Istanbul not Constantinople

Hello from Istanbul, Turkey. The last time we were here was 10 years ago when Luna was just three years old. We had a pretty hellish time in Turkey. We arrived to find our rental property was above a fish market with rat traps inside the house and sets of earplugs on the nightstands, as the hosts had forgotten to mention the house was located above all the dance clubs on Galata Bridge. Josh got food poisoning, then threw his back out and my Grandpa died back in the States. Needless to say, it was a rough week. That said, Istanbul did seem pretty cool, so we decided to give it another go and I’m glad we did.

We arrived in Istanbul from Athens, having said goodbye to Josh’s sister, Tara. We’d spent the whole trip together thus far, and it was really sweet to travel in a group of 4 and experience so many new things together. We miss her and are so grateful that we were able to spend time together and create new memories.

Istanbul take #2: where to begin? Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans both Asia and Europe, bridged together by the Bosphorus River that flows between the two sides. This gorgeous city has a population of over 20 million residents.  Bustling doesn’t begin to describe the constant pulse of energy here that keeps everything moving. I love traveling and seeing things I’d never see at home. The Grand Bazaar which is the largest covered market in the world, has over 4,000 stalls and sells everything from evil eyes, spices and herbs in piles waist high, to carpets and more knock-off items than I’ve ever seen. Gucci, Chanel , Prada, Golden Goose- if you want it, they have it. The knock offs are so good that they look just like the real thing. We were shocked by the audacity of so many people to sell illegal items until we were informed by a shopkeeper that if you pay off the government, they will allow you to sell whatever you want (Copyright, Shmopyright).

If you make eye contact with vendors on the streets, they shout out at you when you walk by, “Hey, you! You American? You like spices? I can take you on a tour of the mosque! You want carpets? I have carpets!” this can be annoying yet there is a sense of desperation that wasn’t here 10 years ago. Here’s why: in 2013, the Turkish lira was exchanged at a rate of 2:1 US dollar. That number has now inflated to 24:1 USD, meaning that the value of the Turkish lira has dropped by 12x since we last visited. This has been due to a combination of the political unrest here (we feel perfectly safe) – the attempted coup a few years ago, Erdogan’s recent re-election (which dropped the currency another 15% in a week), the recent devastating earthquake this Spring and COVID on top of that, hasn’t helped the people of Turkey. 10 years ago when we visited, we found some of the kindest people I’ve ever encountered while traveling- and now I feel a heaviness here, and it makes sense. As our guide explained, people who used to be middle class are now poor with no way out. There are no more vacations abroad, no possibilities of living the lives they once did. Everyone is just trying to survive.

We talked to one of our guides about the recent election and she shared her frustration with not trusting their democracy and how Erdogan has kept himself in power for over 20 years now between being Prime Minister and now President. In a referendum after Erdogan became President, Turkey did away with the office of Prime Minister and consolidated all its power in the office of President.  The people of Turkey are tired.

As we walked around, we marveled at the delights of Istanbul. There are Turkish coffee and fresh pomegranate juice stands and the scents from spits of roasting meat wafting through the streets. There are more gold shops and jewelry stores here than I’ve ever seen before. When couples get married, they are given gifts of gold coins as the currency fluctuates, but the price of gold keeps going up, up, up. Registries are seen as ill-mannered, so you can expect gold when you reach your wedding day. The mosques sound the call to prayer 5 times a day, spanning from 4:30AM to 11PM at night- I love the melodic prayers and the comfort I find hearing them.

We learned that most people don’t have pets in Istanbul, but neighborhoods share the responsibility for the animals that live on the streets. They are initially taken care of by the government- vaccinated and sterilized and then put back out on the street. The people leave food, water for the animals and there are even pet food vending machines where you can donate pet food to the neighborhood pets. It was very sweet in many ways- a connection between people, a bridge between neighbors who may not otherwise know one another- yet they care for the same creatures together. Turkey shut down their pure bred pet stores and you can now only get a pet from a shelter if you desire your own pet. They also have a country wide no-kill policy. The good news with all the cats? No vermin. The strange news? Now the hedgehogs are coming out of the woods and eating cat food from the pet vending machines. As we walked around, we saw cats all over the place. In shop windows, in hotel lobbies, at restaurant terraces in chairs, in mosques, it was hilarious. We’ve included some pics to show you the fun places we spotted them.

In our time in Istanbul, we walked over 10-15 miles per day, exploring different neighborhoods and experiencing how life differs depending on circumstance. The Bosphorus is a vibrant, wide river with boats and yachts bobbing and ferries shuttling people back and forth from Europe to Asia and back. The monuments in Istanbul are stunning. We visited both Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque with covered heads and no shoes. Women were made to pray behind the shoe storage area, out of sight and “protected” from view. Ugh.

Luna and I visited a hammam together: the bathhouses which remain from times past. They were created so that the Ottoman (and previous) people could bathe, seeing as there was no running water in the houses. When you enter, you are given a little locker or dressing room where you store your personal belongings. Then, you put a little towel on (you’ve heard of a Turkish towel, right?) before going into this beautiful marble room where there is heat and humidity, warmed marble benches and faucets coming out of the walls. We were in a hammam that dated back to before the Ottoman empire, where Sultans once went. You look up at the domed ceiling and there are cutouts that look like the snowflakes you cut out as a kid that let the light in. It was beautiful. The sides of the hammam are separated by sex, so we were surrounded by women. You have an attendant who comes over and strips you down, throws buckets or bowls of water on you and then scrubs you with a mitt that could be made from tree bark, goat hair or some other fiber that scrubs off all the dead skin off of your body. It is intense at moments, but you feel so clean. I’ve been in a hammam a few times now and I always feel like a little baby when I’m done- because when else are you washed by someone else, having buckets of water poured on your head? After the scrubbing you’re laid down on the warm marble while they drop big piles of bubbles on your body, made by filling up a pillow case sized thin fabric bag and then squishing the bubbles out all over your body. It’s very relaxing and very nurturing. Luna and I were there together and it was a memorable experience, for sure.

Big news as well, I had my first ever cup of coffee! Truth be told, I was told that they could tell your fortune from the dregs that remained from the thick Turkish coffee, and it was a fun experience. I’m missing green tea on this side of the world yet the black tea here is quite lovely.

We’ll be in touch again soon! xo,

The Kears