Where to begin?
Istanbul is not at all what I'd expected. Which is funny, because I really didn't have any concrete expectations. But this city doesn't even conform to any loose expectations I may or may not have had.
Having traveled to Jordan and Egypt last year, I thought Istanbul would be similar, maybe? Similar in the beautiful, but rigid and strict Muslim approach to life. But it's not. The people in general are seriously laid back, friendly and helpful. The culture is very traditional, but also very accepting/tolerant/liberal. If you want to ease yourself into "middle eastern" travel, Turkey is a great place to start, then work your way further East.
Right now is Ramadan, which is a Muslim event that lasts a month. A holy month, if you will. This city is packed. To the gills. I hadn't expected that! Good thing I made my booking so far out.
Ramadan seems to have turned everyone's life around here topsy turvy. In a normal kind of once-a-year way if you're Muslim.
During Ramadan, Muslim observers eat a morning meal around 5am. Then they fast until sunset/evening call to prayer (8pm) and then they stuff their faces. So apparently this has morphed into a hibernative daytime regime for those observing the holy month. Most of the people here for Ramadan are not out and about during the day. They stay inside. Then, around sunset, the parks fill up, the spaces in front of the mosques are all taken by families who have brought blankets and sit on the ground and wait for the evening prayer. Then they eat. Then they are awake. ALL NIGHT. Which is why when I arrived late last night (1am) the streets were nearly impossible to navigate a car around in (and I had a local driver).
Amazing.
Istanbul is not at all what I'd expected. Which is funny, because I really didn't have any concrete expectations. But this city doesn't even conform to any loose expectations I may or may not have had.
Having traveled to Jordan and Egypt last year, I thought Istanbul would be similar, maybe? Similar in the beautiful, but rigid and strict Muslim approach to life. But it's not. The people in general are seriously laid back, friendly and helpful. The culture is very traditional, but also very accepting/tolerant/liberal. If you want to ease yourself into "middle eastern" travel, Turkey is a great place to start, then work your way further East.
Right now is Ramadan, which is a Muslim event that lasts a month. A holy month, if you will. This city is packed. To the gills. I hadn't expected that! Good thing I made my booking so far out.
Ramadan seems to have turned everyone's life around here topsy turvy. In a normal kind of once-a-year way if you're Muslim.
During Ramadan, Muslim observers eat a morning meal around 5am. Then they fast until sunset/evening call to prayer (8pm) and then they stuff their faces. So apparently this has morphed into a hibernative daytime regime for those observing the holy month. Most of the people here for Ramadan are not out and about during the day. They stay inside. Then, around sunset, the parks fill up, the spaces in front of the mosques are all taken by families who have brought blankets and sit on the ground and wait for the evening prayer. Then they eat. Then they are awake. ALL NIGHT. Which is why when I arrived late last night (1am) the streets were nearly impossible to navigate a car around in (and I had a local driver).
Amazing.
Both photos taken around 7:30am. Everyone is still in bed!
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