I've been looking forward to this trip to Istanbul for the last year now and it did not disappoint. It was arguably one of the most interesting cities I have ever experienced in my lifetime. This is likely because it is the furthest east I have ever been. Everything seemed so foreign and exotic, like a diverse city on Tatooine. It was my first true immersive experience in a Muslim state, where the religion of Islam is the majority. It was also my first step into Asia, since Istanbul sits between Asia and Europe. I would say it's this gateway position that makes this such an amazing cultural, religious, and historic city. I haven't felt this inspired by a trip since Medellin 2024, and I would definitely return to Istanbul again if I get a chance.
I think I will continue to make some further studies on Islam and the city of Istanbul, but for now I have to recall the details of the trip. Although we saved tons of photos, if I don't write this down now I could lose many of the memories. So this will basically be like a journal going thru the sequential experience I had with my family. I just love reading back at my journals (or looking back at old photos), because it is almost like time-traveling. This trip to Istanbul was by far one of our most challenging, due to the distance but more-so the language barrier. It was a true adventure and it has me so very grateful and inspired that we could make the trip successfully.
Day 1- The Voyage
This has become a new annual tradition to take a major foreign trip in October going back to Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Brazil. This however was my first trip to Europe since 2022 and my first ever trip to Western Asia and the Middle East. I actually wasn't too concerned about safety issues, since most of us have darker complexions due to our Latin heritage (except for my dad). I've often been identified many times as an Arab, which is understandable if you consider that Spain was under Muslim rule for nearly 800 years. I for one am not ashamed of this association and feel the Middle East often gets a bad wrap due to several pockets of extremism. It is an area rich of history, and has it's bad eggs no different than any other race or culture. So I'm glad I had a general understanding of Islam before I set foot in Turkey which is 80% Muslim.
We arrived around 6:30am local time (11:30 eastern time). I was very surprised at how quick and smooth the international customs phase was. We were in-and-out of the Istanbul airport within 30 minutes. Even the taxi pickup went fairly smooth, as I had arranged the pickup thru Expedia. The taxi drive was about an hour from the airport to the Sultanhan Hotel located in the Fatih district (Gabriel and Dad got a little motion sickness during the trip). I had chosen this hotel since it was in the heart of the Old City very close the most famous and historic mosques such as the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Suleyman Mosque, and the New Mosque. The front-desk attendants were very friendly, and although we were early for check-in they allowed us to eat breakfast (and even invited Gabriel who was staying at a different hotel in the Galata district). The breakfast buffet on the 6th floor offered an amazing view of the city which gave us our first true glimpse of the impressive Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. We got into our room by around 9am and slept for a few hours.
Day 2- First Exploration of Sultanahmet
Our room had 3 beds in it, with some charming vintage furniture in it. Andres slept by the bathroom, mom-and-dad in the middle, and I slept by the window. I especially enjoyed the cool breeze coming in and the sounds of the bustling city. We slept for maybe 2 to 3 hours that day before deciding to begin our first wave of exploration around 3pm local time. I bought an international data plan thru T-mobile for the week to help us navigate the city. We walked along the main road Divanyolu Cd which was the main tram-line going north-and-west from Fatih to Galata. I had studied the metro lines and felt this would be an efficient way to navigate the city (vs spending a fortune on Ubers). Although it did take a little bit to get use to, (and I wasted some money figuring out how to put a balance on my card), I'd say we still saved a ton by using this mainline the entire week.
We eventually met up with Gabriel and took lots of photos around the historical landmarks. Of course by this point there was hunger brewing and we impulsively decided to take the train north to Gabriel's hotel district. This was our first ride on the subway and we crossed the Galata Bridge. We eventually found a nice restaurant with an incredible view overlooking the Golden Horn. This was our most luxurious experience with a feast of drinks, sea bass, lamb, chicken, vegetables, rice, and various sauces and breads. The food was exceptional however also a very costly experience at around 60$ a piece. We took some of our best photos from that viewpoint, and although it was a pricey evening, it was the perfect way to start our week in Istanbul. We were also entertained by the majestic seagulls and the abundant street cats who were constantly looking for food (similar to Athens, Greece).
Day 3- St. Anthony of Padua and Galata Tower
That morning after breakfast dad and I planned to go to Sunday morning mass, while mom and Andres met up with Gabriel. We took the tram line north to the Tophane stop and walked up a very steep hill to get to the Church of St. Anthony of Padua. It was one of the few Catholic Churches in Istanbul, however had quite the impressive exterior facade. I had presumed we would get the traditional Latin mass, but it was actually quite a modern progressive one. Although we were graced by the presence of the bishop, the choir was the standout piece for me. It was a group of Philippine women that had the most angelic of voices and harmony (especially their responsorial psalm).
