Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

I cannot think of Istanbul much less explore its historic delights without this anthem from They Might Be Giants playing on a loop in my mind. I recommend turning that one on now and looping it until you reach the bottom of this post. It will add to your reading enjoyment, I promise.

We're staying in a nearly perfect Airbnb in Beyoglu, an eclectic neighborhood on the European side that starts at the Bosphorous and winds its way up a steep hill, through cobblestoned alleyways, all the way to Taksim Square. I've learned something new about Walter - he's an adept photographer. Here a few snaps he took from our balcony, at different times, to capture the light as it changes throughout the day.

What makes the place not perfect is the street noise. We're a few doors down from a rooftop night club and the late night tunes seem to bounce off of every stone surface (of which there are many) and ricochet right into our eardrums. Some nights I lay awake thinking I should just join them. Other nights I Google "how to dial police Istanbul." But I've taken no action to date. Stay tuned.

I've been to Istanbul once before with my bestie Carina and that was an amazing trip. But this one is different for thousands of reasons, one of which is that Walter is a history buff and is reading a book about how Constantinople became Istanbul. It's worth a read. But here are the highlights. Constantinople was a Christian civilization that abutted the Muslim world. It was a walled city that stood for 1,000 years, despite numerous attacks. Its raison d'etre was to hold back the Muslim world and hopefully advance Christianity eastward. Constantinopilites were a crafty and industrious bunch and they thrived and enjoyed a high standard of living. One day in 1453 Mehmet the Conquerer, an Ottoman Sultan, overpowered Constantinople with a new technology - the cannon. He and his mighty army blasted through the walled city and although Constantinople held out for 53 days, eventually the city fell. The Ottomans ruled for 600 years until the empire became Turkey, in 1922. The struggle between east and west is centuries long. I've confirmed my long standing suspicion that to understand current events at all you must go back thousands of years.

But Turkey today? A modern metropolis. We've marveled at the juxtaposition of women wearing the hijab with young women in stylish halter tops and mini skirts. It all seems to live in harmony here. Photos from some of the streets we've walked.

So so much to learn. Looking forward to investing more time in learning.