Hoşça kal, Istanbul

I didn't want to say goodbye to Istanbul. I really loved the city and had such a great time. In addition, I actually did learn a lot about the history and culture, exactly what I wanted to do for my senior project. I learned more about the paper I wrote last month and got personal stories, opinions, and experiences that related to the transition of Turkey into a Republic, as well as the blending of Eastern and Western traditions and cultural ideals.

Another reason I loved my visit to Istanbul was because of the Hotel Sultania. I have honestly never stayed in a better hotel than this little boutique tucked away on a cobbled road in Istanbul's Old City. Everybody was so helpful and friendly and did everything to make our stay more comfortable, from posting my postcards for me so I wouldn't have to search for stamps or a postbox, to providing lokum (a Turkish sweet) every day in our room, to recommending restaurants for us and giving us directions so we wouldn't get lost. One lady was the best. Her name was Ozlem and she was the Guest Relations manager. She knew a hundred different languages and always had the biggest smile on her face. She was honestly the cutest woman ever. And she was very pretty. She reminded me of what my Turkish neighbor's daughter might look like when she grows up. Ozlem was wonderful and so helpful, I cannot sing enough praises about her or her kindness.

In addition, the rooms were incredible at the hotel. Here are some pictures:

This was our room. We had twin beds. The mural by the sink is actually our glass bathroom!

These pictures are from the Hotel Sultania website

Website picture

Website picture again

See how beautiful it is? I would definitely recommend staying here if you go to Istanbul. It is also close to all the historical sites in the city, as well as the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market!

Entrance to the Hotel Sultania

The rug we loved

Rug close-up

Anyway, we had a late breakfast at the hotel and wandered down to some of the touristy shops nearby. We bought a couple of things, as well as going into a textile shop where Khala bought a beautiful silk pillowcase depicting a sultan at a picnic with all his guards and wives around him. The colors are so vibrant. It will look nice on her white bed and will give her room in her flat in London a nice pop of color. Then we went into a rug shop, just to see what it was like. The man, like everybody else, was so hospitable and his apprentice or Turkish boy who worked for him, immediately came over to me while Khala was occupied, and offered me apple tea and ushered me to sit down on the owner's seat. Khala had told the man not to worry about bringing out rugs, since they were all rolled up, and said we were just looking and were going to look at the rugs hanging on the walls. Nevertheless, the man started unrolling them, and soon, the boy helped and unrolled every single large-sized rug in the shop. Khala pretended to be looking for a client so we could keep watching how the man showed his rugs and also see the beautiful Turkish rugs ourselves. The one we both liked was about 10,000 Turkish Lira (TL), so that equates to 4,000 sterling (UK pounds). It was very expensive, but the craftsmanship was exquisite and the pattern was gorgeous.

Close up of the corner of the rug

And thus ends my trip to Istanbul, Turkey. I loved it so much that I want to come back! Maybe next time I can visit Ankara, or the coastal sites where there is a lot of history, such as visiting Troy from the Greek myths! Asli told me she was going to the South of Turkey this summer, where there are beaches. It would be nice to see that region, too. However, for the moment, I am so glad I was able to come to Istanbul, because it really was an incredible experience where I learned a lot about the culture, traditions, and rich history of the area.