Soli

'Pera is not a district of Beyoğlu in its current bureaucratic definition.'

'Being from Pera is so much about nostalgia'

A guide by&nbsp;<a fr-original-style="" href="https://instagram.com/kenancruz?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Kenan Cruz Çilli</a>.Hey Istanbulite! As the 17th annual Istanbul Biennial continues to attract visitors from far and wide, we’ve prepared a short list of sites that you can visit alongside key Biennial exhibitions. Check out the list below:Sveti Stefan Bulgarian Church (Balat):&nbsp;Have you ever visited a church made entirely of iron? Well if you haven’t been to Balat, the chances are you haven’t! The Sveti Stefan Bulgarian Church in Balat is one of the only religious structures in the world to be built entirely of iron. Check out this unique structure and be mesmerised by the stunning stained-glass windows in its interior. The church will definitely take you on a trip to the past, showcasing the historic wealth and prosperity of Istanbul’s Bulgarian Orthodox community.Nusretiye Clock Tower (Tophane): The Nusretiye Clock Tower was one of the very first clock towers to be built in the Ottoman Empire. Though it was abandoned for many decades, it was recently restored by a team of experts who uncovered several metres of the tower that had previously been covered in dirt and debris. The tower now stands at the heart of the newly opened water-front Galata Port.The Theodosian Walls (Zeytinburnu): Istanbul’s mighty Theodosian Walls were built over 1500 years ago, safeguarding the city of Constantinople for just over a millennium. Nowadays, the walls remain standing as a true testament to the long and fascinating history of Istanbul. A small section of the walls was recently restored and can now be visited alongside the brand new Visitors’ Centre by Mevlanakapı.Hemdat Israel Synagogue (Yeldeğirmeni):&nbsp;If you watched the hit Netflix series The Club, then you may have wondered where parts of the show were filmed. The Hemdat Israel Synagogue takes you on a journey to another Istanbul with breath-taking plastered walls and ceilings. The synagogue’s name also has a unique story: it was built with permission from the Sultan at the time, Abdulhamit II. The synagogue’s name, Hemdat Israel, roughly translates to “Compassion of the Israelites” – a word-play on the name of the sultan and a symbol of the Jewish community’s gratitude to the sultan.

Aposto Istanbul

An alternative trip for the 17th Istanbul Biennial.  Some tips that you don't know about Sveti Stefan Bulgarian Church, Nusretiye Clock Tower, The Theodosian Walls, and Hemdat Israel Synagogue. 

For places to pair with your trip to the 17th Istanbul Biennal

        

"Being from Pera is as much about nostalgia, respect, and sadness for the past as it is about a great joy of living in the present and an incorrigible optimism for the future."

