Golden Istanbul Tour:

This is a special tour including some of the most unique places in the city but also which are difficult to visit on your own. The tour will take you to the roots of historic Istanbul with visit to the monuments of Byzantine and Ottoman cultural heritage. As the places of visit are all located out of the touristic centers, you will also have the chance to visit the current daily local life.

The first stop is Suleymaniye Mosque was built on the order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and constructed by the great Ottoman architect Sinan. The construction work began in 1550 and the mosque was finished in 1557.The mosque is modeled in part on the style of a Byzantine basilica, particularly the Hagia Sophia, which was perhaps a conscious move on the part of the sultan to create a continuity and a symbolic connection with the city's past. Driving along the city walls will end at one of the oldest and most important churches in the city - The Church of Chora - representing fascinating wall paintings which tell the life of Christ in an historical order. Even though the building itself being small, the meaning was great for Byzantines as being founded at the borders of the city and welcoming the visitors. Today the environment is restored and this is a good place to spend time with local artisans and wooden houses.

After the church, we will have a tea-coffee break at one of the most splendid spots of Istanbul with a beautiful view over the Golden Horn - Pierre Loti Hill. Than you will again start drive but that time along the shores of Golden Horn through the towns Fener and Balat which are the old Greek and Jewish living sites. Fener Orthodox Patriarchate is located in the area as well.

After lunch, Our next destination will be the Dolmabahce Palace the last residence for Ottoman Sultans with 365 rooms and 22 saloons. Famous with the great collection of European antiquity, furniture and 4.5 tons chandelier. This will be our last stop after visit we will drive back to your hotel. End of the tour.

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‪#‎Chora‬ Museum is covered with mosaics depicting the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

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Turkish Coffee Readings:

Turkish coffee reading is a very popular ritual in the countries that favour this type of coffee.

You can check it out, either for fun or serious approach.

Here you will find everything you need to know about the way that the professionals approach the matter.

Using the correct utensils helps a lot in the creation of sharp unquestionable symbols.

Relax and enjoy your coffee. And who knows, maybe you hold your future without knowing it…

Turkish Coffee Readings – Coffee Grounds with Value

Turkish coffee reading is a practice for interpreting residual coffee grounds in the cup and on the saucer. It started in Turkey in the 16th century.

Nowadays, tasseography (or tasseomancy) is the academic term for Turkish coffee fortune telling.

This type of coffee leaves thick, muddy sediment at the bottom of the cup.

If you swirl the cup and turn it upside down the grounds will fall down. They will leave some patterns on the surface of the cup.

There are a lot of people who believe in coffee cup reading. The images and shapes created in the coffee ground have predictable future happening meanings.

Coffee grounds’ meaning became available after decoding certain shapes that people started seeing in their cups. An expert Turkish coffee fortune teller can see special icons that suggest symbols which they relate to certain events.

General rules that cover the basics of Turkish coffee reading:
You shouldn’t interpret your own cup. (If you will do it just for practicing symbol learning, it’s OK).

You don’t give the same cup to a different reader to double check the given reading. Have in mind that most of the professionals perform “whole impression” and not just cup reading symbols.
Turkish cup fortune telling always starts from the cup’s handle. You move from right to left if the person is right-handed or left to right for left-handed …

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If you are visiting Turkey, and have been convinced to try our national soups, here are a few suggestions of flavours and recipes to try

Turkish Bridal Soup: Ezogelin Çorbasi:

Known as the soup of Ezo the bride, this flavour has a rather sad love story attached to its humble roots. The story says that Ezo was an incredibly beautiful woman who lived in the southeastern Gaziantep region in the early 20th century. Despite her goddess looks, love was never easy for her and her first marriage failed after her husband had an affair and her second marriage took her across the border to live in Syria. Homesick for many years, she died in the 1950s after bearing nine children, but her story and recipe at this point had become a legend and the soup is a soothing comfort for brides and their uncertainty for their future. Traditionally made from lentils, what sets this soup apart is the addition of bulgar and cayenne pepper and paprika as ingredients rather than garnishes.

