After a hard day s sightseeing at Istanbul s famous mosques, what could be better than reclining with the locals for a puff at the hookah and copious amounts of apple tea. William Tyree makes like Lewis Carroll s hookah-smoking caterpillar and gets down in a Turkish Wonderland. In the garden, guests recline on kilim pillows, couches and carpets. Backgammon tokens clack in the background.
Attendants come and go with refreshments.
The conversation is soft, yet spirited and the aroma of smoldering fruit is intoxicating. No, just the afternoon scene at Ilesam Lokali, one of Istanbul s charming hookah bars. Just a short walk from the Grand Bazaar, people from all walks of life are enjoying one of Turkey s greatest traditional pleasures. Some toil at crossword puzzles, others study for their classes at nearby Istanbul University. But most come for the company of friends.