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Rick Steves' Europe Season 13 Episode 9
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Hey, I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe.
00:04This time, we're in perhaps the most historic and certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in, Istanbul.
00:12Thanks for joining us.
00:30Istanbul is one of the great cities on Earth, period.
00:48For thousands of years, this place, where East meets West, has been a crossroads of civilizations.
00:55Few places on Earth have witnessed more history than this sprawling metropolis on the Bosphorus.
01:02Enjoying the delights of Istanbul, we'll marvel at mosques, peruse the Grand Bazaar,
01:09be wowed by classic carpets, admire artisans at work, and learn why the dervish whirls.
01:16We'll sail the Bosphorus, eat fresh fish off the boat,
01:21be tempted by honey-drenched baklava, buy some exquisite silk, and grab some ice cream.
01:29Or not.
01:32We'll take a side trip to Asia and lose ourselves in a sea of its people
01:37as we celebrate this vast and complex city.
01:42Turkey bridges Europe and Asia.
01:44Its largest city, Istanbul, straddles the Bosphorus Strait, part of the cities in Europe and part in Asia.
01:52The Golden Horn Inlet, long a strategic harbor, is crossed by the Galata Bridge.
01:57It connects the bustling new town and the old town with its fabled palace and mosques.
02:03After a cruise on the Bosphorus, we'll explore the Grand Bazaar,
02:07wander down the Istiklal-Kadessi Boulevard,
02:10then finish in Asia with a visit to Uskudar.
02:18Inspiring monuments showcase 2,000 years of Istanbul history,
02:23its ancient Roman and early Christian Byzantine period,
02:27its centuries as the capital of the Muslim Ottoman Empire,
02:31and its birth as a modern nation in the 20th century.
02:35While today the city is a vast megalopolis of over 15 million people
02:42sprawling along both sides of the Bosphorus,
02:45its oldest citizens actually remember when it had only a million people.
02:50In other words, the vast majority of the city is new.
02:55And its historic points of interest are mostly corralled
02:58into a relatively compact old center.
03:06The starting point for many travelers
03:08is Istanbul's state-of-the-art cruise terminal
03:11with its ingenious collapsible walls.
03:14It adds to the city's population whenever ships are in port.
03:18A far-sighted infrastructure investment,
03:21all the buses and taxis are underground
03:23to efficiently move the crowds.
03:25In season, massive cruise ships
03:28pour thousands of tourists smoothly into the city
03:31for a busy day of sightseeing and shopping.
03:35When ships sail,
03:37the security and customs walls fold down,
03:40and Galata port transforms
03:41into a delightful public promenade,
03:44600 yards long.
03:46Late in the day,
03:47the people watching mixes with the commotion
03:49of the busy harbor
03:50to make it a Turkish paseo like none other.
03:55The Bosphorus is churning
03:58with boat traffic of all sorts.
04:01This narrow and strategic strait
04:02is a bottleneck busy with freighters,
04:06including lots of Ukrainian and Russian ships,
04:08since this is the only route
04:10between ports on the Black Sea
04:12and the Mediterranean.
04:14And tourist boats doing their maritime do-si-do
04:17dance around the serious cargo ships and ferries.
04:21For more of a mini-cruise,
04:27it's easy to hop a sightseeing boat
04:29for a relaxing sail up the Bosphorus.
04:33Yes, an intercontinental cruise.
04:35It's a chance to see Istanbul from the water
04:38and get the lay of the land,
04:39with Europe on one side and Asia on the other.
04:44Small historic towns marked by their minarets
04:47are now engulfed in the sprawl of modern Istanbul.
04:50The boat passes an Ottoman emperor's hunting lodge,
04:53palaces of the nobility,
04:55and homes of wealthy locals,
04:58locals who can afford the Bosphorus waterfront,
05:00some of the priciest real estate in all of Turkey.
05:04And anyone can enjoy the inviting beachfront parks.
05:09The dramatic Bosphorus bridge
05:11was the first bridge ever to span two continents.
05:15And the Rumeli Fortress
05:16was built by the Ottomans five centuries ago.
05:21Back in the old center,
05:23the Galata Bridge spans the strategic inlet
05:25called the Golden Horn.
05:27For centuries, this easy-to-defend bay
05:30provided the city a protected harbor.
05:34A thousand years ago,
05:36long before there was a bridge here,
05:37a mighty chain was stretched across the mouth
05:40of this inlet.
