Final Day in Istanbul!

Monday June 10 was another gorgeous day.  It is definitely going to be tough to leave this beautiful weather and amazing city.  We decided to spend most of the day outside wandering around our favourite haunts.  We also decided to have one last fish meal at the apartment for dinner and, instead, to eat lunch out.

Our first stop was our local fish shop, where we have got to know the owner.  Here he is posing with me and the fish, from which we chose our sea bream and sea bass for dinner.

Our local fish shop- Toby and owner

After we dropped the fish back at the apartment, we walked down Istiklal Street and the street it runs into, saying our almost good-byes to Fatih, the graphic artist and co-owner of Aponia.  We then took the tram four stops into the old part of the city,  to visit the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici).  The underground Cistern was constructed in 537 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Justinianus.  This was the most prosperous period of the East Roman Empire.  The Cistern is 140 m in length and 70 m wide and there are 336 marble columns in 12 rows.  It is 9800 square metres and has the capacity to store 100,000 tons of water.  The Cistern was restored in 1985-87.

It is one of the last remaining intact monuments to the Byzantine era in Istanbul.  A scene from the James Bond movie, From Russia with Love, was filmed in the Cistern.   One takes a flight of stairs down to a cavernous, beautiful spot.

Directions to Cistern

The columns underground at the Cistern

At the end of walk, there are two incredible heads of Medusa built into two columns.  Interestingly, one of the heads is sideways and the other is upside down.  Apparently, no one quite knows how the heads got there and why they are arranged the way they are.  All quite mysterious.

Sideways Medusa

Upside down Medusa

The whole visit only took about 20 minutes, but it was worth it.  After we walked back over the Galata Bridge to have lunch at Karakoy Lokantasi, a restaurant recommended by Istanbul Eats.

We first passed the Parade tower near Topkapi Palace, where the Sultans had a great view of passing parades.

Sultans' parade tower near Topkapi Palace

At the restaurant, we shared some meze and also ate delicious turkish ravioli with red pepper sauce (yogurt on the side for Alain).

Spiral stairway (just like our new condo)

The restaurant- we were eating late at 3:00 p.m. so only a few people were there

Turkish ravioli and red pepper sauce and yogurt-- light as air

Tomato, cucumber and green hot pepper salad and artichoke

We then decided to wander for a few blocks in the Karokoy district (just south of Galata tower and on the water on the newer European section of Istanbul).  We found a place where Simit's were being made (reminds us of Montreal bagels-- with a bit of a crunch and not too puffy).  Alain had a pastry there.

Alain leaving Galata Simitcisi

Simits hot out of the oven

We walked around the corner and found a beautiful jewellery studio with work by Selda Okutan and a number of other local artists.  I actually forgot to take some pictures, but I did buy a necklace.  Luckily there were a few pictures on the internet of her jewellery and studio.

The outside of Selda Okutan jewellery studio

Some of her rings which are like the construction
 of the necklace that I bought (though no stone on my necklace)

We next headed back across the Galata Bridge to the Spice Bazaar with a mission to find some real Iranian saffron for our friend Michael.  I had emailed the Istanbul Eats folks for a recommendation  (one has to be very careful with buying saffron in Istanbul).  I got the name of a reputable seller and we bought a few grams.

Closing the deal on the saffron

Artifoglu- recommended for saffron

We also took a picture of one of the cheese shops that are beside the Spice Bazaar.  Istanbul has some wonderful cheeses, including some hard sheep cheeses that I can eat.

Cheese and more cheese

We then went back across the Galata bridge (again) and headed back to Istiklal Street, saying our final good-bye to Fatih along the way.  I took a picture of the great ceiling fan in his store.

"I am a Skateboard Fan"

Then it was back to Istiklal Street, stopping in our favourite alley for a Turkish Coffee.

Our final stop for the day was Taksim Square and Gezi Park.  No demonstrations today, but the mood was festive both in the square and the park.  The scene had changed a bit since we were there three days ago.  Many more pup tents and many booths where folks of all different political stripes were selling political pamphlets, books and generally hanging out.  There were discussions going on, music playing and tons of graffiti.  It really reminded me of the Peoples' Park vibe of the early 1970s and had a teach-in kinda feel.

There were many food vendors in the Square- everything from kebobs to cucumbers, watermelon and pineapple.  Large banners hung from buildings around the Square.  The Square itself is not very attractive and Gezi Park is small, but the plans to tear down the existing park and recreate an Ottoman army barracks that used to be there are certainly not in keeping with the large public space that it is now.  It has been a fascinating time to be in Istanbul, though it is unclear what the future holds.

Entering Taksim Square -very large space

Kebob seller

"Don't give in" T-shirt on penguin (the penguin refers to the TV program that ran
 during the clashes with the police on May 30)

Music Truck

Buildings in the Square draped with banners

Gezi Park with tents and booths  (I'm afraid that the park is in pretty bad shape)

Tayyip Istifa !! (Tayyip (Erdogan) Resign!

Heading back out of Taksim Square

Just as we headed back down Istiklal Street to our apartment, we saw this great poster in Turkish and English.  The power of cooperation and the concept of a "social activist house or space" may be the best outcome of the last 12 days.  We later heard on the news that PM Erdogan is finally going to meet with the leaders of the protest on Wednesday.  What the future will bring is uncertain, but it has been a wonderful twist of fate that found us in Istanbul to witness history.

Back to the apartment to a lovely fish dinner cooked by Chef Alain.  Tomorrow morning we leave for Vienna.  Internet permitting, we should be able to post a short blog tomorrow evening.  Stay tuned!