istanbul, aşkım
one of my favorite places on earth.
istanbul is special to me for many reasons. it’s a place with so much culture, chaos and charm. there’s something about being stuck in between east and west that makes this city special - combining the best of both worlds all in one, massive, busy place.
the first time i visited this city in 2017, it had already made a very good impression on me. in doing so, i had ended up back here again in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and now again in 2024.
Whenever i visit istanbul, i seem to fall in love with it a little more each time. why, austin? well, no single reason in particular, but probably an accumulation of memories every time that has resulted in it having such a lasting impression on me. sometimes i think i might have been turkish in my last life - probably trying to fulfill an old soul’s hunger of going back home.
the very first time i had traveled to istanbul - which was with my friend turan - i had met one of his friends called Omer (right). because turkish people are so warm, we became friends immediately. on this same trip omer had invited me to his family’s home - where although i was a stranger, i was already treated like family. his parents, though not knowing any english, talked to me through translations from omer and his brother emre, asking me about myself and my family. in the end while leaving, omer’s mother gave me gifts to give to my family. all hand crafted and related to turkey: a scarf for my grandmother, a bag for my mother and jewelry for my sister. the first ever time meeting me and only the third day of knowing her son. this was an incredibly touching experience for me. the kindness and generosity from people that are simple yet share all that they have, is quite moving. i have visited omer’s family on every subsequent trip to istanbul and have been greeted with a lot of amazing home cooked meals, conversations and embraces. omer’s family continue to treat me like their own and for that i am very thankful. theres a pic of me with them on the left from my most recent trip.
a memorable event on this latest trip was a birthday party of omer’s friend, which ofcourse i was also warmly invited to. at what i hear is one of istanbul’s current most-desired restaurants, prof. a threw a surprise party for his girlfriend to which i can only explain as a vip experience for me. in a separate room, with great service, we were treated to some amazing grilled and meze turkish food. by head chef ahmet ustam - who is somewhat of a celebrity in his field - and also good friend to omer, i was invited to sit at the head table, which was where the main grill was located and where ahmet shows off his skills to an open-designed dining hall. although just a plus-one to this event, all at the party treated me so well, so warmly. we shared plenty of food, laughs and… raki! raki never fails to get austin tipsy.
there is so much i could write about istanbul from my various different visits. if i did, the most common themes you’d notice is the people, the food, the culture and the scenery. the food - an important part of my life - is to die for. the kebabs, the meze, the chai, the baklava (my weakness), you could eat and eat until your belt buckle pops and that’s usually what ends up happening to me. the scenery, nestled between the east and west continents and divided by the beautiful Bosphorus, istanbul has a little bit of everything in it. the chaos of 15 plus million, the buzzing streets and choko footpaths is perfectly balanced by the quietness of the bosphorus, which upon every trip is a must-do visit for me - mostly between Karaköy AND Kadıköy ON THE FERRY. I SOMETIMES GO BACK AND FOURTH FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON - but PROBABLY MOSTLY TO BREATHE IN THE FRESH AIR AND FEEL CONNECTED TO THE OCEAN - AN ASPECT I MISS ABOUT MY HOME WELLINGTON. THE CULTURE, WHICH IS WHERE THIS ALL ORIGINATES FROM, IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT ATTRACTS ME TO IT. THE IMMENSE HISTORY BEHIND THIS CITY IS PREVALENT AT ALMOST EVERY TURN IN THIS CITY, BE IT PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL OR MENTAL. EVERY TIME I GO, I DISCOVER NEW FACTS ABOUT ISTANBUL AND EVERY TIME I AM EVEN MORE IMPRESSED BY IT. THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT HOWEVER, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT DRAWS ME TO THIS CITY IS THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET THERE. FROM DAY ONE, TO THE MOST RECENT TRIP. EVERY TIME I GET TO KNOW MORE AND MORE PEOPLE and EVERY ONE THAT I MEET TREATS ME LIKE A FRIEND, A BROTHER OR A PART OF THEIR FAMILY. I AM A VERY SIMPLE person, but THE VIP TREATMENT I GET FROM MY abi OMER, HIS FREINDS AND OTHERS THAT I COME across makes me feel very much at home in istanbul. this city has my heart, and i look forward to many more visits (and baklava) here in the future.
