Wowow! I'm forever blessed to have gotten to experience Türkiye! I actually was not sure if I could get enough time off of work to come here... But God's favor and faithfulness is always with me and I forever will give him the PRAISE! Want to know what happens next? Hadi (meaning let's go in Turkish ;) )
CC: Me inside the Hagia Sophia Mosque
So what made me come here? My mom loves Turkish tv series. She had always pressed me to watch them, but I never budged. Until one time last year I finally agreed and can attest that some of the series are very engaging. One of them in particular Kara Para Aşk. This show can be found on Netflix and is filled with action, romance, betrayal, intensity and so much more intensified adjectives, lol! I actually have a pretty cool story about meeting one of the cast members on my trip. If you're interested in hearing about it, stay tuned until the end.
That being said, I had little time to decide to come, and my birthday was slowly approaching. By God's grace I booked a flight and my parents tagged along too! I decided to use Turkish Airlines and received a great price especially around the time I went which was the end of May. Next up was finding locals to connect with. I advised my Pastor I was going to Turkey and he put me in contact with a Turkish Pastor from The River Istanbul Church. --and what a powerful Church service that was! My aunt also gave me a contact, but I never got to meet the lady in person as she was planning and preparing for her wedding. Long story short, we went to the church service that was located on a street in a building on the 3rd floor in the heart of Istanbul. It wasn't your typical American church with a cross outside. ***Interesting fact: 99.8% of the country is Muslim, practicing Sunni Islam and .02% are Christian + other adherents of various religions.*** Back to my church story-- the pastor had prayed that we would have divine favor everyday and it was going to be an amazing week, and I kid you not after that day, the favor of God increased.
Our first example of God's goodness was meeting Elif Ínci who plays Melike in Kara Para Aşk. We were exploring Kadiköy and my dad had noticed her and as soon as I looked I said "Melike". She looked up and shy'd back because she was in disbelief that these foreigners knew who she was. Ínci was wearing a cat shirt + sweat pants with her friend Nida and dog Maya drinking tea. They invited us to sit with them, had tea and chatted for about 30+ minutes. They were so sweet, humble and kind. Ínci was very excited that we met--and she even asked me to follow her on Instagram. She told us about the cast of Kara Para Aşk and who she still keeps in touch with as well as her new work which is coming out soon. It was definitely a moment in time I will never forget and will always hold dear to my heart.
CC: My mom Elif, Nida & Me
Next favor encounter was meeting Okan. A Swiss-born Turk. He arrived the same day as us and departed the same day. His parents are originally from Turkey. However, he was raised in Switzerland but is still heavily grounded in his traditions, speaks fluent turkish, german, and english and visits Turkey every chance he can get. Okan was with us almost every day and showed us all over Istanbul. Hallelujah! It would be difficult maneuvering around the city without him being that not too much people speak english. However, Turkish people are very generous and will offer to help you by using Google Translator. It's amazing how God works and how He always takes care of His children :).
CC: Okan & I right by the Ferry in Kadiköy
There are two sides to Istanbul. The Asian side (which is more retro, vibrant, industrial, hipster and grundy) & the European side (a little more chic, historic and touristic). We chose to stay on the Asian side in Kadiköy. We received many recommendations that this side was the best place to get immersed with the culture, people and vibrant scenic views-- and that's the best way to travel in my opinion. I went with Airbnb and the atmosphere of our place was amazing. It was 4 flights of winding stairs (which was a bit of a hassle with the luggage), however it was cozy and had all the amenities we needed for our 10 day stay! The owners were quick to respond and very helpful! Below you can see a picture of outside the Airbnb.
During the days spent with Okan, we explored all over Istanbul from Ferry rides to exploring the unique islands, to indulging in assortment of foods and sweets (Turkish kabob, traditional turkish brekkie, Turkish delights, coffee, seafood, soup, Chinese food, fresh fish, fresh juice, chocolate + more) Below are some delish pictures of the food we consumed over the 10 day stay! Yum!! :)
CC: Tradition Turkish Brekkie Chicken & lentil soup + beans
CC: Turkish kabob with fresh salad Chicken kabob with fresh veggies
CC: Fish sandwich Chinese chicken lo-mein
CC: Kanafe fresh tea after every meal
CC: Coca-Cola Turkish tea + Turkish delight
We went to the Egyptian Bazaar, Grand Bazaar, Haga Sophia Mosque, Blue Mosque, visited 4 different islands, went inside a Greek + Armenian Monastery, went to Bebek, visited the radio tower, went to Ortaköy (where Okan lived for some time,) sat by the Bosphorus Sea and toured all over the city! What an unforgettable time we had!
Another significant factor you may be curious to know is transportation--and the best way to get around the city. The ferry is a great way to begin. It's easy access and allows you to get from the Asian side to the European side and vice versa. The ferry also opens late and has various options to go to the different islands. Being that we had Okan with us, he had a car and drove us around when needed.
Another cool fact about Istanbul is that there are wild dogs and cats everywhere and they're so friendly. You can find them in stores and all over the streets. The turkish people treat them like family making them beds and providing them with food and water all the time. The dogs are like big bears. So plump and chubby, yet very warm. The cats are curious and mysterious. They don't trouble you and stay to themselves unless they see you with food, lol!
Istanbul reminded of New York City. The city never sleeps. I remember specifically one time we were out on a Tuesday night at 11PM and we were craving some sweets so we went to a sweet shop and there were old people, young people children all out as if it was a Saturday night. There is an influx of young people between the ages if 17-25 in Istanbul. A lot of them flock here for University.
I'm truly thankful and grateful to God that this trip happened! Traveling is my happy place--getting to be immersed with different people, cultures, languages, foods and livelihoods brings me so much joy! I hope my travels encourage you to just go somewhere without hesitation. Your outlook on life will be forever changed and your heart will grow 100x.
What country is on your list? Have you booked you flight? Start planning and preparing now! I can't wait to hear where you go next!
Love you, family & God Bless You Always!
So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man.
XO--Brit
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