Dearest Istanbul,
Thank you for hosting me over the last few weeks. I think I have learned a lot from you and I hope you’ve at least been slightly changed by me (okay that might be pushing it).
Some notes:
- I’ve never partied it up, or gone out until 4 am, as much as I have here. This habit won’t continue when I get home but thanks for giving me the opportunity to be 22 again.
- Tost with no A!
- Taksim is the greatest place. I love that the street appears to have 100,000 people on it (or more) at all times.
- You want to join the European Union so badly! This makes for western toilets (thank goodness) and ice cream vendors keeping Magnums at Turkish prices! It does worry me that you are denying the fact that most of your country is physically in ASIA and that you will always just be TURKISH. Listen to your national hero.
- You embrace public transportation (oh its so great! but sometimes so busy) but you fail to acknowledge the bicycle! Get on that!
- Thank you for not being confined to the sidewalk! Never be confined!
- I love that you don’t over-safety anything! Keep your fortresses, ruins, and buildings without an insane amount of precautions! Sure its un-safe, but people are generally smart enough to know NOT to fall down that well.
- Uncontrolled building development and people being able to take over vacant space might appear to be a bad thing, but at least it means everyone can find shelter no matter what. Let it happen, but also support them.
- You all love sweets, and I appreciate that a lot.
- Sometimes I wonder if you like flavour in your food. And then you surpise me with something delicious and spicy. Its probably a pretty bad thing though that you eat so much white bread, but probably a good thing that you eat it without butter.
- I’ve never had so much fresh fruit in my life! The apple plums, cherries, strawberries, bananas - mostly available for CHEAP and on the STREET! Its just too magical that you can grow everything here. Keep it in your borders and remember to feed yourselves before anybody else!
- Why do you love nescafe so much!? Real ground coffee is delicious! And its available in Istanbul, I’ve seen it!
- Efes….cheap sometimes, but not that great. Natural beer? Try it.
Anyway, I’ve had a really great time. I think perhaps I will come back for a visit one day. I’ve learned so much about you, I couldn’t imagine keeping all this information to myself.
See you again, good night and good luck,
Rachel
