Week#23: Croissant & Coffee & More

Karaköy is one of the liveliest, however a bit hidden neighbourhoods. A few years ago, this old port neighbourhood was rather empty, but as days pass by, more and more new bars, restaurants and coffee shops are opening there. It is also one of my favourite breakfast destinations in town. In my #52breakfasts project, I have already written about some of the breakfast places in Karaköy, each one of them special in their own way…. (You can check them here and here.)

….and here comes another one: Karabatak. The name might sound a bit strange, but the birds on their sugar bags will indicate that it actually has a meaning. It means a cormorant (yes, you can thank me for teaching you another not really useful word in Turkish). More then the meaning of its name, I have always been asking myself, why on all of the tables there is the “reserved” sign as it is clearly empty inside. It is difficult to get a table outside, especially when the weather is warm, but inside you will almost always find a free spot.

When it comes to breakfast, the price seems a bit high, but let me tell you a secret: coffee comes with breakfast and it’s included in the price! Finally a place for all the coffee addicts. And besides the coffee, you get also orange juice. And croissant. And cheese. The amount it actually too much for one person (I have tried it!), so I do suggest you share your breakfast with someone.

Adress: Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Mahallesi, Kara Ali Kaptan Sok. No:7, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

Istanbul Marathon Experience & Advices

Istanbul Marathon – the marathon which starts in Asia and finishes in Europe, hence most commonly advertised as the only marathon which connects two continents. This, of course, attracts many runners and most of the local runners are looking forward to the breathtaking views durıng the first few kilometers of the run when  marathon’s course crosses the bridge which connects Asia and Europe. This is as well the only day of the year when one can cross the bridge on foot, other days, the bridge is only opened for traffic.

Crossing the bridge between Asia and Europe

On the other hand, most of the 20 million Istanbul inhabitants do seem to forget each year that this event is taking place in their city. The amnesia seems to be so severe, that after 40 years of organizing this event, a local newspaper had to publish an interesting article with an interesting title: “Who are these people? Where do they find the energy to run on a winter morning at 9 am?” I guess the title itself tells a lot about the popularity and the recognition of the marathon itself in Istanbul. Don’t ask me how do we, runners, find energy and motivation to run (early in the morning, or anytime). It’s difficult to explain it to a non-runner. (I do advice you to try it yourself.) Although there is a small detail in the before mentioned title, which is slightly incorrect and I would like to point it out: Istanbul Marathon is organized on the second Sunday of November and in rare occasions, this means that you will run on a “winter morning”. I do agree that the temperature at the starting point might be much lower than at the finish point, in case of wind crossing the bridge might not be very pleasant, but let me put it this way, the temperature at the start is rarely lower than 10°C and at the finish point can reach up to 20°C.

ABOUT THE RACE

There are 3 courses (Full marathon, 15km and 10km) plus a fun run (8 km, in Turkish advertised ad “people’s walk). Races start at 9:00, 9:15, 9:30 and 9:45 am respectively. (Half marathon takes place in April and has different course.) Registration fees are lower than for other similar events in Europe.

Shuttle buses are organised only from Taksim and Sultanahmet squares and depart rather early (from 7:00-7:30 am). The queue for these buses is long so get ready for standing in line early in the morning. I wish there were more shuttle bus pick up points in the city. It would be awesome if there would be shuttle buses available also on the Asian side of the city (where actually the starting point is located). You can also reach the starting point by taking a taxi or metro. In this case, you might take a 2 or 3km long walk before the start since many of the nearby streets are closed due to security reasons. Don’t forget that if you want to leave your bag at the luggage buses, you must be at the starting point before 8:30 am. Starting points and luggage bus points are not always very visibly marked, so add some extra minutes when calculating how early you have to wake up. Be careful to leave your bag in the correct luggage bus, because finish points of all the races are different.

WHEN ISTANBULITES MEET THE RUNNERS

As mentioned before, many of Istanbulites are not aware of this event, some even complain that the event causes extra traffic, plus due to the race many buses and trams don’t operate or have a different route. Though there are more and more supporters every year along the course (BIG THANKS TO ALL THE CHEER GROUPS!), there are still many people who don’t care about the runners, try to cross the road while runners pass by (be careful)…. you can also run into (literally) person walking in the opposite direction on the bridge just to take that perfect selfie. This year there was even a family having breakfast on the bridge. The only rule here is: expect the unexpected.

