Istanbul: Just as great from space! A blend of ancient and modern

 Turkey has a vast history. Formerly called Constantinople, it has a rich ancient culture. Besides being the largest city of Turkey, it is a busy seaport. It lies straddled across Europe and Asia with a beautiful Bosphorus Strait. Recently, the city celebrated the 568th anniversary of Ottoman conquest of Istanbul. 

Just as great from space

The city is indeed beautiful and looks as great from space. NASA recently posted night images of the vibrant city on social media. They wrote:

“Hey Istanbul, you are glowing.”

These pics were taken from the International Space Station (ISS) on 10 May. On that day, it was orbiting over Istanbul at a height of 263 miles (around 423 kilometers) from Istanbul. The post on the station's Instagram said that this was while they were over the Black Sea. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu tweeted in response:

“Hey NASA, thanks for reminding us tonight that Istanbul looks just as great from space,”

Istanbul from ISS (Source: NASA)

The space agency said:

“We use them for science too. The photographs record how the planet is changing over time, from human-caused changes like urban growth and reservoir construction, to natural dynamic events such as hurricanes, floods and volcanic eruptions.”

Earlier NASA had uploaded pictures from above the famous Lake Salda and pointed out the similarities between the lake and the Jezero Crater on Mars. This April, on Earth Day, they posted a video clip of the Kadın Azmağı Stream in the tourist hotspot village of Akyaka with the caption

“Wow. Take in the beauty of Akyaka.”

The splendid Istanbul

Istanbul has a host of tourist places to visit. This ranges from mosques to churches to gardens and museums. It has a huge land expanse of 5461 sq. km with 39 municipalities. The famous Mosque of Sultanahmet is located in the Fatih district. On the European side is Başakşehir and has many real estate openings for investors. It is close to the city, yet very quiet spot. Also on the European side is the Beylikdüzü Province. It abounds in gardens. There are a lot of other lovely tourist areas in and around Istanbul. It has places to cater to every individual tastes. It has historical places as well as natural beauty spots that are a feast to the eyes. Hop on hop off city tourist buses are great ways to move around and not miss out on any important places of this prosperous city. Shopping lovers can pay a visit to Grand Bazaar.

Hagia Sophia (Source: Britannica)

Topkapi palace, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Hippodrome, Istanbul Archaeology Museum, Süleymaniye Mosque, and blue mosque are other must-see places. There is a great spice bazaar that sells a number of local herbs and spices. The intricately decorated Dolmabahçe Palace reveals the influence of European architecture on the Ottoman Empire during the 19th century. The Yedikule Fortress was constructed by Emperor Theodosius II in the 5th century. Carpets and Turkish towels are specific of Turkey and a trip to Istanbul is never complete without doing a visit to any carpet shop. Taksim square is another tourist area and a must-visit area. 

Turkish delights and dishes

Turkey is also famous for its delights and food dishes. Street food is safe to have in Istanbul and one can have both veg and nonveg options. There is hummus, eggplant dip, menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs), Simit (turkish bread), cheese pide [flatbread with cottage cheese or spiced lamb, or sujuk (Turkish beef sausage)on top] or cig köfte. Soups and rice dishes might have chick peas in them but they may also have nonveg stocks. So be careful if you are a strict vegetarian. Turkey is a paradise for nonveg lovers too. Doner kebab, icli kofte (stuffed meatballs), kokorec (kebab of offal), midye dolma or stuffed mussels are easily available in all shops.

Also read: Bhutan: beautiful, unique, and traditional!
 

Turkish delights (Source: 196 flavors)

Baked foods and sweets are in ample variety in Istanbul and found everywhere around the city. Turkish pizza called Lahmacun is also extremely delicious. Icecreams and juices can be had for that respite and fun. Turkish tea is called cay and is strong. Its coffee is Kahvesi and can be unsweetened (sade kahve), semi-sweet (orta sekerli), or sweet (tatli). 

Covid pandemic has made travel difficult but the moment the borders open, a visit to Istanbul should be in the top of your To Do List.