On a rainy day in Istanbul, the Monkey braved the heights of the Galata Tower to capture the lovely view back from Galata over the Golden Horn (a waterway splitting the two European sides of Istanbul) toward Sultanahmet, the old imperial center of Constantinople and Istanbul. Three tall structures appear in the distance. Closest to the Monkey is a tower at Topkapi Palace. In the middle is Aya Sofia, and to the right is the Blue Mosque. On the water across the Horn you can just make out the ferry terminals of Eminönü.

The Monkey enjoys a nice hot Turkish coffee in the pleasant atmosphere of the Greek- and Turk-owned Pandeli Restaurant, located in a rather tucked away corner of the Spice Bazaar. Through its territories in the Arab world, particularly today's Egypt and Syria, the Ottoman Empire encountered coffee, a drink consumed mostly by Sufi mystics or at small street stalls. But in cosmopolitan cities like Istanbul and Cairo, coffee became a social drink in and of itself, and the coffeehouse was born. In turn, the Ottoman Empire introduced coffee to various parts of Europe, including places like Vienna and Paris now renowned more for coffee than old Istanbul itself. Turkish coffee, served with cardamom in small cups with the grinds forming a thick sludge at the bottom, is one of the Monkey's favorites.

In Greece, the drink is mysteriously referred to as "Greek coffee", though clearly this has more to do with old ill will than any realistic claim by Greece on the beverage itself. But, as the debate over the name of Macedonia reveals (see Macedonia), the Greeks can be a touch picky about names.

Another view back across the Golden Horn from the Galata Tower, a 14th Century structure built by the Genoese (as in Genoa, Italy), who had been granted the right to colonize the area around the tower in exchange for helping the Byzantines expel the Crusaders during their occupation of Constantinople. The narrow, isolated tower in the center is the firetower of the Istanbul University, while at the right the mixed-height minarets and massive dome of the Suleyman Mosque are easily discerned. For a better view of the Galata Tower itself, visit the Schlepp Travel section.

For many people, the mere mention of Turkey brings to mind the hustle and bustle of the bazaar, an exotic paradise for shoppers (especially those skilled in the art of negotiation). For the Monkey, it was mainly his travelling companions who dragged him along to hunt for funky lamps, hookah pipes, silk scarves, kilims, carpets, jewelry, and the like. The Monkey did exact his revenge in the form of free samples of Lokum, the exotic sweet better known to most as Turkish Delight.

But in keeping with the spirit of Monkey Travel, the Monkey would like to point out that Istanbul's Covered Bazaar, the Kapali Carsi (seen here), is one of the largest of its kind anywhere (it may even be the largest). Inside, it is a frenzied labyrinth of shoppers, hawkers, and colorful goods of all types. The shopkeepers are gifted linguists, at least when it comes to the vocabulary it takes to peddle their wares. The Monkey heard the sellers speak Turkish, English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, and even Bulgarian.

In the covered bazaar, the traders were brisk. One merchant spotted the Monkey posing for this photo and asked the Monkey's photographer how much it would cost to buy the Monkey, assuring the Monkey's photogapher that he could sell the Monkey in no time flat. The Monkey and his photographer politely refused the offer.

At another booth, the Monkey and his photographer asked a merchant how to say "monkey" in Turkish. Confused a bit, the man replied, "You want a monkey? I can probably get you one." After some clarification, the man understood and said the Monkey's name in Turkish was "Majmun." The incident gave a glimpse into the murky world of the illegal trade in animals, thought to be the planet's third largest illicit trade sector after drugs and arms. The Monkey urges you to visit WildAid, an organization fighting to eradicate the illegal animal trade, and consider making a donation to help their work (the Monkey is not affiliated with WildAid but supports their worthy struggle).

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