I
never intended to fall in love with you, but I did.
At
first, I knew nothing about you. You seemed so far away and mysterious from my
small town roots in the U.S.
You
remind me a bit of my beloved NYC because you are a vast, cosmopolitan, energetic and diverse
city.
But
yet YOU are different and exotic. Maybe that’s what caught my attention.
Bit
by bit, I got to know you. I slowly unraveled your history as I wandered
through your uneven cobblestone streets, your lively neighborhood pazars and your historic sites.
The
Bosphorus that cuts right through
you is hard to resist – whether I’m sitting seaside with a çay or a beer, having brunch with friends
or taking a vapur to the other side.
I
don’t remember when, but one day it just hit me. I had butterflies in my
stomach. I couldn’t stop smiling. My heart was racing.
I
realized I was in love with you. Don’t worry – my husband knows!
I
love exploring your nooks and crannies. I never know what surprises will be in
store.
Sometimes
I discover an abandoned building sagging with age but still beautiful on the
outside such as my most recent discovery of the Sağır
Han. I can’t help but wonder who once lived and worked there and what
stories the building could tell if it could talk. Were they yabancılar like me?
I
love revisiting my same shops in Eminönü for my spices and nuts and the same
stalls at my pazar and being called abla (older sister). You’ve finally
accepted me and embraced this yabancı
into your folds.
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| Spices at my favorite spice store - Ucuzcular. |
But
like true love, there are days that I hate you, Istanbul.
I
hate the taxi driver that won’t listen to my directions even if I repeat them
in Turkish. I hate the old lady who practically pushed me over while trying to
get on to the bus. I hate the cars that try to run me over as I cross the
street. I hate the person that always stands on the left-hand side of the
escalator as I’m trying to walk up.
I hate the crowded bus and dolmuş during rush hour. I hate the
disorganization of getting on and off public transportation. I hate your
maddening, congested traffic. I hate that I can’t fully converse in Turkish.
Every
now and then, you’ve even made me cry, Istanbul. You made me want to bury my
head in my pillow and never step foot outside again.
There
are truly great days here as well as truly crap days – just like anywhere in
the world.
But
then such a simple moment will happen as I cross the Galata Bridge and I see
the fishing boats along the Golden Horn and the sun reflecting off the top of
the Süleymaniye Camii and I’m awed by your beauty.
And
then I fall in love all over with you again.
Love,
Joy
(Dear
readers, I’ve loved living in Istanbul for nearly 3 years. In April, my husband’s
job had us relocate to Warsaw, Poland. I’ve been in transition mode and finally
am settling down in my new country. There will be some changes, but I hope you’ll
continue to follow my expat and travel adventures here! Since I'm no longer living in Turkey, I've changed the blog name to My Traveling Joys.)
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| Sunset cocktails at Mikla admiring the view of the Golden Horn in Istanbul. |
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| I never tire of seeing the bridges lit up at night! |





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