No matter what problems they may be going through I still love Turkey. There was a time – not so very long ago – when I was terrified of it. I couldn’t deal with the aggressive culture of the merchants and would end up running (quite literally) back to the ship to avoid them. That was a different me, one who was still raw to ships and raw to the rest of the world. Now, while I’m still not a skilled bargainer, I can at least negotiate decently, and I can walk away from a deal without insulting the person trying to deal with me. In fact, few merchants even approach me in Istanbul anymore; perhaps I’ve once again donned that accidental invisibility cloak I used to wear in university. They don’t see me if I don’t want them to.
That said, watching Alasse’s first reaction to the Grand Bizarre was priceless. I remember my own first response being something very similar. You feel a bit like a fish out of water – there’s just so much. Your eyes can’t take it all in. Everything you could ever want – and some things you never even knew existed – all under one roof. One very big roof granted, but still one roof. Of course I swear my dear sister-in-law is part magpie, point her in the direction of something shiny (for example oh let’s see….lamps?) and she’s off like a shot. Of course, I can’t really complain as if you put me in the near vicinity of a raw gem shop I do precisely the same thing.
I was going to take over the world, but I saw something shiny…
The truth is, Istanbul is not something you see, it’s something you experience. Istanbul is a curried crushing rush of bright colors and crowded streets, where sultan’s palaces butt up against high-rises and the alleyways are heavy with the scent of saffron and fruit stalls and pomegranate juice. Istanbul is a feast for every sense you posses. Including the ones that only some people acknowledge.
Standing in the shadow of the Sophia, with the Blue Mosque at my back, I felt the same twinge of wonder-filled sadness that has hit me at random points in this voyage. There are people that are supposed to be there with me, people that this is important to, that would get this, who aren’t here. I found myself once again reaching for a hand that wasn’t there, and all I could hear was Silver’s voice in the back of my mind
Just do one thing for me, lay your hand on the wall of the Sophia. Say hi to her for me. Wish I could be there Bella.
Everything always seems a bit grey-tinged after a moment like that. A little bittersweet. Not unconquerable by any means, not enough to ruin my day, but enough that I’m aware my mood changed. I always feel badly when that happens (particularly since I was spending the day with other people at the time), but homesickness isn’t something you can control, it kind of comes on you all unexpected and you just have to ride it out.
Never-the-less, there are certainly worse ways to spend a day than sitting in the shadows of history, eating fresh baklava and – very carefully – avoiding talking about work as much as possible.
This was our last stop in Istanbul for the season. Even the flagship won’t be calling there on the upcoming World Cruise, so I’m doubly glad that I was convinced to go out today, I would have regretted it. There are some ports you just can’t skip to sit in your cabin with an embroidery cloth. Istanbul is one of them.
I’d be looking for the Turkish Delight