Rahmi M. Koç Museum

The estuary that is the Golden Horn is often overlooked when touring Istanbul, though these days it has increasingly more to offer. If you choose to visit the Eyüp mosque complex and Pierre Lotti cafe at the top of the waterway by boat, on your way up the Golden Horn about halfway on the right (or more correctly on the eastern shore) you will pass a submarine at water level with a red London bus dominating the shoreline. This is Istanbul's only museum of transport, the Rahmi M. Koç Museum, stuffed full of Koç's personal collection housed in an old Ottoman navy anchor foundry and also occupying the site of an historic dockyard. With every possible type of transport mode covered there are also reconstructions of craftsmens' workshops and nostalgic apothecary and toy shops. Highlights for me include the steam engine (constructed in West Hartlepool) salvaged from a long-since scrapped ship, which on the press of a button slowly pumps into action again. It was interesting to see two examples of the Turkish Anadol model of car from the 1970s on display as well as a large array of phaetons and a first-world-war British Albion x-ray ambulance which ministered to injured troops on site. The Sultan's sumptuous 19th-century train carriage takes pride of place in the section on trains and trams, where there is even the workings of a funicular railway (visible in the foreground of the photo above). These few examples give an idea of the impressive array of exhibits. Extras include a tour of a second-world-war American submarine, a short tour of the Golden Horn on a steam tugboat and a ride on a diesel locomotive. The museum is good value at 10TL (about £4) and the extras are 5TL (£2) a time; you can easily send half a day there given the range of items to tour.
What it is: Rahmi M. Koç Museum, a great collection of small and large modes of transport, extras include a display showing how olives are pressed mechanically to make olive oil
Where it is: Hasköy Caddesi, no.5. I jumped on a dolmus from Sishane, the journey taking just 10 minutes or so. There are also buses from Eminonu (47) and Taksim (54HT). The boat which runs from Üsküdar to Eyüp stops at Hasköy. As always in Turkey it's best to check with the driver in case routes have changed, they're always happy to assist!

Beyoglu clubbing

Clubbing at the Badehane in Beyoglu. 

I was hoping to get some shots of rocking nightlife near Taksim for my book project but it was just too dark to get any technically perfect shots. Anyway, this was one that I particularly liked. They are dancing like crazy to Selim Sesler's clarinet and his gypsy band of musicians.

What it is: A really down to earth bar with sawdust on the floor that attracts musicians and students. Selim Sesler and his band usually perform on a Tuesday evening. It is open daytime and until late every night, their tables filling the traffic-free street to capacity. There's a cosy soba (coal-fuelled traditional stove) for the cold Istanbul winter nights.

Where it is: On General Yazgan Sokak straight opposite and a bit to the right of the entrance to the Tunel funicular. 

A chance encounter in a Beyoglu backstreet

Gypsy musicians regale a wedding party on a Beyoglu backstreet. 

Last night when returning from photographing at the Grand Bazaar (Kapalicarsi) I came across these guys... One is playing the davul (bass drum) and the other the reedy and wailing zurna as is the tradition in Anatolia. These instruments are also combined like this by the mehter, the Ottoman military band, which you're equally likely to come across though in the city's public squares mostly.

What it is: Outdoor wedding celebration where the guests are regaled by two musicians and have the chance for a little dance before the bride emerges from the house and is whisked away for the actual ceremony. 

Where it is: Anywhere and everywhere! I found my musicians just round the corner from where I live, an area of Beyoglu between Tunel and Tophane. You're most likely to stumble across such a do in the summer and in the more down at heel parts of the city.

School outing

Turkish schoolchildren have an outing to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art in Sultanahmet. This museum has an incredible array of very old (15th century onwards) and astonishingly large carpets, not just Turkish but Persian too. Once the palace of Rustem Pasha, Suleiman the Magnificent's Grand Vizier, it has nice views onto the Hippodrome and Blue Mosque too.

No time to write I

I'm not having time to think at all about blogging at the moment as I'm working like crazy taking photos for a new travel guide on Istanbul. Also I have been editing a couple of books, also on a Turkish theme, for publishers Citlembik based in Tunel, Istanbul, and will write a little about these once they are published. 

I'm dashing around the city for my latest project, Bebek, Eminonu, Emirgan, Eyup, Fatih, Galata, Kumkapi, Ortakoy, Princes Islands, Sultanahmet, Taksim, Uskudar, you name it I'm there pursuing hotels, restaurants and plain ordinary folk... Here are some photos taken along the way that I've also managed to take for my own portfolio. This one is of course a whirling dervish in action, click on the slideshow to the top right to see more recent photos. I'll add photos to this blog as and when I can.

