The Charm of Istanbul (Part I)

The old world charm creates a mystique that makes Istanbul feel just out of reach but still thrilling. It's a bewitching city. With history around every corner and the smell of roasted chestnuts and döner kebap enveloping me, my senses are both delighted and overwhelmed. The density of buildings, the cacophony of honking horns, and the incessant humming of foot traffic make the city lively while the colorful patterns, the aging cobblestone and brick streets, and the melancholy call to prayer deliver boundless glimpses of beauty and culture in this formidable yet coquettish city.

We arrive in Istanbul on a partly sunny, warm day in October 2023. The airport is humming with steady arrivals and departures. We typically use public transportation from the airport to our location. In this instance, however, we previously arranged for a car service ($50 USD). As we find our way to the correct exit, we are greeted by a man who works for the car company. He quickly texts his colleague and assures us that the car will arrive within the next 10 minutes. He then ushers us to the lower floor of the airport where we enter a leather-interior, incredibly comfortable private transport van. We speed down the highway, encountering little traffic. The lush greenery swooshes past us as we head towards the city. The driver is skillful and weaves carefully between cars to keep steady momentum. The rhythm becomes meditative, and I nearly fall asleep during the hour long journey to our Airbnb.

Deezy and I quietly discuss a gratuity. I tend to be a generous tipper; whereas, Deezy is more pragmatic. He jumps on his phone and does a little research about cost of living. Then calculates it against the actual cost of the transport. From there, he lands on a fair percentage as a tip and sets aside the money in US dollars. (USD preferred as the Turkish lira is quite volatile.)

At the AirBnB, we are greeted by one of the hosts. We enter into a beautiful, historic building and climb the winding wooden steps until we reach the apartment that would become our home for the next five weeks. Located in the center of the Galata district, it is in the heart of everything, but still quiet and secure. The metro is located next door (literally less than a 3o second walk from door to metro entrance), but the the metro traffic heads in the opposite direction so noise is never a problem. The apartment itself is bright, airy, and comfortable, and the hosts equally delightful. Quite a lovely stay!

We are a 1-minute walk to the main tourist road, a 5-minute walk to the Galata Tower, a 13-minute walk to Taksim Square, and a 30- to 40-minute walk to Nişantaşı. It's the ideal location for short-term, first-time visitors to Istanbul.

When we arrive in "our neighborhood," we immediately notice the hill on which the Galata district is perched. This means that every time we venture into old town, we get to do a "hills workout." The streets are paved with uneven bricks with few defined sidewalks. To get to the Bosporus River (Strait), we meander through an intricate network of side streets and alleyways, typically walking in the street. There is a well-developed web of businesses in the alleys - electronics, lighting, masonry, furniture, plumbing, appliances - and it appears to be exclusive to men. I actually question aloud whether a woman has ever walked in this section of Istanbul; the stares I get are endless. Despite it being the less traditional route to the river and the old city, for the remainder of the trip, we continue to take these backroads and alleys to avoid crowds and explore the city in a lesser tourist fashion.

The call to prayer is a soothing and predictable event. For non-Muslims, you can find the calendar on many websites like this one showing times for call to prayer, based upon the day, season, or year. It becomes a part of daily life and one that adds to the overall feel of the city. (And the early morning call to prayer never disturbed my sleep throughout the whole trip.) As the competing calls fill the air on schedule, everyone continues in their daily routine.

While Türkiye became asecular country 100 years ago (thus, the centennial celebration), it feels quite religious with at least one mosque in every neighborhood and traditional garb worn by a majority of people. It's a location that has attracted visitors from across the Middle East and other Muslim-majority countries. A mix of languages can be heard but mostly Turkish, Arabic, German, Russian, and spatters of English.

Every day errands are challenging. The Turkish language is not an easy one, and my usual ability to pick up some words (e.g., hello, thank you, excuse me, etc.) fails throughout our time there. Understandably, English is not widely spoken, so getting groceries, purchasing packaging to mail souvenirs to the family, and navigating the post office are not without their difficulties.

Over the next five weeks, we experience a good introduction of what life would be like in Istanbul, and we observe both the beauty and challenges of this location in the center of the world. It's definitely an unforgettable journey...stay tuned.