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What a difference having your own transport makes! It means the freedom to roam and discover places you are otherwise unlikely to see. On a rare free Sunday, we did just that and headed out for Çamlıca Tepesi, or Çamlıca Hill. Çamlıca is located in Üsküdar on the Asian side and is the highest of the seven hills that Istanbul is famous for. The hill is divided into two separate sections: Büyük and Küçük Çamlıca.

On arrival, the reason for the popularity of the place is clear. The panoramic view from Büyük Çamlica is breathtakingly beautiful. From here you can clearly see all of Istanbul’s main waterways, the Bosphorus Bridge,  the Eminönu Peninsula, the Princes’ Islands and apparently even Mount Uludağ in Bursa on a good day!

Çamlica, which means “place of the pines,” is one of the oldest places to stroll and relax in Istanbul and was used as a vacation spot for Ottoman sultans. Due to the sultans’ interest in the area, Çamlıca is also the site of many pavilions. The Sofa, Cihannüma, Topkapı and Su Pavilions are all located in the Küçük Çamlıca Woods and are fine examples of Ottoman architecture.

There are tea gardens and cafes offering refreshments and the traditional gözleme is a specialty here. The Turkish habit of picnicking and barbequing is also a common sight on the hill. The colourful flowers of the gardens and the amazing view of the Bosphorus provide a romantic backdrop for wedding ceremonies and photography, or just a leisurely walk.

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the village of Basyurt in Elazig province, Eastern Turkey, at 4:32am on Monday, killing at least 57 people, and has been followed by more than 40 aftershocks. The quake toppled buildings in five villages almost completely destroying the Kurdish village of Okcular. The region is 550km east of Ankara, the capital, and sparsely populated.

In this area of seismic activity, no measures have been taken to strengthen buildings and educate people about what to do in the event of an earthquake. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed the high level of casualties on mud-brick buildings used in the area while residents are blaming the government for their devastation.

“An earthquake with this magnitude should not usually cause any deaths, but mud-brick houses and other buildings that are not resistant to earthquakes can cause so much death and destruction,” earthquake expert Ahmet Mete Isikara told Turkey’s Hurryiet Daily News and Economic Review.

Turkey, which is crossed by the Northern and Eastern Anatolian fault lines, suffers from frequent earthquakes. Many of them are minor, though a 7.4-magnitude tremor which hit the western city of Izmit in August 1999 killed more than 17,000 people. Poor quality buildings were also blamed for the high death toll then and there is still concern in Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, where seismologists predict a major earthquake will occur within the next few decades.

1. Basyurt, March 2010, magnitude 6.0, at least 57 dead

2. Bingol, May 2003, magnitude 6.4, more than 160 dead

3. Duzce, November 1999, magnitude 7.2, about 400 dead

4. Izmit, August 1999, magnitude 7.4, more than 17,000 dead

The Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and around 4000 shops, and attracts 250000 to 400000 visitors daily. The bazaar is in the Beyazit District and an easy way to get there is by the Zeytinburnu tram from Sultanahmet alighting at the Carsikapi stop. It is also a 20 minute walk from the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. There are 21 entrances to the bazaar, but the two most commonly used ones are Beyazit and Nuruosmaniye.

Walking into the Grand Bazaar is like entering a labyrinth of corridors packed with shops selling shiny, eye catching jewellery, elaborately woven carpets, intricately hand-painted ceramics, colourful glass lanterns and mountains of antiques. The bazaar is grouped into special areas for different types of wares such as leather goods, gold, textiles and ceramics. Shoppers haggling for a bargain swarm around the market stalls which appear to be neverending!

The bazaar has been operating as an important trade centre since 1461 when the first of the two bedestens, or domed buildings, was constructed by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The bazaar was vastly enlarged in the 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, and in 1894 underwent a major restoration following an earthquake. Over the years, many fires have also caused damage to the bazaar and ongoing repairs to various sections have contributed to the labyrinthine effect of the bazaar.

