Istanbul, first encounter

Istanbul is one of the most fabled cities on our planet.  It is the meeting place of Europe and Asia.  It was at the forefront of a historic struggle between Christianity and Islam.  Istanbul and Turkiye control access to the Black Sea where the current war in Ukraine is taking place.  Turkiye is the refuge for many Middle Eastern refugees from the conflicts taking place there.  (And the EU is paying Turkiye to keep the refugees there instead of proceeding into central Europe.)  Turkiye is controlled by the dictator Erdogan (in power 20+ years) but no one in Turkiye will call him a dictator because they may then lose their job, end up in jail, or suddenly disappear.  The population of Turkiye is about 85 million of which 20 million live in the Istanbul area.

The Turkish Lira is the national currency, but everyone asks to be paid in Euros, often in cash. (We spent about 900 Euros cash there.)  The Turkish lira is suffering from serious inflation.  Many Turks are trying to establish a second citizenship elsewhere.  People can see and sense the worsening conditions.  Refugees without money or jobs still tend to have large numbers of children which become a burden.  As we have seen elsewhere, the actual Turkish people are open and friendly, but their government is corrupt and oppressive.  This should be a lesson for all of us.

Istanbul as seen from an open rooftop restaurant near our hotel.  We are looking to the south toward Topkapi Palace on a wooded peninsula.

People we met near home who had visited Istanbul previously had called it "amazing".  Amazing, yes, but in a good way?  We planned our own visit to this exotic site.  Who speaks Turkish?  Only those who live there; thus, we were more careful than usual in booking our transport and stays in this country.  Our initial stay was in the Taksim neighborhood in central Istanbul.  Our hotel had an excellent location and helpful staff, but sleeping was difficult.  The bed was small; the blankets were even smaller.  We were on the first floor (in Europe the ground floor is floor "0"); just below us were narrow, crowded, busy streets where loud conversations took place until at least midnight.  We had a police station next door.  A plain clothes policeman stood guard with a submachinegun next to the restaurant we frequented.

Our police station next door.  We witnessed two men being brought in wearing handcuffs.

Domes in these mosques were impressive in their detail and structure, especially when you consider how old they are.

One of many mosques.  In Europe, we saw Christian cathedrals of similar magnificence.  Are these structures built to celebrate their god, or to demonstrate the power of the church leadership?  Think of what could be accomplished if the same cost and labor were devoted to public health, education, basic utilities, food production, etc.  Meanwhile, the common people live very modest lives.

Notice the concrete street markers to keep vehicles off the sidewalks (as seen from our hotel).  Streets are so narrow that, to turn a corner, often the vehicle would have to stop and back up and get a second approach angle.  

We spent our first day visiting the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Royal Cistern, and Grand Bazaar.  Those major mosques were feats of engineering when first produced and are still impressive today.  You can easily get lost in the Grand Bazaar.  The Cisterns were a private source of water for the palace royalty. We were supposed to attend an evening cruise/dinner on the Bosphorus, but I came down with a strange ailment.  We still have no idea what to call it (no appetite, no energy, chills, and sharp pains on the right side of my head); fortunately, it only lasted for a short time.  We were able to walk the nearby areas including Istiklal Street, a major shopping district.  Of course, each of these areas included major crowds; more likely locals than foreign tourists.  Three nights in Istanbul, then it was off to our next destination.

Dawn shopping at the Grand Bazaar.  We bought nothing, little room in our suitcases, and we are not into trinkets.  It is said that the Grand Bazaar has 10,000 shops.

Evening shopping on Istiklal Street, along with about 50,000 other persons.  You could come to Istanbul with no luggage; buy yourself a suitcase and fill it with high-quality knockoff merchandise to take home.  All the famous brands are here, but are they authentic?  All we bought was sorbet/ ice cream.

Same street but earlier in the day; our hotel was only two blocks away.  When you live in the city, apparently shopping is a major evening activity.