The first time I went to Turkey was back in 2015. At the time I was in a long distance relationship with a guy who lived abroad. He invited me to meet him in Istanbul whilst he was there on business. Of course I jumped at the chance to go to the Middle East (and see the guy). However, the relationship was a bit hush-hush, as we both worked at the same organization... or so he told me that was the reason. In actuality I'm pretty sure it was because he was in another relationship and trying to keep me a secret. But that's neither here nor there, and I've since rid him from my life and moved on. Anyways, the point of all this is to say that I wasn't able to freely share my experience of Turkey last time I was there, so this time I'm going to share it widely.
Turkey is an absolutely amazing country. The people, the culture, the history, the food, the adventure... it's high on my list of places I'd recommend people to visit. I mean, where else can you have breakfast in Asia and walk to your hammam appointment in Europe, just an hour later?
The last time I was in Turkey I was there for a week. Not a long period of time, but long enough to check out the Syrian border, have a guy decide I wasn't worth the time, and sip a cappuccino in Gaziantep. Either way, it was definitely longer than this time. We had just under 24 hours on layover before the flight back to Canada, but I was determined to make the most of it, cramming in as many sights and Turkish delight as I could.
The flight touched down in Istanbul at 7:00pm. We grabbed an Uber and set off towards the city. The airport is almost an hour drive from Old Town Istanbul, and even longer when your Uber driver isn't five stars. I always have my guard up when jumping into strange vehicles, but oddly enough it didn't phase me too much when we randomly stopped at a convenience store and he told us to wait "one minute." It was more so when I found us in a train lane, backing up into an oncoming train about to ram us from behind, or when we ended up lost down one-way dead end streets. Finally we gave up. I'd lost hope in him ever getting us to the hotel. Instead, we got out and I dragged my backpack 3 blocks, past shops, restaurants, and crowds of people until we found the hotel ourselves.
By this time it was after 9:00pm. Despite being tired, my excitement to become acquainted with this beautiful city again gave me a sudden burst of energy. I had fallen in love with Istanbul last time I was here and I wanted to immerse myself in it once again. Knowing I only had a limited time to explore, I'd positioned us right in the heart of Old town, within walking distance to all the highlights.
I stepped out the front doors of the hotel (making a mental note to grab a coffee in the morning from the cute cafe across the street) and was filled with an overwhelming sense of excitement and joy. Everything was just as perfect as I'd remembered it to be. My navigational skills and spatial memory were still intact, 7 years later. We effortlessly made our way up the trolly hill (the same hill that our Uber driver nearly killed us on 30 minutes prior), past the cafe I remembered sharing a delicious banana nougat dessert at previously, and around the corner in anticipation of the wonder that would soon be before our eyes.
And sure enough, sitting in all their grandeur within Sultanahmet square, was the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque. These are two of the most iconic places of Istanbul, save for maybe the Galata bridge over the Bosphorus, so despite it being quite late in the evening, the square was still busy with crowds of people.
It was getting late, and we still wanted to grab some dinner, so decided we'd check out the Hagia Sofia tonight and the Blue Mosque in the morning, when the lighting was better. The Hagia Sofia has a fascinating history. It was initially built in 537 AD as the largest Christian church in the Eastern Roman Empire, with a brief stint as a Roman Catholic Church. With the 1453 fall of Constantinople to the Ottman Empire, it was converted to a mosque. In 1935, Hagia Sofia was then converted to a museum by the Republic of Turkey (which is how I remembered it to be when I first had the opportunity to explore it). However, much to my surprise, in 2020 it was re-coverted back to the Mosque. As such, it was now open 24 hours a day and allowed visitors to marvel at its expansive grandeur, in between prayers. The wooden floor I once walked over in the large central dome had now been covered with a forest green carpet, allowing for many to bow down in prayer. I remember being fascinated by the combination of Christian and Islamic symbols living in harmony within this building, and although they haven't been completely removed, exquisite paintings and murals with biblical reference were now covered with sheets or Islamic writings. You were also no longer able to ascend the ramp to the upper level, to take in all the detail of this great building. It was a bit disappointing, but things change, which is part of the pleasures of re-discovering a country. Nothing is stagnant. The world changes and so many things change with it.
We left Sultanahmet square and walked west, past the Basicila Cistern (a massive underground water cistern filled with beautiful marble columns, since closed for restoration). After a week of very little alcohol, we wanted a place where we could sit down and enjoy a beer... (we were still on vacation after all!). We opted for the cafe at Kybele Hotel. A brightly painted building with a fun Boho-eclectic vibe. The inside was even cuter than the outside, and judging by the number of people posing for photos with the decor, probably a very popular Instagram spot too. After a couple of beers, and chatting up the waiter who was coincidently due to move to Edmonton in the coming year, we decided to call it a night. As much as I wanted to hit up some of the nightlife, I also wanted to wake up early and experience sunrise over the Bosporus.
