Strolling through Camekan Sokak
It’s funny how fast the city I live in is changing… Just, as I thought I was grasping the gist of the Tunnel district, I found myself face to face with a new challenge. The Kuledibi Mahallesi has become an extensive neighborhood with so much to do whether you are a local or tourist.
The other day I had some distasteful, but necessary errands around Taksim. After I got those done, I hit the Istiklal Street and walked down until Galatasaray High School, which looks extremely magnificent every time I pass by. There I had to stop for a cup of hot chocolate at Ara Café –the Mexican style is 
unbelievable! Inside the café was extremely full, an unlikely situation at 3 pm, but I did find myself a nice table in the inside.
A little while later, I took off again and further down I went. I had become aware of a fashion festival taking place somewhere around the Galata Tower and I was aiming to find out what it exactly was. I usually take Serdar-i Ekrem Street to reach to the Tower. I like glancing over to the Galata Sarkuteri to check out new food and delicatessen arrivals; and also the window stands of small designer boutiques there. But, this time I walked straight down the Tunnel, past the fruit juice street vendors, variety stores, music stores and the locksmiths etc. As I turned around and into the main square –right below the Tower- I did take a look at the daily menu of Kiva Han –a very good public restaurant. Kiva Han serves no alcohol, but has indeed a fascinating selection of home-cooked, Turkish style meals changing everyday.
A little beyond Kiva Han, I spotted the Festival. It looked more like a fashion bazaar or a kermes, rather than a festival. There were around 10 to 15 tents, each allocated to one designer or a team of designers and there were openly selling their garments to the public at a little more than affordable prices. I did have an eye on the softest, pink overcoat, but had to let it go…
I left the festival and set out for Lastik Pabuc, Istanbul’s latest and only sneaker store. I had made an interview with its owner a little lately (which is available in Turkish on Modablogu) and wanted to check out new sneakers and colors. It has only been three months since their opening and these guys are already selling stuff over to Texas…
Before I could reach Lastik Pabuc however, I was overtaken by the glamorous windows of both Paris Texas and Second Chance… In Second Chance there were amazing vintage bags and dresses, which made me want to have a sleep over there.
After so much amazing clothing items and no shopping bags in my hands (I am on a shopping diet) I stopped by at Cherry Bean Coffee for a cup of Americano. These people brew their own coffee and make their own chocolate and have an amazing and very cute coffee store right next to Lastik Pabuc.
Fortunately, neither Camekan Sokak nor Kuledibi Mahallesi in general are “only fashion” districts. There are also many amazing galleries, ceramic stores and stores selling more oriental stuff. And, so I decided to walk up and down and out and in Camekan Sokak looking at these other stores before hitting further down to Karakoy.
Down at Karakoy, the fish market look seductive. I contemplated a bit on whether to buy fish and eat it there next to the fish market at the artisan fisheries –where they cook your fish for you and hold no grudge against you for coming with your own fish (if you go without your fish, you can still eat fish). Then I decided agains it… Currently, I need to go on all sorts of diet…
You will find on Donuz, everything that is unique to where we have been and where you would want to be. Be it food, be it lodging, be it a special feet massage, a bottle of wine, a person… Be it for 7 days, a day, a week, 36 hours or a single moment. On Donuz, is everything, you will need to make your holidays special. We hope you share with us your experiences.
