Savoring Edda’s Istanbul by Ann Marie Mershon published in Lale, Magazine of the International Women of Istanbul, November-December, 2009 Edda Renker Weissenbacher, Stambullu, Historian, and lover of life In order to truly know a place, you must savor it: explore, examine, and experience it from the inside out. Millions of people visit Istanbul each year, yet most merely “sample the icing” of this incredible city. One “Stambulu” has spent years exploring her city, wandering its steep cobbled streets, meeting workers and artisans, asking questions, and sipping tea with each new person she met. She shared her findings with friends, and eventually the friends of friends. Edda Renker Weissenbacher is that woman; she has come to know Istanbul from the inside out. Her magical view of the city is now available to the rest of the world in a recent book, Istanbul’s Bazaar District~Backstreet Walking Tours. I met Edda serendipitously when a fellow Koç School teacher suggested I join her for an informal jaunt through the city’s hans with Edda. Though I knew neither of hans nor of Edda, I was hungry to learn about my new city. Oh, my—what a day it was! Edda led us through twisting back streets in and around and behind the Grand Bazaar. “How could she know where she’s going?” I asked, fascinated at each new insight she shared. After more mysterious turns than I could count, she ushered us into the Çuhaci Han—the “gold han”—up narrow worn steps to a tiny attic workshop where a bevy of artisans were setting gems into fine jewelry mounted on waxen “handles”. It was a sight we’d have never seen without Edda (AND—it’s in the book). She explained that a han was once like a city caravansaray, where merchants sojourned at night as they sold their wares in the streets by day. Of course, the hans are now mainly stores and workshops. Edda’s stories transported us back hundreds of years to when these hans, mosques, and bazaars were first built. Our ramble finished atop the 350-year-old roof of the city’s largest han, the Büyük Valide. Seemingly on top of the world, we were treated to a panoramic view of The Golden Horn, The Bosphorous, the Galata Tower, and everything in between. The sun glinted off rooftops and water as we were embraced by a cacophony of muezzins chanting the call to prayer from every corner of the city. “Oh, my! Does it get better than this?” I gasped, goosebumps running up my spine. I knew then that I had truly tasted Istanbul. Edda’s unique back-street perspective of the city brought me to a deeper understanding of the magic that has kept this city vibrant for so many centuries. I wished that more people—tourists, ex-pats, and Turks—could experience this intimate view of Istanbul, so I suggested to Edda that we collaborate on a book of walking tours. To my surprise, she was more than enthusiastic. My writing, photography, and map-making would support Edda’s amazing historical expertise. Nancy Öztürk at Çitlembik Publishing embraced our idea, and we were OFF! The great allure of Edda’s explorations was, not surprisingly, the fascinating people she’d met. As I worked with her, I met them all. She introduced me to Adam Usta, a tall young börekçi who prepares various types of mouth-watering borek, then carries them on his head through the hans at the west end of the bazaar. He has cheese börek for the cheese-lovers, elma börek for those with a sweet tooth, and plainer versions for the stalwarts among us. Edda always arranged for his appearance when she brought people around, clever woman. (And unlike professional tour guides, Edda got no kick-backs. She did it for the sheer joy of sharing Adam’s impressive culinary skills as well as helping him make a living.) One cool, sunny day Edda and I decided to explore a new route to the top of the Sair Han. Once we were on top (we thought), a young man came by with a chicken under his arm, and he began chatting with us. He told us we weren’t quite at the top, but that he could show us where it was. Edda, then 70 years old, agreed. Together with our young friend, we clambered up steep steps and across precarious ledges to experience the very tip-top of the Sair Han. I had on sturdy climbing shoes, but Edda scrambled in her typical thin-soled flats. She absolutely glowed through the entire escapade. We decided not to include this foray in the book for obvious safety reasons. And then, there were the chickens on the roof… Another of my favorites (oh, I have so many!) is a street cobbler, Türan Görgör. He’s incredibly shy (don’t try to take his photo), but this intrepid fellow has an open-air shop located under a tree between the Spice Bazaar and the Süleymaniye Mosque. He has neither walls nor roof, just an umbrella on rainy days and a brazier on cold ones. Edda brought him a pair of her shoes to repair during one of our excursions, though she must have cobblers near her Beyoğlu home. Again, she chooses to support Türan Bey even if it means toting her shoes across the city. That’s Edda. And then there’s Kemal Ocak, who completely renovated the Taş Han near the Laleli Mosque. Another lifelong friendship fostered by Edda’s explorations. We decided that the book needed the added bonus of personal bios of these fascinating people. Each of the four walks includes a number of interesting personalities that you can meet along your way, perhaps to join them for a friendly cup of tea. Check out Edda’s back-street guide. (And remember—I helped her.) These backstreet tours offer an amazing way to savor the magical flavors of Istanbul. Istanbul’s Bazaar Quarter~Backstreet Walking Tours, by Ann Marie Mershon and Edda Renker Weissenbacher, Çitlembik Publishing, 2009. Available in many Istanbul bookstores and from Amazon.com.

