In Love with Istanbul

Cruising along the Bosphorous

Sometimes when I travel I feel as if I’ve just lived an entirely different life. Of course, we travel for new experiences and to immerse ourselves in other cultures.

But I mean there are a few instances where I sink into the new place so deeply it feels as if it’s become my whole reality. An inexplicable feeling grabs hold; I’m full with the sense that some part of me belongs even as everything is also foreign and unknown.

Ceiling of the Blue Mosque

On rare occasions – Paris was such a case – this feeling does presage a new life.

It’s been awhile, though, since I’ve felt thus transported.

Well, add Istanbul to the list. I can’t believe I was only there for a week; it felt like its own small lifetime. It helped, I’m sure, that 1) I was with my family so I truly was with people from my “real” life and 2) we had an extraordinary homebase that made us feel like we already had family there.

I don’t usually stay in hotels when I travel. I couchsurf, stay with friends, do apartment swaps – these feel like they put me in closer connection to the true city.

For our reunion, though, I wanted to join my family where they were comfortable and we chose a modest hotel in Sultanahmet in the Old City. We couldn’t have chosen better.

View from Hotel Peninsula

It’s no luxury experience. No. It’s a basic hotel but it has Ruhat at reception who by the end of the week was part of our clan. When I had to move for the final day, in fact (I stayed an extra day alone and the hotel was full), I still used Hotel Peninsula as my base and felt as welcomed as if I lived there. The man who served breakfast each morning literally told me I was family now. He looked as if he was going to give me a hug when I left.

And that’s sort of how the whole week felt: like an intimate, familial gathering – no matter that we were strangers.

We stayed mainly in our area, which, yes, is very touristy. We barely scratched the surface of the big, sprawling city. But when the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar are all a stone’s throw from your hotel, it’s hard to get further out at first – so much to see on every corner!

None of those sites are what did it for me, though. (To tell the truth, I had to flee the Grand Bazaar and felt a bit let down by Topkapi). No, it was the vibe of Istanbul that drew me in. Laid-back, friendly, international, intriguing.

We hopped on a ferry to Asia one day in what has to be the easiest inter-continental commute in the world (and only 1.75 lira to boot). Cats roamed everywhere – over ancient ruins, rooftops, cobblestone streets. The Muslim call to prayer rang out 5 times daily, punctuating time with a strangely beautiful soundtrack.

Business, socializing, wooing were all conducted over tea – I can’t count the number of complimentary cups I was offered.

A grungy, cosy nightclub with a view played French, Spanish, American, Turkish, and gypsy music and a relaxed international crowd (no dress code) got down. Bustling crowds at Taksim Square bristled with energy. This might be the easiest way to say it then: Istanbul is alive.

These were things I knew on paper before going – a city on two continents, an East/West mix, the rich history – but I couldn’t have matched this knowledge to the actual feeling. It’s one of the reasons I try not to have any expectations when I travel. I discover what I discover.

I also know I really like a place even when the weather doesn’t smile on us and I still think it’s great. The last week in April, we had assumed we’d be taking full advantage of the many outdoor terraces and rooftops, sunning ourselves in warm temperatures. Instead, we were bundled up in winter coats for most of the week, though rain kept itself mainly to the hours we were sleeping.

Blue Mosque

When the sun did come out, though, it was glorious. The fact that I liked Istanbul even while wearing long johns under my jeans, though, is a high compliment indeed.

This trip feels like an experience to process and I’ve only just gotten back. So here are a few photos instead as sometimes a photo is worth a thousand words.

Aya Sofya

Graffiti on the Asian side

Lanterns in the Grand Bazaar

Art gallery

Bustling Taksim Square on Friday night

Cat with hookah

Tile wall

The flowers were beautiful. The Tulip Festival had just ended.

Old and new/ruins and renovation

Vintage cars by Aya Sofya

As we drove along the sea to go back to the airport, I had to put my sunglasses on. Yes, the sun had come out and it was lovely. Bright and warm. But it was because my eyes were filling with tears.

This, too, I feel on my most important of travels. If I feel I’ve lived a different life, it also means it’s one I’m not actually living. It’s like getting a small window into other possibilities, opening the door again to wonder. This is what I mean when I say bittersweet. Leaving a new home that is not my home. A touch of sadness, but oh, so much gratitude for the beauty.

Tesekkur ederim, Istanbul. Thank you.

Me in the Blue Mosque

Hotel Peninsula
Adliye Sokak no:6
34400 Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Araf (nightclub)
Istiklal Cadesi balo sokak no: 32
Beyoglu, Istanbul

Istanbul Eats
(I bought this book at the Topkapi Museum shop – lots of nice addresses of good local restaurants)