- hace 2 días
Categoría
😹
DiversiónTranscripción
00:00Hey, I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe.
00:04This time, we're in perhaps the most historic
00:07and certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in,
00:11Istanbul.
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,
00:52has been a crossroads of civilizations.
00:55Few places on Earth have witnessed more history
00:57than this sprawling metropolis on the Bosphorus.
01:02Enjoying the delights of Istanbul, we'll marvel at mosques,
01:06peruse the Grand Bazaar,
01:09be wowed by classic carpets,
01:11admire artisans at work,
01:13and learn why the dervish whirls.
01:16We'll sail the Bosphorus,
01:19eat fresh fish off the boat,
01:22be tempted by honey-drenched baklava,
01:25buy some exquisite silk,
01:27and grab some ice cream.
01:29Or not.
01:32We'll take a side trip to Asia
01:34and lose ourselves in a sea of its people
01:37as we celebrate this vast and complex city.
01:42Turkey bridges Europe and Asia.
01:45Its largest city, Istanbul,
01:47straddles the Bosphorus Strait,
01:49part of the cities in Europe and part in Asia.
01:51The Golden Horn Inlet, long a strategic harbor,
01:55is crossed by the Galata Bridge.
01:57It connects the bustling new town
01:59and the old town with its fabled palace and mosques.
02:03After a cruise on the Bosphorus,
02:05we'll explore the Grand Bazaar,
02:07wander down the Istiklal Cadessi Boulevard,
02:10then finish in Asia with a visit to Uskudar.
02:13Inspiring 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.
02:38While today the city is a vast megapolis
02:40of over 15 million people
02:42sprawling along both sides of the Bosphorus,
02:45its oldest citizens actually remember
02:48when it had only a million people.
02:50In other words, the vast majority of the city is new.
02:54And its historic points of interest
02:56are mostly corralled into a relatively compact old center.
03:01The 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
03:16whenever ships are in port.
03:18A far-sighted infrastructure investment,
03:21all the buses and taxis are underground
03:23to efficiently move the crowds.
03:26In season, massive cruise ships
03:28pour thousands of tourists
03:30smoothly 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
03:48with the commotion of the busy harbor
03:50to make it a Turkish paseo like none other.
03:56The 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.
04:13And tourist boats doing their maritime do-si-do
04:17dance around the serious cargo ships and ferries.
04:26For 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,
04:57locals 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
05:39across the mouth of 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.
06:11Back at the Galata Bridge,
06:13for fast-food Istanbul-style,
06:15you can grab a fish witch 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
06:31of Istanbul's old town,
06:34an 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,
06:50and it's interesting to note
06:52that about half of them
06:54come from other Muslim countries.
07:04While Istanbul is full of iconic sights,
07:08there's one that seems to be
07:09on 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.
07:37Despite all the tourists and knick-knacks,
07:39the heart of the Grand Bazaar still beats,
07:41giving the observant visitor
07:43an unforgettable memory.
07:46Thailand!
07:48Thailand!
07:49In its day,
07:51this labyrinthine warren of shops
07:53under 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.
08:03While today's main drag is touristy,
08:06do what you can to 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,
08:18and thirsty shoppers.
08:20The 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 of euros, dollars,
08:42and Turkish lira for their clients.
08:46Others keep their fortunes in gold.
08:48The many jewelry shops are a reminder
08:50that Turks love gold
08:52for more than just its beauty and allure.
08:54Traditionally, it's considered a practical
08:57and tangible place to store their wealth.
09:00And much of that gold may 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 and more usable form.
09:18For over 20 years,
09:21I've been visiting Ayhan.
09:23His skillful techniques
09:24have changed little through the generations
09:26as he works his trade.
09:28Gold. Gold. Gold.
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.
09:42Enjoy a colorful demonstration.
09:45Here I have four amazing art pieces
09:48that they are totally different categories.
09:50It's like a mother language.
09:52Each region of Turkey,
09:53we have different style.
