Asian Walk: From Kadikoy to Kuzguncuk

Tuesday, February 3rd at 10 am. 

Meeting point: Kadikoy Port (Besiktas Iskele)

This new walk of mine brings you to the colorful fish market and over to an unknown section of Kadikoy, Yeldegirman, with it's interesting 19th cent. architecture, and gigantic murals that have remained from an International festival last year.

From there we will go on to Kuzguncuk: A stroll through this quaint Bosphorus village, known for it's religious tolerance and traditional wooden houses. There is a Greek cemetery and if there is interest, we can visit to the local synagogue built in 1878.

Lunch in a family run restaurant. 

Bring your camera and wear comfy shoes.

"Hüzün does not just paralyze the inhabitants of Istanbul,

 it also gives them poetic license to be paralyzed."

- Orhan Pamuk, Istanbul

Photographing the Grand Bazaar and it's Rooftops

26th of January at 9:30

Meeting Point: Cembelitas tram stop

Anyone who hasn't had the chance to join me yet, Monday morning is a perfect time to stroll around the Bazaar before the crowds hit. We will go down it's back streets through alleyways, into it's ancient Caravansary's and onto rooftops. We will also have a chance to visit the traditional craft workshops.

When we finish, there is an optional lunch in a local restaurant from the Southeastern city of Mardin.

Bring your cameras and wear comfy shoes. 

All are welcome. 

Asian side walk Saturday Dec.13th

• Saturday at 10:00 4 days from now

• Meet at the Kadikoy pier (Besiktas port).

Kadikoy's murals, markets and back streets. Discovering Kuzguncuk, a Bosphorus village, a walk through it's Greek cemetery and traditional wooden houses. Lunch in a family run restaurant.
Bring your camera and wear comfy shoes.
+ lunch and dolmus fare

Asian Side of the Bosphorus

July 27th 2014 at 9.00

Meeting Point: Uskudar Port (Cem Bufe)

We will start early to avoid the heat, meeting in Uskudar at 9am,  and on to the picturesque tree lined village of Kuzguncuk, known for it's tolerance, traditional wooden architecture and Bohemian cafe lifestyle.

At 10:30 I have arranged for a small boat to pick us up in Cengelkoy, and we will go slowly up to Anadolu Kavagi, where the Bosphorus meets the Black Sea. Along the way, we can photograph the Yali's and palaces, stopping where we like. It will take roughly an hour and a half.

From Anadolu Kavagi we will take a bus back down to Kanlica, where we will have a home made lunch in the garden of the Turkish artist Fusun Ocal.After lunch, a short walk over to Hidriv Kasr, the art nouveau residence of the Egyptian Governor, where I will try to get permission to climb up the tower and we might find some brides posing for photographs in the rose garden. 

Lots of new stuff to see, different atmospheres and more Istanbul contrasts to photograph. Plus, it will be lots of fun. This trial trip will have some extra expenses, and is limited to only 6 people.
Please bring your Istanbul karts, comfy shoes, and your cameras.

45 TL for the boat and lunch. 

Additional expenses will be buses, minibuses to Kanlica and to return to Uskudar .

Please contact me with any questions and send me your phone number to confirm a place.

Grand Bazaar & Enviorns

April 15th at  9:30

Meeting Point: Cembelitas Tram Stop

Bring your camera and walking shoes. 

From Galata to Persembe Pazarı to the Golden Horn

Wednesday April 2nd at 9.00

Meet at the Galata Tower

Caravansarai's, abandoned hans, back streets... from Galata to Persembe Pazari, onto a boat across the Golden Horn and through the charming neighborhoods and Greek churches of Balat and Fener.  

Optional lunch

Asian Walk

Wednesday, March 19th at 9:30

Meeting Point: Uskudar Port (Cem Bufe)

A walk through Uskudar's back streets, in and out of mosques old and new, Islamic and Greek cemeteries, a possible synagogue, and the tree lined Bosphorus village of Kuzguncuk, over to Kadikoy and it's fish market and on to Moda's tea gardens and sea views. 

Lunch in a home cooking lokanta.

