Worldental Daily Istanbul 2013

Travel Advance Issue W andering through the streets of Istanbul is a synaesthetic experience —it is about absorbing the vibrant noise of a global metropolis, the 22:00 prayer calls of the muezzin echoing throughout the city, the aroma of herbs and spices from nearby restaurants, the magnifi- cent architecture, the feeling of summer heat in the streets, the energy of Taksim Square. “Whatever happens, I can al- ways take a long walk along the Bosphorus,” sums up recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature Orhan Pamuk in his famous book Istanbul: Memories and the City. The name “Istanbul” in the original Greek means a teleological “to the city”, and traces multiple historical, polit- ical, and cultural paths—an invita- tiontowalkthroughtimeandspace. With almost 14 million inhabi- tants, Istanbul is the largest Euro- pean metropolis, and the second- largest city in the world. Founded by the Greeks under the name of Byzan- tium and later reinaugurated as Con- stantinople by the Romans, it looks backonahistoryofathousandyears. In this time, it served as the capital of four empires, with the Ottomans ruling longest from 1299 to 1923. Asatranscontinentalcity,linking EuropeandAsia,thecityisacultural melting pot. A conglomerate of dis- tricts, representing various aspects of the past and present, Istanbul combines the historical pillars of global empires with the vibrancy of a modern metropolis. Nowhere else can this be experienced better than along Istiklal Avenue, the second-largest pedestrian street in the world, leading from the Galata Tower to Taksim Square, the heart of Istanbul. Boasting more mosques than anywhere in the city, most famous of all the Blue Mosque built by Sultan Ahmed I as part of a larger complex, the Sultanahmet quarter in the south of the European part of the city represents the Old. Nearby Hagia Sophia epitomises the mul- tireligious past of the city, evolving from a Greek Orthodox basilica to a Roman Catholic cathedral to a mosque.Nowadays,thistestimony to Byzantine architecture with mar- ble pillars and mosaics is a secu- larised museum open to visitors. The large Basilica Cistern offers a magical underground experience of light and sound, while Topkapı Palace invites you to wander about thepremisesoftheOttomanSultan residence. In the Beşiktaş district, you can experience the transition from em- pire to republic, and obtain a won- derful view of the Bosphorus from the Dolmabahçe Palace. Churches, synagogues and mosques, as well as museums, can be discovered in a walk through the Balat and Fener quarters. “Realmuseumsareplaceswhere Time is transformed into Space,” states Pamuk in his The Museum of Innocence. Uniquely, his book has indeed turned into an actual museum, located in the Beyoğlu district. Free entry is granted to vis- itors with a copy of the book, which is stamped in the relevant chapter. stanbul Modern offers not only an overview of the contemporary Turkish art scene in an indus- trial setting, but also a wonderful café with a marvellous view of the Bosphorus. For those wishing to escape the summer heat, the Princes’ Islands —an archipelago of nine islands located in the Sea of Marmara— are inviting for day trips, and can be conveniently reached by ferry from Kabataş. No automobile traf- fic is allowed on the islands, and its horses and carriages, beautiful avenues of pines, and wooden ar- chitecture create a special, serene ambiance. TASTING ISTANBUL Traditional Turkish cuisine is based on the Ottoman style of cooking, with influences from Cen- tral and Middle Asia, as well as the Balkan countries. Istanbul is the place to enjoy a traditional kebab or köfte kebab, as well as seafood. Indulging in light starters or meze (“taste, flavour, snack, relish”) is thebestwaytoexperienceIstanbul flavours; try beyaz peynir (literally “white cheese”), acılı ezme (pep- per paste), haydari (thick strained yogurt), cacık (yogurt with cu- cumber and garlic), pilaki (foods cooked in a special sauce), dolma or sarma (rice-stuffed vine leaves or other vegetables), and köfte (meatballs). Turkish cuisine offers surpris- ing uses of herbs and food com- binations: salads are made with mint leaves, and yogurt accompa- nies most meat dishes—the word “yogurt” is of Turkish origin. Enjoy karpuz, watermelon, as a dessert or refreshment in the hot streets. Meals finish with strong siyah çay, black tea, or fruity elma çay, apple tea. A Turkish breakfast is a lavish feast of a simit, a sesame bagel, and tomatoes with cheese and mushrooms on the side for a spicy taste, and yumurtalı ekmek, French toast, for those with a sweet tooth. Forasweettreatoratastysouvenir, try some baklava and an assort- ment of Turkish delight or lukum (“mouthful”), confections made with nuts, citrus fruits, and rose- water. SOUVENIRS While the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar, set within impres- sive architecture, in Eminönü are reminders of the ancient markets, you can enjoy modern shopping in the numerous mega-shopping centres throughout Istanbul too. The largest and most architec- turally striking malls in Europe, they offer global and local brands. You can easily reach MetroCity and the Kanyon mall, which offers an outdoor shopping experience, directly from the Levent station of the Istanbul Metro. Europe’s second-largest shopping centre is stanbul Cevahir (M2 line, Şişli). For family entertainment with the indoor Turkuazoo Aquarium and a dinosaur discovery at Jurassic Land, visit Forum Istanbul (M1 line, Kartaltepe-Kocatepe). Fashion is a pillar of Istanbul industry—major brands produce their collections here—so spoil yourself with delicate silk scarves, luxuriouspashminas(lookoutforthe genuine ones made of cashmere!), as well as bags and accessories. Combining the most delicate fab- rics,clothingandaccessorieschain Koton offers amazing scarves and pashminas of silk and cashmere with beautiful patterns. Istanbulistheepitomeofcrafts- manship, especially glassware, such as teapots, delicate glasses, and ornate dishes by Paşabahçe. You can buy simple teacups for everyday use or lavishly orna- mented sets in interior decorating andglasswarestores.Coffeelovers can accessorise their kitchen with a cezve, the pot used for making Turkish coffee. Tea-drinkers will find the selection of teas—spicy, black, green, apple—alluring. You can add a certain hammam flair to your bathroom at home with high- quality soaps; peshtamal, Turkish towels; and notably the exfoliating kese sponge. 14 www.fdiworldental.org “To the city”, through epochs and space IAnglersenjoyingtheviewofSultanahmetatdawn. INootherbuildingepitomisesthemultireligiouspastofthecitybetterthanHagiaSophia.(DTI/PhotosAnnemarieFischer) ByAnnemarieFischer WDDispublishedbytheFDIWorldDentalFederationinpartnershipwithDentalTribuneInternationalGmbH(DTI). FDI Communications Manager: Christopher M. Simpson Managing Editor: Daniel Zimmermann Editorial Assistance: Claudia Duschek Product Manager: Claudia Salwiczek Designer: Franziska Dachsel Executive Producer: Gernot Meyer fdi worldental daily FDIWorld Dental Federation Tour de Cointrin, Avenue Louis Casai 84, Case Postale 3, 1216 Cointrin – Genève Switzerland Phone: +41 22 560 81 50 Fax: +41 22 560 81 40 E-mail: media@fdiworldental.org Website: www.fdiworldental.org FDI Worldental Daily Advance Issue appears in advance of the FDI Annual World Dental Congress in Istanbul,Turkey, 28 to 31 August 2013.The news- paper and all articles and illustrations therein are protected by copyright. Any utilisation without prior consent from the editor or publisher is inad- missible and liable to prosecution. The FDI or DTI will not be liable for any damages of any kind or loss of profits that might arise from information found in this publication, regardless of whether the FDI or DTI has been advised of the possibility of such damages. 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