09:54But be attracted not by aggressive sales pitches,
09:58but by merchants who celebrate
09:59this rich artistic heritage.
10:02So, the other name of those silk collection rugs
10:05are flying Turkish rugs.
10:07With the fall of Christian Byzantium
10:16and the rise of the Muslim Ottomans,
10:18grand mosques shaped the city's skyline,
10:21and Suleimania is the finest in town.
10:28This soothing, restrained,
10:30yet magnificent house of worship
10:32was built by the great 16th-century architect Sinan
10:35for his sultan, Suleiman.
10:39Although less colorful and less glamorous
10:42than some of Istanbul's other mosques,
10:44this mosque is bigger, older,
10:47and considered the masterpiece
10:48of Ottoman architecture.
10:52The tranquil interior is decorated
10:55in pastel hues and stained glass.
10:59Its vast expanse, with no interior support,
11:03was a marvel in its day.
11:04And visiting Turks make a point
11:07to visit the elaborate tomb
11:09of the sultan Suleiman,
11:11whose nickname was the Magnificent.
11:19The Muslim faith is as varied
11:22as the Christian faith.
11:24Some groups are more orthodox and conservative,
11:26and others more progressive,
11:29like this congregation of mystic Sufi dervishes,
11:33which welcomes women to take leadership roles.
11:36While some worship in grand mosques,
11:39others gather in a more intimate space like this,
11:42where musicians set the mood.
11:45The leader guides the congregation in prayer,
11:50and slowly the dervishes blossom
11:53into a state where they're ready to whirl.
11:58Dervishes are like monks,
12:00inspired by the mystic 13th-century poet Mevlana,
12:04also known as Rumi.
12:06Not all dervishes whirl,
12:08but all whirlers are dervishes.
12:10With one foot planted in their community,
12:15their family,
12:16and the other foot dancing around and around,
12:19celebrating the diversity of God's great creation,
12:22they whirl themselves into a meditative trance.
12:28In this mesmerizing form of prayer,
12:32the dervish contemplates
12:33how everything in the universe whirls,
12:35from the smallest particles to the earth and beyond.
12:43By whirling, the dervish goes with the cosmic flow.
12:52Mevlana's teaching is all about love
12:55and finding that elusive oneness,
12:57with one hand symbolically reaching up
13:01to their heavenly creator,
13:03and the other like a fountain
13:05showering that love on all of creation,
13:08the dervish meditates
13:09on how they can be a conduit of God's love.
13:26To get a fuller appreciation for Istanbul,
13:29it's important to leave the old town
13:31and explore the lively, more modern neighborhoods.
13:33For the visitor, Istanbul's central tramline
13:38laces together the most interesting sightseeing areas.
13:43While often packed,
13:44it zips directly through the middle of town fast,
13:47unaffected by the frequent traffic jams.
13:52My friend and co-author of our Istanbul guidebook,
13:55Lali Sermon Aran is joining us as we ride over the Galata Bridge.
13:59Rather than fighting traffic,
14:02Lali knows to stick with the tram
14:04as we head into the new town,
14:06and the place where everyone seems to be heading,
14:09Taksim Square is a major transportation hub
14:20and gives us a good taste of modern Istanbul.
14:25The traffic circles a statue
14:27that celebrates the father of modern Turkey,
14:30Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
14:32If Turkey is Western-looking today,
14:34you can thank this man.
14:36In the 19th century,
14:38the Ottoman Empire was in a state of decline.
14:40Its nickname?
14:41The Sick Man of Europe.
14:43Following Germany in World War I
14:45and therefore losing,
14:46the decrepit old empire was swept away,
14:48and from its remnants arose the modern Republic of Turkey,
14:53founded in 1923 by Atatürk.
14:57The monument shows the two sides of Atatürk,
15:00the military hero of the War of Independence
15:02and civilian Atatürk,
15:04the first president of modern Turkey,
15:07surrounded by figures representing
15:09the proclamation of the republic.