05:41This gave the Byzantine Empire its safest harbor,
05:44which provided the city a critical key
05:46to both trade and military power.
05:49While just a few years ago
05:51its shoreline was an industrial wasteland,
05:54today the Golden Horn is cleaned up
05:56and lined by inviting parks.
05:59After a determined effort by the city
06:01and lots of investment,
06:02the people of Istanbul now share
06:04a delightfully green and welcoming people zone,
06:08the Golden Horn.
06:09Back at the Galata Bridge,
06:13for fast-food Istanbul-style,
06:15you can grab a fish wedge just off the boat.
06:18Mackerel, fresh from the guys who caught it
06:21at one of the venerable
06:22and very tipsy fish-and-bread boats.
06:27And as the sun sets,
06:29on the bridge you can enjoy panoramic views
06:32of Istanbul's old town,
06:33an iconic place for more fast fish,
06:37or a nice dinner
06:43with a view of the harbor action.
06:48There are lots of tourists in Istanbul,
06:51and it's interesting to note
06:52that about half of them
06:54come from other Muslim countries.
06:56while Istanbul is full of iconic sights,
07:08there's one that seems to be on every traveler's list,
07:11the Grand Bazaar.
07:12In many ways,
07:20Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
07:22remains much as it was centuries ago,
07:25enchanting and perplexing visitors
07:27with its maze-like network of lanes
07:29hiding more than 4,000 colorful shops,
07:32artisans at work,
07:34and tiny eateries.
07:35Despite all the tourists and knick-knacks,
07:39the heart of the Grand Bazaar still beats,
07:42giving the observant visitor
07:43an unforgettable memory.
07:46Thailand! Thailand!
07:49In its day,
07:51this labyrinthine warren of shops under fine arches
07:54was the world trade center
07:56for the entire Ottoman Empire,
07:59locked down and guarded
08:00by more than 100 soldiers every night.
08:04While today's main drag
08:05is touristy,
08:06do what you can
08:07to imagine the atmosphere here centuries ago
08:09during Silk Road times,
08:11the barrage on the senses,
08:14exotic spices,
08:15busy merchants,
08:17convivial tea breaks,
08:19and thirsty shoppers.
08:22The market is vast,
08:24and you can still escape the tourist zones
08:26to discover some authentic nooks and crannies.
08:29Surprises await in the low-rent fringes.
08:33A commotion of shouting,
08:35marks the bazaar's poor man's Wall Street.
08:38These currency brokers
08:39are frantically swapping fortunes
08:41of euros, dollars,
08:43and Turkish lira for their clients.
08:46Others keep their fortunes in gold.
08:48The many jewelry shops
08:50are a reminder
08:50that Turks love gold
08:52for more than just its beauty and allure.
08:54Traditionally,
08:55it's considered a practical
08:57and tangible place
08:58to store their wealth.
09:00And much of that gold
09:01may be recycled.
09:03Around the corner,
09:04surrounding a humble courtyard,
09:06sooty smiths labor over furnaces.
09:09They're melting gold trimmings
09:11from nearby jewelers' workshops
09:13back into a pure
09:14and more usable form.
09:15For over 20 years,
09:21I've been visiting Ayhan.
09:23His skillful techniques
09:24have changed little
09:25through the generations
09:26as he works his trade.
09:28Gold.
09:29Gold.
09:30Gold.
09:30And with that gold,
09:32you can buy a fine Turkish carpet.
09:36Shops can come with a vast inventory,
09:39offering a warp-and-weft fantasy of options.
09:43Enjoy a colorful demonstration.
09:45Here I have four amazing art pieces
09:48that they are totally
09:49different categories.
09:50It's like a mother language.
09:52Each region of Turkey,
09:53we have different style.
09:54But be attracted
09:55not by aggressive sales pitches,
09:58but by merchants
09:59who celebrate
09:59this rich, artistic heritage.
10:02So, the other name
10:04of those silk collection rugs
10:05are flying Turkish rug.
10:12With the fall of Christian Byzantium
10:16and the rise of the Muslim Ottomans,
10:18grand mosques shaped
10:20the city's skyline.
10:22And Suleimania
10:23is the finest in town.
10:28This soothing, restrained,
10:30yet magnificent house of worship
10:32was built by the great
10:3316th-century architect Sinan
10:36for his sultan, Suleiman.
10:38Although less colorful
10:41and less glamorous
10:42than some of Istanbul's other mosques,
10:45this mosque is bigger, older,
10:47and considered the masterpiece
10:48of Ottoman architecture.
