INCREDIBUL ISTANBUL

 

And then finally the most awaited part of my vacation came, the long wait is over and I cannot contain my excitement as the day of my trip approaches. I have been waiting this for long and now the journey of my thousand miles begins.

From Bahrain, I have to travel four hours by Turkish airlines to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. I had a very long day in Bahrain with 7 hours layover from the Philippines. I didn't get enough sleep at the airport because of excitement. It was a turbulent journey because of the weather condition, I was even quite nervous because I am not used to fly on a shaky plane and I even have this paranoia that we might disappear on thick clouds reminding me of what happened to MH370. Thanks to God that even the whole travel is not quite smooth, still we arrived very safe, and when the plane touches the runway all my worries disappeared and almost jumped to my seat in excitement. Finally Merhaba Turkiye!

It was a cloudy day when I arrived there, the weather is very gloomy and all I see is thick clouds in the sky. It was very cold and humid, I thought snow may fall anytime. Leafless tress lined up on both sides of the road, a sign that it is still winter. Cherry blossoms are also everywhere with some little flowers on it. Tulips are planted on the roads which are very pleasant to the eyes and somehow added colors to the boring weather.

I am starting to get disappointed because I thought the sun will never show. I have a lot of time because I arrived at the hotel early and I want to maximize my time. As soon as I entered my room, I noticed that little by little the rays of the sun starting to light my room. The disappointment on my face suddenly turned into excitement as the sun shines brightly that made the city sparkle. Without wasting any time, I left my things scattered on my room, put my sweat shirt on and grabbed my camera. It’s time to go out and explore the city, either I conquer Istanbul or Istanbul will conquer me!

As if I did not came from a long and exhausting travel, without any much sleep and rest I began walking on the streets and started discovering the city. Main tourist attractions are just walking distance from my hotel. As I walked on bricked roads, I already noticed that the whole Sultanahmet area is filled with tourists and mostly are groups. Indeed that the tourism industry here is very much alive. I saw groups from China, Japan and Korea, the most number of tourists from Asia, the rest are Europeans, Americans and Latins.

I really felt being a stranger here because I noticed that everyone is looking at me strangely specially the locals. Most of them called me Malaysian, others called me Japanese, and when I tell them that I am a Filipino they are being quite shocked and happy as well because probably there are not much Filipino tourists here compared to other Asian nationalities.

As I continue walking, I also noticed that there are vendors scattered all over the streets selling guide books and maps, just ignore them as they are quite annoying trying to force you to buy.

Istanbul has very rich history and it is very evident as you walk on its iconic structures. With a history over 3,000 years it became a melting pot of cultures. From Roman Empire to Byzantine and to Ottoman Empire, you will see that each structure were all well preserved.

The mosques, bazaars, Turkish Hamami (bath house) could keep you happily occupied for your entire trip, an eyeful of breathtaking architectures like the Sultanahmet mosque which is very visible from many points of the city.

Istanbul is a walking city, most of its tourist attractions and landmarks are just closely near each other. So better wear comfortable shoes with thick sole, as it could hurt your feet once you walk on its brick roads.

Speaking of roads, I have noticed that the streets of Istanbul are narrow and steep, that is because Istanbul lies on a higher elevation, with this topography, buildings in some parts of the city were constructed with the help of terraced retaining walls. Your car must have a strong breaks as you drive on steep roads otherwise you’ll end up having accident hehehe.

While strolling around the streets, I have observed how clean the city is! Considering the number of tourists that visits this place, Istanbul has kept its cleanliness and I am deeply overwhelmed because cleanliness adds to the beauty of a certain place. Even from the busiest street to the market area still no amount of garbage can be found.

Having said these, no wonder why Istanbul was listed as one of the best destinations by trip advisor, aside from its cultural heritage, the cleanliness of the city completed the whole package why Istanbul is a must see destination.

On the next part of my story, I am going to list all the places that I’ve visited and give some reviews on why they are popular among tourists. Somehow it will serve as a guide also to future travelers who will visit this place.