Turkey recently announced to take on talks about Sweden joining NATO again if the EU agrees to start talks about Turkey joining EU again.
Time to travel to Istanbul and see how it looks at the Bosporus separating two continents within the country. On my way back to China, I can only spend three days in Istanbul but it is always nice to get a new impression.
The impression was always the question "How does it work?" - the answer: "It works." Istanbul is beautiful but unorganized, poor and rich, and Muslim but there is a certain magic in how the city is presenting itself.
In the middle of the night, you watch people fishing and having BBQ on one of the major bridges, you see children and mothers sitting in the streets, you see Niqaps, Burkas and short tops shoulder-free.
My Uber experience was also quite curious. In Istanbul, Uber is operating but you cannot pay by Credit Card or Paypal, only cash. Once you get on the Uber, there is two ways:
They start argueing about the price first and charge you much more than the estimation, or
They start driving and at the destination they will start argueing about the price.
There is Inflation in Turkey and so it is understandable that Uber drivers try to rause their revenue. However, it might be smart to haggle a bit with them. It is part of the game. I had drivers cancelling on me if I wouldn't agree on paying double or triple and others who were happy with just 50 TL more than on the meter.
The aspect of nationalism is also quite interesting to observe. What keeps Turkey together? What keeps Istanbul together? People are friendly and always ready to help, some are impatient, some are pressing, many are religious. You hear the prayers the whole day. There seems to be crime but walking the streets and even the poorest areas I felt very save and people still had a smile on their faces and some nice words to share. There is curiosity.
Turkish flags are to be seen everywhere around Istanbul, big and small, sometimes a poster of Erdogan with a mild smile. "Right time, right man," it states.
The city is overcrowded, especially around Hagia Sophia. The tiny roads are filled with cars, taxis, buses, and pick-up trucks. A lot of showing off with loud music and fancy German brands. Some smaller accidents, yelling, 6 people leaving a car and argueing about the accident.
Right now, I am on my way to the airport. I see big, new highways, impressive buildings but many make a deserted impression.
Where is Istanbul heading? Renewal and the 22nd century or will fall back?
You have been there? You live there? You agree or disagree with my observations? Let me know in the comments.
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