The first impression is with the hot, humid and heavy air which from the Bosphorus embraces the whole city. The second one is with Taksim Square: raging, screaming, crowded, never-sleeping. The third one is with the muezzin prayer time, five times a day it marks the different positions of sun, starting from 5 a.m.
The fourth one is with the glance of people, some curious, other uncertain, mournful, raped, clever, innocent.
Perhaps, there would be at least a hundred of impressions to really know Istanbul, a city so much disharmonic in its architectures and culture, that it appears as a bubble ready to explode in the middle between Europe and Asia. Istanbul wants to be modern and to embrace a western culture this is why the surface of the land is becoming a theatre of malls and shopping centres. While it is still strongly tied to its asian soul, to Islam and to traditions.
If you follow the touristic routes suggested by travel guides, the risk is to get lost in the chaotic crowd of people until you nearly get ingurgitated by never-ending queues under a burning sun and people who do not really care about living space. If you visit the Aya Sofia the risk is to be crushed by people taking selfies in shorts and tank top. Instead if you visit the Yeni Camii mosque, you must leave your shoes outside and wear a veil upon you head, enjoying the silence and observing the beauty of decorated majolicas.
If you want to understand the intimacy of faith, the Eyup cemetery is even better than a city park, so silent, relaxing and respectful. From the hill where it raises, you can see a large view of the city with its strong western inclination.
If you want to observe some familiar moments, the park of the Theodosio’s Walls is going to be always empty of tourist, but full of families having a pic nic, or playing with children and taking photos.
If you want to visit the street markets, the Grand Bazar is just a place existing from centuries but that doesn’t really exist anymore. While Spice market (Misir Carsisi) is still rich of colours and corners where to get lost.
For a quick step in the next 20 years, the Istanbul Modern is one of the most innovative museum of contemporary art in Europe and it is always the perfect place to understand contemporary Turkey, with all its social contradictions.
Finally, it is strongly recommended to get lost in city streets, maybe encountering even restaurants where the menu is only in Turkish, because no foreigners usually go there, and what you order is going to be a surprise, but most of all you have no idea of when you will receive what you ordered because everwhere the only rule is “no rush”.