Savoring Edda’s Istanbul

by Ann Marie Mershon

published in Lale, Magazine of the International Women of Istanbul, November-December, 2009

Edda Renker Weissenbacher, Stambullu, Historian, and lover of life

In order to truly know a place, you must savor it: explore, examine, and experience it from the inside out. Millions of people visit Istanbul each year, yet most merely “sample the icing” of this incredible city.

One “Stambulu” has spent years exploring her city, wandering its steep cobbled streets, meeting workers and artisans, asking questions, and sipping tea with each new person she met. She shared her findings with friends, and eventually the friends of friends. Edda Renker Weissenbacher is that woman; she has come to know Istanbul from the inside out. Her magical view of the city is now available to the rest of the world in a recent book, Istanbul’s Bazaar District~Backstreet Walking Tours.

I met Edda serendipitously when a fellow Koç School teacher suggested I join her for an informal jaunt through the city’s hans with Edda. Though I knew neither of hans nor of Edda, I was hungry to learn about my new city.

Oh, my—what a day it was! Edda led us through twisting back streets in and around and behind the Grand Bazaar. “How could she know where she’s going?” I asked, fascinated at each new insight she shared. After more mysterious turns than I could count, she ushered us into the Çuhaci Han—the “gold han”—up narrow worn steps to a tiny attic workshop where a bevy of artisans were setting gems into fine jewelry mounted on waxen “handles”. It was a sight we’d have never seen without Edda (AND—it’s in the book). She explained that a han was once like a city caravansaray, where merchants sojourned at night as they sold their wares in the streets by day. Of course, the hans are now mainly stores and workshops. Edda’s stories transported us back hundreds of years to when these hans, mosques, and bazaars were first built.

Our ramble finished atop the 350-year-old roof of the city’s largest han, the Büyük Valide. Seemingly on top of the world, we were treated to a panoramic view of The Golden Horn, The Bosphorous, the Galata Tower, and everything in between. The sun glinted off rooftops and water as we were embraced by a cacophony of muezzins chanting the call to prayer from every corner of the city. “Oh, my! Does it get better than this?” I gasped, goosebumps running up my spine. I knew then that I had truly tasted Istanbul.

Edda’s unique back-street perspective of the city brought me to a deeper understanding of the magic that has kept this city vibrant for so many centuries. I wished that more people—tourists, ex-pats, and Turks—could experience this intimate view of Istanbul, so I suggested to Edda that we collaborate on a book of walking tours. To my surprise, she was more than enthusiastic. My writing, photography, and map-making would support Edda’s amazing historical expertise. Nancy Öztürk at Çitlembik Publishing embraced our idea, and we were OFF!

The great allure of Edda’s explorations was, not surprisingly, the fascinating people she’d met. As I worked with her, I met them all. She introduced me to Adam Usta, a tall young börekçi who prepares various types of mouth-watering borek, then carries them on his head through the hans at the west end of the bazaar. He has cheese börek for the cheese-lovers, elma börek for those with a sweet tooth, and plainer versions for the stalwarts among us. Edda always arranged for his appearance when she brought people around, clever woman. (And unlike professional tour guides, Edda got no kick-backs. She did it for the sheer joy of sharing Adam’s impressive culinary skills as well as helping him make a living.)

One cool, sunny day Edda and I decided to explore a new route to the top of the Sair Han. Once we were on top (we thought), a young man came by with a chicken under his arm, and he began chatting with us. He told us we weren’t quite at the top, but that he could show us where it was. Edda, then 70 years old, agreed. Together with our young friend, we clambered up steep steps and across precarious ledges to experience the very tip-top of the Sair Han. I had on sturdy climbing shoes, but Edda scrambled in her typical thin-soled flats. She absolutely glowed through the entire escapade. We decided not to include this foray in the book for obvious safety reasons. And then, there were the chickens on the roof…

Another of my favorites (oh, I have so many!) is a street cobbler, Türan Görgör. He’s incredibly shy (don’t try to take his photo), but this intrepid fellow has an open-air shop located under a tree between the Spice Bazaar and the Süleymaniye Mosque. He has neither walls nor roof, just an umbrella on rainy days and a brazier on cold ones. Edda brought him a pair of her shoes to repair during one of our excursions, though she must have cobblers near her Beyoğlu home. Again, she chooses to support Türan Bey even if it means toting her shoes across the city. That’s Edda.

And then there’s Kemal Ocak, who completely renovated the Taş Han near the Laleli Mosque. Another lifelong friendship fostered by Edda’s explorations. We decided that the book needed the added bonus of personal bios of these fascinating people. Each of the four walks includes a number of interesting personalities that you can meet along your way, perhaps to join them for a friendly cup of tea.

Check out Edda’s back-street guide. (And remember—I helped her.) These backstreet tours offer an amazing way to savor the magical flavors of Istanbul.

Istanbul’s Bazaar Quarter~Backstreet Walking Tours, by Ann Marie Mershon and Edda Renker Weissenbacher, Çitlembik Publishing, 2009. Available in many Istanbul bookstores and from Amazon.com.