Granola bar "Turkey Day;" Turkey the country
Well, I spent the majority of my "Turkey Day" (Thanksgiving) day in the new, modern Eindhoven (The Netherlands) airport as my flight to Isanbul was delayed a total of 5 hours. Heck, that's travelling so I wasn't too worried - plus, I'd just bought a nice box of raisin-chocolate granola bars, which I munched on throughout the day!When the plane landed in Istanbul, the majority of the mostly-Turkish passengers started clapping. I knew right then and there that this was going to be a good visit!
After being the last one to get my VISA and passport (due to standing in a series of wrong lines), I accidently boarded a Dutch tour bus and ended up, while not in the entirely opposite direciton to where I wanted to go (my cousin's house), a significant detour. In my favor, this detour involved a tour of Istanbul's most famous sites: the Aya Sofia, Blue Mosque, grand bazaar, etc. I got off at a central area and picked up a taxi, whose driver didn't exactly know where my cousin lived but eventually got there through the help of a series of local vendors (reinforcing what I'd heard previously about this being a "friendly" culture).
Ok, so as fun as these travel details are to relay, I'm going to change my style and just make some declarative statements: after 2 days here, I can say with confidence that Istanbul is my favorite European country (although half of the city is technically in Asia).
I could logically point out the various cultural factors and components which make Istanbul unique or palatable, but at the end of the day I think someone's reaction to a city is just so specific and based on so many past experiences, assumptions, particular experiences, and contextual issues that it's a bit futile to try to verbalize just why Istanbul speaks to me so far.
Part of my positive experience has to do with staying with my wonderful cousin-in-law Alex, and her 4 kids Olivia, Guy, Finn, and Natasha in their INCREDIBLE top-story apartment overlooking the Bosphorous river in a very much alive town 40 mins from the main attractions of Istanbul (not a smack of suburbia to be found). Being with Alex and the children has awakened in me the uber-obvious and basic fact I've known forever: I was put on this earth to have children, and it will be the best and hardest job I will ever have. This re-awakening of this idea has been really refreshing!
I don't have the energy to go into the details (i'm exhausted from too much FUN!) but I promise to write more later. I should add that in addition to going around the northern parts of the city today with Alex and the kids (from a castle to beaches), I also had a lovely walk around the main attractions of town yesterday with my good friend Mike Shafer and his high school buddy Alistair (we rocked the Grand Bazaar and a hookah bar, where i drank lovely apple tea and learned to play Backgammon from Alastair and a few of the bar-workers!).
The city is just ALIVE, that's the only way I can describe it thus far, and in addition to the cultural factors it is absolutely, stunningly beautiful. The mix of old and new just combines for an overwhelming effect. I can't wait to see more! Love to everyone, more later! | posted by Cheryl, 11/26/2005 11:35:00 AM
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