A Wonderful Day Exploring the Backstreets of Istanbul - London to Istanbul on a Recumbent Tandem - CycleBlaze

A Wonderful Day Exploring the Backstreets of Istanbul - London to Istanbul on a Recumbent Tandem - CycleBlaze

From London to Istanbul on a Recumbent Tandem

By Barry Bartlett

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November 12, 2012

A Wonderful Day Exploring the Backstreets of Istanbul

While enjoying baklava and tea, we were overwhelmed by the generosity of the woman on the left. She was working in the kitchen and after exchanging smiles with Mary Ellen, she insisted that we have some food that she was cooking for their own dinner. Chicken and rice was a treat, and so memorable in the way it was offered.
When I asked to take her picture,she insisted on having her picture taken with her co-worker in the kitchen where they work.

Grilled corn on the cob is a tasty part of the flourishing street-food tradition in Istanbul.

The Spice Market

The smells and sights of the Spice Market will be good memories for us.

A spice and cheese shop on the perimeter of the Spice Market

So many tempting items on display

Spices meticulously presented

Nuts and turkish delight - samples were delicious

Feta cheese

Cardamon drying

Olives - samples here too!

A meat stall - hooves of various animals

Young cheese sold in strands - like curd at home. Really tasty (another sample)

Nuts preserved in a gelatinous (rubbery) coating.

Leeches

Apparently leeches will cure anything that ails you.

The area surrounding the spice market was fascinating. Along one wall was a pet area - this section had hundreds of different types of birds.

Unusual pigeons - interesting feet

The clothing section

We found the inside of the spice market less interesting than the area surrounding it. We found the perimeter and outside shops were more varied and interesting. Everything imaginable was for sale, and organized in sections by the item being sold....furnaces, pets and supplies, housewares, etc.

Jasmine tea balls

Deep fried sweet dough soaked in honey.

Charm plus!

Turkish cafes and restaurants offer superb service and workers are always well attired for the job. These fellows served us at the sweet shop and the fellow on the left had a great sense of humour.

The fellow on the right switched hats with Barry.

A frothy yogurt drink.

A busy fresh squeezed juice stand - most popular seemed to be pomegranate, orange and carrot.

Luscious fresh pomegranates

Sunday in Istanbul is a day off for most people. The area around this mosque was filled with hordes of people enjoying their day off.

A beautiful mosque that we visited

People were flocking to these boats where boatmen were making fish sandwiches.

The place was buzzing!!

Pickled vegetable drink that people seemed to enjoy with their fish sandwiches.

We have never seen a bridge with so much activity on it. People were fishing from the top and fancy seafood restaurants were on the level below.

As we walked along the bridge touts were encouraging us to come to their restaurants.

The famous Galata Tower dominates the skyline. It was originally constructed in 1348.

We took the metro to Taksim Square and walked back along the Istiklal Caddesi Pedestrian Promenade.

A kebap shop

We ate ate a traditional Turkish pancake restaurant. The women work constantly preparing the pancakes and then grilling the pancakes with their fillings on the round grill.

Our delicious turkish pancakes stuffed with spinach, cheese and a potato mixture

Yummy and no maple syrup needed.

Roasted chestnut stalls are everywhere in Istanbul

While we were at Taksim Square we saw two bus loads of riot police with full riot shields organizing themselves. A protest was in progress and the riot police were making their presence known.

On November 10 at 9:05 am, Turkey comes to a standstill for one minute as Turkish people honour Ataturk, Turkey's first president who died on November 10, 1938.

A wonderful group of musicians busking along the promenade

We bought their cd for 10 lire

On a side street off the promenade, we walked down a street that was completely devoted to musical instruments

A wonderful little restaurant, Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi serves kofte-log shaped meatballs. We loved the red spicy red pepper condiment that our waiter added to our plates.

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