İstiklal Caddesi 4 - Balık Pazar (Fish market)

Down Sahne Sokak, off
İstiklal is the heart of the area's fish market.

İstiklal Caddesi 3

Down one of the side streets just off İstiklal. We used to buy ham and other pork-based products at one of the vendors along here.

İstiklal Caddesi 2 - knife sharpener

A knife sharpener at work.

A stroll down İstiklal Caddesi 1

I love the contrast in this shot between the modernised cafe on the right and the more traditional wooden building on the left.

When we lived in İstanbul, we often used to visit İstiklal Cad on our days off. We used to stroll down here, and stop for lunch, usually at a restaurant called Vesuvio, which served pizzas and Italian food. It seems to have disappeared now.

This was also before the trams were brought back, although it was a pedestrian only street.

Sometimes we went to movies in the cavernous old picture palaces, especially during the Istanbul International Film Festival.

İstiklal means "Independence", so this is Independence Avenue. In former days it was known as the Grand Rue de Pera, and was the place to be seen in European
İstanbul. grandually many of the grand buildings became dilapidated and run down, and decidedly less than salubrious. However, as in many cities, the process of renewal and gentrification has brought new life to
İstiklal Cad. once more.

So, today and in coming days, some of the sights along İstiklal Cad., May 2006.

Coming back

I lived in Istanbul in 1990 - 1991, having previously visited in 1989. This trip back during May 2005 was the first since I left in July 1991. Flying in from Barcelona, the plane travelled the length of the Bosporus and back to Ataturk airport, in the southern part of the city on the European side. It was very emotional flying in to a city I had such good memories of.