The Crimean Church in Galata

Istanbul's dramatic skyline is world famous with its thousands of mosque minarets punctuating the horizon, from which the call to prayer echos five times a day – sounding so romantic to the Western ear. It belies the fact that there are many churches and synagogues there too. The Ottoman Empire was an islamic empire of course with a sizeable minority of people of other faiths whose places of worship were to be located discretely, so no Star of Davids or church steeples spoiling the view. One of the few exceptions is the Crimean Memorial Church in Beyoglu which is still very much a working church with a loyal following of worshippers. As you look at the European side of the city from the water, with the exception of the catholic Saint Antoine, it is the only church spire which pops up to the right (or east) and down from the Galata Tower.

Father Ian (or more correctly the Canon Ian Sherwood OBE) arrived in Istanbul 20 years ago to serve at the British Consulate chapel (recently reopened after the 2003 Al Qaeda bomb attack) and went on to save the derelict Crimean Memorial from the squatters and almost certain conversion into a concert venue. It's difficult to imagine the task he was faced with at the time but for sure today it's an intimate building beautifully restored and very much the hub of all sorts of activities, including the undercroft which is home to Sri Lankan refugees. Last summer saw a visit from Cambridge's Jesus College choir which I was privileged to photograph as part of my ongoing project on the church.

As part of the project I talked to Father Ian about the history of the building and its architecture and became so infected by his love and enthusiasm for it. I especially remember how when he first saw the church all those years ago his immediate reaction was 'Aaaah, now I know why I'm here' after having reluctantly come to an unknown city. It is of historical significance too as it was designed by the Victorian architect G.E. Street (of the Royal Courts of Justice in London) on land specially given to the British by the sultan of the time (1858) as a 'thank you' for their help during the Crimean War. Father Ian has kept the building alive by, for example, commissioning from Scottish artist Mungo McCosh a series of scenes incorporating Biblical characters, local people and the city of Istanbul which adorn the panels of the rood screen.

Where it is: An Anglican church located in the heart of Beyoglu on Serdar Ekrem Sokak, slap bang next to a small mosque whose call to prayer interrupted the Christmas Eve service last year. If coming from Istiklal Caddesi head towards Tunel and turn left at Kumbaraci Yokusu (Lebon Pattiserie is on the corner). Once you've passed the Russian consulate walk downhill for a good 5 minutes before taking the first really steep right turn, the gate to the church is on the left. Services are at 10am every Sunday and there is evensong at 6pm

The Crimean Church at Galata

The Sunday Eucharist

Christmas Eve service

Black Sea anchovies or hamsi II

The Istanbul fishing season began at the beginning of the month, just in time for Ramadan, and the fresh fish markets are once again choc-a-bloc (sp?) with customers and their shiny finned friends. Karadenizli hamsi (or Black Sea anchovies) are a particular favourite here (despite now appearing on the endangered lists) and it's usually possible to pick up a kilo for about 5ytl (£2.20). If required they will be cleaned up (gutted) by the fishermen ready to take home where you can roll them in cornflour and fry lightly for 10 minutes or so. Add an oniony salad and fresh bread and it's a quick and easy dinner. 

What it is: My favourite fish market, and because it's near to where I live, is the Persembe Pazar (Thursday Market) at Karakoy right on the waterfront. Open until 8pm, depending on the catch and time of year you'll be offered seabreem (çupra), salmon (solmon), bonito (palamut), red mullet (barbunya), sea bass (levrek) and  horse mackerel (istavrit). I often buy towards the end of the day when there is less choice but there is a bargain to had. But be careful if the day has been hot that what you buy is still fresh. Once the stalls close the remnants are thrown to the gulls so keep yourself scarce if you have a phobia as the birds descend in the hundreds as feeding time approaches. 

For lunch I like to eat at the outside fish cafe just beyond Thursday Market where there are small tables and stalls set up right by the Golden Horn. It's a locals place and during the week the workers from the offices fill most of the tables. Straightforward and down to earth, you'll have a choice of a balik ekmek (usually bonito in a bun with a little salad) for something like 3ytl (£1.30) or a choice of fish depending on availability, next to which you can order a salad of carrot, rocket and red cabbage. There is also a similar venue set amongst the market itself under the tarpaulin which I've never tried probably because I don't fancy the idea of reeking of fish after the meal. The waterfront venue has a nice view of the Galata Bridge, and Eminonu and the Suleymaniye Mosque on the other side of the Golden Horn. A meal of fish, salad and a drink, depending on the fish, should cost no more than 12-15ytl (£5-£6.50). If your intention after the meal is to go to the other side of the water rather walking across the bridge you could always take one of the frequent small privately owned boats that leave right by the cafe for 1ytl. It's a really bumpy, though exhilarating, ride as you're at the mercy of the waves made by the larger boats.

Where it is: Very close to the Karakoy tram stop, the Galata Bridge and the Galata Tower. Open seven days a week.

Black Sea anchovies or hamsi I

A favourite view...

