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Those who know me well know that I have an addiction to traveling. Unfortunately, residency and constant jet-setting do not mix well. I have had to slowly and painfully wean myself from my addiction. With a two-week vacation finally on the horizon, I began to plan my next adventure.
When the idea of traveling to Istanbul, Turkey was initially pitched to me, I was less than excited. My mind immediately went to Turkey's failed coup d'état in 2016 which garnered worldwide attention. In an effort to explore somewhere new, I agreed to Istanbul and began planning. The planning phase was mixed with excitement and apprehension as it would be my first time venturing around the Middle Eastern region. My apprehension was somewhat curbed by hearing positive experiences from friends who had visited Turkey.
Upon arriving in Istanbul, I encountered a spacious and beautiful airport with intricate architecture and decor. The airport itself exceeded my expectations as did the views of the city on the way to the hotel. Unbeknownst to me, Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia therefore, there is an European side of Istanbul and an Asian side of Istanbul, both of which are connected by the Bosphorus waterway. The European side is more populated and attracts more tourists than the Asian side.
It was easy to notice the lack of melaninated individuals in the city. This meant frequent double takes and glances in public places, which was not much of an issue for me. Our hotel was on the Asian Side of Istanbul, far away from the tourist areas where English was spoken. The hardest part of the trip was navigating the city without speaking a word of Turkish. Let's just say there was a lot of hand gesturing and finger pointing to Google Maps. There were two instances where we got completely lost and ended up in random parts of the city but thankfully, Istanbul is very safe and we eventually made our way back to the hotel safe and sound.
Here are some of the famous attractions we visited on the European side - The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Museum, and the Topkaki Palace. (Click on the links for more information about these famous buildings).
Right around the historic monuments is the Grand Bazaar, one of Istanbul's oldest and largest markets with 4,000+ shops. Similar to many markets worldwide, customers haggle for the best prices. Never be hesitant to haggle when you travel, it's all part of the fun! I was able to snag up scarfs, jewelry, and other items at very good prices with a little bit of haggling.
There were many other parts of Istanbul I did not have time to explore. For those interested in visiting, 4-6 days is an adequate length of time to explore the city without feeling too rushed. I also recommend visiting during the summer months as temperatures tend to drop between October and April. Overall, Istanbul was filled with unexpected and pleasant surprises and by the end of the trip, I was left wanting more.
Up next, Dubai! Click here to read all about it.
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