Turkish baths in Istanbul İstanbul'da hamamları

for everybody who who want to steam away the travel grime in Istanbul's famed hamams but confused by the rituals? Here's a simple guide to keeping your cool.
• First, talk to the receptionist (most of them speak English) and decide on the level of treatment you want. DIY wash? Wash with attendant? Oil massage with that? You'll pay the receptionist and they'll take you to a change area, usually your own lockable room, where you'll undress and leave your things.
• 'Undress' means pretty much what you want it to mean. Most hamams have separate steam rooms for men and women. In this situation, men are expected to maintain a certain loin-clothy level of coverage, but women can throw caution, as it were, to the winds. Most Turkish women subtly drape themselves with their cloth when they're not actually bathing, but if you prefer to bask nude no-one will bat much of an eyelid. If you're feeling shy, part or all of a swimsuit is acceptable; if you find yourself in the kind of hamam that has mixed-sex steam rooms and male attendants, it's usual to keep on at least the bottom half of a swimsuit.
• The attendants will give you a cloth (resembling, in most establishments, an over-sized red gingham tea towel). You'll keep this on to travel from the change rooms to the hamam.
• You'll be given some shoes by your attendant - either traditional wooden clogs or fluorescent flip-flops. Stick with 'em. As a surface for pratfalls, only banana skins beat out wet marble.
• Once you've been shepherded into the hamam you'll be left to lounge on the heated marble. In most cases, there'll be a göbektaşı (belly stone), a round central platform where you can loll around like a sunning python. If not, take a seat and lean against the walls. The idea is to sweat, loosening dirt and toxins in preparation for your wash.
• If you're going self-service, follow this up with a loofah-and-soap rub-down and douse yourself with water from the marble basins. If you've forked out for an attendant, they'll catch up with you after you've had a good, 15-minute sweat. You'll be laid down on the edge of the göbektaşı and sluiced with tepid water, then your attendant will take you in hand.
• First up is a dry massage with a kese (rough mitt). Depending on your attendant, this experience can be delicious (a little like being washed by a giant cat) or tumultuous (picture a tornado made of sandpaper). If you get to feeling like a flayed deer, use the international language of charade to bring it down a notch or two.
• Next will be the soap. The attendant will work up an almighty lather with an enormous sponge and squeeze it all over you: it's a bit like taking a bubble bath without the bath. The foam (attar of roses? Asses' milk? Sorry, it's most likely good ole Head 'n' Shoulders) will be worked into every inch of you. Next, more sluicing, followed by a shampoo, and voila, you're clean as a whistle. The shiny kind.
• If you've ordered an oil massage, you'll be ushered into another room for it. You can enjoy different massage ( clasic massage, aroma massage, reflex masage .. ) After the massage, either soap or oil, you're on your own. Many tourists splash-and-dash their way through the hamam experience, leaving immediately after their treatment. Don't be one of them. Hang around. Overheat, cool down with a dousing, and repeat to fade. Let your muscles turn to toffee and your mind go pleasantly elastic. This is what the hamam is really all about.

http://www.turkishhammams.com/index.html
 

Şakirin Mosque

Dear friends i would like to itroduce you wonderful Şakirin Mosque
whch was completed in 2009 The Şakirin Mosque was built in memory of Ibrahim and Semiha Şakir by their children. The mosque’s name is obviously a reflection of the family name but it also has the literal meaning in Arabic of “those who are thankful (to God).” What makes this mosque unlike any other in the country is that the interior design team was led by a woman - Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu -who also happens to be Şakir's grand-niece.
The first impression you have upon entering the mosque is one of light and open space and elegance. Even the women’s area, which is usually a small closed-off area in traditional mosques, is a spacious balcony separated from the rest of the space only by criss-crossing rails to allow the women at prayer a view of the stunning chandelier.
The large asymmetrical chandelier is covered in small suspended glass globes shaped like drops of water. The design references a prayer that Allah’s light should fall on worshippers like rain. The rings of the chandelier also have the 99 names of God written on them. The large windows on three sides of the prayer hall allow sunlight to filter in and are inscribed with gold designs that make them look like pages from the Qur’an. The gracefully curving minbar is made of cream-colored acrylic and is covered with an elegant design of leaves and carnations that represents the universe and looks like calligraphy from a distance. The prominent mihrab is a vibrant turquoise and gold, and was inspired, like the wrought iron grills on the windows, by historical Selçuk patterns.
The outside of the mosque is no less innovative. Its sleek, metallic form and dark grey stones complement and contrast with the light and space inside.
How to Get There:
This mosque is located directly across the street from the Zeynep Kamil Hastanesi bus stop on one of the main roads that run from Üsküdar to Kadıköy. Take the 12A bus from either direction and you will reach it easily. Alternatively, it's a fairly short taxi ride from either Üsküdar or Kadıköy.

My beautiful Istanbul

Istikal caddesi

Dear friends i want to recomended to you walking on the busiest street in Istanbul. You can see there many colorful buildings, chirpy people, feasts, concerts, cinemas… You are in the hearth of Istanbul. It is the most active street of Istanbul and there are numerous shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, book shops on Istiklal Street which is rather crowded at any time of the day and year.
All shops cafes etc are open till late hours.



This street lay between the most popular and busy square of Istanbul, Taksim and Tunel (underground). If you go to Istiklal Street for shopping The Aznavur Arcade, Atlas Arcade and Markiz Arcade are must sees.
 






















While you are walking, also you will be surprised how many small passages seem to be hidden on the way. One of those passages is "Cicek Pasaji" or "Flower passage" on a rococo style erected at 1876 which is famous with its restaurants, fish market and small shops. 

We definitely recommend you to walk on Istiklal Street. This is the best way that you can have an idea on how the Turks live their daily life. Walking ahead you will see the old beautiful red color tram which was renovated and still used. The best thing is walking until the end and taking the tram to come back.













Walking straight just one way without stopping might take around 20 minutes. There is St. Antoine Church on the Istiklal Avenue which is like a haven for everyone to have few silent minutes.