Grand Bazaar

Thursday, 20th of March 2014 at 9.30

Meeting Point: Cembelitas tram stop

Anyone who hasn't had the chance to join me yet, Monday morning is a perfect time to stroll around the Bazaar before the crowds hit. We will go down it's back streets through alleyways, into it's ancient Caravansary's and onto rooftops. We will also have a chance to visit the traditional craft workshops.

When we finish, there is an optional lunch in a local restaurant from the Southeastern city of Mardin.

Bring your cameras and wear comfy shoes. 

All are welcome. 

The Golden Horn

Wednesday, 5 March 2014 at 9:30

Meeting Point: Galata Tower 

Join me through the back streets of Galata, Persembe Pazari, into the hans and with some

surprises. A zigzag boat ride up the Golden Horn and a peek into the churches of Balat, through it's quickly

changing streets and hills. 

This is a very picturesque and enjoyable stroll.

The Grand Bazaar

Saturday, 8th of February 2014 at 9.30

Meeting Point: Cembelitas tram stop

Anyone who hasn't had the chance to join me yet, Monday morning is a perfect time to stroll around the Bazaar before the crowds hit. We will go down it's back streets through alleyways, into it's ancient Caravansary's and onto rooftops. We will also have a chance to visit the traditional craft workshops.

When we finish, there is an optional lunch in a local restaurant from the Southeastern city of Mardin.

Bring your cameras and wear comfy shoes. 

All are welcome. 

Karakoy Walk

Thursday, January 9th 2014 at 9.30

Meeting Point: Galata Tower

 Join us through the old hans (Canravansarai's) of Karakoy and Persembe Pazari,

onto a rooftop and with a boat over to Eyup, through the sacred mosque

complex and cemetary and down through the back streets of Balat where we

will visit the Church of Mary of the Mongols.

Saturday Morning Walk at the Grand Bazaar

11th of January at 9:30 

Meeting Point: Cembelitas tram stop

Anyone who hasn't had the chance to join me yet, Monday morning is a perfect time to stroll around the Bazaar before the crowds hit. We will go down it's back streets through alleyways, into it's ancient Caravansary's and onto rooftops. We will also have a chance to visit the traditional craft workshops.

When we finish, there is an optional lunch in a local restaurant from the Southeastern city of Mardin.

Bring your cameras and wear comfy shoes. 

All are welcome. 

Asian Walk

                                               Monday, 16 December 2013 from 9:30 - 14:00

                                            Meeting Point: Üsküdar Port (by the flower sellers)

Join us through the back streets of Uskudar, it's historical mosques, cemeteries and
an Armenian church and over to the Bosphorus village of Kuzguncuk with it's many
cafes, traditional wooden buildings and an overgrown Greek cemetery.

Lunch in a local restaurant. 

Grand Bazaar Rooftops and Back Streets

Thursday, 19th of December 2014 at 9.30

Meeting Point: Cembelitas tram stop

Anyone who hasn't had the chance to join me yet, Mornings are a perfect time to stroll around the Bazaar before the crowds hit. We will go down it's back streets through alleyways, into it's ancient Caravansary's and onto rooftops. We will also have a chance to visit the traditional craft workshops.

When we finish, there is an optional lunch in a local restaurant from the Southeastern city of Mardin.

Bring your cameras and wear comfy shoes. 

All are welcome. 

Afternoon Grand Bazaar Roof Top Walk

Saturday, 28 December 2013 at 13:00

Meeting Point: Beyazit tram stop

Join me to take a photography walk/climb through the bazaar, and onto the roofs. Instead of the usual early morning starting time I thought it would be nice to see the sunset. All are welcome.

Review: Time Out Istanbul August 2013

Lodos

Lodos is the warm wind from Africa, a wind that disrupts and brings turbulence to the city and a wind that influences the soul and temperament... It brings on a melancholy, that is present in Turkish literature called hüzün. " Hüzün does not  just paralyze the inhabitants 

of Istanbul, it also gives them poetic license to be paralyzed." 

- Orhan Pamuk, Istanbul