Lentil Soup: Mercimek Çorbasi:
By far, one of the most popular soups consumed by Turks is lentil and for vegetarian travellers, this is a hearty meal because traditional Turkish restaurants serve it in abundance with small side salads and cheese bread. A small sprinkling of garlic pepper, chilli flakes, and/or melted butter is perfect to drizzle as a garnish and add a little extra kick to your taste buds. According to the traditional recipe, the lentils are soaked overnight and cooked for a long time to make it smooth in texture, although modern Turkish housewives favour the ease of a hand blender instead.
Highland Meadows Soup: Yayla Çorbasi:
This soup that might not be to everyone's liking is a strange regional cuisine from the Black Sea region of Turkey, an area that is highly green in landscapes and mountainous, hence giving it the nickname as the highland meadows of Turkey. In this area, traditional farming methods are still used and dairy products are fresh which is ideal since a staple ingredient of this dish is yoghurt. Also including rice and one egg yolk, melted butter and chilli flakes are sprinkled over the top as a garnish but also to add diversity to the range of tastes.

Cabbage Soup: Lahana Çorbası:
Another favourite of the Black sea regional cuisine, Cabbage soup may seem like a boring alternative, but for vegetarians especially, it is one of the tastiest soups thanks to the addition of beans to diversify the taste. Again, traditionally garnished, with paprika and melted butter, you may not see this option on the menu of most local soup kitchens, but it is worth looking on Google for the recipe if you want warming, hearty meals in winter.

Sheep's Head Soup: Kelle Paça Çorbasi:
Travellers from the western world, who long ago, discarded any traditions of making use of every bit of meat, may originally bulk at the idea of eating sheep’s head in a steaming broth, yet it is not as disturbing as it sounds. Originally stemming from the Middle East, this soup is a hot favourite especially for the late night revellers after a drinking session. In the southeastern district of Gaziantep, soup kitchens displaying the head skeleton of a sheep in a window also make a roaring trade from this flavour. The tongue or meat from the shinbones can also be used but is incredibly tender because of the extended boiling time and when combined with the other ingredients of hot chilli flakes, garlic puree and oregano, this soup provides quite a kick.

Tripe Soup: Iskembe Çorbasi:
Once known to the western world as poor man's food, tripe is still highly favoured throughout Turkey and often appears on menus of most soup kitchens. Recipe versions differ from region to region but it is generally agreed that because of the subtle taste of the tripe, a heavy garnish of chilli flakes and garlic is essential for this dish.

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FACTS ABOUT TURKEY:
1. Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, or Kapalı Çarşı, dates to 1455 and was established shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Over the centuries it has grown into a warren of 61 streets lined by more than 3,000 shops and currently occupies a nearly incomprehensible 333,000 square feet. You’ll never possibly be able to explore it all, but that doesn’t keep people from trying — according to Travel + Leisure, the Grand Bazaar was the world’s #1 attraction in 2014, drawing over 91 million people.
2. The signature Ottoman treat is tavuk göğsü, or chicken breast pudding. It’s a strange blend of boiled chicken, milk, and sugar, dusted with cinnamon. And it’s delicious. Look for it on menus across the country.
3. Saint Nicholas was born far from the North Pole, in Patara. And he’s not the only saint with connections to Turkey — the Virgin Mary’s resting place could be near Ephesus, while Saint Paul was from Tarsus in the south. Other Biblical figures include the Prophet Abraham, born in Şanlıurfa. And after the deluge, Noah may have run his ark aground at Mount Ararat.
4. İztuzu Beach, just west of Fethiye, is a major breeding ground for the endangered loggerhead sea turtle. The turtles arrive between May and October, climbing ashore at the exact site of their birth to lay a new generation of eggs. The beach sees around 300 nests dug each year, and government regulations have succeeded in balancing tourism with the need to protect and conserve this precious natural resource. Just down the coast, Patara is the longest beach on the Mediterranean (12 miles of pristine white sand dunes).
5. It’s uncertain where the first tulips were grown, but what is known is that the Ottomans popularized the flower and facilitated their introduction to Europe. A simultaneous export? Tulipmania. The seeds of the world’s first speculative bubble were sown when a Flemish ambassador to the 16th-century court of Süleyman the Magnificent brought back the bulbous flowers to Holland. Other commodities for which Europe owes a debt of gratitude to Turkey are coffee and cherries.
6. The spectacle of two bulky men stripped to the waist, doused with olive oil, and grappling under the hot Thracian sun is a 654-year-old sporting tradition and sight to behold. Camel wrestling tournaments, held throughout the Aegean region in the winter, and bull wrestling near the Black Sea, are also popular.
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“It is not down in any map; true places never are.” – Herman Melville

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Stations of the Cross                                                                                                               1

The 14 Stations of the Cross represent events from Jesus’ passion and death. At each station we use our senses and our imagination to reflect prayerfully upon Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection.

