That's why it's important to stake out a place to hang out around 4 o'clock, a refuge with tea or beer and a good view of street life. There, you recharge after a hard day of touring - before a good shower and an evening out.

On a recent trip to Istanbul, I adopted the Ayasofya Kebap House near the little hotel where I was staying in the old Sultan Ahmet quarter. On sunny days, the café's proprietor pushes tables onto the sidewalk and serves cold Turkish beer on tap. And the food is killer - who knew?

As its name implies, the Kebap House is just down the hill from the famous Hagia Sophia, a sixth-century Christian basilica, also known as St. Sofia, with towering domes and dazzling Byzantine frescoes.

But the little café is actually closer to the stunning Blue Mosque - its expansive interior gleaming with millions of blue tiles - built by the Ottomans after they wrested control of what was Constantinople in 1453.

Istanbul is where Islam crashed into Christianity, where the East smacked up against the West and where Asia meets Europe. Every conqueror since before Alexander the Great has come through here. You can feel the history tingling up and down your arms.

Although there is unrest in some Mideastern areas, Turkey is safe. Westerners, particularly Americans, are greeted with warm smiles and the inquiry: Do you know (Utah Jazz forward and Turkish sports hero) Mehmet Okur?

It's about 15 hours in the air from Salt Lake City to Istanbul. But Delta Air Lines' overnight flight to Paris makes the trip relatively easy.

On the flight out, I was informed by a fellow passenger heading for France that I would land in Istanbul during the holy month of Ramadan and everything would be closed.

Boy, was he wrong. Rather than a downtime, Ramadan is the most exciting month in Istanbul. Pilgrims from across Turkey come to pray at the great mosques and, as is the custom, fast until sunset.

Not to worry: For Muslims who aren't so religious and us Christians, the restaurants and shops are open for business.

As sunlight fades, the gardens between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia burgeon with hungry picnickers. The nearby Hippodrome - the ancient oval racetrack - becomes festive, something like the Muslim answer to Carnival, but without the skin and booze.

Come daylight, you awaken to the call for prayer, a five-times-a-day ritual that these Western ears found surprisingly enjoyable.

Within walking distance - or a short taxi ride - of the Hagia Sophia is the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of shops selling just about everything. You can get lost in there for hours.

This is the only warning I would offer about Turkey: Beware of carpet salesmen. They don't take "no" for an answer. But they will disappear if you tell them you've just purchased one of the fantastic hand-woven rugs that, as much as anything, embody Turkish identity and history.

More fun is the Spice Market near the banks of the Golden Horn - the waterway that slices through the European side of Istanbul. The old world scene and its aromas will transport you to ancient times.

For Americans, Turkey is not the cheap vacation it once was - owing to the demise of the dollar - though it still is far less expensive than Europe.

But the best things are always free. Stroll onto the Galata Bridge and watch hundreds of fishermen test their luck. Wander through the winding streets of Sultan Ahmet and watch day-to-day life play out, as it has for centuries.

Istanbul is built on the banks of the Bosporus, which connects the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. An inexpensive ferry ride up the historic channel provides a dazzling view and contrast between the old and the new Istanbul - now populated by some 15 million people.

After all that, you'll want to pull up a chair for a cold Efes beer and an eggplant kebap.

All of it is enough to validate a sojourn to this ancient capital. But the best reason Americans should visit Istanbul is to be swaddled in Turkish hospitality, to drink in the unique culture and see firsthand what beautiful and friendly people inhabit this place.

Westerners, particularly Americans, will come away with a better understanding of Islam, one that isn't menacing but warm and inspiring.

And it's a lot of fun.

csmart@sltrib.com