What it is: A great place to watch the sunset and view the city skyline is on the Asian side of Istanbul at Kadiköy. Haydarpasa train station, of Oriental Express fame, dominates the skyline above, while to its left are both the Haghia Sophia and Blue Mosque if you look very carefully. The ubiquitous Istanbul ferry becomes a blur in its silent movement towards the quayside.

Where it is: On the waterfront at Kadiköy just by the ferry landing. From the European side you just jump on one of the ferries, alternatively there are plenty of buses given that there is a large bus terminus there.

Ramadan festivities by the Blue Mosque

We're halfway through the month of Ramadan here in Istanbul and today, being a Sunday, I saw a daytime parade pass my apartment of the guy who stirs the neighbourhood at around two every morning banging his davul (large drum), to a hypnotic and unmistakeably Middle Eastern beat, along with his young cohorts who sing in between the pauses of the drumbeats. It all sounds very spooky at that time of the still black night. A bit in the manner of Little House on the Prairie, but in reverse, lights in the neighbourhood spring on one by one as people turn themselves out of bed for their pre-dawn breakfast, or yatsi. Today our local davulcu (drummer) has also shown himself during the daylight hours to collect the tips that the appreciative early-risers lower from their windows by means of a basket or bucket on a long rope. Already their daytime fasting is well under way and they will have to wait until sunset, around 7.30pm at the moment, for their next and last meal of the day, known as iftar. 

What it is: After iftar all hell breaks loose, metaphorically speaking of course, and it's time to have fun after the strictures of the day. Especially at the weekend many Turks like to walk off their multi-course evening meal by going on a gezme (promenade). One venue to head for during the holy month of Ramadan (or Ramazan as it's known here in Turkey) is the Hippodrome right by the Blue Mosque. A bit of a non-event during the day, the green space is completely transformed after dark, as if a magic wand has been cast over it with the wish to give all who stray there as much food, drink and entertainment as their hearts desire. A friend of mine says it resembles the set of a Franco Zeffirrelli opera; crowds and crowds of people enjoying the spectacle of the men on stilts, clowns, booths where you can have your photo taken as an Ottoman Sultan and even the rabbits whom, once you've handed over your 1YTL (one new Turkish lira), will pick out a folded paper containing a prophetic message. Street food is prepared with an artistic flourish that the Turks excel best at. Ottoman-style candy in rainbow colours is twisted and twirled in its hot syrupy form onto a stick by a man with an unfeasibly large moustache and a wicked grin, while gözleme (Turkish pancakes) with either a spinach or cheese filling are warmed over a charcoal-grilled hotplate at one of the many stalls that line both sides of the Hippodrome. 

The Blue Mosque itself is lit up with specially chosen words from the holy Qu'ran and the courtyard around the ablutions fountain hosts stalls of mostly religious or historical books. Outside the immediate vicinity of the mosque there are further stalls that sell all sorts, such as the islamic imagery seen in the photo above.

One cautionary note to foreign visitors who happen to be in Turkey during Ramazan; as a mark of respect to those observing the fasting don't flaunt food in the streets during the day and when eating out do remember that the waiters serving you have probably not themselves eaten since the early hours of that morning!

Where it is: The Hippodrome is the long narrow strip of 'parkland' to the side of the Blue Mosque with the Fountain of Kaiser Wilhelm at its start as you enter it with the tram line behind you. The nearest tram stop is Sultanahmet and it is within walking distance of Eminönü and the Grand Bazaar. 

The most authentic Turkish Delight

What it is: If you're in the environs of the Egyptian Spice Bazaar by the Golden Horn and are in the mood for a bit of an explore of the back streets and more than a bit of authenticity, have a short wander to an old-fashioned family run sweet shop, complete with jars full of colourful boiled sweets and fondant fancies, that makes gorgeous Turkish Delight on the premises. As I write the flavours currently on offer include rose (gül), lemon (limon), plain (sade), coconut (hindistan cevizi) and hazelnut (findikli). If money's an issue at this time of economic crises, you'll be pleased to find that the chewy-gooey cubes of lokum will cost you around a tenth of the price of what you'll pay in the touristy spots. 

I had the privilege to spend a morning with the lads who work in the shop photographing them making the lokum. The mixture is poured into huge trays after being heated to a given temperature in large copper vats with a mechanical arm that stirs it. The trays are then left to set before the delight is extracted in the form of the familiar cubes.

Where it is: Stand with the Egyptian Spice Bazaar to your left and the Golden Horn on your right and make your way up the main street until you get to an intersection with lights. Immediately after these lights take a diagonal left down a narrow side street crammed with specialist shops of the kind you only get to see in Turkey. Look out for the shop selling just weighing scales (from kitchen to industrial) and that stocking all manner of cologne. A few minutes up the street you'll spot the mustard-yellow frontage of Altan Sekerleme, proudly displaying its wares in its window.

Click this link for photos of Istanbul and where you can also buy a print of the nostalgic Altan Sekerleme shop as seen above.