1. Jesus Is Condemned to Death.
Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus to death.

2. Jesus Takes Up His Cross.
Jesus willingly accepts and patiently bears his cross.

3. Jesus Falls the First Time. 
Weakened by torments and by loss of blood, Jesus falls beneath his cross.

4. Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother. 
Jesus meets his mother, Mary, who is filled with grief.

5. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross. 
Soldiers force Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross.

6. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus. 
Veronica steps through the crowd to wipe the face of Jesus.

7. Jesus Falls a Second Time. 
Jesus falls beneath the weight of the cross a second time.

8. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem. 
Jesus tells the women to weep not for him but for themselves and for their children.

9. Jesus Falls the Third Time. 
Weakened almost to the point of death, Jesus falls a third time.

10. Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments.
The soldiers strip Jesus of his garments, treating him as a common criminal.

11. Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross. 
Jesus’ hands and feet are nailed to the cross.

12. Jesus Dies on the Cross. 
After suffering greatly on the cross, Jesus bows his head and dies.

13. Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross. 
The lifeless body of Jesus is tenderly placed in the arms of Mary, his mother.

14. Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb. 
Jesus’ disciples place his body in the tomb.

The closing prayer—sometimes included as a 15th station—reflects on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Stations of the Cross                                                                                                               1

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Turkish language & alphabet: Private tours in Istanbul.

The Turkish alphabet is a modified version of the Latin alphabet and consists of 29 letters. Included are 6 additional letters - ç, ğ, ı, ö, ş, ü - while - q, w, x - are excluded.

Vowels: a, e, ı, i, o, ö, u, ü

Consonants: b, c, ç, d, f, g, ğ, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, ş, t, v, y, z

Turkish belongs to the Altay branch of the Ural-Altaic linguistic family, same as Finnish and Hungarian. It is the westernmost of the Turkic languages spoken across Central Asia and is generally classified as a member of the South-West group, also known as the Oguz group. Other Turkic languages, all of which are closely related, include Azerbaijani (Azeri), Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tatar, Turkmen, Uighur, Uzbek, and many others spoken from the Balkans across Central Asia into northwestern China and southern Siberia. Turkic languages are often grouped with Mongolian and Tungusic languages in the Altaic language family. Strictly speaking, the "Turkish" languages spoken between Mongolia and Turkey should be called Turkic languages, and the term "Turkish" should refer to the language spoken in Turkey alone. It is common practice, however, to refer to all these languages as Turkish, and differentiate them with reference to the geographical area, for example, the Turkish language of Azerbaijan.

Through the span of history, Turks have spread over a wide geographical area, taking their language with them. Turkish speaking people have lived in a wide area stretching from today's Mongolia to the north coast of the Black Sea, the Balkans, East Europe, Anatolia, Iraq and a wide area of northern Africa. Due to the distances involved, various dialects and accents have emerged. Turkish is also the language spoken at home by people who live in the areas that were governed by the Ottoman Empire. For instance, in Bulgaria there are over a million speakers. About 50,000 Turkish speakers live in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. In Cyprus, Turkish is a co-official language (with Greek) where it is spoken as a first language by 19 percent of the population, especially in the North (KKTC). Over 1.5 million speakers are found in Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Greece; over 2.5 million speakers live in Germany (and other northern European countries) where Turks have for many years been "guest workers." About 40,000 Turkish speakers live in the United States.

Turkish has several dialects. The Turkish dialects can be divided into two major groups: Western dialects and Eastern dialects. Of the major Turkish dialects, Danubian appears to be the only member of the Western group. The following dialects make up the Eastern group: Eskisehir, Razgrad, Dinler, Rumelian, Karamanli, Edirne, Gaziantep, and Urfa. There are some other classifications that distinguish the following dialect groups: South-western, Central Anatolia, Eastern, Rumelian, and Kastamonu dialects. Modern standard Turkish is based on the Istanbul dialect of Anatolian.

The history of the language is divided into three main groups, old Turkish (from the 7th to the 13th centuries), mid-Turkish (from the 13th to the 20th) and new Turkish from the 20th century onwards. During the Ottoman Empire period Arabic and Persian words invaded the Turkish language and it consequently became mixed with three different languages. During the Ottoman period which spanned five centuries, the natural development of Turkish was severely hampered. Turkish formed the basis for Ottoman Turkish, the written language of the Ottoman Empire. Ottoman Turkish was basically Turkish in structure, but with a heavy overlay of Arabic and Persian vocabulary and an occasional grammatical influence. Ottoman Turkish co-existed with spoken Turkish, with the latter being considered a "gutter language" and not worthy of study. Ottoman Turkish, and the spoken language were both represented with an Arabic script.