10:52The tranquil interior
10:54is decorated in pastel hues
10:56and stained glass.
10:59Its vast expanse,
11:01with no interior support,
11:03was a marvel in its day.
11:04And visiting Turks
11:07make a point to visit
11:08the elaborate tomb
11:09of the sultan Suleiman,
11:11whose nickname was
11:12The Magnificent.
11:19The Muslim faith
11:21is as varied
11:22as the Christian faith.
11:24Some groups are more orthodox
11:25and conservative,
11:27and others more progressive,
11:30like this congregation
11:31of mystic Sufi dervishes,
11:32which welcomes women
11:34to take leadership roles.
11:37While some worship
11:38in grand mosques,
11:40others gather
11:40in a more intimate space,
11:42like this,
11:43where musicians set the mood.
11:47The leader guides
11:49the congregation in prayer,
11:51and slowly the dervishes blossom
11:53into a state
11:54where they're ready to whirl.
11:58Dervishes are like monks,
11:59inspired by the mystic
12:0113th-century poet Mevlana,
12:04also known as Rumi.
12:07Not all dervishes whirl,
12:08but all whirlers are dervishes.
12:13With one foot planted
12:15in their community,
12:16their family,
12:17and the other foot
12:18dancing around and around,
12:20celebrating the diversity
12:21of God's great creation,
12:22they whirl themselves
12:24into a meditative trance.
12:25In this mesmerizing form of prayer,
12:32the dervish contemplates
12:33how everything
12:34in the universe whirls,
12:36from the smallest particles
12:37to the earth and beyond.
12:43By whirling,
12:45the dervish goes
12:46with the cosmic flow.
12:52Mevlana's teaching
12:53is all about love,
12:55and finding that
12:55elusive oneness.
12:58With one hand
13:00symbolically reaching up
13:01to their heavenly creator,
13:03and the other,
13:04like a fountain
13:05showering that love
13:06on all of creation,
13:08the dervish meditates
13:09on how they can be
13:10a conduit
13:11of God's love.
13:13To get a fuller appreciation
13:28for Istanbul,
13:29it's important
13:30to leave the old town
13:31and explore the lively,
13:33more modern neighborhoods.
13:34For the visitor,
13:36Istanbul's central tramline
13:38laces together
13:39are the most interesting
13:40sightseeing areas.
13:42While often packed,
13:44it zips directly
13:45through the middle of town
13:46fast,
13:47unaffected by the frequent
13:48traffic jams.
13:49My friend and co-author
13:54of our Istanbul guidebook,
13:55Lali Sermon Aran,
13:57is joining us
13:57as we ride over
13:58the Galata Bridge.
14:01Rather than fighting traffic,
14:03Lali knows
14:03to stick with the tram
14:04as we head
14:05into the new town,
14:06and the place
14:07where everyone
14:08seems to be heading,
14:10Taksim Square,
14:11Istanbul's contemporary heart.
14:13Taksim Square
14:18is a major
14:19transportation hub
14:20and gives us
14:21a good taste
14:22of modern Istanbul.
14:25The traffic circles
14:27a statue
14:27that celebrates
14:28the father
14:29of modern Turkey,
14:30Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
14:32If Turkey
14:33is Western-looking today,
14:35you can thank this man.
14:37In the 19th century,
14:39the Ottoman Empire
14:40was in a state of decline.
14:41Its nickname,
14:42the sick man of Europe.
14:44Following Germany
14:45in World War I
14:46and therefore losing,
14:47the decrepit old empire
14:48was swept away,
14:50and from its remnants
14:51arose the modern
14:52Republic of Turkey,
14:53founded in 1923
14:55by Ataturk.
14:57The monument shows
14:58the two sides
14:59of Ataturk,
15:00the military hero
15:01of the War of Independence
15:02and civilian Ataturk,
15:04the first president
15:05of modern Turkey,
15:07surrounded by figures
15:08representing
15:09the proclamation
15:10of the republic.
15:12the city's main shopping boulevard,
15:20Isteklán Cadessy,
15:22or Independent Street.
15:24Offering a parade
15:25of local culture,
15:27it was born
15:27after a devastating fire
15:29in 1870.
15:31The Ottoman government
15:33took the opportunity
15:34to rebuild the area
15:35as a showpiece
15:36of the European style.
15:38The message?
15:39Look west.
