There is too much to be said about Istanbul. Too much history, too many stories, and plenty of mysteries. A good picture is worth a thousand words. Let me just use them to tell the story of the place where history had the best of its dramas, religions flourished to its peak, and cultures clashed then welted together.
Istanbul was called many names, Constantinople, Byzantium, Augusta Antonina, Kostantiniyye. This city was home to even more kinds of people throughout history, all with their own beliefs and interpretations of their beliefs. Throughout the city, you can find traces of all those religions. The mix of religion definitely carved its mark on the young folks nowadays, but in the ways what you think. Under the present political current, Turkey’s young generation I have met has a very light take on religion. Being a majority Muslim country, you will still find many bars populated around bigger Turkish cities. Many young adults think that not adhering to the strict rules of religion, but rather worship in their own ways is equally respectful. Some even think that religion should not be part of life or the future of Turkey. In their words, I sense conflict and confusion but also hope. The west considers Turkey “Oriental,” yet Turkish, especially Western Turkish, considers themselves the Mediterranean or even European. With the mass migration and U.S. sanctions, Turkey and Turkish people have many questions they will need more than a lifetime to answer.
Speaking about the Turkish people, they are not the traveler that you and I think everyone should be. Perhaps because the world usually comes to them, or perhaps exploration is not a culturally appealing concept, the Turkish people I met seldomly travels all around the world. I won’t belittle the fact that visa problems and lack of holidays are obstacles to voyaging. I am more interested in the lack of cultural appetite for leisure voyaging. Here I recall Yuval Noah Harari’s words on the topic that exploration concept is rather Western European and somewhat new to the history of human beings. The result is that many will spend vacation time on seaside cabins or resort.
Where To Stay
The best place to stay while you are in Istanbul is definitely the Sultanahmet district. The majority of the historical sights and delicious food stalls are in Sultanate. Many of them are in a prime location. My hostel was located 200 meters away from the Hagia Sophia and Ca?alo?lu Hamam, 15-minute walk away from the Grand Bazaar. I definitely recommend the hamam experience. Good for your body and mind. Ca?alo?lu Hamam particularly has a long history of visitation of famous individuals. Also, don’t forget to check with your hostel for discount vouchers.
Food (As Always Delivered)
Turkish sweets and coffee are famous all around the world. As one women say, they will usually will bring sweets when visiting friends or relatives because “sweets will bring sweet words.” Thus, we can see the importance of sweets to the locals.
Roman and Constantinople
As the heir of the Roman Empire, the Greek and Latin speaking Orthodox Eastern Empire had seen its Western brother fell and dissolve while the East lasted another millennium. Though the fall to the Ottoman empire changed most of the capital’s layout, you can still find many well-preserved Roman structures and history in Istanbul. If you venture outside of Istanbul, you will have to chance to visit more of them, including Hierapolis and Ephesus.
Flowers and Symbols
Tulip grew in the wild near the Tian Shan mountain ranges but was brought to Istanbul via the Silk Road to be cultivated. From there this flower flourished in history and was subsequently brought to many parts of the world. Many of you probably have heard of the tulip festival in Amsterdam. Being the symbol of the Ottoman Empire and cultivated in Istanbul, the tulip is, no doubt, also best viewed in Istanbul during April and May. Out of sheer luck, I was around during this time, so feasted my eyes to some gorgeous colors of the blossom.
