One of the coolest things about using an airplane is the fact that you can use the toilet while flying thousands of feet above the ground. I however don’t find it so cool given that the toilets are annoyingly small and you often feel like the air hostesses are so close and will hear any sound you make and give you that weird look for the rest of the flight.

I therefore always try to avoid those small excuses of toilets by making sure I use the airport restrooms before and after a flight. And it is for this same reason that I almost got lost at the massive Istanbul Ataturk Airport during my first visit to Turkey recently.

After getting off the Turkish Airlines plane, I walked to the restrooms and when I got out I joined a queue that had a passenger I recognised from our flight only to find out later that I was in a queue for those connecting to US and not those stopping in Istanbul. Airports are always confusing since each section resembles another. And it gets more confusing when it is your first time at one as big as Ataturk that handles over 60 million passengers in a year and is ranked 11th busiest airport in the world.

I was part of a team of journalists visiting Turkey courtesy of Turkish Airlines to learn a few things about Turkey the country, Istanbul the city and more importantly, Turkish Airlines as a business entity that operates in Rwanda. And I must say I was blown away by this city called Istanbul on so many levels. Once we were through with immigration we were driven from the airport to the 5 star Radisson Blu Istanbul Atakoy Hotel to freshen up and have lunch.

On our way to the hotel we stopped by Pierre Lotti hill (named after a French novelist who was a frequent visitor to the place) which offers a picturesque view of the Golden Horn and so much more. Several other tourists could be seen taking selfies or buying jewellery while others sat down to enjoy Turkish drinks and foods at the café.

In the evening, we had our dinner by the seaside and I honestly felt the place was built for romantic couples wishing to walk by the seaside watching birds and taking boat rides before settling for some tasty Mediterranean seafood. The fact that we were a group of journalists and not lovers sort of made me feel like we were wasting the place’s ambience if you know what I mean.

Istanbul’s old but standing attractions

The following day, soon after breakfast we turned into real tourists and headed out with this cool tour guide who spoke so well, I was almost tempted to record her voice and use it as a ringtone or something. Anyway she took us around with our first stop being at the Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Bazaar) which has over 85 shops selling spices, Turkish delight and other sweets, jewellery, souvenirs and dried fruits and nuts.

This place was built in 1664 and still stands to this day. This made me think of how we are often so quick to raze down old markets in favour of new glittering malls. Many of the tourist attractions in Istanbul are really old establishments that have been maintained for years. For example from the spice bazaar we stopped by a candy shop that has been in business since 1777.

We also walked to a café where you can be served coffee the same way it has been made for years. Cafes are used a lot as socialisation places especially for the men who can always be seen taking coffee or tea as they chat or read newspapers. We eventually made our way to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque commonly referred to as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles adorning its interior.

Our guide told us that the Turkish population is about 95 per cent Muslim but it is not as strictly religious as other Muslim countries. She told us that that Friday is considered a working day and people only take off time to go for prayers and then resume work. Istanbul is said to have over 2000 mosques and the Blue Mosque is the biggest of all. The mosque was built from 1609 to 1616 and is visited by so many tourists from all over the world.

Another must see attraction in Istanbul is the Basilica Cistern built in the 3rd and 4th centuries which served as a water filtration system for the Great palace of Constantinople and other buildings. The engineering feat of keeping the place open for all these years is nothing but mind-blowing. Outside this place one can even buy boiled or roasted maize (corn) on the streets which are way cleaner than our streets where such an activity is taboo.

One cannot visit Istanbul and leave without checking out the Grand Bazaar which is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with 61 covered streets and over 4000 shops employing about 26,000 people. This huge shopping area attracts between 250,000 to 400,000 visitors daily and is open every day except Sundays and public holidays.

Its construction started in 1455 and it stands strong to this day despite several fires and earthquakes. In this bazaar one is sure to find books, jewellery, clothes, leather goods, carpets, gold bracelets and so much more. It is easy to get lost in this bazaar so it is important to note which gate you used to get in and ask for directions when you want to get out using the same gate.

A city on the move

Istanbul is not only about old things though. There are very many modern shopping malls as well and as you drive around the city you will notice that the people there mainly drive the latest models of cars. The city also has trams and rapid mass transport buses with special lanes. An underwater tunnel is also being built to connect the European and Asian sides of the city. You also can’t miss the palace ruins are you drive around town giving you a feel of the old and new coexisting side by side.

The Bosphorus Strait is straddled with nice hotels and restaurants offering a stunning view of the bridges that connect the European side of Turkey with the Asia side. The European side has most of the historical and commercial attractions while majority of the population resides on the Asian side.

During the last day we visited the headquarters of Turkish airlines and saw their facilities from where they train pilots and airhostesses and stewards. We also had a tour of Do&Co a catering company that handles the catering needs of over 60 national and international airlines and runs Turkish Airlines’ business class lounges. The business and work ethic in these places is something we need in our business schools.

Lessons from Istanbul

Istanbul is a big city with a population of about 14m people but interestingly it gets about the same number of visitors in a year. This place has so many lessons that other countries or cities can pick and implement. I was impressed mainly by how clean the city was and the fact that for all the time I was there I think I only heard one person using his car horn. The road discipline there is quite amazing.

Their huge markets are also impressively clean and it is common to find benches in parks and spaces for people to sit and relax. This reminded me of the time I asked the previous mayor of Kigali why there are no street side benches where one can sit and read book, wait for a friend or simply watch people pass by.

The biggest lesson though remains to be the strategic determination and attention to detail that Turkish Airlines attaches to its business operations. We had a chat with one of the airlines managers but you could tell that he was very well versed with the dynamics of the aviation industry particularly on the African continent where for some reasons airlines struggle to be profitable let alone stay afloat.

With Turkish Airlines operating a flight from Kigali to Istanbul and the Turkish embassy in Kigali now issuing visa to Turkey, one can now visit this place and see for themselves what a marvel it is. To top it up, Turkish Airlines can assist you to arrange your visit with a tour operator. And on your way back, make it a point to use the business class lounge at the Ataturk Airport. Thank me later.