"My Favorita" a Istanbul Travel Page by diageva

MY FIRST TIME

In a terrible summer for Turkey...

18 of August of 1999.

I arrived to Istanbul 2 days after the 7.4 earthquake that devastate Turkey. A terrible summer that surely will be remember by Turkish people for long time.

I bought the tickets the day after the earthquake, I was going to meet my turkish boyfriend there and, as the communications where down, I couldn't speak with him to cancel the travel. So, telling in my house that I was going wedding in Madrid, I did my package and went to Istanbul alone without knowing what I was going to find there and if I was going to be able to meet my boyfriend, that the day before the earthquake was at Ankara and from who I new nothing from days.

I took a plane from Madrid to Istanbul with 6 turkish men, a woman with 2 children and me. In the airport someone was going to pick me to take me to the hotel. I remember that I crossed a bridge and arrived to Marmara Hotel. I love this hotel.

At night the streets where full of people … no one wanted to be at their houses because of the fair of another earthquake. There where no tourists so I saw a different Istanbul. No tourists at the Bazar or anywhere more. Many museums where closed. But no problem ... I did find a incredible beautiful city of a very warm people. I don't need to go to museums when I visit a city, but to see people ...

I walked throught the streets eating dry fruits .. went to very nice restaurants at the shore of the Bosphorus ... make new friends ... and ... take the imagen of Istanbul at my heart for ever

March 2005

It was my second time to visit this city. I was afraid to destroy the imagen I kept at my memory of this city ... I did have it as my favorita ... and I was afraid to find it was not so great ... BUT ... THIS TIME WAS BETTER ...

Walking along Galata's bridge with the mosque's siluets and callings, all so full of life ... I couldn't think of a place more beautiful than this one. If there is anothere place as great as this I will like to know it ...

When I travel I do look for feeling as I felt at Istanbul ... with all my sence so full of beautiful things ... I was just then the happiest woman.

Once again people is one of the things that make a place what it is.

You will always find turkish people wanting to speak with you. Of course they will want to take you to their stores to sell you something, but I feel that more than that they are happy to speak and to chare a tee or coffee.

Hospitality is something that goes with turkish people. Don't close yourself in a group without speaking with local people, that is more important than visiting monuments.

Don't come to this page for monuments tips. Despite Istanbul is so so full of beautiful monuments and so rich ... I founded my self walking around without wanting to get inside nowhere but living each minunt I had at the streets.

Specials thanks to Selami (Badelo) for the time he spend with me at his beautiful city.