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West Kent Medico - Chirurgical Society

The West Kent Medico-Chirurgical Society Trip to Istanbul

On May 11^th 2007, a party of 40 West Kent members and guests flew to Istanbul for a long weekend to

    celebrate the 150^th Anniversary of the West Kent. The trip was led by the President Dr Mary Mather

    and the Honorary Assistant Treasurer Dr John Wiles. The group stayed at the Yasmak Sultan Hotel,

    ideally placed right in the centre of Istanbul, a short distance from the Topkapi Palace, with great views

    from the rooftop restaurant across Istanbul, especially the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.

The first morning of the trip started early with a coach trip across the Bosphorus Bridge into Asia,

    where the party visited the British Cemetery. About 6000 British servicemen are buried there.

The party then travelled the short distance to the Selimiye Barracks at Scutari (now known as

    Uskudar), which were used as a hospital during the Crimean War. This was where Florence Nightingale

    nursed many thousands of British and Allied soldiers during the period from 1854-1856. The visit

    appropriately took place on May 12^th – Florence Nightingale’s birthday. She would have been 187

    years old, having been born in 1820. She was therefore only 34 years old when she arrived in Istanbul.

After this visit, the group boarded a boat for a cruise along the Bosphorus , finishing back in the

    European part of Istanbul.

The afternoon was spent visiting some of the major sights in Istanbul including the Spice Bazaar, the

    Hippodrome and the Blue Mosque.

The second day began with a walking tour of the Beyoglu and Galata areas of Istanbul, along Istikal

    Caddesi, including a visit to the Armenian Church.

The highlight of the day was a talk given by Professor Yesim Isil Ulman entitled “A Western Physician

    at the Ottoman Court”.

This was followed by a climb up the Galata Tower from the top of which there were magnificent views

    out in all directions across Istanbul.

The rest of the afternoon was spent visiting the magnificent Hagia Sofia mosque. This is one of

    Istanbul’s most imposing sights.

The final event of the day was a visit to a most unusual dancing display of traditional dancing from “The

    Whirling Dervishes” at Istanbul’s Sirkeci Station – the terminus for The Orient Express.

The last full day of the trip began with a visit to the Suleymaniye Mosque and the Suleymaniye Library

    where the group was taken on a guided tour and enjoyed a lecture based on an exhibition of ancient

    medical manuscripts.

The early part of the afternoon was devoted to a visit to The Topkapi Palace, the residence of The

    Ottoman Sultans for almost four centuries.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at leisure in Istanbul. A number of brave members of the party

    went to the Turkish baths (fortunately there is no photographic record of this visit!)

The farewell dinner was held at Sandal Restaurant in Kumpaki, an old fishing port on the Sea of

    Marmara. The group were delighted to be treated to a display of belly-dancing by Dr Maria Butler and

    her sister Christina during the meal, and then by a second display by professional Turkish dancers,

    accompanied by their rather menacing looking musicians/minders. The rather embarrassing

    photographs (last seen in the possession of Mr Graeme Groom) of the Honorary Assistant Archivist

    with the belly-dancer have sadly been mislaid (I hope!).

Dr David Wheeler thanked The President, Dr Mary Mather, for organising the trip and presented her

    with a traditional Turkish porcelain dish as a token of appreciation from the whole group, and also a

    bronze horse.

The party flew home on 15^th May having had a very enjoyable trip. Thanks to Dr Mary Mather and Dr

    John Wiles for organising a very successful weekend.

Dr Alan Thompson

Honorary Assistant Archivist

West Kent Medico-Chirurgical Society