My parents and I are on a week-long vacation in Istanbul, a hiatus from my month and a half in Egypt this summer. Returning after a previous visit a year and a half ago in December 2010, I have
decided that this is my favorite city in the world.*
Istanbul is an
incredible place with a very unique mix of cultures. It at once
mirrors many cities from both Europe and the Middle East. It is truly where the
East meets the West. The streets, the transportation, the residences and
shopping districts are distinctly European thanks to measures the country took
to meet EU standards (lucky for Turkey, it was still rejected from the EU). But
in contrast to the European feel, the city is strewn with mosques – as many as
there are churches in Rome. Turkey and the Middle East have always had a strong
influence on each other. The regions have much in common in terms of language,
food, architecture, décor, and customs. With its geographic and cultural
proximity, it’s no wonder so many Arabs come to vacation here.
Istanbul is, in my
opinion, one of the most scenic cities in the world to visit. Istanbul's hilly horizon
is a rolling sea of red terracotta roofs, tall minarets next to domed mosques,
and satellite dishes. The deep blue waters of the Bosphorus Straight and the
channel known as the Golden Horn reflect the sun by day and the city lights by
night.
The weather here is sunny
and beautiful this time of year. Temperatures can get up to 90 F with some
humidity, but it’s bearable with the breeze from the Bosphorus. The weather
wasn’t bad in the winter last time either – averages in the 60s, with some
drizzling but never heavy rain. Pretty mild year round.
The food is also
incredible. Typical Turkish cuisine consists of grilled meats and variations of
kebabs, irresistible pita breads, rice or bulgur wheat, lentil soup, salads
with cucumber and tomato and fresh olive oil, and eggplant. The Ottomans were
very creative with their use of eggplant in meat dishes. The Turkish also eat a
lot of lamb. I swear this is the best place in the world to eat lamb. Any
style. I hear the seafood during fish season (in early fall) is also
exceptional. And of course, dessert. Turkish delights, baklava, fruit
preserves, and anything you can create with milk and honey… Sweets are
definitely specialty of this country.
All of these factors and
more - friendly people, beautiful sites, clean streets and facilities, accessible
transportation, reasonable prices – make Istanbul a traveler's dream. I
will definitely be rooting for Istanbul to win the next Olympic bid, because a)
they are one of the few countries in the world right now who can afford it, and
b) the entire world needs to witness the splendor and incredible transformation
of this country – especially the Middle East, who can learn a lot from its
policies and practices.
*Home doesn’t count, thus
I exclude Chicago and Cairo from that ranking.
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