The modern side of Istanbul

{ November 2009 - Istanbul, Turkey }

We started bright and early on our last day in Istanbul, with a great breakfast with amazing view in our hotel.


After spending all the time we had in Istanbul in the old part of the city, it was time to explore the new and modern Istanbul. We took the tram from our hotel, and then changed to the funicular tram to Taksim Square.


10 November was the day when Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, passed away. We saw a small ceremony commemorating the day.


We walked along Istiklal Caddesi at Beyoglu. It was a large pedestrian only road with shops on both sides. Here, you can find all the modern clothing brand you can find anywhere in Europe or other parts of the world. It was great seeing the modern side of the country after all the days spent admiring and respecting the history. It really showed how much the country has progressed over the years.


We saw Cicek Pasaji (Flower Passage) which used to be a grand shop but is now full of restaurants for tourists…


The Balik Pazar - fish market…


Aslihan Pasaji, a building with many secondhand books.


Along the way we had lots of food such as Su Boregi, a melt-in-the-mouth lasagne-like layered pastry laced with white cheese and parsley…


Profiterole at Inci, an old bakery…


and Midye Dolma (mussels stuffed with rice)


We then walked towards the Galata Tower and the Galata Bridge for some final glimpse of the city before heading to the airport.


It has been an amazing journey around Turkey. It definitely surprised me seeing how liberal and modern the country was, amidst the ruins and long history that dotted the country. All the people we met had been extremely friendly, making us feel at home no matter where we were. If you were to ask me just a year ago if I would go to Turkey, I would have said, “Huh? What’s there to see?”. But now, I would definitely recommend it to everyone with a love of history and culture to experience this wonderful country.

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