STRANGE OLD ISTANBUL
with Pat Yale, author of Following Miss Bell
Pat with the sculpture of Tombili (and a random cat) in Istanbul
Looking for some unusual attractions in Istanbul, Turkey? Look no further.
In this episode, we talk to local expert Pat Yale, author of Following Miss Bell.
After a career in the travel industry, Pat became a Turkey guidebook writer for Lonely Planet. She lived for almost 20 years in a cave house in Cappadocia, but now resides in Istanbul. Her new book Following Miss Bell: Travels Around Turkey in the Footsteps of Gertrude Bell was recently published by Trailblazer.
In this episode you’ll find out…
Which annual festival features men pretending to whip themselves
Where to get the tastiest spit-roasted sheep intestines in the city
Why you should think twice about blowing your nose in Istanbul
…and so much more.
You’ll find all Pat’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com
Follow Pat on x.com/patyale or check out her website: www.patyale.com
You can also buy her book, Following Miss Bell: Travels Around Turkey in the Footsteps of Gertrude Bell, on Trailblazer, Amazon or at your local bookshop
Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk
Listen now
!!! SPOILER ZONE !!!
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Picks of the pod
Here’s a list of all the Strange Old Istanbul suggestions of Pat Yale. Attractions marked with an asterisk (*) are included on the map below.
Strange thing to see in Istanbul: Byzantine reservoir-turned-football stadium* — home of Fatih Karagümrük SK (bonus shoutout: Fildamı reservoir)
Strange thing to do in Istanbul: Pray for good luck at the First of the Month Church*
Strange tradition in Istanbul: Simulated self-flagellation in Ashura Square* (bonus shoutout: Iftar tents during Ramadan)
Strange food in Istanbul: Kokoreç spit-roasted sheep intestines — try it at Ozzie’s* (bonus shoutouts: İşkembe Çorbası tripe soup, Kelle Paça trotter soup)
Strange legend in Istanbul: Kıztaşı column*
Stranger Danger™ in Istanbul: Blowing your nose in public (bonus shoutout: putting your handbag on the floor)
Strange (multi)day trip from Istanbul: Özkonak Underground City, Cappadocia* (bonus shoutout: Hannibal’s Grave in the grounds of BİLGEM)
Straight-up recommendations for Istanbul: The Grand Bazaar walking tour with Monica Fritz, take a ferry on the Bosphorus
Why visit Istanbul now: Things are looking at their best at the moment (thanks to the renovated trams, the new Rumeli Hisarüstü-Aşiyan Füniküler, the reopened Istanbul Modern Art Gallery, the new art gallery ArtIstanbul Feshane, restored Historic Walls of Constantinople), Istanbul Bienal coming in September 2024
Strange sight elsewhere in the world: Catacombe dei Cappuccini in Palermo, Italy
Joe’s end-of-pod pick: Sculpture of Tombili