I Heart Istanbul

I think back to a time – six years ago, nearly to the day – where I was out with my friends in Canakkale.

It was nearly at the end of our time there and we came across a small shop. It was one of those places that specialised in the “I heart” such and such t-shirts. At this point I had been in Canakkale for three weeks and had fallen completely in love with it. From the rolling hills to our apartment, the cobblestone roads to my school, it held a special place in my heart. I was determined to find a shirt that had “I heart Canakkale” printed on it.

Of course, there were mountains upon mountains of “I heart Istanbul” tees but none of the one I coveted. I searched for quite some time before finally giving up, and settled on the plain, old Istanbul one.

I’d only spent one day in Istanbul, and I was severely jet lagged, so I didn’t have time to see all that I wished. I’d enjoyed it, but it was not Canakkale.

Fast forward six years and I arrive in Istanbul for my second visit. I’m hopeful, as I remember how pleasant I found it. I hope that I haven’t talked Turkey up too much to myself or Dave. I hope that I will enjoy it again.

It doesn’t take long for me to realise that this city is all that I remember and so much more. In a city that nearly the entire population of Australia, with virtually no road rules to be seen or heard of, I feel more relaxed than I have this entire trip. It almost feels like home.

I marvel at the Hagia Sophia and stare in wonder at the colourful mosaic tiles of the Sultan Ahmet Camii (the famous Blue Mosque). We visit the beautiful Topkapi Palace and view the artefacts of the Archaeological Museum. We get lost in the Grand Bazaar, and the equally grand, though not as big, Egyptian (Spice) Bazaar. We eat large quantities of kebabs, and try simit, manti and other delicious Turkish foods. We stop to pat the numerous cats and dogs that roam freely through the streets.

I find it irritating that Turkey in general gets such a bad reputation from the news. I understand that it can be dangerous, but so can cars and cows. Seriously, cows kill more people than bombs. And when you’re standing in the middle of Sultanahmet (the old quarter) in Istanbul, in the park where you have the Blue Mosque on one side of you and the Hagia Sophia on the other, you forget about the danger.

The city is so beautiful, so ancient compared to anything in Australia, and any fear you might have had vanishes. You sit on the terrace of a fancy restaurant, dining on food fit for a king but without the ridiculous price, and you look out over the crystal clear waters of the Marmara Sea, and everything is perfect.

This is Istanbul. If I could say one thing about it, it would be to visit it yourself, and you’ll be amazed.