15:15Nearby, a colorful trolley travels
15:17the length of the city's main shopping boulevard,
15:20Istiklant Cadessy, or Independent Street.
15:23Offering a parade of local culture,
15:26it was born after a devastating fire in 1870.
15:31The Ottoman government took the opportunity
15:33to rebuild the area as a showpiece
15:35of the European style.
15:37The message?
15:38Look west.
15:40The fine old architecture is a reminder
15:42that this street was home to the city's
15:44Europe-oriented elite back in the 19th century.
15:48Even today,
15:49Istanbul's churches and foreign consulates
15:51are in this district.
15:53It's just teeming with people.
15:56I love to lose myself in this river of humanity.
16:00And it's lined with shopping temptations.
16:04This fine shop sells silk scarves,
16:09made in Turkey, of course.
16:12Tulip is the Turkish.
16:14That's great.
16:15This pattern is so beautiful.
16:17Turks know how to spiff up their look with a scarf,
16:21around the neck or as a head covering.
16:24And if you want to go to the mosque,
16:26which scarf would you wear and how would you wear it?
16:28If I want to ask, I wear the long one,
16:31like this.
16:33It's enough for me, like this.
16:36So you say, enough for you.
16:38Every woman will choose how much modesty?
16:40Of course, of course.
16:41If she's religious,
16:43also she can wear like this in square one, for example.
16:48If she's very religious...
16:50She can put a pin here, then she do it like this.
16:56She can put it here.
16:58So this is an accessory to cover the hair?
17:00Yes.
17:01So true to the culture and easy to pack,
17:04a silk scarf makes a nice souvenir.
17:11And the street offers an enticing parade of taste treats.
17:15Donner means revolving.
17:18And you know why, when tempted by a Donner kebab.
17:23You can try the sesame rings, called simmet,
17:26along with your tiny Turkish vocabulary.
17:29Bir simmet lütven.
17:32One ring, please.
17:34Bye-bye.
17:37And for a fast meal with no language barrier,
17:40ever-present cafeteria-style restaurants
17:42offer a can-can of fresh and traditional Turkish food.
17:49You'll choose from a range of classic Turkish dishes.
17:53I'm having cabbage rolls, lamb chops, and potatoes.
17:59And something I always look forward to,
18:01my go-to yogurt drink here in Turkey, Iran.
18:04And my favorite dessert, rice pudding, or sutlac.
18:08But on this street, rice pudding
18:10is just the first of many sweet temptations.
18:13Popping into this baklava bakery,
18:16it's hard to resist such a festival of honey-soaked delights.
18:22Hey, look at this.
18:23Generations of local chocolate salesmen
18:25have worked this little station,
18:27peddling a variety of Turkish treats.
18:29There's a lot of different flavors.
18:30Yes, with hazelnuts and pistachios
18:33and dark chocolate and milk chocolate.
18:35Today, Ali loves to give samples.
18:38Okay, this is the pistachio we're tasting now.
18:40This is, this one?
18:41Yes.
18:42What do you like best?
18:44Everything's good.
18:47And to really earn your dessert,
18:50try getting some ice cream from this guy.
18:53He's from Karamarmarış,
18:59a town in southeast Turkey,
19:01famous for its toffee-like ice cream.
19:04While delicious,
19:06it doesn't come easy for anyone.
19:09Whoopala!
19:11Boy, boy, boy, boy, boy, boy, boy!
19:13I want chocolate!
19:14Ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:17Thank you.
19:18Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:21Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:24Ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:26Oh!
19:27Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:30That's nice!
19:31Thank you.
19:32Every day, over a million people in Istanbul commute between Asia and Europe.
19:43Some take the five-minute subway ride through the underwater tunnel, while others catch a
19:49ferry for a more scenic intercontinental commute.
19:53An array of ferries cross the Bosphorus every few minutes and cost less than a buck.
20:01And a memorable way for a tourist to experience this city's urban energy is to join the locals
20:07for a 20-minute cruise to Asian Istanbul.
20:20The city of Uskedar, on the Asian side, is now a suburb of Istanbul.