That evening mom led the charge as we walked back thru the street markets headed northward to the southern point of the Galata Bridge (at the Eminonu Terminal). We arranged for Gabriel to meet us for dinner at this booming seaport. We walked thru the Egyptian Bazaar and got a close-up look at the Yeni Cami Mosque (also known as the New Mosque). For dinner we found a fairly priced location with typical Turkish food and friendly service. I ordered my first Turkish doner here (similar to a gyro but with a thinner wrap). Dad ordered his first fish wrap and I think mom got some beef and rice. It was here we became aware of their complimentary tea custom to close out each meal. After some more shopping and photos we walked back to the hotel to have some more baklava and snacks before bed. I slept terrible that night and could not fall back asleep after 3am. I was able to stream the Lions game however who were playing Sunday Night Football back in the states (unfortunately they lost to the Panthers).
Day 4- Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar
After this we made our way to the Hagia Sophia, where I was devastated to discover the entry was not free. My research had told me it was free entry just like all other mosques, however I learned the circumstances was different in this case since the building was under renovation. After asking around, I painfully decided to pay an overpriced 50$ to enter the 2nd level of the building. This would be a solo experience since dad, mom, and Andres did not want to pay that kind of money (understandably so as it was very overpriced). So I took the camera and slowly walked thru the ancient corridors of this historic building built by Justinian in 537 AD. Just seeing the stone walls it was clear to see this was one of the oldest buildings I had ever been inside (maybe alongside the Pantheon of Rome).
As I was having my own historical experience, mom and Andres both scheduled hair appointments while dad tagged alone. I eventually made it back to the hotel to rest for a while. We all regrouped in the hotel room, where mom and dad shared their experience of being ripped off at the salon. They were also highly overcharged for a hair and facial treatment (spending over $500). Andres also had a pricey haircut, but nowhere near as much. I think we all felt quite ripped off that morning, but mom once again took it in good stride and encouraged us to get over it. After a little bit of rest we pressed on for phase two. We regrouped with Gabriel and decided to walk to the Grand Bazaar to do some more shopping.
The Grand Bazaar is another very historic feature of the city, dating back to the early Ottoman Conquest. The covered building was erected in the 1460s to house valuable items mostly jewelry. It kind of felt like a giant mall selling everything imaginable. I think my mom wasn't as impressed with the higher prices and we didn't really make any shopping stops. We did however stop at another cafe where I bought dad a Turkish coffee. After this we left the indoor Bazaar and I was able to convince everyone to drop in on the Suleyman Mosque. This was the shrine of Suleyman the Magnificent built in the 1550s. Only dad and I went inside, but it's interior was just as impressive as the Blue Mosque. I took lots of photos, especially of our amazing view from outside the Mosque that was perched on a hill looking towards the Golden Horn.
We eventually went back to the hotel to rest a little more, and I for one was about spent at the point. But mom surprisingly led a third phase that evening for dinner. This time I believe we took the train once again to meet Gabriel at the Karakoy district in the Galata region. I ordered a very tasty meal like a cheesy steak pizza boat. I think after this we might have walked around the very charming boulevard that seemed to cater more to nightlife and drinking festivities. I don't think we stayed out too late after this however. I was very exhausted from what turned out to be a very memorably day of sightseeing, shopping, lots of walking, and great food.
Day 5- Ferry to the Asian side
Getting off at the Kadikoy terminal was my first official step into Asia and it immediately felt like eastern Europe. That first road along the Asian coastline was slummy reminding me of the train station of Brno, Czech Republic. However surprisingly when we made it more into the shopping district, things came to life and it turned out to be an enjoyable afternoon. Just as with the western side, there were stores, restaurants, and bars going in every direction. Gabriel was keen that we just sit down and not sightsee today, which was fine by me to do some people watching. Andres was wearing an Assassin's Creed outfit and took lots of cool photos in the streets. We first stopped at a couple bars and ordered some drinks, before making our way to a seafood restaurant. The menu was quite pricey so I just had a beer and an appetizer of sauce and bread. Mom continued to shop and we eventually made our way to a iconic bull statue (reminiscent of the Wall Street NYC Bull).
After dinner we walked a little more around Karakoy, the Galata Bridge, and the Eminonu Pier. I bought a nice North Face sweater in a shop near the bridge, no doubt a counterfeit knock-off but still a good looking sweater at a cheap price. Gabriel parted ways with us at this point as mom, dad, and I took a different route back to our hotel. I believe we took a more direct route along the Ankara road heading southward towards out hotel (seeking to avoid some of the twists-and-turns of the western market route). That night in the hotel room while mom-and-dad were saying the Rosary I was able to locate the missing photos. I found they had been saved under RAW format instead of the usual JPEG format. This was a great relief, as I was even considering revisiting the Blue Mosque to take some new photos.
