I can't get enough Istanbul. Everything about this city I love. The sounds, the smells, the sights--it's all invigorating. And even having just returned last night, I would go back next week...or maybe the week after. Istanbul is a great opportunity to visit a Middle Eastern city that literally bridges Europe and Asia. There are so many things to do there, the city itself is beautiful, and the food is amazing. I said before that I would fly there and back for a pistachio kebab if that weren't an insane thing to do--and a pistachio kebab at Khorasani Grill might be worth it.
After our first experience flying on Turkish Airlines five years ago, I said it was one of our favorite international carriers. After flying it again from Chicago to Istanbul, as well as on short-haul flights from Istanbul to Malta and back from Venice, it is still THE BEST airline (along with Singapore Airlines) in my view. Here is why:
And it's all free. FREE.
The only downside is that, for us at least, they were late in departing more often than not. I'll take a little delay, though, given the amenities on board. Honestly, I've had two-hour domestic flights that have been more painful than our 12-hour flight back from Istanbul.
Upon arriving in Istanbul, we went straight to Hamdi for dinner (I had been in the mood for it since January 2011). The sun set while we were dining, and afterwards, fireworks began, because it's Istanbul. :) What a great first dinner of our trip.
This was among the festivities we encountered after wandering down by the Blue Mosque area after dinner at Khorasani. This concert and the crafts market were my favorite parts.
We had arrived in Istanbul only a few hours earlier. It had been five years since our last visit. After having dinner at Hamdi while overlooking the Golden Horn and watching fireworks over the Bosphorus, we returned to our hotel. We were relaxing on the rooftop when the call to prayer began. To quote Anthony Bourdain, "It's a reminder of where you are." For us, it was a reminder that we had finally made the return visit to Istanbul that I had wanted for so long. You'll notice in the sky above the mosque are Venus and Jupiter, which were shining brightly that night.