While Mehmet the 2nd's giant cannons pounded the thick walls of Constantinople, inside the city walls was Emmanouíl Phokás, brooding about what to do. After the Eastern Roman Empire disappeared into the dust of history, he decided to pack his bags and settle in Kefalonia. His children grew up here, his family expanded and he had a grandson, Ioánnis.Back then, the Mediterranean was not big enough for this grandson who learned all the virtues of seafaring at an early age. In order to explore distant seas, he became a protégé in Spain, one of the two greatest maritime powers of the time. He took the name Juan de Fuca and quickly established his own fleet. Atlas and India were not far enough, he went all the way to the Pacific Ocean. One day, he landed on an island. Centuries later, those islands became known as the Vancouver Islands, and the land he set foot in and embarked on a long exploration with his crew became known as Juan de Fuca Trail.As I was preparing our bags for the Juan de Fuca Trail, which Onur and Renata had been insisting we hike since the day we met in Canada, this story was on my mind. I think about the idea of a Greek sailor, whose roots go centuries back to Istanbul, walking in the places he once visited under Spanish patronage. On the other hand, we are in a hurry to figure out how to pack the tens of pieces we have lined up on the floor of the house.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1659527170228.jpeg" style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="1.34" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">The 47-kilometer-long Juan de Fuca trail is a road that mainly passes through the forest and connects to the coast. Although some parts are closed during the day due to the tide, there is no risk of landslides since we are hiking in the spring. But there is another risk that spring brings. Black bears have awakened from their winter-long beauty sleep and there might be mountain lions, or pumas, although it's very rare. For this reason, we carry a bear spray with all our camping equipment. Although if a bear comes, we will either wet ourselves or die of a heart attack, but we still take precautions. "The remedy for the bear is spray, for the puma it’s fighting," Onur warns us as we get ready.One of the most important parts of preparation is food shopping. Since it would be too heavy to carry canned or packaged foods, we prefer dry foods that are specifically prepared for such hikes and can be cooked with only a little bit of hot water. The best thing about going on this type of hike in Canada is the abundance of water resources. It is possible to get clean water from all sources with a small water filter.In the morning, we fill our bags, get in the car, and head towards China Beach, the starting point of Juan de Fuca. On the way, when we stop to buy nuts from a giant supermarket, I can't resist the sausages filled with cheddar and convince Renata and Onur that I will carry them. After 2 hours, we park the car at China Beach. We have a 9-kilometer trail of medium difficulty ahead of us on the first day until we reach Bear Beach. We dive into the forest and start hiking. There is no exit from the trail until 29 kilometers in.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1659528223784.jpeg" style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="1.50" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">First, we reach Mystic Beach, which marks the end of the first two kilometers. We speed up to reach Bear Beach before it gets dark. Even though Onur and I want to stop to take photos of every ray of light or every view we see, Renata takes on the role of troop leader and keeps us on the road. For kilometers, we go up and down on the slightly muddy ground, occasionally slipping. During our breaks, we get strength from the energy gels we have with us. Before sunset, Bear Beach appears at the end of the slope. Although Onur has walked Juan de Fuca before, he is as excited as we are. We finish the first day without any injuries, falls, or bear encounters.When we get to the beach, the first thing we do is figure out where to set up our tents. We calculate the tide. Then we separate our food for that evening and hang the other food on a high branch of a tree in the distance. Normally, there are lockers for food in Canadian National Parks that bears cannot open, but we are too lazy to look for them, so we do it the natural way.Now it's time to make a fire. While Onur takes care of that, I go out to collect firewood. It's a gorgeous sunset. We start watching the sunset when we light the fire and stack the wood. At that moment, the fatigue, the difficult slopes, the stumbles, staggering tree roots, and the fallen logs we had to jump over turn into beautiful memories.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1659527613730.jpeg" style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="0.67" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">When the sun goes down, we start preparing dinner. The sausages we put on sticks start to roast on the fire and we make pasta with them. The playlist that Onur and I spent 3.5 hours preparing before we set off is playing in the background. We translate our favorite Turkish songs for Renata. It's times like these that make me understand the magic of fire and why hunter-gatherer societies worship fire. I almost can't take my eyes off it. We go to bed early because we are tired from the first day and because we will walk the hardest part of the trail the next morning.We wake up early in the morning. After a breakfast of oatmeal and dried sausage, Onur surprises us and takes out a coffee pot and Turkish coffee from his bag. We say, "If today is the hardest, then we shouldn't start walking on this deserted coast of the Pacific without drinking Turkish coffee," and put the coffee pot on the fire. Then we pack the tents, replenish our water stocks and set off.On the second day, our goal is to reach China Beach, 13 km away. There is a climbing and descending trail ahead of us. We plan to complete it in 9 hours. The first part, which is relatively easy in the cool morning, gets harder as the midday heat sets in. The slopes get steeper and the bags get heavier. Moreover, the track becomes increasingly muddy. From time to time we get ankle-deep in mud. As the sun is high in the sky, we find a spot under the shade and take a lunch break.The carbohydrates and energy gummies get the team back on our feet. We continue walking on muddy roads. While Onur and Renata rest for a short while, I start walking alone. The forest takes me in. I get lost in a magnificent symphony. The birds chirping, the sublimity of the forest, and the sunlight seeping through leaves and branches start to carry me. Suddenly the bag on my back, the kilometers I have walked since morning, and the sweat on my body lose their significance. It is as if I am not walking but floating.After a while, Onur and Renata catch me with a smile on my face. We continue on the road together. The last kilometers are quite difficult for all of us. That's why we resort to music. Finally, the sunny China Beach appears as Pink Floyd plays in the background. When we reach the beach, a crispy grin settles on our faces with the completion of the day that we felt would never end. We realize that there is no endless road. They all have an end as long as you stay on the path. We leave the bags and wander around the beach pointlessly.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1659528262009.jpeg" style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="1.50" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Then we find a campsite and pitch our tents. We arrive at the beach earlier than expected, in about 8 hours, so there is still time for the sun to set. So, we set up the tents without hurrying and collect wood for the fire. This time we put the food on top of a big rock in the distance. After soaking our feet in the icy Pacific waters, we light the fire. The sun is setting fast. We prepare dinner.As a luxury service of the hike, we drink Turkish coffee after dinner and feed the fire. Because that evening is Hıdrellez, the old Turkish tradition of celebrating the spring. We tell Renata about Hıdrellez and the effects of shaman culture in our daily lives. On the other hand, I take out the small flask that I had saved for this evening from the bag. We raise a toast to our loved ones we left thousands of kilometers away, who have become stars and are watching us from above, and offer our wishes to Hızır. We look at the dome of the sky above us and remember our smallness in the universe. We jump over the fire as it’s done for Hıdrellez before going to bed and putting out the fire. Before entering the tent, I look at the stars for one last time.

Ruta

A long hike in Vancouver Islands

Bonfire on the Juan de Fuca Trail

Constantinople

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