So back to the hotel it was.
(Kybele hotel by day (above, left) and decor from the inside (above, right))
One of the reasons I chose the Golden Horn hotel was for the rooftop restaurant that looked out over the Bosporus, towards Europe. We arrived for breakfast well before dawn, hoping to have time to grab a bite to eat and still make it down to the Galata bridge in time for sunrise.
Success.
It was a short downhill walk towards the water, past people on their morning commute, shopkeepers sweeping the sidewalks in front of their stores, early morning run groups, and then finally to the Galata bridge, where the sweet (or not so sweet) smell of fish filled the air. Being a coastal city, seafood is popular here. Which means fishing is as well. The entire length of the Galata bridge, on both sides, were filled with fisherman and their catches. We managed to find a small gap on the east side of the bridge so we could take in sunrise over the water. It was wonderful, even set to the smell of fish. There's something about being present at the start of a day that makes everything seem right. It's calming, peaceful, and gives you a sense of gratitude to be alive. How lucky we are to rise and see another day begin. Especially here, surrounded by the wonders of Turkey.
Next up was Europe, and the Galata tower. We left Asia as we set foot over the bridge, and stepped onto European soil as the bridge ended. The streets were mostly empty, save for a few early morning commuters. We walked up the steep cobblestone streets, in the general direction of where we wanted to go. Galata tower was one of the first places I really saw in Istanbul. I had dinner at the base of the tower, and climbed to the top to see the stunning views after. It was a magical experience, and one that I will still cherish, even though I wish to forget the person whom I was with at the time. It was nice to create new memories here, as the morning light illuminated the tower in front of me to perfection, washing away any negative feelings that lingered.
We crossed back over the bridge and wandered through the Grand Bazaar - an indoor souq of snacks, teas, herbs, clothing, and other market goods. Shop vendors dusted off their goods, while others opened large bags of Haribo candies and emptied them into numerous clear goody bins. I resisted the urge for candy, but couldn't help but buy two cute pairs of princess shoes for M.
The time was ticking, and we still wanted to make it back up to see the Blue Mosque. So we left the souqs and zig-zagged up the streets back to Sultanahmet square, stopping briefly at the cute coffee shop across from our hotel for a flat white to go.
On the outside, the Blue Mosque was every bit as majestic as I remembered it to be.
The columns, domes, and minarets still stood strong, but the scaffolding told me things might look a little different on the inside. I threw my headscarf up, ascending the steps, and was met with true disappointment. I understand that restoration is key to the lasting nature of these great historic monuments, but wished I was able to fully see what was under all the drapes. It was so disappointing to KNOW what was there, but not be able to marvel at it once more.
Oh well, perhaps all the more reason to come back one day and see it again. I descended the make-shift stairs, Quran in hand, and brushed off my disappointment. I was still lucky just to be here. Just to be present. And we only had a couple more hours left. Enough time to do a bit of shopping at a nearby bazaar and head back to the hotel.
Hagia Sophia by daylight (above)
The Blue Mosque (below)
I'd like to say the return ride to the airport was uneventful and our trip ended on a better note than it began, but of course what fun would that be? We cancelled our Uber trip and went with a hotel taxi driver who was "cheaper", "just outside", and only after they assured us we could pay by VISA. Well, he was NOT just outside. And we didn't leave as much of a grace period as we should have. Therefore, we didn't have a lot of extra time to play with. Eventually, after our constant asking and threatening to book an Uber again, the taxi driver showed up. Before we even got in, we made sure, multiple times, that paying with VISA was ok. "Yes of course. VISA is ok. No problem." Perfect. A bit late, but I couldn't imagine anything else could go wrong.
Then, just as soon as we get on to the main road, our taxi driver speaks up, in broken English: "Visa is broken. No problem. Pay cash."
Cue my rage.
I told him to pull over, that we were getting out. We had no cash and had already told him that.
"It's ok. I bring you ATM."
More rage.
"No ATM. Only VISA. Pull over."
So he did... on the middle of a bridge, but didn't let us out.
He waved another taxi over, got out, came back with a VISA machine, and made us pay right then and there.
Raging, but not wanting to get out in the middle of a busy bridge, I chose pre-payment.
Although I was half-expecting him to let us out in some random location or kick us out right then and there, we did eventually make it to the airport with no further incident.
I was actually surprised at how sad I was to leave Turkey. It holds such a special place in my heart, and I wish I was able to spend more time here. I knew the end of my time here also meant the end of my vacation, but as much I didn't want to leave, I also knew I would be going back home to the biggest smile and warmest hug from my daughter. So for that, I guess I can't complain. I got my travel fix in, and it was only fuelling my desire for more.
Now to plan my next trip.... although next time M is coming.
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