TRAVELLIVE 04-2016
Istanbul, the first days of spring… I’m warming myself in the sun on a café’s balcony in the Old Town. The sunbeams are as stunning as the fine strands of newly reeled silk. Meanwhile the old oak trees give their morning greeting to the glossy stone road as their red-brown leaves gently fall. The Old Town is still half-asleep, like a lazy girl who’s turned off her alarm after ringing the first time. Sunlight visits each street, dancing happily on passers-by’s shoulders, making the atmosphere more intimate to me – the traveler’s first time here. I feel more amorous in Istanbul. I’m enchanted by everything, from sweet lokum to the light sour ice-cream with ground ice on top, or from the gorgeous domes of hundreds of mosques and palaces to their uniquely designed windows, and from the discreet eyes of Muslim girls to the multitude of boards and posters with the images of Besiktas – the city’s legendary football team. I have fallen in love with Bosphorus Bay since the first time seeing the seagulls hovering in the open sky, creating invisible strings that connect the two continents – Asia and Europe. The clear blue sky is reflected on the deep blue sea, giving me tranquility. I drop my last Lira into the water of the Bosphorus, not to make a wish, but in hopes that they will preserve my memories here. And somehow, the water currents might bring them somewhere else to be found by me again, or might accidentally be stumbled upon by a boy who is playing with sand on a sunny beach. Tomorrow, I will go to Grand Bazzar, buy some postcards, and write something to leave beneath the sun near a mosque before sending them to some friends of mine. I do hope that these postcards, together with the coins, will inspire and attract more visitors to this land. Uhm… will you come there?
Istanbul, the first days of spring…
I’m warming myself in the sun on a café’s balcony in the Old Town. The sunbeams are as stunning as the fine strands of newly reeled silk. Meanwhile the old oak trees give their morning greeting to the glossy stone road as their red-brown leaves gently fall. The Old Town is still half-asleep, like a lazy girl who’s turned off her alarm after ringing the first time. Sunlight visits each street, dancing happily on passers-by’s shoulders, making the atmosphere more intimate to me – the traveler’s first time here.
I feel more amorous in Istanbul. I’m enchanted by everything, from sweet lokum to the light sour ice-cream with ground ice on top, or from the gorgeous domes of hundreds of mosques and palaces to their uniquely designed windows, and from the discreet eyes of Muslim girls to the multitude of boards and posters with the images of Besiktas – the city’s legendary football team.
I have fallen in love with Bosphorus Bay since the first time seeing the seagulls hovering in the open sky, creating invisible strings that connect the two continents – Asia and Europe. The clear blue sky is reflected on the deep blue sea, giving me tranquility. I drop my last Lira into the water of the Bosphorus, not to make a wish, but in hopes that they will preserve my memories here. And somehow, the water currents might bring them somewhere else to be found by me again, or might accidentally be stumbled upon by a boy who is playing with sand on a sunny beach.
Tomorrow, I will go to Grand Bazzar, buy some postcards, and write something to leave beneath the sun near a mosque before sending them to some friends of mine. I do hope that these postcards, together with the coins, will inspire and attract more visitors to this land. Uhm… will you come there?
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the city on 7 hills<br />
We arrived at Istanbul Ataturk Airport one<br />
early morning. Dorak, our tour guide (from<br />
a big domestic travel agency) was waiting for<br />
us. After exchanging some money, we left the<br />
airport, got on the bus, passed the Turkish<br />
Airline’s headquarters and traveled to the city.<br />
Istanbul is bathed in sunlight; the sky’s hue<br />
is an unbelievably deep blue without a single<br />
cloud. Strolling about the city’s myriad of<br />
alleyways, you will encounter numerous<br />
architectural styles that were popular in<br />
different stages of the city’s history. Istanbul<br />
was built on 7 hills, and each one offers a<br />
different perspective of the skyline with the<br />
domes of mosques and towers emerging<br />
from the labyrinthine streets. The city’s<br />
countenance changes drastically as our bus<br />
goes up and down.<br />
The legend - the Bosphorus<br />
After a 15-hour flight from HCMC,<br />
I was quite amazed at the energy I<br />
felt upon touching down. Perhaps<br />
the reasonable flight time and<br />
Raki (Turkish vodka) served by<br />
Turkish Airline during dinner helped me to<br />
sleep tight. Thus, upon checking-in at my<br />
hotel, I was eager to begin my first sally into<br />
this legendary city.<br />
It’s regrettable if you miss the chance to take<br />
a cruise along the Bosphorus strait. In spite<br />
of considerable traffic, the strait leading to<br />
the Golden Horn is sublime. On one side of<br />
the strait is a bay with a seaside park where<br />
you can see parents playing with their kids<br />
in the grass on windy afternoons. Here, I<br />
came across some people fishing and a father<br />
swimming with his little boys while their dog<br />
barked joyfully on the beach. On the opposite<br />
side is an ancient wall which stretches along<br />
the strait, and we can find the occasional cafä<br />
nestled at its foot. The unique houses perfectly<br />
blend Asian and European colors, and detailed<br />
mouldings stand near each other behind the<br />
wall. The towering minarets of mosques are<br />
the most prominent feature of the skyline.<br />
For about 25 liras, you can take a 2 - hour<br />
cruise along the Bosphorus Strait. There you<br />
may float along the line dividing Asia and<br />
Europe. You may traverse this threshold in<br />
a matter of minutes by taking the ferry or<br />
crossing one of the three bridges spanning the<br />
continents.<br />
The Golden Horn must be the most bustling<br />
and gorgeous area in Istanbul. It’s where<br />
you see the most obvious cultural exchanges.<br />
Due to its strategic location, the Golden<br />
Horn has been a major harbor as it is the<br />
sole sea route connecting the Black Sea with<br />
the Mediterranean Sea. I got on a boat at<br />
6p.m and departed from the Galata pier. The<br />
sunlight began to fade and was replaced by a<br />
chilly breeze. Luckily, I was served with a cup<br />
of hot apple tea. The effect was transcendental.<br />
I don’t feel like I’ve ever savored such sweet<br />
and fragrant tea before.<br />
It’s hard to express all feelings I had when<br />
traveling along the Bosphorus at sunset.<br />
It had all the makings of a scene from a<br />
romantic Hollywood travel film. The boat<br />
quickly skimmed over the blue sea when the<br />
sun began to set, throwing its last glorious<br />
rays of light upon the antique mansions and<br />
magnificent castles along the bay. Flocks of<br />
gulls were hovering above the fortress on the<br />
European side, shrieking and beating their<br />
wings as though fighting to keep the red sun<br />
from sinking into the sea. To end the day,<br />
I enjoyed dinner at Sur Balik, a restaurant<br />
on the hillside. The terrace commands a<br />
panoramic view of the Bosphorus which is<br />
worth your money. If you want some food at<br />
a reasonable price, then visit the F&B area<br />
under the Galata Bridge. This is also a popular<br />
place with visitors and the best place to take<br />
a selfie with the background of sunset on<br />
Golden Horn.<br />
Istanbul<br />
was built<br />
on 7 hills,<br />
and each<br />
one offers<br />
a different<br />
perspective<br />
of the<br />
skyline.<br />
62<br />
<strong>TRAVELLIVE</strong>
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