A Visit to Asia: Kanlıca and Yogurt

Since summer has finally arrived in Istanbul, E&M and I have been trying to put weekends to good use with trips like Mount Nemrut and a blue cruise (post coming soon!) and day trips around the city. A few weeks ago we decided to trek over to the Asian side to the village of Kanlıca.

It takes a lot to get me over to the Asian side. I can't really explain why I avoid it since I generally love any reason to get on a vapur, but avoid it I do. However a trip to a village famous for its yogurt was reason enough even for me. Especially when you realize that Kanlıca is up near the second bridge so it's a vapur (from Kadıköy to Üsküdar) then a bus (any of the 15s). A bus on a Saturday. There just aren't words for how horrible that is. Buses get so full, they rarely have AC and a couple open windows does not generate enough air to counter the million sweaty, non deoderant wearing bodies that are pressed up against one another. You really don't even have to bother holding on; you're packed in so tight you're not going to fall.

Yogurt with strawberry & kaymak ice cream

An hour and half after we left home we arrive in Kanlıca (Kan-lih-dja). We head for the first yogurt place we find and luckily get a spot near the water. Kanlıca does have a ferry stop but it's only serviced by the Bosphorus tour line which means the four (possibly?) departures each day are not at convenient times.

We sit down and order water (we need to rehydrate after that bus ride) and yogurt. E and I both order

ballı yoğurt (yogurt with honey) but M decides to be adventurous and orders the dondurmalı yoğurt
(literally, ice creamy yogurt). When it comes, the yogurt arrives with a bowl of powdered sugar. Apparently this is a thing. Ookay. Why not. It's good...but I am not a yogurt connoisseur so to me it just tasted like yogurt.

After yogurt we hopped back on the bus (sigh) to backtrack to Küçüksu Pavillion. Possibly the least expensive palace ticket (5TL) I've ever paid, it also comes with the world's shortest tour. A bunch of people gathered in the entrance foyer for a brief history of the small palace and a description of some of its features. The guide spoke only Turkish so I interpreted for E&M.

My stellar Turkish resulted in a truly informative discourse for them. Somewhat along the lines of:

•  Built in 18-something something
• two floors
• look an impressive staircase
• there's stuff in that room made out of walnut (wood not nuts)
• Ottomans did something
• Dude, who really wants chandeliers this ugly?
• Gardens...

It was a truly informational day for us all.

After his speech we were left to wander the rooms on our own. Holy over-decorated, Batman! I like me some bling but really? No. I can never help but wonder if all the gilding is really real or how it made it through wars and revolutions unlooted. Generally one is not allowed to take pictures in these palaces but I find that if you raise your voice a register, address the guard/guide as abi (big brother) and super politely ask if you may take a picture that they'll let you take one or two. I did not actually take any pictures though after going through the difficult process of being charming and asking, I brought the wrong lens.

Being as the pavilion is near the second bridge we had a great view of the European Fortress on the other side of the Bosphorus.

So, maybe I wasn't totally blown away by the yogurt, but it was definitely worth the trip. For the parts of the bus ride I was able to see outside I had a heck of a view.  The icing on the day's cake was not the powdered sugar served with the yogurt, but the fact that, after missing two buses coming out of the palace, the bus we caught back to the ferry stop was both air conditioned and empty. It's the like the unicorn of Turkish buses.

The Grand Bazaar

Both Lauren and I have posted about Turkey. Lauren most recently when she was on R&R, and I a couple years ago (really just reread all of November and December 2010!!) so when I was in Istanbul last week for work I wondered if there was really anything left to post about? Of course there was. There always is. I think I may have touched only a little on the Spice and Grand Bazaars in one or two of my posts so this seems the perfect time to go a little more in depth.

But before we get there; just a little bit about the rest of my trip. I was there to spend money; that was the purpose of my work trip. And it's not as much fun as you might think. But because the purpose was to spend money, I stayed in one of the higher end hotels.

That is what $10,000 looks like

View from my hotel in Taksim

View of Taksim Square

Ahh lovely sunset

My hotel has no 13th floor. Just because it's not listed doesn't mean it's not there.

 

 
Despite the busy work schedule, I did get out a little. Thankfully, for me anyway, Turkey is secular enough that even during Ramadan restaurants and shops are open for business. Many places had set menus during iftar and large crowds gathered on the lawn in front of the Blue Mosque to celebrate picnic iftar every evening. I'm so glad I'm Catholic.

Public iftar in front of the Blue Mosque

Ramadan Krispy Kremes. Yes this happened.

So speaking of food...that's what most of my happy moments were about on this trip.

I don't even know what this was but it was yummy.

Turkey has the best baklava

Burek = true happiness

But back to the bazaar! I maintain that you really shouldn't ever buy anything in the Grand Bazaar-that better prices can be had just about anywhere else in the city; but it sure is fun to walk around. Basically, if you want it, they've got it.

So tempted by these hand painted bottles.

Who doesn't want a bejeweled elephant?!

Godiva...because I guess the Grand Bazaar is the best place for it?

The Grand Bazaar is theoretically sectioned off by ware. In some cases that's true like the few streets that are all about leather goods and the street that houses Godiva is where all the really pricey gold is; but really everything just gets a little jumbled up.

Of course Turkish delights everywhere.

What is salad spice anyway?

Better at the Spice Bazaar but they're here too.

Textiles of all sorts, from scarves to bellydance costumes and jeans are everywhere. Mostly scarves though. There are SO MANY scarves.

The inevitable scarves.

Boots made out of muppets. Best guess.

Pretty!!!

I'm determined that I will move to Turkey one day and furnish my place entirely out of things I find at the market. All the lamps and mosaiced candle holders make me drool. They're just so shiny and pretty!

Want the blue ones!

Those three big ones are like twice the size of my head.

Although I think using Turkish ceramics for everything might be a little cumbersome...not to mention wildly expensive.

Betting none of this is micorwavable.

Hand painted awesomeness

And naturally I will need separate Turkish tea and coffee sets. Because...well why wouldn't I? It's a proven fact that drinking out of elaborate vessels makes things taste better.

The bazaar itself is just fun to look at. The high arched ceilings, painted arches, windows, and sloping floors, and cafes give this maze-like market place something of a magical feel.

One of the fountains that still provide the market with water.

The everything shops often have hidden gems.

Like I said, don't buy here...but walk around and enjoy!