The number of runners on the event hasn’t reached 30.000 yet but running is getting more and more popular in Turkey. I do hope that the organisation will improve and that Istanbulites would finally understand that even if they don’t run, they can enjoy the event and that if once a year they give their roads to runners instead of cars, the World won’t end.

You can read more about running in Istanbul here.

Burak ali zakaj so se Slovenke začele učiti turško

V Turčiji so telenovele zelo pribljubljene. Turki pa raje kot tuje, spremljajo domače telenovele. Pred leti pa so jih tudi uspešno začeli ‘izvažati’ v tujino. V Latinski Ameriki na primer, to je v domovini telenovel, so postale tako priljubljene, da so nekateri otroci celo dobili turška imena oziroma imena po junakih telenovel. (Predvidevam, da imamo tudi v Sloveniji kakšno Esmeraldo 🙂 

Imena pa seveda niso edini vpliv, ki ga za seboj pustijo priljubljene serije. Tuji gledalci lahko bližje spoznajo kulturo, jezik, navade in se morda celo odločijo za potovanje v deželo, kjer je bila serija posneta.

Sama sem se turško začela učiti pred nekaj leti, sicer ne zaradi telenovel, ampak zaradi študija. Nekaj osnovih pravil tega jezika in uporabnih izrazov lahko najdete na povezavi: Merhaba! Nasılsın?.

S pomočjo spodnje fotografije junakov serije Moja boš (Kara sevda), pa se lahko naučite še nekaj novih besed. Za lažjo izgovorjavo pa vam priporočam, da si preberete zapis na prej omenjeni povezavi.

In še ena zanimivost. Kaj sploh pomeni Kara Sevda? Črna ljubezen. Tak bi bil dobesedeni prevod. Drugače pa pomeni slepa ljubezen

Week #22: The House Which Never Disapoints

Beşiktaş is one of those places known among the breakfast lovers. You can enjoy your breakfast all day long, especially during the weekends. But more than the so-called Kahvaltıcılar sokağı (Breakfast street), I prefer the House Cafe on the corner of the Akaretler street. Although I always have mixed feelings when it comes to a food quality at the franchised restaurant, The House Cafe never disappoints. I’ve had breakfast at the Beşiktaş branch, if you prefer a good view I do suggest you to stop at their Ortaköy branch, and if you want to stop while shopping, stop at the Teşvikiye/Nişantaşi or the Kanyon branch. There is another one in Taksim, but it’s always suspiciously empty. Prices may vary a few liras. Price per person is about 40tl.

A breakfast for 2 has everything you wish for. I love their poached eggs in vinegar and yoghurt with a jam. Well, I guess it was a jam. Hellim cheese is also quite good, as well as fresh salad. You will be served the unlimited amount of tea during your breakfast. I have to say that the jams and chocolate were too sweet, but everything else was delicious.

Adress: The House Cafe, Vişnezade Mahallesi, Süleyman Seba Cd. No:22 D:4, 34357 Beşiktş.

Week #21: Healthy Choice

In the past 20 weeks, I have tried many different breakfast locations around (and beyond) Istanbul. Even tough breakfasts seem the same, they differ a lot. One of the most important things is the quality of ingredients used for breakfast. Organic olives, homemade jam and butter, homemade bread, special cheese and kaymak… all these ‘details’ make an important difference when it comes to the quality of breakfast. I know that some people care more about a good view and a good-priced breakfast, for me it’s more important to enjoy the food, hence the quality of food and the way it’s served is more important. Of course, if you search for a quality and organic food, you will pay at least 40 tl per person for a breakfast (in Istanbul).