Day 6- Street Markets and Night Cruise
For lunch we found a fair-priced sandwich restaurant right in the heart of the marketplace. I once again ordered a doner sandwich with a Fanta. As we were eating we were approached by an herbal tea salesmen who offered us some tea and Turkish delight. This convinced mom to check out the merchants' store, who then spent a good half-hour buying tea from the guy. The tea was actually quite medicinal like drinking a form of cough syrup. After this we went back to the hotel to rest for a while before our big night cruise. I had booked us a night dinner cruise along the Bosphorus river which was going to be like our main event of the trip. I got a little scare when the reservation was cancelled but I managed to book a different one with a similar service at only 30$ a person. This was a great deal since it included a 3 hour trip around the Golden Horn, a full course meal, unlimited soft drinks, and traditional Turkish entertainment. The cruise was not until 8:30pm however which meant a much latter night then usual for us.
After some good rest, Andres went back out to reunite with his friend while mom, dad, and myself joined Gabriel once again in the Karakoy bar strip. This was our third consecutive night at Karakoy having some pre-game drinks. This time I wore my new North Face fleece and was feeling pretty good after a couple drinks. As we were sitting at the bar strip people watching, we randomly saw Andres and his friend walk by. This was a total chance encounter, but mom invited his friend to join us for the night. His name was Resul and he was actually a very friendly guy and helped us with the language barriers. Before we boarded the boat, dad and I decided to buy a pack of cigarettes, which were incredibly cheap at around 4$. I had been craving a smoke all trip whether hookah, cigar, or a cigarette since it was just everywhere throughout the city. Dad of course was also onboard.
The entertainment inside included the traditional whirling dervishes as well as other Turkish folk dances (unfortunately I missed the belly dancer, but thankfully that meant I didn't have to cough up extra lira cash). Towards the end they started inviting everyone on the dance floor with the Macarena and other hips songs. Mom had a real good time dancing to some salsa music. Overall it was an enjoyable night on the boat, and surprisingly we didn't buy any drinks from the bar. We got back to the Kabatas station around 11:30 and took the train line straight to our hotel. That evening I remember pigging out on Turkish delights which we had bought earlier from the street markets. I decided they were my new favorite Turkish deserts, even more so then the baklava.
Day 7- Final Day
After this we regrouped at the hotel room, and dad was pretty wiped out from the long walk. Mom and Gabriel had shopped-till-they-dropped with bags of clothing from the street markets. I wasn't very hungry but decided to join mom, Andres, and Gabriel for a lunch while dad hung back to rest in the hotel room. We found a nice spot near the hotel in the midst of the street markets. It was a bit on the pricey spot, but mom treated us all. I ordered another pizza cheese steak boat (which was good but not as tasty as the one I had ordered earlier in Karkoy). After that we got back to the hotel room and rested and started to pack for our return trip. I had to spend some time with Turkish Airlines getting our boarding passes sorted out. We later met Andres' friend Resul once again for a nice fancy dinner. This was a similar experience as our first pricey feast which included a mixture of various Turkish dishes. It was a rather brief dinner and I think by this point we were all quite exhausted and ready to get some rest. That night before going back in the hotel I had one last cigarette with dad, where we met a Kurdish person down on his luck. His entire family was killed by an earthquake in 2023. We offered him a cigarette then went to sleep by around 10pm.
Day 8- Return Trip
Our main concern when we arrived was finding our parking spot and hoping the car would start. This had become a frequent issue on several of our last return trips. Going thru international customs in Chicago was once again very quick and easy. We even worked together to board the Transit system back to our parking garage and found our car without much issue. However we were not so lucky with the KIA, which would not start for the 3rd time after a long trip. I was familiar with the process at this point and called the parking line, who was there in about 15 minutes to give us a jump. I drove the first shift to Valparaiso where we had Applebee's for lunch. It was nice to enjoy some real hamburger once again. Dad drove the second shift back to Fort Wayne. We reminisced about the tirp and how much fun we had the way back. We then picked up Max and I stopped briefly at the parents before finishing my final leg to Zionsville. It was a very long day, and I finally got to bed by around 9pm (4am Istanbul time). It was a successful trip full of so many great memories, and will go down as one of my all time favorite family trips. I will certainly plan to continue to read up on this city and hope to someday make another return trip.
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)