Thanks for all the recommendations, girls and guys. I am heading to Turkey next week. I really can't wait, i will share details and pics later this month.

Allah Hafiz
Amer

thanks wanderlust..great suggestions!

salaams

ahhh...turkey...what an awesome place. been there 3 times and can never have enough of the place.

spent time in istanbul, konya and bursa...u might wanna consider a day trip to bursa, go up the mountain in the cable car, walk thru the silk market nibbling on pumpkin seeds that make ur lips white with the salt.

was in konya for a conference, so was fortunate enough to see the whirling dervishes at the tomb of mevlana rumi.

in istanbul, make sure u have a good pair of walking shoes, lotsa memory space/film on ur camera and batteries that last. eat at roadside stalls selling traditional turkish 'fast food', drink cherry juice, the various flavours of tea served in lil glasses wif cubes of sugar (free tea always served when u visit carpet shops...even if u're not buying anything). take a boat ride along the bosphorous, eat roasted chestnuts bought along the boat terminals, oh yeah...and the mussles wif rice are yummy too :) don't give up the opportunity to eat freshly grilled fish, served on huge pieces of bread and a slice of lemon (off boats on the bosphorous.

visit the blue mosque...watch the light and sound show whilst eating popcorn popped over an open flame. spend a day at topkapi and endless hours walking thru the grand and egyptian bazaar's, where u can sample yummy turkish delight ;) oh and watching them stretch and throw and mold the ice-cream is awesome as well.

the sultan ahmet area is buzzing. the place around the university is also worth visiting...all in the same area. turkish gals are just about as good looking as the turkish men...lol.

use the trams and the ferries and just soak in everybit of your turkish experience...and don't forget to bargain in the bazaar's!!!

enjoy :)

Kashif,

Appreciate the insights.. Thanks man.

Amer

Hey Amer,

i was in Istanbul a couple of years ago in winter, but it was still a pretty interesting city. Aside from all the good stuff already mentioned don't miss the Cisterns - sort of Roman caverns meant to act as reservoirs. There are two, one still with water in it (has a cool cafe down there as well) and one that functions as a restaurant close to the cenotaph. I stayed at a place called Hote Acura, which had clean rooms and a good breakfast. If you stay in the sultanamet ask for a room up high with a view of the blue mosque or of the bosphorus (i got lucky and had both). Also in istanbul was the only baroque mosque the Ortakoy and the genoa tower which is a long climb but give good views of the city. Good luck,
Kashif

thanks everyone..great info!!

here's my post on Istanbul. I hope you like it. let me know if you have any questions. if the link does not work then just go to my journls and then Istanbul.
www2.naseeb.com

must have:
Lonely planet Istanbul
A good map
good walking shoes
and of course a good camera

Places to stay:
Sutanahmet area (I stayed in Hotel Sarnic, a block away from blue mosque)

must do or see:
Blue Mosque (fajr prayer is an amazing experience)
Aya Sofia
Topkapi Palace
Bosphorus Boat ride
Grand Bazar
New Mosque
Sleymania mosque

must eat or drink (or smoke):
tea, tea, tea.. (apple cider my fav) - locals normally do not drink turkish coffee
endless kabobs...
nergilli (sheesha)...

don't forget to visit sainte Sophie, and the Blue mosque... i also visited a Masjid of a Turkish sect...i don't remember the name...thought there wer the DROUZ... i remember that there was a box and it was said that it contains the Prophet's (PBUH)beard....

salams,

i visited Turkey with a group of friends for 2 weeks... the first week was a tour and visited places like Pammukkale, Cappadoce, Ephese, 2 days in Istambul...and other stops in smaller cities, i don't remember the names, but the building and their history was interesting... The First week was quite hard because we had to wake up early...and sometimes we felt asleep just after having diner... The second week was a relaxing one, in a nice hotel... near Kusadasi...

excellent..sounds like you had a great time..appreciate the comments!!

i've been to istanbul a few years back and had a great time there even though it was winter. i must admit, we had a few dodgy moments there but i think it was because i was in an all female group. you should not encounter the same problems as we did.

we stayed in sultanahmed which is the 'old' town and the place to be. you must go and see 'blue mosque' and 'topkapi museum'. go for a ride on the bosphorus too...