 

 

One downside of a big Turkish breakfast is that you literally can go back to sleep after having it. I’ve noticed that especially the sweets and fried boreks or potatoes served with the breakfast make me sleepy. This is one of the reasons why I was searching for a less sweet and fried alternative. A few weeks ago I found a very cheesy breakfast place in Cihangir, which can be a good option if you want less sweet breakfast. Another option is a self-service type of breakfast at Plus Kitchen. This week I have tried a place in Karaköy which do serve a full Turkish breakfast, but the jams are far less sweet than usual and many things they serve are homemade, like homemade borek and gözleme, homemade pogaca, etc. Jams are sugarfree. Turkish breakfast for 2 people (or even for 3) costs 80tl, 2 çays/person are included in the price.

 

What differs this breakfast from other ‘serpme’ style breakfasts is that they don’t serve everything at the time. Which makes things more exciting and you never know what kind of deliciousness will come from the kitchen. One of my favourite parts of the breakfast was yoghurt (they serve it first), a breakfast salad and home baked pastries.

 

Besides the usual Turkish breakfast, they also serve porridge, omelettes etc.

 

Adress: Necko, Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Mahallesi,Mumhane Cd., 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

 

 

 

 

 

Living Abroad: Something No One Told You

There is no secret that people have been leaving their hometowns and countries since the beginning of time. In the last decades, travelling and therefore leaving one’s country has become much easier and more affordable. That is why more and more people move abroad for different reasons. Most people that move abroad because they want to (not because they are forced), do that because of better job opportunities, love, search for adventures and new experiences, etc.

Moving abroad usually involves leaving people and places behind you. Sometimes the decision is or at least seems pretty simple, other times it’s quite difficult to leave your ‘old’ life, friend, places and habits behind and buy that one-way ticket and leave. It is even more difficult if you go alone and to a place where you don’t even speak a local language. But this kind of decisions, very difficult at first, tend to turn out the best decision at the end. (However, you can never really predict the future, can you?)

When you leave and settle in a new country, you soon learn many new things about yourself, a new place, you make plenty of new friends, find a new job, explore new places, etc. In my experience, it takes about a year that all pieces fall to its place. Though there are always ups and downs, but hey, this is life. People at home, usually don’t see the struggle, just the nice photos and a ‘good life’ their crazy friend is living abroad. No matter how bad or good the life aborad actually is, here are some unpredictable struggles awaiting for you.

1. You will be alone.

This thing isn’t necessarily bad if you know how to enjoy your own company. Sometimes you will also feel alone and lonely. This might actually be a blessing in disguise because it will encourage you to meet new people. Some of these will stay acquaintances, others might become real friends. The downside of leaving abroad is that you will have to cope with many things on your own (at least at the beginning), meaning dealing with bureaucracy, being alone while being sick, etc. 

2. You will be misunderstood.

The spoken language is not the biggest language, I mean in 2018 everyone can use a translation app, body language and gestures can actually cause more problems. As well as ‘unwritten rules’ of how to behave and react in certain circumstances. It takes time to immerse in a foreign culture.

3. There will be many farewells.

Just when you will start to feel comfortable and make many new friends, some of them will leave the city or country. I guess June is one of those ‘expat farewell’ seasons. Farewells become a bit easier to cope with after years, but you never really get used to them. Your skin will get thicker, or you will develop somewhat a defence mechanism. If most of your friends are students or been sent to a country by a company for 3-4 years, then you are especially lucky, because you will lose many friends at the time.

4. You will have to start over many times.

This one is related to farewells. A farewell always means time to start over. Sometimes you are leaving, sometimes others. Even if you are the one saying goodbye, returning back home after several years of living abroad is not very easy. Sometimes it feels like rereading a chapter of an old book, that you thought you have completed years ago… but now with different lenses.

Don’t worry, it’s not so bad after all. If you want to go, just go and explore the world. On the way, you will learn a lot, make a lot of friends, memories… But do remember, a Foreign Land is not always the land of milk and honey.

Week #20: Home, Sweet Home

Let’s face it, Turkish breakfast tradition is great, but there is no way you could afford to follow it on a daily basis. It takes time and money to prepare it and then eat it. So here is what I actually have for breakfast on a regular working day, that means on a day when I don’t buy simit on my way to work. It’s very simple and makes you full for hours. It’s porridge.

