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Posts from the ‘Turkey’ Category

Jul 5

Istanbul Ice Cream Show

Who doesn’t like ice cream? (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

Turkish ice cream, or dondurma, is thickened with mastic and flour so that it takes on a wholly different consistency.  It stretches like taffy and is kneaded like dough but is still essentially milk and sugar.  Because of these sticky properties, ordering a cone in Turkey usually comes with a string of “think fast” tricks in which the vendor moves ice cream back and forth over two cones and flips your dessert away as you reach for it from the serving stick.

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Jun 20

Side View of Valens Aqueduct, Istanbul Turkey
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Urban Aqueduct in Istanbul

Byzantine Valens Aqueduct, Istanbul Turkey

Valens Aqueduct running through Istanbul (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

Last week I wrote about the incredible Basilica Cistern in the heart of the Sultanahmet, or historic center, of Istanbul.  All the water needed to fill that and other cisterns in Constantinople was brought in through an extensive aqueduct network which partially survives today.  The most significant portion is the Valens Aqueduct constructed by Emporer Valens in the 4th century AD.  It is about 95 feet high with about a 13 foot arch span which now allows cars to drive through the Byzantine aqueduct.

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Jun 19

Turkish Iznik tile pattern scarf

Istanbul Bazaar Purchases

I don’t buy a lot of souvenirs when I travel, but the prospect of bargaining in Istanbul sounded like too much fun.  I hoped to negotiate in Turkish (to give myself some legitimacy) and so I really tried to learn at least how to say numbers.  Frankly, I doubt I fooled anyone and you’ll see that only one purchase was actually significantly made in Turkish.  That being said, I’m really happy with what we found.

Turkish kabob skewers Read more

Jun 14

Basilica Cistern, Istanbul
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Basilica Cistern, Istanbul

Basilica Cistern, Istanbul

Basilica Cistern entrance view, Istanbul (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

How does a city surrounded by the ocean get enough fresh water to support a population of nearly half a million people?  The answer for Byzantine Emperors Constantine and Justinian I was a 19km aqueduct that emptied into a massive reservoir beneath Constantinople.  Today you can visit the Basilica Cistern; the entrance is about a block away from the Hagia Sophia.  The cavernous pool is cool, dimly lit and a quiet retreat from the tourist commotion above.  I thought it was incredibly beautiful and peaceful and spent about an hour very slowly wandering through it.

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Jun 12

Last fish at the Galata Bridge Fish Market, Istanbul
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Fresh Fish Dinner in Istanbul

Locals fishing off the Galata Bridge in Istanbul with the New Mosque in the background (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

Our first full day in Istanbul we hit the big sights: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar.  I’ll get to those things soon, but I am still stuck on our amazing fish dinner the first night!  As the sun began to set, we wandered over the Galata Bridge, watching the ferries come and go and observing the local fishermen.  Standing almost shoulder to shoulder along the bridge, there were actually catching fish, albeit tiny finger-sized ones.

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