Biking in Istanbul

There are still a lot of places I want to go but I've been busy with business and mundane things. It seems like I only escape from Beyoglu when I have to go to Levent to the printer. By the way, the book I've been doing the design and layout for is done. It is supposed to be printed on Monday (although I believe it will be delayed (note: May 14. It was and now should be printed by this Thursday...). The book is a guide for the Bosphorus cruise. I think I'll write the sequel, a guide to Istanbul by bike. Yes, in the past week I've become one of the two wheeled pioneers of Istanbul, braving clouds of exaust, insane taxi, dolmus and bus drivers, terrible streets and the deadly hills which must be climbed to get to or from anywhere. Roshan kept his promise and made me a really swank bike. It is dark blue, light weight and all the parts not only work but work well! Naturally, once he finished it, there was a week of rain. Finally, last Sunday the sun decided to grace us with its presence.

Challenge #1: We live on the 4th floor of a building with a rather tight spiral staircase. The bikes had to be carried down. It turns out that this is easier than attempting to roll them down as I first tried. Once we got out of the apartment we walked the bikes up the steep slope next to the apartment. Roshan fielded questions from curious children while I sleekly got my shoelace caught in the chain and nearly fell over. After I retied my shoes we were ready to begin the first hill (a small one) on our way to Taksim. To my surprise, this was possible. The other bikes I've ridden usually get to a point where they wont move, even if Ijump up and down on the pedals with all my weight. Breathless, I followed Roshan to the square and was faced by Challenge #2: traffic. We made it through Taksim and started down the hill to the shore road. "I am going to have to climb back up this when I return!" was all I could think of as I sped down using SILENT BRAKES. The traffic did not thin out on the coast. The coast road is flat but riding it is exausting. The road is filled with cars both parked and moving. Busses and Dolmuses suddenly pull to the curb to pick up passengers. No one uses signals. Also, people aren't used to bikes. Generally, if drivers see a pedestrian they honk as they go past (assuming, possibly, pedestrians are as unattentive as the are). When they see a bike, they start honking about a block before they reach you and then keep honking a a bit longer for good measure. Roshan kept shouting out warnings, "Watch out for the parked cars! They open their doors without looking!" We stopped for a break under the Ortaköy bridge and then continued on to Emirgan. In Emirgan, one of Roshan's biking friends passed us (in a car). He was on his way to a park in Emirgan where he could bike without having to deal with the traffic. We agreed to meet him there. I struggled and panted my way up to the entrance of the park. I looked in. The whole park was shaded by tall trees. It looked lovely except that it was all UPHILL. I told Roshan there was no way I could do that (and still make it back to Taksim). We turned around and headed back. We stopped for breakfast in Bebek. Greasy cheese and sausage pastrys. As we biked out of the park, a little girl went running to her pink bike and jumped on to join us. She decided we were going too fast (and her mother decided we were going too far). We bid her good day and got back on the road.

Challenge #3: Past Dolmabahce, we reached the foot of the dreaded hill up to Taksim. It wasn't as steep as I thought it would be but it certainly was long. I gradually shifted my gears all the way down until I was amazed that I was going anywhere. Since Roshan is much better at this biking stuff, he took the opportunity to photograph me in my misery. We eventually made it back home. But I didn't get to relax yet. Challenge #4: Ahead of us were 4 flights of spiral stairs. Somehow we had to get the bikes up again. Roshan lifted his bike over one shoulder and carried it up. I followed, relieved that we hadn't decided to just buy one of the cheap heavy bikes they had at the store.