Make the Most of Ramadan

If, like me, you are one of the lucky ones who are in Istanbul during the month of Ramadan, this place has a flavour all of its own. Istanbul, famous for its lively nights, takes on a completely different face from iftar to sahur.

FESHANE and BEYAZIT SQUARE There are jam-packed Ramadan festivities at Feshane and in Beyazıt Square. Separate areas have been set up, indoors and outdoors. In the indoor areas, alongside shows such as Karagöz and Hacivat and Nasreddin Hodja, there are plenty of spots where you can shop at a discount. Besides religious books there are lots of gifts and souvenirs and places to eat and drink, and while you are visiting the associations’ stands you may well feel like switching mobile network thanks to the GSM companies’ intriguing promotions 🙂

Outdoors there are the classic Ramadan games. You know, the ones where you throw hoops and win toys, or fire a rifle and get prizes according to the points of the balloon you hit…

Portable 3D cinemas have also been set up in four or five places. Five-minute short films are shown in small auditoriums. I rather liked the version they call 8D, with smoke, foam bubbles and pokes from underneath (!). So we have now made Ramadan festivities high-tech as well.

The funfair area is drawing enormous interest. To be honest, I didn’t feel like queuing up to go on any of the rides. But if you have the patience, I recommend it.

EYÜP SULTAN The spiritual atmosphere of Eyüp Sultan has met the crowds. All the shops and restaurants are open until morning. You can find discounted goods everywhere. A ney for 24.5 TL really caught my eye. Ramadan doesn’t seem a bad time to take it up 🙂

Let me say from the start that it is very crowded here too. There is a great deal of traffic. If you don’t have a motorbike, I’d recommend coming by public transport or taxi and walking from where the traffic begins 🙂

FROM IFTAR TO SAHUR We already know there is a wide variety of places for iftar. Many venues are open for sahur as well. Hor Hor, Van Kahvaltı Sofrası in Aksaray and the cafés in Beyazıt Square are places in keeping with the spirit of Ramadan.

For the pleasure of a chat over a nargile at night, there are good options in Tophane and Beyazıt. Çorlulu Ali Paşa Medresesi is tailor-made for Ramadan and nargile.

JAZZ IN RAMADAN If we are not going to compromise on our intellectualism even though it is Ramadan, the Omar Hakim and Trio of OZ concert, part of the Ramazan’da Caz (Jazz in Ramadan) series, is at Santralistanbul tomorrow. With the taste of the Jazz Festival still lingering, it really hit the spot.

IN SHORT Since you haven’t headed south yet, I say make the most of it. For those in other provinces, the municipalities are bound to have put on a programme too; it’s worth having a look.

I love our traditions. Being together with the family at Bayram, without running off on holiday or the like, is one of the lovely things that bind us to one another. If you really want to, then go on holiday as a family, my friend – that’s my humble opinion 🙂