"Turkish Delights" Istanbul by Ramonq

click: Beyoglu music

Istanbul's skyline beckons you and titillates your male fantasies about living the pampered life of a pompous sultan. The towering minarets and immense domes of numerous mosques that dot the cityscape also conjure up images of yourself riding on magical flying carpet over the spell-binding city like Alladin or Sinbad. Even sailing across the sparkling waters of the Bosphorus Strait makes you feel like you're in a thriller James Bond movie set or a participant in an Agatha Christie mystery novel. Istanbul is all that, because its intriguing and mysterious setting is so conducive to fantasising.

Maybe its because of the clash of two distinct cultures that have taken hold in this city. Right smack bang in the middle of a cultural faultline, Istanbul exudes an air of European sophistication, juxtaposed with large doses of Middle Eastern mystery. Its place in history is solid because this is where East meets Western civilisation. When walking around the streets of Istanbul or cruising around the Sea of Marmara and Bosphorus Strait, you will see a stunning array of European-style palaces, gardens, Byzantine cathedrals and grand homes but these are interspersed with spicy bazaars, elegant mosques, and steamy hammams. The streets are decidedly Middle eastern with the smell of kebabs, aromatic tea, fruity water pipes and exotic spices wafting around the makeshift stalls, amidst the background of rhythmic Turkish music blaring from tea shops and homes. This is definitely a must-visit place for travellers who want to experience life.

Aya Sofiya

The existence of Istanbul was an accident waiting to happen mainly because of its strategic geographical location and the rise of great civilisations around the Mediterranean region. From a collection of small fishing villages in the 9th century BC, the town grew into an insignificant city state of Byzantium until the Great Roman conquerer, Emperor Constantine chose to move the capital from Rome to this spot and named it Constantinople in 324 AD. When the Roman Empire divided, Constantinople became the capital of the empire's eastern portion and later became the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church during the spread of Christianity. The Aya Sofiya church was then the church's crowning glory. Istanbul was once a powerful centre for Christianity for medieval Europe.

Things changed in the 15th century when Turkish Muslims led by Fatih Sultan Mehmet II conquered the city and made the city the capital of the Ottoman Empire which existed for 500 years. The city's name was changed once again from Constantinople to Istanbul. The sultans of the empire, especially Sultan Suleyman built spectacular palaces and mosques using intricate Islamic designs.

The empire waned and collapsed in the 20th century and Ataturk, the father of the Turkish Republic moved the capital city to Ankara. But Istanbul remains as an important trading centre and the European influence was still exerted by Western traders who formed prosperous enclaves in the city especially in the suburb of Beyoglu. I thought that the shopping district of Istkitlal Cadessi near Taksim Square had a very European feel about it.

Most of the wonderful historical sights of Istanbul are located in the European continent along the western side of the mouth of Bosphoros Strait, ie, the old city centre. Here you'll see the famous sites such as Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Aya Sofiya, the Grand Bazaar, ancient Roman Theodisian Walls, Yerebatan Saray and the Hippodrome. One can spend days around this area and still not uncover all the secrets that Old Istanbul has kept. Across the Golden Horn, where medieval Constantinople spilled out from the old city, stands the Galata Tower built by the Galateans.

Modern Istanbul has expanded northwards to Besiktas and Sisli, across to the Asian continent in Uskudar, Erenkoy and Beykoz and further into the European continent towards Bakirkoy, Gaziosmanpasa and Eyup. The area is vast and metropolitan Istanbul is home to more than 10 million souls. The city is reeling with infrastucture problems that are similar to Third World cities with the existence of shanty towns and slums in the poorer sections of the city. Pollution can be problematic and the huge amount of sewer and garbage are becoming difficult to contain.

Istanbul now has many districts that have characters of their own. Beyoglu is the entertainment district, Besiktas/Sisli is the business district, and Eminonu is the cultural district. One can definitely enjoy comfortably the city using its efficient land and sea transportation system. I saw how big Istanbul has become by taking a cruise to the mouth of the Black Sea and taking the subways to its outer suburbs.

Istanbul is a Muslim city but its secular society is attuned to the modern world. Loud pop music compete with the muezzin's call-to-prayer wails. Soccer teams such as Galatasaray and Besiktas are predominantly in minds of most men. The streets around Taksim Square are full of worldly pleasures that seem to be worlds away from the sight of a few women who walk around the streets completely covered in black robes. Some television shows are raunchy and decadent that would make the clerics blush. These contrasts provide travellers a feel for what's going to be in store for Istanbul in the future.

• Pros:Plenty of historical sites
• Cons:Expensive entrance fees to sites
• In a nutshell:Europe meets the Middle East