HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

Few cities in the world have as beguiling a silhouette as Istanbul and few glitter and shimmy as alluringly at dusk as the Turkish capital. Bulbous cascading domes of its 400 mosques, slender minarets pointing heavenwards, opulent palaces unravelling on the silvery Bosphorous? Istanbul: the only city on the planet that separates two continents ? manicured Europe and heaving Asia.

Crackling with cultural electricity, thanks in part to the role it plays as the most magnetic city of modern Turkey, Istanbul is cosmopolitan and brims with colour. The neon-lit nights are even more frenetic and present a whirlwind of possibilities.

That first evening when we ambled around Taksim Square eddying with colour and life, we got a whiff of the city?s melting-pot feel. We walked down Isticlal Caddesi, a pedestrianised street, along with the crowds that flowed like a mindless torrent. There were young jean-clad tourists, locals sporting bushy moustaches, drop-dead gorgeous Turkish women who sashayed confidently and even a protest march by a group of young men. The Republic of Turkey had its modern liberal side on display on that thoroughfare and we could be forgiven for forgetting that in this secular nation, 98 per cent of the population is Muslim rather than western. Off this street, narrow alleys unravel and are dotted with cafes, swish eateries, bars and fruit stalls? Some eateries had outdoor patios for al fresco dining, where modish matrons of the new Turkey puffed on cigarettes, while the men drank endless glasses of strong Turkish tea. In the course of that edifying stroll, we took in the eclectic neighbourhood, awash with local colour, and studded with lovingly restored 18th and 19th century buildings that provided a pleasing contrast.

Bold and the beautiful

Later we headed for romantic Suada, Turkish for water-island. An island on the Bosphorous, with a beach club and an array of restaurants, bars and lounge areas, Suada can be accessed by a ferry service or by private yacht. We dined at Suada Kebab, on the glass-enclosed terrace section warmed by gas heaters that kept the chill breeze wafting from the Bosphorous at bay. In between courses, we gazed at the dazzling reflection of a vibrant city which spoke powerfully of eras past.

A platter of kebabs including kebab with pistachio, eggplant kebabs and lamb and chicken chops; red lentil and mint soup, tomato and capsicum salad in dense pomegranate molasses; small and thin Turkish pizzas smothered with seasoned minced meat were palate pleasers.

Beguiling belly dancing

The next evening, more earthy and risqué entertainment was in store ? essentially belly dancing packaged as a folklore show. We sat with other wide-eyed travellers as the belly dancers were ?served? with the dessert; rich, creamy helpings of cakes, ice creams and Turkish Delight that were as tempting and wicked as the moves of the dancers. The audience watched raptly the jiggling that peppered the tableaux about life in a harem and the opulence of the Turkish sultans. In a swirl of veils and scarves, harem pants and sequined costumes, the performance was a multi-sensory assault. Towards the end of the show, guests were puffing on hookahs as a Turkish version of Bollywood?s item number pranced around like a mare on steroids! After three changes of skimpy costume, the dancer and the orchestra took a bow. An oft-repeated warning: do not entertain strange women, however well-endowed, at your table as you may end up settling a rather large tab for drinks you did not imbibe!

Ghosts from the past

As the capital of three empires, hurly burly Istanbul groans under the weight of history and one can?t get away from it; not even on a nightlife jaunt. In this multi-layered city, the past and present exist simultaneously and one feels this most forcefully in the old walled city or the Sultanahmet Square at night. This cobbled square is the location of the major monuments and is at its most magical at dusk.

When we strolled there after sunset, the wraiths of the past kept us company; especially near the historic Hagia Sofia, once a Christian basilica of the Byzantine era. In the lamp-lit gardens opposite the former basilica, couples and families sat on wood benches enjoying the scented night air. When Mehmet II marched into Constantinople (later to be called Istanbul) in 1453, he converted the basilica into a mosque. Hagia Sofia became Ayasofya Camii and Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Across the Ayasofya is the Blue Mosque, the most ethereal of the city mosques, bathed in coloured light. And between the back of Ayasofya and the ancient walls of the Topkapi Palace is a street lined with pastel coloured clapboard houses in the Ottoman style, lamp-lit at night. These are boutique apartments called Ayasofya Konaklari in whose vicinity, we stumbled on some wonderfully atmospheric terrace cafes, ideal for a quick bite.

We, however, opted for Sarnic restaurant, located at the head of the same street, in a Roman cistern almost as old as the Ayasofya itself. The lofty brick domes, stone pillars and a roaring fire in a massive stone chimney created a mysterious ambience enhanced by 500 candles. The flickering light bounced off the iron grillwork, leaving behind pools of shadow and light. The menu was a combination of French entrees and Turkish grills mixed with dollops of history and an atmosphere where the goblins of the past seemed to sit at our table and partake of the feast.

Ortakoy on the European shore of the Bosphorous, now considered one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Istanbul, has a unique vibe as dusk mantles the domes and spiky minarets of the city. Studded with shops, boutiques, cafes and bistros, an amble down the promenade, savouring a creamy Turkish ice-cream, is one of the smaller pleasures that Istanbul has to offer. Music poured out of the jazz bars and cafes. We also stopped awhile at the Ortakoy Mosque which seemed to virtually float in the water and rounded off the excursion with a meal at one of the many seafood restaurants.

The whirling dervishes

For a change of pace we watched the must-see sema ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes at the Mevlevi Lodge in the Beyoglu neighbourhood. The old lodge fronted with a leafy garden and located next to an old Ottoman cemetery was suffused with a spiritual atmosphere. As the small arena around the stage filled up, we were cautioned not to take photographs or make a sound, not even a whisper, as this would disturb the dervishes who slip into a trance as they perform. Soon the hall reverberated with haunting chants and the dervishes discarded their black material robes and let their spirits in white gowns free: to whirl in a universe of eternal peace. They swirled and though their feet touched the ground, they seemed to soar. Their trance was infectious and we whirled with them. And when the chanting stopped and the performance was over, pin-drop silence filled the vacuum that enveloped the arena. No one clapped: remaining silent was a far more appropriate way of showing our appreciation for what we had witnessed.

Yes, Turkish nights bubble with contrast. It was on our last one that we gate-crashed a party at a Turkish tavern where we saw Istanbul in shirtsleeves and in its fun avatar. Here raki, beer and wine flowed like the Bosphorous, and platters of mezze were consumed as locals sang Turkish classics. Revellers started to swing and whirl with joy and the old city of Istanbul basked in the ever-widening ripples of sound and looked on with an ageless smile!