I guess I have this yearly breakfast obsession. Last year it was avocado toast, this year I switched to porridge. Here is the recipe:

– 5 spoons of oat cereals (big spoons)
– 3/4 of a mug of liquid (I mix 4/5 of water and 1/5 of milk)
– cinnamon
– a drop of coconut oil (it makes you feel full for a longer period of time)

Cook it for about 10-15 minutes. Basically, until it boils and additional 5 minutes. If you want you porridge to be more liquidy, then boil it longer. You can also add more liquids. Instead of water, you can also use milk.

After it’s cooked, decorate it according to your taste. I like to add frozen fruits (sour cherries, berries, etc.) and grape molasses. Molasses will add a sweet taste. Instead of it, you can also add peanut butter, cocoa, etc.

If you live in Turkey, I recommend you molasses City Farm and for peanut butter, Bella Pury Butter. It has no added sugar.

Afiyet olsun!

Week #19: Meloon

Istanbul keeps on surprising me. Every neighbourhood has its own vibes, its own face… Every time you think you’ve figured Istanbul out, it just smiles and you and shows you yet another face. This happens to me every time I go to the Asian side of Istanbul, which, as I have always lived in the European part, is not as familiar to me. Koşyolu is one of those nice neighbourhoods I still need to explore more and which gives you this feeling of not being in Istanbul but somewhere else. It’s greener, quieter and pretty nice. Have you ever had a breakfast there? Me, no, until I went to Meloon.

Prices are a bit higher, but the food tastes amazing. Tea is not included in the breakfast, but (especially in a hot weather) do try their lemonade and fresh juices. If you are not very hungry share the breakfast plate among 2 people. On the other hand, besides the fixed breakfast menu, you can also create your own breakfast plate.

Adress: Koşuyolu Mahallesi, no:a, Muhittin Üstündağ Sk. No:63, 34178 Kadıköy/İstanbul

Week 18: You Don’t Need a Passport For This Trip

Do you need an inspiration for your next travel? Are you on a budget but still want to enjoy your Turkish breakfast experience with a nice view?

Then this is a place for you. Centric, very affordable and with a Bosphorus view. This breakfast place is big enough for big groups as well. And it’s called Varuna Gezgin.

Serpme breakfast costs only 15tl per person, however, drinks have to be purchased separately. If you are on a budget, you can have Student breakfast for only 8tl. You can also buy a breakfast for a person in need.

(Check the menu below.)

Adress: Varuna Gezgin, Şahkulu Mahallesi, Kumbaracı Ykş. No:79, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

Week 17: Love from Beirut

In this week of my #52breakfasts challenge, I will take you on a journey to Beirut, Lebanon. Instead of a Turkish breakfast culture, let’s indulge into a Lebanese breakfast culture. This has been my first visit to Beirut and I’ve spent there just a few days, so I didn’t really have much time to discover breakfast places, but I was lucky to visit some very nice restaurants around the city.

A typical Lebanese breakfast is made of labneh cheese sprinkled with some olive oil, za’atar (there actually exist different mixes of za’atar. I prefer the one which looks a bit more green), mankouche, eggs, veggies and fresh mint, fateh, pit bread, eggs, falafel & hummus. You can add some other types of cheese, yoghurt, etc. Breakfast can be accompanied by tea, coffee or a fruit juice. It has almost nothing in common with a typical Turkish breakfast, except that is huge and will keep you full for a long time.

Now that you know what to eat, let’s check where to eat.

I was really happy with the breakfast served in my hotel – The Grand Meshmosh Hotel. You can book it here and even get a discount.

Breakfast or Brunch at Enab

Another place, that I would suggest you is located in Mar Mikhail neighbourhood. The restaurant is called Enab. They have a nice garden where you can enjoy traditional Lebanese food. You can try delicious cheeses, tabbuleh and refresh yourself with minty lemonade.

The third option is breakfast with the sea view. As Beirut lies by the sea, there are plenty of restaurants where you can enjoy a nice view while eating delicious Lebanese food. The local running crew, Beirun, invited me to a delicious breakfast with a sea view – Beit Ward. The restaurant is not located in a city centre, but not very far either.

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