The complex houses two mosques, four fountains, two hamams, and several cafés and restaurants. In the centre is the high domed hall of the Cevahir Bedesten, where the most valuable items and antiques were to be found in the past, and still are today, including furniture, copperware, amber prayer beads, inlaid weapons, icons, mother-of-pearl mirrors, water pipes, watches and clocks, candlesticks, old coins, and silver and gold jewellery set with coral and turquoise.

Due to the number of tourists it attracts, the Grand Bazaar is naturally a haven for pickpockets and bag snatchers. However , this should never prevent you from visiting any amazing attraction in the world… just be aware and be careful!

There are many lovely tea gardens to relax in and take a break from the hectic atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar. Take some time out to soak up the atmosphere! The Grand Bazaar is open from 8:30am to 7pm from Monday to Saturday.

Being Australian, I can never get enough snow, and if I happen to be in a country that is cold enough to warrant snow in the winter, then I must have it! Snow had been promised in Istanbul for weeks to no avail while on TV visions of snow-covered Europe were sent to tease us. At last, at the weekend just gone, the snow fell and continued to fall for about 5 days putting a nice white blanket on my world.  Not quite enough snow to build a snowman, but surely enough for a snowball fight! Alas, snow brings with it icy cold temperatures and slippery ice underfoot making walking to work a little more treacherous… but it’s all worth it for the pretty views!

The European Capital of Culture is a city chosen by the European Union for a period of one year in which it is given the chance to exhibit its cultural life and development. This year the honour is shared between Istanbul in Turkey, Essen in Germany and Pecs in Hungary. The European Capital of Culture programme was initially conceived in 1983 by the then serving Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri. The programme was launched in the summer of 1985 with Athens being the first title-holder.

Last weekend saw the official opening of the event, celebrated by free concerts followed by a series of light shows set at seven locations around the city, symbolizing the seven hills upon which Istanbul was built. Museums and historical sites remained open to visitors until midnight, among them the Hagia Sophia, the Archeology Museum, the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum and the Basilica Cistern.

We decided to attend the concert at Sultanahmet which began with a Mehter concert. The Mehter is an Ottoman military band which for centuries accompanied the marching Ottoman army into battle. The instruments played are a variety of drums, trumpets and cymbals and the musicians are dressed in colourful robes and fancy hats.

Following this, there was a concert by Mercan Dede, a world music artist whose sound incorporates traditional instruments and ney from Turkey and other parts of the world, with horns, drum’n'bass dance beats and ambient electronic music. The concert ended with an uplifting fireworks show.

Istanbul, already world famous as a tourist and cultural destination, hopes to attract over 10 million visitors to the city throughout 2010. It will stage some 170 cultural events from all genres including music, dance, theatre, art, film and literature. So, if you were ever thinking of visiting, this year would be a good year to do it!

Napoleon once said, “If the whole world was a single country, Istanbul would be the capital.” Perhaps he was right!

Being a predominantly Muslim country, there is no holiday for celebrating Christmas in Turkey. However, there are Christmas decorations sold in the shops. The same kind of decorations are used to celebrate New Year in Turkey, so for the average yabanci, or foreigner, it still feels like Christmas! Strangely, though, there are also Father Christmas dolls and decorations being sold which doesn’t really fit with any other theme but Christmas… must be for the yabancilar!

Although I am from a predominantly Christian country, I am from a non-religious family. The summer holidays start with the Xmas celebration and most people use the time to get together with family and eat and drink well. Non-religious people put up decorations and give presents just as Christians do, but just leave out the visit to church!

It seems that the same kind of celebration with decorations and presents happens here at New Year, which kind of seems more appropriate for a non-religious person. And New Year’s Day is a national holiday! So I’m off to buy a New Year’s tree!

Having lived in Istanbul for 4 months now, I feel it is time to mention some differences in etiquette I have observed, mostly in relation to mealtimes.

When the meal is ready, you are called to the table. It seems it is not necessary to wait until everyone is seated before you start eating. There are usually at least three courses served starting with corba, or soup. Then two or more savoury courses are served. There are also side dishes to help yourself to on the table. It is usual to eat with only a fork which is also used as a cutting utensil and you can use your own fork to take food from communal platters on the table.