Then there was the "new language" movement started by Kemal Atatürk. In 1928, five years after the proclamation of the Republic, the Arabic alphabet was replaced by the Latin one, which in turn speeded up the movement to rid the language of foreign words. Prior to thereform that introduced the Roman script, Turkish was written in the Arabic script. Up to the fifteenth century the Anatolian Turks used the Uighur script to write Turkish. The Turkish Language Institute (Turk Dil Kurumu) was established in 1932 to carry out linguistic research and contribute to the natural development of the language. As a consequence of these efforts, modern Turkish is a literary and cultural language developing naturally and free of foreign influences. Today literacy rates in Turkey are over 90%.

Like all of the Turkic languages, Turkish is agglutinative, that is, grammatical functions are indicated by adding various suffixes to stems. Separate suffixes on nouns indicate both gender and number, but there is no grammatical gender. Nouns are declined in three declensions with six case endings: nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, locative, and ablative; number is marked by a plural suffix. Verbs agree with their subjects in case and number, and, as in nouns, separate identifiable suffixes perform these functions. The order of elements in a verb form is: verb stem + tense aspect marker + subject affix. There is no definite article; the number "one" may be used as an indefinite article.

Subject-Object-Verb word order in Turkish is a typical Turkic characteristic, but other orders are possible under certain discourse situations. As a SOV language where objects precede the verb, Turkish has post positions rather than prepositions, and relative clauses that precede the verb.

Turkish has 8 vowels, and 21 consonants. It also has Turkic vowel harmony in which the vowels of suffixes must harmonize with the vowels of noun and verb stems; thus, for example, if the stem has a round vowel then the vowel of the suffix must be round, and so on. Stress on words pronounced in isolation is on the final syllable, but in discourse, stress assignment is complicated especially in the verb.

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Surprising Facts About Istanbul
As much for its tourist haunts and delightful way of life, did you know that Istanbul has some quirky facts to its own history?
From tulips to the population to Agatha Christie, there are quite a few facts that will surprise anyone who is not knowledgeable about the large city. Istanbul is the world's top destination in the 2014 Travellers' Choice Destinations awards, voted for by millions of holidaymakers, ahead of Paris, New York, Rome and London.
1. Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles two continents: Asia and Europe.
2. Istanbul, while being the ancient capital of many empires, from Rome to the Ottoman era, it is not the modern capital of Turkey as Ankara is.
3. Istanbul, which used to be known as Constantinople thanks to the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, is built on seven hills to match the seven hills of Rome.
4. Istanbul had 1400 public toilets around the city during the times of the Ottoman Empire while the rest of Europe had none.
5. While not the capital, Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city with more than 13 million people – 99 per cent of which are Muslim.
6. Tulips, the symbol of Holland, originated in Istanbul and were sent from Istanbul to Netherlands.
7. The Grand Bazaar is the biggest old covered bazaar in the world, with over 3.000 shops.
8. British author Agatha Christie wrote her famous novel “Murder on the Orient Express” at Pera Palas Hotel in Istanbul.
9. Istanbul is surrounded by sea, with the Bosphorus cutting right through it. And yet, snow is common in the city, with the annual average being 18 inches.
10. Istanbul has the same population – 14 million and rising – as one of the smallest countries in Europe, Belgium
11. Originally named the Tower of Christ, the Galata Tower was built in 1348 at the apex of fortified walls and was used to house prisoners of war, later became an observatory, but now offers a 360-degree viewing gallery of the city.
12. It has been a noted inspiration for authors from Paul Theroux and Ernest Hemingway to Orhan Pamuk and Abdülhak Sinasi Hisar
13. Istanbul was once renowned as the most crowded city in the world – in 1502.
14. Istanbul has the third oldest subway in the world, built in 1875. It’s 573 meters long and located in the Beyoglu district.
15. Istanbul was the European Cultural Capital City in 2010, but has never hosted the Olympics.Istanbul tours. Tours in Istanbul. Private tours in Istanbul. Private Istanbul tours.