15:41The fine old architecture
15:42is a reminder
15:43that this street
15:44was home to the city's
15:45Europe-oriented elite
15:47back in the 19th century.
15:48Even today,
15:49Istanbul's churches
15:50and foreign consulates
15:52are in this district.
15:54It's just teeming with people.
15:57I love to lose myself
15:58in this river of humanity.
16:00And it's lined
16:02with shopping temptations.
16:06This fine shop
16:07sells silk scarves,
16:09made in Turkey,
16:11of course.
16:12With the tulips.
16:13Tulip is the Turkish.
16:14That's great.
16:15This pattern
16:16is so beautiful.
16:18Turks know how
16:19to spiff up their look
16:20with a scarf,
16:21around the neck,
16:22or as a head covering.
16:24And if you want
16:25to go to the mosque,
16:26which scarf would you wear
16:27and how would you wear it?
16:28If I went to the mosque,
16:29I wear the long one.
16:31Uh-huh.
16:32Like this.
16:33It's enough for me.
16:35Like this.
16:36So you say,
16:37enough for you.
16:38Every woman will choose
16:39how much modesty?
16:40Of course, of course.
16:41If she is religious,
16:43also she can
16:44wear like this
16:46in square one,
16:47for example.
16:49If she's very religious?
16:51Yeah, yeah.
16:52She can put a pin here,
16:54then she do it like this.
16:57Oh, okay.
16:58She can put it here.
16:59So this is an accessory
17:00to cover the hair?
17:01Yes.
17:02Yeah?
17:02So true to the culture
17:03and easy to pack,
17:05a silk scarf
17:06makes a nice souvenir.
17:12And the street offers
17:14an enticing parade
17:15of taste treats.
17:17Donner means revolving.
17:19And you know why
17:20when tempted
17:21by a Donner kebab.
17:22You can try
17:24the sesame rings
17:25called simmet
17:26along with your tiny
17:28Turkish vocabulary.
17:30Bir simmet lütven.
17:32One ring, please.
17:36Bye-bye.
17:37And for a fast meal
17:39with no language barrier,
17:41ever-present cafeteria-style
17:42restaurants offer
17:43a can-can
17:44of fresh
17:45and traditional
17:45Turkish food.
17:46You'll choose from a range
17:50of classic Turkish dishes.
17:52I'm having cabbage rolls,
17:55lamb chops,
17:56and potatoes.
17:59And something I always
18:00look forward to,
18:01my go-to yogurt drink
18:03here in Turkey,
18:04Ayran,
18:05and my favorite dessert,
18:06rice pudding,
18:07or sutlac.
18:08But on this street,
18:10rice pudding
18:11is just the first
18:12of many sweet temptations.
18:15Popping into this
18:15baklava bakery,
18:17it's hard to resist
18:18such a festival
18:19of honey-soaked delights.
18:22Hey, look at this.
18:23Generations of local
18:25chocolate salesmen
18:26have worked
18:26this little station,
18:27peddling a variety
18:28of Turkish treats.
18:29There's a lot
18:30of different flavors.
18:31Yes, with hazelnuts
18:32and pistachios
18:33and dark chocolate
18:34and milk chocolate.
18:35Today, Ali loves
18:37to give samples.
18:38Okay, this is the pistachio
18:39we're tasting now.
18:40This is, this one?
18:41Yes.
18:42What do you like best?
18:44You're cool.
18:46Everything's good.
18:48And to really earn
18:50your dessert,
18:51try getting some ice cream
18:52from this guy.
18:58He's from Karamarmarış,
19:00a town in southeast Turkey,
19:01famous for its
19:02toffee-like ice cream.
19:04Yes!
19:05While delicious,
19:06it doesn't come easy
19:08for anyone.
19:11Whoopala!
19:12Boy, boy, boy, boy, boy, boy, boy!
19:14I want chocolate!
19:19Ah!
19:20Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!
19:22Ah!
19:23Ah!
19:23Ah!
19:24Ah!
19:24Ah!
19:27Oh!
19:28Ah!
19:31That's nice!
19:32Thank you!
19:35I can't do it now.
19:36Every day, over a million people in Istanbul
19:39commute between Asia and Europe.
19:42Some take the five-minute subway ride
19:45through the underwater tunnel,
19:48while others catch a ferry
19:49for a more scenic intercontinental commute.
19:54An array of ferries cross the Bosphorus every few minutes
19:57and cost less than a buck.
