Istanbul

So here I sit in the Istanbul airport thinking about the last few days. This city has been a mix of east and west for thousands of years. It bustles with commerce, culture, and the overwhelming majority of population for an entire country all packed into one city.

The capitol of three civilizations, it is rich in history. The Hagia Sophia and it’s companion the Blue Mosque dominate the landscape in the old part of town. However you can not miss the numerous skyscapers pronouncing the presence of the western culture of business.

A city influenced by so many cultures, it’s hard to fully describe the sensation of being in the bustling streets.. Merchants attempting to entice you with a dizzying array of food and goods… traffic moving slowly, sometimes honking, producing exhaust.. tourists wandering slowly amongst a busy native population…. Then suddenly the sound of the Muslim call to prayer fills the air, as singers from various mosques begin their chant.

The Ottoman presence can be felt at the Topkapi Palace. This stately manor and it’s surrounding defense wall is massive. The Hagia Sophia feels as big as St. Peters basilica. The Blue Mosque is equally large and has a feeling of majesty about it. The Grand Bazaar is so large, with merchant packed in so close to each other. Everything is sold there... while prices can be haggled it seems there is always an unspoken rule that there is a tourist price, and a Turkish price. The Spice Bazaar is filled with the smells of a thousand places.

Even after several days there was still so much left to see… museums, cisterns, mosques, aqueducts, markets, towers, islands, bath houses, and distinct quarters of the city.

The hostel I stayed in was perhaps the most run-down of the ones on my trip, but the staff was very pleasant and the view was tough to beat. From the rooftop I had a virtually unobstructed view of the Hagia Sophia and the Bosphorus river.

Like many places in the world the natives were a mixed bag for me. Some were helpful and pleasant, others were clearly looking to cheat you, and still others seemed slightly annoyed by all the foreigners.

A return trip is certainly warranted.

Next Stop: Corfu Island and the Pink Palace Hostel