Istanbul
The Blue Mosque
Last weekend Tori and I met up with her sister, Emily, and Emily’s boyfriend, Matt in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the farthest East I have ever been, and it was definitely an experience. We hit all the main sightseeing spots (mosques, a cistern, bazaars, and more) and we even went on an afternoon cruise to the Asian side of the city. All in all, it was nice to get a change of scenery and go to a place as well known as Istanbul.
Selfie on the cruise.
Unfortunately, we didn’t like it very much. Don’t get me wrong, Istanbul is an amazing place with a history unlike any other. The places we visited were beautiful and I love that I can say that I have been to these places. The culture, though, didn’t jive well with us. Tori and I are not fans of big and populated places. New York City isn’t our favorite place and we both have dreams of living in a quiet suburb. While in Istanbul we didn’t just visit the tourist areas that everyone sees. We explored the depths of the city, including the places where just the locals go. It was a crowded, shoulder-to-shoulder experience with people badgering you about anything and everything in an unfamiliar language. We could not go anywhere without someone trying to take advantage of us Americans, and that is very unsettling. The place reeked of body odor, stale garbage and sea food that had been sitting in the hot sun all day. As the icing on top, it was one of the most expensive places I have ever visited.
But we did enjoy our time. The hotel we stayed in was a palace. It was the nicest hotel I have ever been in. The food was absolutely outstanding and we could stare at the rooftop views for hours (we actually did). The weather was gorgeous and my first taste of Turkish Delight was mouthwatering. Most importantly, the company was amazing. I don’t get to spend much time with Emily, and this was the first time I met Matt, so I really got to know them in a way I wouldn’t be able to if I went out to dinner with them once. We explored together, we tried new things together, and we got lost together. It was a beautiful bonding experience and I could not be happier that I was so lucky to get to go with them.
The most important part of the trip, of course, is that I got some photography. I didn’t have my camera out much, so the pictures are few and lacking in quality, but they represent our experiences fairly well. Scroll over some of the images to see the caption. Enjoy.
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