20:01And a memorable way for a tourist
20:03to experience this city's urban energy
20:05is to join the locals
20:07for a 20-minute cruise to Asian Istanbul.
20:20The city of Uzkodar, on the Asian side,
20:23is now a suburb of Istanbul.
20:26While bustling and modern today,
20:29it also has a traditional religious feel.
20:32In the Ottoman era,
20:33it was the gathering and departure place
20:36for pilgrims and caravans heading to Mecca.
20:41Taking a stroll along its waterfront promenade
20:44or through its family-friendly parks,
20:46you'll notice a more conservative lifestyle.
20:52Oh, fresh fish!
20:54The marketplace offers a cultural scavenger hunt
20:57and plenty of ways to nibble on
20:59even more of Turkey's endless array of taste treats.
21:03Oh, dates!
21:04I love dates!
21:05How do you say date in Turkish?
21:07Hurma.
21:08Hurma.
21:08In Ramadan, it's traditional.
21:10We break the fast with a hurma.
21:12Try it!
21:13So this is how we break fast?
21:15Yes.
21:16Happy breakfast.
21:17Mmm.
21:18Oh, yeah.
21:19And there's a beautiful variety.
21:23Oh, my God!
21:23Oh, my God!
21:26So these are grape leaves.
21:29Yes, they are grape leaves,
21:30and we use these for rolled grape leaves.
21:33So you buy a whole bundle?
21:36They will sell by the weight.
21:37What would you put inside?
21:38Mainly rice, onion, and seasonings,
21:42sometimes with meat, too.
21:44Beautiful.
21:45Look at that.
21:46Nice.
21:50Yeah?
21:52Rick, this is Milo.
21:54We use this to make börek.
21:56It's pastry.
21:57We make it both savory and sweet.
22:00These ones I'm buying,
22:01I'm going to use with cheese and parsley,
22:04and it will be a savory pastry.
22:06Can I come over?
22:07You're welcome.
22:09It looks so good.
22:11That's the delicacy.
22:13The best fish of Istanbul, turbo.
22:16Turbo?
22:17Yes, it's the finest fish of Bosphorus,
22:19and these are horse mackerel and anchovy,
22:22the cheapest protein you can buy.
22:24There.
22:24My goodness, they're beautiful.
22:27Oh, I love olives.
22:28Look at so many different varieties.
22:30Different regions, different kinds,
22:32and different cures.
22:33Which one of these?
22:33Why don't you try one?
22:34Yeah, and where is this from?
22:36South Turkey, Antioch.
22:39Naturally grown.
22:40It's great to have a selection, you know?
22:44Mmm.
22:44And what is this?
22:46This is from the Sea of Marmara, Edremit.
22:49The Sea of Marmara.
22:51Oh, it's really good.
22:54It's good to mix.
22:55A little of that,
22:55a little of that in a little bag.
22:57Back on the waterfront,
23:05I enjoy the view from Asia
23:06across the Bosphorus back to Europe,
23:09marveling at this extraordinary city.
23:14Istanbul.
23:15It's fast-changing,
23:17yet strangely timeless.
23:19Truly one of Europe's great cities.
23:21And for me,
23:22it never gets old.
23:26Soaring domes.
23:30Spinning carpets.
23:33Whirling prayers.
23:36Churning harbor.
23:38It's an endless promenade
23:40that broadens my perspective.
23:43The city's both rooted in tradition
23:46and modern-facing
23:48as it navigates the challenges of today.
23:54The richness of Istanbul's culture,
23:57diversity, and heritage
23:58is seen in the faces of its people.
24:02This is today's Turkey,
24:05a melting pot of ethnic groups.
24:08Turk, Kurd, Armenian,
24:10Jew, Gypsy, Georgian, Greek, and more.
24:13And styles from the very traditional
24:16to the very latest.
24:24The city remains a crossroads of humanity.
24:31And according to the Turkish proverb,
24:34every guest is a gift from God.
24:38Istanbul bridges east and west.
24:44With a complex weave of modern affluence,
24:48Western secularism,
24:49and traditional Muslim faith,
24:51it's a dynamic city filled with delights.
24:54Thanks for joining us.
24:56I'm Rick Steves.
24:57Until next time,
24:58keep on traveling.
25:01Perhaps the most historic
25:03and certainly the most populous city
25:05we've ever filmed,
25:06and certainly the most populous city
25:09we've ever filmed in.
25:11But certainly the most populous city
25:13we've ever filmed in,
25:15Istanbul.
25:16Thanks for joining us.
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