It’s been over a decade since I last visit Istanbul, and a new visit was long overdue. I somehow timed it after Easter and at the height of Eid al-Fitr at the end of the Ramadan, which I thought was going to be interesting but was very challenging, loads of tourists, the locals in the old town seemed on edge, and the whole city seemed completely overloaded. It also didn’t help that Turkey was facing what seemed at the time like critical elections with mass rallies throughout the capital. So, after a few hectic days in the old town I transitioned to the much quieter Kabatas on the northern opposite side of the river up on the hill, which was a much more chill hipster-y area, if you managed to stay away from the main road.
It was a somewhat brief visit, but I did manage to get a few nice walks and get nostalgic vibes from my previous visit when my sister was living in the city. The city is such a strange mix of cultures, confusing me in every corner, but there’s no denying the special charm. You just need to time your visit to calmer times of the year.
So, for now, here’s a bit from my decade overdue return visit to Turkey Istanbul….
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