The Rough Guide

The “world famous” Pudding Shop Back in the heady days of the 1960s, when Flower Power ruled and kaftans, Afghan coats and Jesus sandals were seen as serious fashion statements, every right- thinking young person wanted to head east – to “India, maan”. In those days, well before affordable long-haul flights, that meant an arduous overland trip from Europe – via İstanbul. In folk memory at least, the so called Hippy Trail was one long proces- sion of VW camper vans daubed with peace logos and spaced-out hitchhikers wondering whether they were in Brussels or Belgrade. The Pudding Shop (or, to give it its proper name, the Lale (Tulip) Restaurant; see p.190) became the gathering point for those travellers setting out on the most difficult leg of the trail – across Anatolian Turkey and into Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan and to the fabled land of India.