From Modern Elegance to Antique Opulence

My last days in Istanbul.

(With the loss of my journal, I'm posting these from home and from memory...)

...After leaving the Grand Bazaar I headed for my new hotel, The Grand Hotel de Londra, located across the Golden Horn, a body of water allegedly named because the Byzantines threw so many valuables into it during the Ottoman conquest, the waters 'glistened with gold'. I'm staying in a section called Beyoglu. Not a far ride from Istanbul's Old City, maybe 15 minutes. If the Sheraton Atakoy was the ultimate in modern elegance, the Londra is the ultimate in antique opulence.

The Londra was built late 1800's, and upon entering I'm transported to another era. A grand marble staircase with a carved, gilded and mahogany railing rises to meet huge stain-glass arched windows. Antiques abound and a lush, red, carpet covers the floors. Lavish antique chandeliers hang from the ceilings. Except for the staircase and a registration desk, the lobby is small, but it opens to another long, beautiful room with long, velvet curtains, an antique mahogany bar and tables and chairs appointed throughout the room. I can just picture turn-of-the-century Victorians lounging around. On one ancient desk is a computer with complete Internet access for all guests. Old meets new!

The front desk manager greets me warmly, but I have a concern...my driver, Moussa, had been taking me around all day. I gave a 25 TL tip. Was this enough? He smiles at me, raises his eyebrows and says 'for 25 TL I'd marry you!' I guess I'm okay.

My room is the opposite of the common rooms. The ultimate in simplicity. Two beds, the smallest shower I've ever seen, and a TV and phone. But it's only 40 TL a night (about $30), clean and comfy and I don't plan to spend any time in my room, so no problem. It does have these incredible old-style large windows, though, perhaps 8' high, which latch together. When I open them a refreshing sea breeze blows the curtains and sounds of the city float in.

By now it's dark and I'm hungry, but a little nervous to walk around town, a woman and alone. I don't have any idea where to go or what to expect. When asked, the hotel manager nods and says 'yeah, yeah, just around the corner!' like I'm not too bright. I don a head scarf which I've bought for just such an occasion and head out. Sure enough, the alley-way next to the hotel is lined with little restaurants, all with outdoor seating. It's a bit cool so each one has a large kerosene heater like we do here in the states. Mmmm, so many choices. After just a few hundred feet I find myself on a major pedestrian boulevard. It's called Istikal and is huge! and filled with people and shops, so I follow the crowd. I'm still nervous about being a woman and alone but notice that I'm the only one wearing a headscarf so I remove it. :-) I am the only woman alone, though.

Off Istikal is alley after alley lined with outdoor restaurants, so I explore, checking out the alleys and visiting the shops on Istiklar. There's a different feel here than in the old city. Shop owners don't try to push their wares, nor do they particularly like to haggle, much. They'll drop prices, maybe 25%, but that's it. Restaurateurs stand outside their restaurants and gently wave me in, but no pressure. I select one. They're surprised I'm alone and seat me inside the open doorway, but facing the street so I can observe but not be obvious. How nice! I'm completely comfortable. My waiter brings a large selection of colorful appetizers, covered in saran, for me to select from. I choose some kind of pretty white bean dish with red sauce. 'Only one!?' He's surprised. 'Well, I'm only one...I'll have a main course too.' As I look around, each table has multiple appetizers and everyone shares. The beans are DELICIOUS as is the mixed grill he brings later. Each piece of lamb, meat and chicken melt in my mouth. I eat everything and enjoy a couple of glasses of Turkish wine, too. By the time I leave at 10:30 the place is filling up. Like many Europeans, dinner in Turkey is late.

I return to the hotel thinking, can it get any better than this? But tomorrow is my day to shop for a costume, so I bet it will!