stands atop the city wall south of the city.


Istanbul Turkey:
This football sized hollow loaf of crispy bread is a common sight throughout Turkey. I think it is Turkish pizza... at least that is what my pizza looked like in that fancy restaurant in the old city of Mardin back in 2013.


Istanbul Turkey:
I've seen a noticeable reduction in public smoking compared to previous visits to the country.


Istanbul Turkey:
Heavily armed guards patrol everywhere in the tourist districts of the city. This friendly fellow chatted in English answering my several questions about security in the city and cheerfully agreed to let me take his picture... gun and all!



Istanbul Turkey:
Many stores sell Turkish Delight candy in the Grand Bazaar.


Istanbul Turkey:
One of the many shopping isles in the huge Grand Bazaar.


Istanbul Turkey: In the Grand Bazaar one of the many tea service delivery men makes his rounds.

 

End of column.

 

5 July - 26 July 2017

 

Hello again from Istanbul

After that short stay up in Safranbolu and uncertain about where I wanted to go next, I grabbed a bus back to Istanbul with its great value hotels and still plenty of neighborhoods to explore. The truth is, my energy level has been sagging and enthusiasm for adventure travel has declined with the perceived outrageous costs and reservations complexity.

Because the Black Sea coast is so conveniently close to Istanbul city, it made sense to head on up there for a closer look. One of the bellmen at the President Hotel suggested a small coastal fishing town, Rumelifeneri would be a splendid choice because there I'd find the ruins of an old fort as well as a harbor full of colorful fishing boats... not to mention an authentic Turkish country town with it's authentic country folk! That sounded great though I'd really wanted to see the fabled Black Sea beach resorts. Never the less, wandering the tiny village of Rumeli Feneri provided a delightful glimpse into the day to day life of people in a tiny rural fishing town, complete with clutches of old guys sitting around drinking tea and playing Backgammon.

On the trip back to Istanbul the bus got us to the Metro station at Haciosman just fine, but a major Metro system disruption had closed the station. Temporary shuttle busses provided an alternate connection down to the next Metro station at Darussafaka, but directions in Turkish proved nearly useless for us foreigners. Eventually, one of the frequent emergency shuttle buses did get us to the alternate Metro station where everything still worked as designed.

The next day I headed back up to the same area, but visited the town of Kumkoy with nearby hillside hotels in the village of Kilyos overlooking the Black Sea beaches.

There have been periodic power outages in Istanbul and Wikipedia has not been available at all during my stay. Likewise, Google search has occasionally failed. CNN continues to be blocked in the President Hotel and I've had trouble getting Aljazeera periodically. The organized opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's administration remains active with street protests and government retaliations. I have seen none of it personally in any of the areas served by the Metro rail system where I've wandered. Looking down on the sprawling city from the sixth floor dining room here in the hotel it is obvious there are thousands of places where the action could be happening. So it is no surprise my random wandering has not stumbled on the protest venues, though I did eventually learn a large plaza at the nearby İstanbul Üniversitesi on the other side of the Metro tracks has been a frequent protest gathering point.

One evening while sitting in the hotel lobby with another guest during the late afternoon call to prayer, I made a flippant comment about the muezzin's odd "singing" voice: "He could benefit from some professional voice training." I quipped to my thirty-something fellow guest sharing the lobby lounge. His response led to a short, but insightful conversation about religion. A French speaking Algerian citizen, I inquired if he was Muslim. Using his phone translator, he displayed "No pray." He did admit to being nominally Muslim, but only culturally. He then translated with a grimace: "Religion is the problem." His parents still practice the traditional religion of of their parents, but none of his siblings do.

Western tourists have been avoiding Turkey since the political unrest and earlier terrorist attacks, so most of the visitors are now Arabic. Children are noisy and rambunctious with parents apparently approving... making a quiet breakfast with the tastefully selected background music in the hotel completely impossible.

While waiting in line to check-in at the Ataturk Airport several Jordanian guys with mountains of 'cargo' luggage jumped into the line ahead of me to join friends with the lame explanation: "family."

