By Itzhak Rabihiya
From the beginning of 2019(January-August), Turkey hosted 378,272 Israelis compared to 299,648 Israelis in 2018 - an increase of 26%.
The Israelis continue to ignore Turkey's cold relations with Israel and during the summer 2019 an impressive numbers of Israelis made it to Turkey. According to data from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, last June, July, August - 213,591 Israeli tourists visited Turkey, compared to 160,055 Israelis in the same period of 2018- an increase of 33%. From the beginning of the year, (January-August), Turkey hosted 378,272 Israelis compared to 299,648 Israelis in 2018 - an increase of 26%
To learn firsthand what Turkey has to offer, I booked a flight to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines with my friend Motti Verses, Hilton Hotels Israel Head of Communications. For him it was the 25th visit to the city. It was mostly a short culinary journey between Istanbul's food counters and unforgettable smells in the spice market. I ate the most delicious Donner (shawarma) of my life, and I met a Turkish chef who taught me about the Turkish food we love so much. Here is some recommendations for a city trip where dining is a way of life. Leave the politics behind, ignore Erdogan. It's time to go to Istanbul. This city tend to amaze me: A journey between old and new, between traditional and modern, between East and West. Istanbul 2020 is more religious, more nationalistic but also exciting, engaging, trendy, fun and excites me over and over again.
Istanbul, Turkey's unofficial capital, the only city in the world on two continents, offers visitors with colorful markets, fascinating and spectacular architecture, rich culture, dozens of mosques, beautiful palaces, fascinating museums, nightlife, restaurants, cafes, and countless tourist sites to explore. Istanbul of 2020 accommodates about 20 million people, many of them immigrants, and tries to go ahead and provide solutions in general and transport response in particular to this congestion - a modern and modern airport that is considered the largest in the world today, light rail and cheap public transport, and huge shopping malls, countless stores , Shopping centers, luxury buildings and skyscrapers, new hotels and more. Living here is richly harmonious, and everyone seems relaxed, human-loving and welcomes the millions of tourists who come here from around the world all year-round.
I admit that my love for the city grows with each visit, and I discover every new visit fascinating new sites. Istanbul's rich and tumultuous history is everywhere, and the city is full of spectacular mosques, museums and eye-catching architectural sites including the Great Bazaar - the largest indoor market in the East, the Egyptian bazaar, known as the ”spice market” that delivers scents of unique blends, spicy fruits, fruit, Turkish like locomotive smelt, milk, nougat sweets with cows and nuts. It is advisable not to miss a thing. For those interested in the modern and shopping side, there are fashion stores with Europe's leading brands, local fashion chains, ultra-low-priced shoe stores, leather jackets and leather goods, accessories, cosmetics and illuminated and styled makeup shops and everywhere you see men with bandages on the back of their heads - these are Hair transplants.
You must enjoy a long or a short cruise on the Bosphorus with thousands of seagulls and birds to accompany you, visit the famous Taksim square, on the bustling Istiklal Street , one of the most famous avenues in Istanbul 24 hours a day – with endless shops, cafes and restaurants near it, or visit the Galata Tower and Bridge. Do visit the palaces of the Sultans. Personally, I would recommend the Dolmabahce Palace, Ataturk’s residence in the city (he only a small room there) and the magnificent Istanbul palaces, but it is also advisable to visit the Topkapi Palace which means the "Cannon gate" - because of the cannons placed on its walls, and of course it is recommended to see the Blue Mosque and Ayia Sophia
One of the important decisions is choosing the hotel, and it should be close to the center of interest, as Istanbul is a huge city. Personally, I recommend the iconic Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus, which is only a 10 minute walk from Taksim Square. Overlooking the charming landscape of the Bosphorus, it features an outdoor and indoor pool, a sauna, a health and fitness club, 500 rooms with balconies, and quality restaurants serving authentic and delicious Turkish food.
Talking about desserts, visiting the streets do not miss the famous Turkish ice cream parlors, where the ice cream cup is served to customers, for a juggling performance with a long-handled spoon.
The hotel's chef, Savas Ozkilic, met with us in his kingdom - the hotel's kitchen and dining room, to tell and explain to me the wonders of Turkish gastronomy that I learned to appreciate and love. The Chef has been working with Hilton for 29 years, a head chef who replaced his father who also worked at the hotel. With passion and pleasure he tells about Turkish cuisine and the various influences from parts of the long gone Ottoman empire - from Asia, Anatolia, the Balkans, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. He is an expert in Turkish food, and emphasizes the importance of endless spices. 65 team members cook for up to 4,000 guests and restaurant visitors, making sure to check out almost every dish that comes out.
What do you like most about Turkish cuisine? I ask, and Savas smiles and talks about his preferences and love for the Turks first of all for the varied pastries, the bourks, the filo and the bread. So he goes to vegetables, kings of Turkish cuisine - the tomato and eggplant, and tells about the Turks who love meat, especially lamb (Inchick)-the donner,brewed with garlic tomatoes and olive oil for hours. His love for cheese, yogurt from goat's milk, buffalo and cow. "If I do not cook - I have no life." Only at the end he does admits that at home his wife is the chef. He is not interested to be in the kitchen and she does not allow him to enter the Holy of Holies.
In summary, if you have a love for new places, if you have a free weekend - don't hesitate. Fly to Istanbul, the vibrant, dynamic and cheap (compared to Europe), and visiting there will be a fun experience for all five senses. Enjoy and understand why Israelis are returning to this country.
