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Istanbul: Turkey

When I think of a bridge, the thought of connection springs up my mind almost unconsciously. Between Europe and Asia exists such a bridge exists such a bridge; a connection between these two vast continents. Such a connection is indeed is Turkey, more specifically Istanbul. To the south of Istanbul lies the Marmara Sea while to its north is the Black Sea. The Western side of the city is Europe, while to the east is Asia. As a sea port, it is both the closest Asian city to Europe and the closest European city to Asia. With such a strategic geographical location I feel that Istanbul possesses characteristics of both European and Asian cultures. As such the diversity then is richer than is in many parts of the world.

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If I speak about its history, Istanbul has been the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Regardless of its historical dominance and much of the Turkish culture emerging from the city it has not managed to be the country’s capital. Ankara instead is the country’s capital. However, it is from the Ottoman era that European and Ottoman painters established Istanbul as a cultural center.

I came through a cluster of different sorts of people from the east and from the west, of the ancient and the contemporary brings Istanbul to life in a very exciting way. I experienced this in the buildings. I believe mix of advancement in the old looking architecture in the buildings makes the old new again.

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Technology is fused into the ancientness and as such breaks away from the strictly formal modernization that is seen in many cities that are rigidly designed. The mix of ugly and beautiful, depending on one’s perspective of culture is accommodative of many cultures that are represented in the city. This does not necessarily mean that that the modern ways of life is not represented. I was likely to come across the marvel that is Hagia Sophia that has seen it evolve from an Eastern Orthodox cathedral to Roman Cathedral back to an Eastern Orthodox cathedral to a mosque and finally ended up becoming a museum.

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Despite it being a cosmopolitan city composed of populations from all over the world, I noticed that Islam is the dominant religion. What I saw were countless mosques in existence in the city. As such most of the architecture, I was really fascinated by the art and literature of the Muslims. Not only this, I further experienced existence of other religions like Christianity and Judaism also and it is common to come across staunch Jews in the Islamic city. It was really astonishing to see that there existed remarkable tolerance of the other religions as they are allowed to carry out their domestic affairs without interference from the others. For example, religious laws could be applied to the respective courts of the affected parties. However, due to the cosmopolitan nature, the donning of religious garb in public is prohibited by law. At the local coffee shop I was told by the waiter who was wearing pleasing couture that Ottoman invasion Christianity had a hold in the city but, with the Islamic domination that came with the Ottomans, many of them opted for the neighboring countries like Greece.

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If I gossip regarding the geographical existence of Istanbul, there are many sides to this city and it would take more than a lifetime to experience this city. Going into the streets one cannot ignore the sounds and exchanges of sounds that fill the air. It was novel to hear calls from mosques, five time a day, these were the loudest but again being a cosmopolitan city there are other forms of music that one would hear; Asian, European and many more. Much of the vigorous music I heard was when I roamed the local markets.

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As is with most markets, what I see is that pandemonium is the order of the day. In Istanbul going to the market can be a sure way to beat boredom. I had fun in the buying process and it is as if the shop owners relish a bargaining contest with their customers whenever they come into the shops to buy goods. That was literally a different scene for me. The price shouting contests, the back and forth, the almost believable show of a seller refusing to sell the wares until the customer starts walking away is an experience you want to take away with you. What I came across was The Grand Bazaar, which houses thousands of shops, is common with shoppers and it is my opinion that betting companies should consider these exchanges between sellers and buyers as a possible sport.

It is also noticeable of how the shops are arranged in a specialized way where you will find out that a section of the market specializes in selling leather products or ceramics or any other product. Believe it or no, I bought two pairs of the leather shoes.

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Eating out was really an enjoyable confront. Istanbul has a mix of cuisines from the east and the west. One can pick up some tasty pretzels in one of the little red stands along Istiklal Avenue or in any other bakery. Above everything I ate, the dish I enjoyed most was kumpir loaded baked potato with a mix of cheese and butter until it is light and fluffy. One cannot fully experience a city by eating out in fancy hotels. Furthermore, I went in the streets and eat the traditional meals like the bὂrek and at evening I usually go out for a cup of tea while engaging myself in conversations with the locals to get more insight into the city. It would be prudent if took these conversations with a pinch of salt as exaggerations are common.

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Roaming around the streets especially in the Istiklal Avenue would be less stressful for me if I ride the streetcar from one end of the strip to another. It is sure to give you vintage feelings as you look on the people go about their activities. Well if that did not fascinated me, I usually paid for a boat tour, the Bosporus as this would let me see the many points of interest in Istanbul. I rode past the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Rumeli Ruins or the Maiden’s Tower among many other attractions. Not only this, in my opinion walking across the Galata Bridge and watch the locals fishing and selling was one of the memorable scenes for me at the Bosporus. The Basilica Cistern was really an interesting site for me to visit. This underground cistern is indeed a marvelous site. Riding the funicular in the oldest tunnels is a good way to beat the Istanbul hills and give my legs some rest.

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I was surprised when I came to know that Istanbul is also a sporting city. It had extensive list of football clubs and basketball clubs that are professional. If I happen to be around in the right season then I could have found great entertainment as people take the competition into the field. I used to go to see belly dancing to give myself a youthful feeling. Horse racing and chariot racing took me to the Hippodrome of Constantinople.

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All the above make for a city that is so diverse, yet no experience is more fulfilling than that of getting lost and having to find my way back to where I started. Sure getting lost is a scary thought, and rightfully so but if I managed to get back to where I came from then I get that fulfilment that is irreplaceable and unforgettable for especially me.

The above is just a sample of what is of the city of Istanbul. Surely a lot more has been left out and I am anxious to have a look at all that what I missed as it is impossible to put it all down on paper but for me to capture it all I had to be quite adventurous and willing to get out into the Turkish world that is Istanbul.

Works Cited

Boyar Ebru and Fleet Kate. A Social History of Ottoman Istanbul. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 2010. Print.

Freely John. Companion Guide to Istanbul and Around the Marmara. Woodbridge Eng. Companion Guides. 2011. Print.

Reisman Arnold. Turkey’s Modernization: Refugees from Nazism and Ataturk’s Vision. Washington DC. New Academia Publishing, LLC. 2006. Print.

Taylor Jane. Imperial Istanbul: A Traveler’s Guide: Includes Iznik, Bursa and Edirne. New York. Tauris Parke Paperbacks. 2007. Print.