| Page Views: 1,605 Last Visit to Istanbul: October, 2007 | Beyond clichés by Tijavi - last update: Apr 12, 2008 |
NOTE: THANKS FOR STOPPING BY. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THESE PAGES TO INLCUDE NEW TIPS AND PHOTOS FROM MY LAST VISIT.
"East meets West, Crossroads of Civilizations, and the seductive, City of the World's Desire." Istanbul is all these, and more.
It is a living city of 12 million, the lifeblood of Turkish economy, and the battleground of the true Turkish identity: European, or Asian/Middle Eastern. Both influences are very much palpable and well-represented - from the museum and historical disctrict of Sultanahmet to tony Nisantasi and Levent, and from the sound of muezzins calling the faithful to prayer, to the chatter of Prada-clad yuppies in chic cafés.
Of course, not everything in Istanbul is as romantic as these clichés would depict. As in any large city, heed warnings against venturing out to wrong neighborhoods (there is one close to Taksim - Tarlabasi - which is notorious for victimizing tourists) and dealing with undesirable elements.
Still, don't let these stop you from discovering the city beyond Sultanahmet and Taksim. Venture out from these usual tourist comfort zones and explore the city - by foot, by ferry, by bus. Along the way are hidden gems to be discovered and enjoyed. |
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| Pros: | "History, culture, cuisine," | | Cons: | "The usual dangers in any large city" | | In A Nutshell: | "Captivating, a city so easy to fall in love with" |
Tijavi's Istanbul Travel Tips
 Tijavi's Istanbul Travelogues | | | | Title [Click to view] | Travel Year | Pictures | | Id. | June, 2006 |  7 | | Ego. | June, 2006 | 8 |
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 Comments for Tijavi about Istanbul | | | | |
hopang Tue Sep 1, 2009 13:24 UTC
Superb Istanbul page. The view from Galata Tower certainly looks spectacular! Blue Mosque and the sunset in your photos indeed look amazing. Bring back fond memories of our trip to Istanbul several years ago. ~ho & pang | jumpingnorman Sat Aug 8, 2009 15:52 UTC
That blue mosque picture with the yellow sunset background is awesome...would also love to go around the Archeology Museum...excellent pages...Norman :) | Pinoy_Traveller Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:15 UTC
very well said..... kudos! I hope to experience that same luxurious cultural vastness... | gilabrand Mon Feb 16, 2009 15:08 UTC
Very good and well-written tips! A pleasure to read. |
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