20:27While bustling and modern today, it also has a traditional religious feel.
20:32In the Ottoman era, it was the gathering and departure place for pilgrims and caravans heading to Mecca.
20:41Taking a stroll along its waterfront promenade or 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 and plenty of ways to nibble on even more
20:59of Turkey's endless array of taste treats.
21:02Oh, dates!
21:03I love dates!
21:04How do you say date in Turkish?
21:06Hurma.
21:07Hurma.
21:08In Ramadan, it's traditional.
21:09We break the fast with a hurma.
21:11Try it!
21:12So, this is how we break fast?
21:14Yes.
21:15Happy breakfast.
21:16Mmm.
21:17Oh, yeah.
21:18And there's a beautiful variety.
21:21So, these are grape leaves?
21:27Yes, they are grape leaves and we use these for rolled grape leaves.
21:32So, you buy a whole bundle?
21:34They will sell by the weight.
21:36What would you put inside?
21:37Mainly rice, onion, and seasonings.
21:41Sometimes with meat, too.
21:42Beautiful.
21:43Look at that.
21:44Nice.
21:45Yeah?
21:46Rick, this is Milo.
21:49We use this to make burik.
21:51It's pastry.
21:52We make it both savory and sweet.
21:55These ones I'm buying, I'm going to use with a little bit of a little bit.
22:01I'm going to use with cheese and parsley and it will be a savory pastry.
22:05Can I come over?
22:06You're welcome.
22:07It looks so good.
22:10That's the delicacy.
22:12The best fish of Istanbul, turbo.
22:15Turbo.
22:16Yes, it's the finest fish of Bosphorus.
22:18And these are horse mackerel and anchovy, the cheapest protein you can buy.
22:23There.
22:24My goodness, they're beautiful.
22:26I love olives.
22:27Look at so many different varieties.
22:29Different regions, different kinds, and different cures.
22:32Which one it is?
22:33Why don't you try one?
22:34Yeah.
22:35And where is this from?
22:36South Turkey, Antioch.
22:37Naturally grown.
22:39It's great to have a selection, you know?
22:42Mmm.
22:43And what is this?
22:44This is from the Sea of Marmara, Edremit.
22:48The Sea of Marmara.
22:49Oh, that's really good.
22:52Let's get a mix.
22:54A little of that, a little of that in a little bag.
22:56A little bag.
22:57A little bag.
22:58A little bag.
22:59A little bag.
23:00A little bag.
23:01A little bag.
23:02A little bag.
23:03Back on the waterfront, I enjoy the view from Asia across the Bosphorus back to Europe,
23:08marveling at this extraordinary city.
23:13Istanbul.
23:14It's fast changing, yet strangely timeless.
23:18Truly one of Europe's great cities.
23:21And for me, it never gets old.
23:25Soaring domes.
23:29Spinning carpets.
23:32Whirling prayers.
23:35Churning harbor.
23:37It's an endless promenade that broadens my perspective.
23:43The city's both rooted in tradition and modern facing,
23:48as it navigates the challenges of today.
23:54The richness of Istanbul's culture, diversity, and heritage is seen in the faces of its people.
24:02This is today's Turkey, a melting pot of ethnic groups.
24:07Turk, Kurd, Armenian, Jew, Gypsy, Georgian, Greek, and more.
24:13And styles, from the very traditional to the very latest.
24:23The city remains a crossroads of humanity.
24:30And according to the Turkish proverb, every guest is a gift from God.
24:40Istanbul bridges east and west.
24:44With a complex weave of modern affluence, Western secularism, and traditional Muslim faith,
24:50it's a dynamic city filled with delights.
24:53Thanks for joining us.
24:54I'm Rick Steves.
24:56Until next time, keep on traveling.
25:00Perhaps the most historic, and certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in.
25:06And certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in.
25:10But certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in.
25:13Istanbul.
25:14Istanbul.
25:15Thanks for joining us.
Sé la primera persona en añadir un comentario