Istanbul – not Constantinople

Turkey is a long way from Singapore. And despite 97 percent of the country's land mass and approximately 90 percent of Turkey's population being in Asia – it's a stretch to consider Turkey an Asian nation. At least not the Asia represented by Singapore.

A view across the Golden Horn on the European side of Istanbul. The Galata Tower can be seen towering over the city skyline (photo: Imran Ahmed)

Though Singapore and Turkish Airlines offer direct flights covering the almost 9,000 kilometers between Singapore and Istanbul, Gulf carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways offer cheaper fares though with the discomfort of a transit in Dubai and Doha respectively. On this journey I chose Qatar Airways and had a two hour layover in Doha.

Qatar Airways was a good decision. The airline did not disappoint. New planes with good in-flight entertainment options; staff was attentive and available for that cup of tea or glass of water even in the middle of the night (both flights were night flights).

Doha airport? It's a contrast from Dubai airport. Dubai airport is crowded (bustling!) and has started to look tired. Dubai shows its age - it has been a popular air travel hub for several decades. On the contrary, Doha Hamad Airport is (relatively) new. Passengers have some breathing space. Perhaps it's not fair to compare an airport (Doha) which serves 35 million passengers with the third busiest airport (Dubai) in the world serving almost 90 million passengers in 2018?

There's no reaching a destination without a journey … but this post is about my arrival in Istanbul and not my experiences getting to Istanbul.

Crowds of people throng the streets of Kadikoy in the Asian side of Istanbul (photo: Imran Ahmed)

Istanbul, not Constantinople!

More than many cities, Istanbul is a living collection of the multiple civilizations which have owned the city streets over the centuries. Dating from the pre-Christian Roman period to today's Turkish Republic. Physical traces of each civilization are visible around the nation, from Roman ruins to Byzantine churches to Ottoman mosques and everything in between.

However, Istanbul's 'je ne sais quoi' comes from its cultural uniqueness.

By any yardstick, Istanbul is an European city. It has an European feel about it. Yet, the uninitiated may be surprised to hear the Azan or Muslim call to prayer ringing crisply through the air five times daily. Moreover, a glass of wine or beer are easily available at restaurants and cafes around the city. Again, the uninitiated will soon realize it's virtually impossible to find a ham and cheese sandwich in Istanbul. Alcoholic beverages are alright but pig meat is not!

Just as there is more to Istanbul than the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque there is more to Turkey than Istanbul. Stay tuned for more from Turkey. The mystery and adventures in the proverbial Orient are just beginning.

Imran is a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. Imran has lived and worked in several countries during his career as an international banker. He enjoys traveling, especially by train, as a way to feed his curiosity about the world and nurture his interest in photography. He is available on twitter (@grandmoofti); Instagram(@imranahmedsg) and can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.

Karachi, history and Pakistan's mighty Indus River

In Pakistan the mighty Indus River historically nourishes life around the country. To Singaporeans, the river may not be important enough to include in the menu of the zoo's River Safari attractions but it was important enough to spawn the Indus Valley civilization during 3300 - 1300 BC. At its peak, the civilization may have cradled up to five million people - a phenomenal number for its day.

A tributary of the Indus River in Pakistan's norther Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province

However, unlike Singapore where the Singapore River is never far from view, the Indus River is not normally visible from Pakistan's largest city, Karachi. (But then Pakistan is not a kampong, city and nation-state rolled into one entity!)

Fortunately, the Indus River cannot be blamed for the historical aberration, i.e. development of a large metropolis built away from the river's banks.

Karachi is a new city. The city's present population of twenty-three million is a far cry from the Karachi's 500,000 residents in 1947, the year of Pakistan's creation. Sindhis and Baloch, the historical inhabitants of Sindh province of which Karachi is the capital, are now virtually a minority in the province. Surely, this has created tensions between the city's 'old' and the 'new' (sound familiar Singapore?). These stresses will be worked out naturally over time, as a national 'Pakistani' consciousness develops over the course of a few more generations.

But a region's history stays with its people irrespective of their rulers or the color of its passport. Since the 1500s, Pakistan's territories have seen the Mughals, the British and umpteen 'independent' dynasties rule different areas for varying periods of time. Unfortunately for Pakistanis, many parts of Pakistan have historically been 'frontier' regions with violent warfare between different parties almost a part of the cultural landscape. Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, formerly known as the Northwest Frontier Province, and Balochistan are cases in point. Both zones were frequently contested between Delhi and the Afghan / Persian kingdoms respectively.

Some of the warring continues to this day. The ideological battle between militant, bearded Islam and ordinary Pakistanis has spilt much blood during the last decade. While Pakistan's Fashion Week takes place in one part of Karachi, the 'jahil' mullahs' self proclaimed 'enforcers of civilization' attack polio vaccination teams in other parts of the city and country!

The good news: forces of progress and moderation are in the ascendancy while the religious bigots are desperately seeking to hang on to the limited space made available to them through intimidation and threats. The bad news: the physical and ideological battle will continue for years to come. The soil around the Indus River will soak in much more innocent - and not so innocent - blood before the war ends.

The banks of the river Indus are hazy with clouds and dust

Added to it is the fire of war

Kindled by us, we burnt each other

Now that it has spread far and wide

We are too weary to put it out

Poem by Mir Bijar, a 16th century Balochi poet.

Translated from Balochi by Parveen Talpur. 'Footnotes: Selected Verses of Great Poets,' Parveen Talpur. Ferozsons, 2006.

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Imran is a business and management consultant. Through his work at Deodar Advisors and the Deodar Diagnostic, Imran improves profits of regional businesses. He can be reached at imran@deodaradvisors.com.