During the afternoon of Thursday, June 12th, I began my journey to the remarkable country of Turkey! My travels would take me to explore the ancient civilizations of the Byzantine, Ottoman, and Hittite empires.

The mid day flight required me to dine at the airport for lunch. In Terminal C at Logan Airport in Boston, where my flight arrived, I was able to find a restaurant that would prepare a spontaneous vegan meal for me. This Legal Seafoods did not offer the veggie box found at their brick and mortar restaurant locations. However, they prepared a delicious veggie stir fry for me made of broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, pineapple, onions, and celery in a light soy sauce over brown rice.

My flight from Boston had a brief layover at JFK Airport in New York City. This gave me some time to stake out the vegan options there. I was impressed by the Cibo shop. They carry quite the variety of vegan snacks, sandwiches, sweets, and munchies!

The tofu wrap looked like a great offering.

The connecting flight from NYC to Istanbul included a dinner time meal. Delta Airlines signifies their vegan option with the letters VGML. This tasty meal was a rice pilaf dish with veggies(corn, peas, string beans, carrots) and a salad with balsamic vinaigrette. A snack of mixed fruit complemented the entree.

After a nine or ten hour flight, we had arrived in Istanbul! I was anxious to walk about town after freshening up at my hotel! My official ten day tour with a local tour company would not start until the following day, so on my first day in town I was free to roam about on my own.

The easiest way to get around is by tram. The stops take you to the popular shopping and restaurant districts and to many of the historic sites. The tram was conveniently located near my hotel in the Old Town Sultanahmet area of Istanbul. Prior to hopping on the tram however, I noticed a street food cart and purchased a corn on the cob to appease my hunger.

The tram went over the Galata bridge from the Old Town to the new. I got off the tram at Karakoy stop for an invigorating uphill walk up multiple steps on a cobblestone path.

The striking Galata Tower appeared sky high on the left side of the road. This medieval tower was once an observation deck for the Ottomans to look for fires in the area. It now houses a restaurant on the top level.

Galata is quite the quaint neighborhood on a hill. The area which sits at the northern shore of the Golden Horn, contained a citadel for protection, built prior to the 15th century. Its many shops, cafes, and restaurants now dot the cobblestone streets and alleys.

Galata is also the home of a mostly vegan restaurant called “EcoIstHan”(EcoIstHan). Apparently, the first level is a restaurant and the upper levels are a hostel. Be sure to ask for directions to this windy alley fairly close to the tower. The restaurant is clean and sleek.

For my first brunch in town, I ordered two vegan quiches: one made with lentils and potatoes, the other with carrot and zucchini. They were really tasty! My beverage selection was a banana and apple smoothie. It was also great! I highly recommend this restaurant EcoIstHan for a wonderful vegan breakfast or brunch in Istanbul.

Strolling past Galata led me to the Beyoglu district. This neighborhood housed many upscale and also touristy gift shops, clothing stores and boutiques, bakeries, and restaurants. I quickly found Giolitti(Giolitti), the ice cream shop that also offered many varieties of vegan fruit sorbet. I purchased a cherry sorbet. What a great vegan treat to enjoy during an afternoon walk!

One can’t help but notice all of the simit food carts along the main street in Beyoglu! Simits are like a Turkish pretzel, soft and chewy and really good! I purchased one and enjoyed it as another afternoon snack! More of this snack to come later!

Along the streets of Beyoglu, musicians sing and play local instruments and perform Turkish dancing!

Food carts of roasted corn and roasted chestnuts also line the main street.

Probably THE most popular Turkish treat is called Lokum or “Turkish Delight”. Numerous shops sell this sweet, as well as shops created to specifically sell this treat only. These little jewels come in many vegan flavors. Just verify with clerk that the flavors you want do not contain honey.

Wandering further up the main street street of the Beyoglu district, it became obvious that Istanbul is a very busy city and popular with throngs of tourists!

Another local staple is freshly squeezed orange juice. It can be found at restaurants with each meal or sold by street vendors. I took advantage of the orange juice cart on the main street in Beyoglu. The juice from the local oranges was superb!

I made my way through the neighborhood and across the alleys and side streets to my restaurant destination:”Kasikci Dede Cig Kofte” (Kasikci Dede Cig Kofte).

This small restaurant with indoor seating has one item on the menu “Cig Kofte”. It is vegan, raw bulgar wheat ‘faux meatballs’, prepared with peppers and tomatoes and served with lettuce and tomatoes in a lavish bread with spicy sauces and olives. It was fabulous and spicy!

Time to walk off my meal and head to the infamous Taksim Square. The square is lined with various gift and food vendors. Standing proudly in the center of the spacious square is the Republic Monument commemorating the founders of the Turkish Republic, including the beloved Ataturk.

Between Taksim Square and Beyoglu, one can find an all vegan shop called “Ecolife Vegan Dukkan”(Ecolife)

This shop carries a generous variety of many vegan foods, snacks and treats, fresh vegetables, faux meats and cheeses, skin care products, house cleansers, make up, and much more.

I purchased some vegan chewy candy that is actually beneficial for teeth.

One never knows what interesting entertainment you can find along the streets of Beyoglu! This fine evening, a parade float of exercise enthusiasts promoting their gym, were doing their rounds on their exercise bikes to the sounds of upbeat pop music. Crowds followed while singing along.

I just had to make one last stop for the night! I found a lokum shop to make a purchase of this tasty treat. My choices were the mint, the rose, and the pomegranate with pistachios. I enjoyed the sweet and fruity flavors! Yummy!

As I was whisked away by the tram back to my hotel area, the sun was setting over the Galata Bridge.

I went to sleep with pleasant memories of my first day in Turkey and feeling excited for the organized sightseeing tour in Istanbul to begin the following day!