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The Ritual Dance or Sema (Sufism and Dervishes)

The Mevlevi (also spelled as mawlawi) Ritual dance or sema consists of several stages with different meanings:

The first stage, Naat-i Sherif, is a eulogy to the Messenger of Islam and the all Prophets before him, who represent love. To praise them is to acknowledge and praise God Almighty Who created and sent them to humanity as a mercy. This eulogy is followed by a drumbeat (on the kudum) symbolizing the divine command ‘Be’ for the creation of the entire universe.

The Naat-i Sherif is followed by a Taksim, an improvisation on the reed flute or ney. This expresses the divine breath, which gives life to everything.

Then follows the Sultan Veled procession or Devr-i Veled, accompanied by peshrev music; this is a circular, anticlockwise, procession three times around the turning space. The greetings of the semazen, or whirling dervishes, during the procession represent the three stages of knowledge: ilm-al yaqin (received knowledge, gained from others or through study), ayn-al yaqin (knowing by seeing or observing for oneself) and haqq-al yakin (knowledge gained through direct experience, gnosis).

During the Sema itself there are four selams, or musical movements, each with a distinct rhythm. At the beginning, during and close of each selam, the semazen testify to God's existence, unity, majesty and power:

The First Selam represents the human being's birth to truth through feeling and mind. It represents his complete acceptance of his condition as a creature created by God.

The Second Selam expresses the rapture of the human being witnessing the splendor of creation in the face of God's greatness and omnipotence.

The Third Selam is the rapture of dissolving into love and the sacrifice of the mind to love. It is complete submission, unity, and the annihilation of self in the Beloved. This is the state that is known as nirvana in Buddhism and fana fillah in Islam. The next stage in Islamic belief is the state of servanthood represented by the Prophet, who is called God's servant foremost and subsequently His ‘Messenger.’ The aim of Sema is not uncontrolled ecstasy and loss of consciousness, but the realization of submission to God.

In the Fourth Selam, just as the Prophet ascends to the spiritual Throne of Allah and then returns to his task on earth, the whirling dervish, after the ascent of his spiritual journey, returns to his task, to his servanthood. He is a servant of God, of His Books, of His Prophets, of His whole Creation.

This is followed by a recitation from the Qur’an, the Sura (Chapter) Mary on the miracle birth of Jesus and his mission.

At the end, by the salute, the dervish demonstrates again the number ‘1’ in his appearance, arms consciously and humbly crossed, and, by this, the unity of God.

The ceremony ends with a prayer for the peace of the souls of all the Prophets and believers.

After the completion of the Sema, all the dervishes retire silently to their rooms for meditation and further remembrance of God.

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ISTANBUL By Private Istanbul Walking Tours.

Istanbul, also known as Constantinople and Byzantium, is the most populous city in Turkey and the country's economic, cultural, and historic centre. Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling the Bosphorus strait between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its commercial and historical centre lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives on the Asian side. The city is the administrative centre of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality both hosting a population of around 14 million residents. Istanbul is one of the world's most populous cities and ranks as the world's 7th-largest city proper and the largest European city.

Founded under the name of Byzantium on the Sarayburnu promontory around 660 BC, the city developed to become one of the most significant in history. After its reestablishment as Constantinople in 330 CE, it served as an imperial capital for almost 16 centuries, during the Roman and Byzantine (330–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin (1204–1261), and the Ottoman (1453–1922) empires. It was instrumental in the advancement of Christianity during Roman and Byzantine times, before the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 and transformed it into an Islamic stronghold and the seat of the Ottoman Caliphate.

Istanbul's strategic position on the historic Silk Road rail networks to Europe and the Middle East, and the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean have produced a cosmopolitan populace, although less so since the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Overlooked for the new capital Ankara during the interwar period, the city has since regained much of its prominence. The population of the city has increased tenfold since the 1950s, as migrants from across Anatolia have moved in and city limits have expanded to accommodate them. Arts, music, film, and cultural festivals were established at the end of the 20th century and continue to be hosted by the city today. Infrastructure improvements have produced a complex transportation network.

Approximately 12.56 million foreign visitors arrived in Istanbul in 2015, five years after it was named a European Capital of Culture, making the city the world's fifth most popular tourist destination. The city's biggest attraction is its historic centre, partially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its cultural and entertainment hub can be found across the city's natural harbour, the Golden Horn, in the Beyoglu district. Considered a global city, Istanbul has one of the fastest-growing metropolitan economies in the world. It hosts the headquarters of many Turkish companies and media outlets and accounts for more than a quarter of the country's gross domestic product. Hoping to capitalise on its revitalisation and rapid expansion, Istanbul bid for the Summer Olympics five times in twenty years

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