Courses are served to each person as they finish them, that is, you don’t wait for everybody to finish a course before the next one is served. This results in some people finishing the last course while others may still be on their first or second. It also results in the mother of the family constantly getting up and down to keep up with the demand and leaving no plate empty for long!

You don’t have to wait for everybody to finish eating before leaving the table. Lingering at the dining table for conversation is not common. Men especially leave the table very quickly and retire to the living room to smoke. The women accept the task of clearing the dishes, tidying the table and cleaning the kitchen. Conversation is then enjoyed in the living room where cay is served with a dessert.

On special occasions, such as Bayram, when there are a lot of relatives gathered together at the same time, there are several sittings for the meal, as not everybody can fit around the table. The men get the first sitting and are waited on by the women of the family. The youngest adult female of the family has to serve everyone at every sitting before eating the meal herself. For women, the more daughters you have, the more help you get in the kitchen, and for men, the more people you have to wait on you.

For women, mealtimes don’t seem to be an enjoyable, relaxing experience and no one seems to take the time to savour the fruits of their labour. I am told that this is what they are used to and that they enjoy looking after their families and assuming this responsibility. But perhaps a little more appreciation wouldn’t go astray…

Kurban Baryrami, or Festival of Sacrifice, takes place approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramazan. This year it falls on 27th November and lasts for four days. Kurban Bayrami is a holiday celebrated by Muslims all over the world to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his only son Ismael as an act of obedience to God. The story is that Ibrahim couldn’t have children and after praying to God, he was finally given a son, Ismael. God then appears to Ibrahim in a dream and asks him to sacrifice his son to prove the strength of his faith. Ibrahim obeys God, but just before he sacrifices his son, God sends him a sheep to sacrifice instead, and tells him he has passed the test of God. Since that day, every adult Muslim wealthy enough has to sacrifice a farm animal for God during Kurban Bayrami. This sacrifice is obligatory for Muslims and not doing it is considered a sin.

One person can buy a sheep or goat to sacrifice and it must be more than one year old, but up to seven people can buy a cow or even a camel which must be over two years old. When an animal is sacrificed, one third of the meat is kept for the household, one third is consumed with family and friends and the other third is distributed to poor people who can’t afford to sacrifice an animal. The sacrificing is usually done in professional abattoirs, but some of the ritual slaughters still take place in public places.

So, similarly to Seker Bayrami, Kurban Bayrami is a time when everyone wears their best clothes and celebrates together with family by eating well and relaxing over the four day holiday! Afiyet olsun!

The Egyptian Bazaar, or The Spice Bazaar, is located in Eminonu close to the ferry station. The structure itself is part of the Yeni Mosque and was completed in 1660. It is the second largest covered market after The Grand Bazaar. There are about 80 shops inside the market selling anything from spices, dried fruits and nuts, teas, coffee, oils and essences, Turkish delight and honeycomb to aphrodisiacs! If you’re having trouble locating a herb or spice you want, you are sure to find it here.

The market continues outside the structure down side streets from the mosque. It is usually very crowded here, so much so that it is difficult to move! This is our favourite place to buy olives and cheese. There is an incredible range of both to choose from and the quality is far better than supermarket products. You can try before you buy to get the taste you prefer.

There are many different types of cheeses available which I am slowly being introduced to. Beyaz peynir is a salty white cheese similar to feta. Kasar peyniri is a hard yellow cheese similar to cheddar, and eski kasar peyniri is the older traditional version which is stronger in taste. Koy peyniri is a soft bland white cheese similar to fresh mozzarella. Otlu peyniri is a herbed white cheese. Cecil peyniri comes in a stringy form and is similar to hard mozzarella. The process by which Tulum peyniri is made is very interesting. It is made from goats’ milk and, after processing, encased in goat skin which has been salted for a year and a half, and then left for 120 days. It is crumbly and white and strong in flavour and one of my favourite cheeses so far.

All sorts of household goods from baskets, kitchenware, tools, furniture and textiles can also be found here and bought for a song.