Former Greek PM spotted in Istanbul's popular Cihangir
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Hürriyet photo
Former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou was recently seen in a cafe in Istanbul’s Cihangir neighborhood following great international reviews about the place, according to daily Hürriyet columnist Cengiz Semercioğlu.Papandreou and his wife appeared in Cihangir with maps and directions in hand in search of the specific café, which was mentioned several months ago in a Guardian review of the area.
The couple took photos of the café and dined there for about two hours, Semercioğlu said.
The Papandreous wanted to sit outside at first but were stopped due to the recent ban on outside restaurant tables that caused great debate last year.
The management explained to the couple that they have to be seated inside, and the lunch continued with no further troubles. At the end of the meal, the former prime minister shook everyone's hands and invited them to Athens, Semercioğlu wrote in his column.
Beyoğlu Municipality removed outdoor tables and chairs in summer last year in raids that caused great protests at the time. The then upcoming religious month of Ramadan was cited by some media reports as the true motive behind the move, while the municipality claimed complaints by the locals were the major cause.