Peace,

Fred L Bellomy

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: At the edge of the village the lighthouse dominates the skyline.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: On the trail back towards the village I spotted this truly spectacular thistle plant with blue branches. I've never seen anything like it before and there were many specimens in the area.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: This is one of a pair of enormous murals on the subway walls at the Haciosman station used to get back to the Vezneciler station near the President Hotel.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: This is the other of a pair of enormous murals on the subway walls at the Haciosman station used to get back to the city.

 


Istanbul Turkey: A delightful group of high school foreign visitor assistance volunteers in their distinctive blue shirts with the invitation to "Ask me" in whichever second language they speak. I stopped to chat with several English speaking groups.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Many of the streets around the President Hotel periodically served as warehouses for goods ready for shipment here in the garment district.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Many of the streets around the President Hotel periodically served as warehouses for goods ready for shipment here in the garment district.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Many of the streets around the President Hotel periodically served as warehouses for goods ready for shipment here in the garment district.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Many of the streets around the President Hotel periodically served as warehouses for goods ready for shipment here in the garment district.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Many of the streets around the President Hotel periodically served as warehouses for goods ready for shipment here in the garment district.



Istanbul Turkey: Another view of the surrounding city as seen from the sixth floor dining room in the President Hotel.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Many stores sell Turkish Delight candy in the Grand Bazaar.

 


Istanbul Turkey: In the Grand Bazaar one of the many tea service delivery men makes a delivery.

 


Istanbul Turkey: Another
of the entrances into the huge Grand Bazaar.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Many stores sell Turkish Delight candy in the Grand Bazaar.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Group of women shoppers in the Grand Bazaar in full head to toe Islamic attire.


Istanbul Turkey:
One of the obscure entrances into the huge Grand Bazaar.


Istanbul Turkey: Another group of high school foreign visitor assistance volunteers in their distinctive blue shirts with the invitation to "Ask me" in whichever second language they speak. This one speaking English insisted on photos.

 

End

 

 

 

 

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: View of the fishing boat harbor from the outskirts of the village on the hill.
 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: View of the  harbor full of fishing boats from the balcony of a restaurant down the hill.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: The short walk from where the bus dropped us into the village passed this delightful exercise/playground.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: On the walk from where the bus dropped us near the village I passed a profusion of colorful flowered screens like this one.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: On the trail up into the village I looked down on this little seaside cafe with a view of the fishing boats moored in the harbor.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: Looking the other direction on the walk up into the village I spotted these ruins of a fort that once protected the region from foreign adversaries.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: From the vantage point of the fort ruins one can see the village with the still operational lighthouse in the background.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: Exploring the fort ruins I came upon this vicious guard cow. They do things differently in Turkey...

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: Later, this "vicious guard cow" didn't look so intimidating with the lighthouse and village in the background.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: Still, the horns on this "vicious guard cow" could do some serious damage...

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: Another view of the spectacular thistle plant with blue branches.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: Looking out on the Bosphorus from inside the ruins of the fort. Notice the two tiny specks in the center of the photo; the are people.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: A closer look at the ruins of the fort.

 

.
Rumelifeneri Turkey: Heading back out I pass what appears to be a breach in the land side of the fort, nicely framing a view of the village across the bay.

 


Rumelifeneri Turkey: Another view inside the fort ruins.

 


Istanbul Turkey: Orientation map of the region. Click on the map to enlarge it.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Security is tight in the Grand Bazaar with guards and metal detectors at every entrance-exit.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Looking down one of the busy isles in the Grand Bazaar.

 


Istanbul Turkey: Another view
down one of the busy isles in the Grand Bazaar.

 


Istanbul Turkey: Crowded shelves line
the busy isles in the Grand Bazaar.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Many stores sell Turkish Delight candy in the Grand Bazaar.

 


Istanbul Turkey: In the Grand Bazaar one of the many tea service delivery men make his rounds.

 


Istanbul Turkey: In the Grand Bazaar a tea service delivery man delivers refreshments to a seated group.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
Group of women shoppers in the Grand Bazaar in full head to toe Islamic attire.

 


Istanbul Turkey:
One of the many shopping isles in the huge Grand Bazaar.

 


Istanbul Turkey: Store fronts in the garment district near the President Hotel display goods for retail sale made in the shops.

 

 

End of column.

 

Reference photo: author
September 2016
 

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