Kir Pidesi's rock our world...
So after a traditional Turkish breakfast, we went back for a nap. Well, Regina did, and she blames it on the weather, apparently. We set out again late in the afternoon to the Istanbul Modern, an awesome modern art museum set in a warehouse on the water. Turkish modern art was really impressive and some of it pretty edgy, but unfortunately, they wouldn't let us take pictures so you'll have to take our word for it.
After the museum, we strolled to the Galata Bridge where we decided against being ripped off at one of the bridge restaurants, and instead went back to our hotel neighbourhood of Beşiktaş, which was actually pretty happening with lots of locals milling the streets. After stopping for a durum doner (think doner wrapped in flatbread type bread and then slightly pressed like a quesadilla) before finding the ultimate prize -- a kir pidesi (a pide is what's known as Turkish pizza), which is basically another footlong flatbread-type bread stuffed with beef, cheese and potatoes. Sorta like a flat samosa but not fried. And it was only 1 lira -- that's about 65 cents US.
Food prices are one thing that have been obvious to us -- it's super cheap to eat in Istanbul, as long as you don't eat in a nice restaurant or "American". Our hotel, of course, charges US prices, but so do some of the nicer sitdown places. The stores with takeout foods however, are ridiculously affordable. As our supermarkets -- quick benchmarks: a 2L bottle of water costs about 25 cents (USD), a 1L bottle of coke is about 60 cents, and a bottle of local Turkish is about a dollar. Yay!
Tomorrow we are headed to tourist central: Sultanhamet, or "Old City". Wish us luck!
By the way, pictures are being posted here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/leungv/TurkeyOnTurkey2008
After the museum, we strolled to the Galata Bridge where we decided against being ripped off at one of the bridge restaurants, and instead went back to our hotel neighbourhood of Beşiktaş, which was actually pretty happening with lots of locals milling the streets. After stopping for a durum doner (think doner wrapped in flatbread type bread and then slightly pressed like a quesadilla) before finding the ultimate prize -- a kir pidesi (a pide is what's known as Turkish pizza), which is basically another footlong flatbread-type bread stuffed with beef, cheese and potatoes. Sorta like a flat samosa but not fried. And it was only 1 lira -- that's about 65 cents US.
Food prices are one thing that have been obvious to us -- it's super cheap to eat in Istanbul, as long as you don't eat in a nice restaurant or "American". Our hotel, of course, charges US prices, but so do some of the nicer sitdown places. The stores with takeout foods however, are ridiculously affordable. As our supermarkets -- quick benchmarks: a 2L bottle of water costs about 25 cents (USD), a 1L bottle of coke is about 60 cents, and a bottle of local Turkish is about a dollar. Yay!
Tomorrow we are headed to tourist central: Sultanhamet, or "Old City". Wish us luck!
By the way, pictures are being posted here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/leungv/TurkeyOnTurkey2008
Labels: Turkey on Turkey 2008
posted by Viv at
1:56 PM
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