The Flask Half Full

📸 🇹🇷 Photo Essay: Istanbul, Türkiye (and a few closing thoughts on the city)

We were on the ground in Istanbul for less than 48 hours. There was A LOT to absorb – overstimulating is probably the right word. I felt like I was taking pictures of everything and nothing at the same time. And as much as the photographer in me wants to be using my Leica or my Nikon, you cannot beat the iPhone camera for convenience. It has become my go-to travel camera. It fits in my pocket (or purse), weighs next to nothing, and it’s always ready.

A few closing thoughts on Istanbul:

There’s A LOT to process. Istanbul is a massive city of more than 15 million people – nearly twice the population of New York City – and it feels bigger than NYC. The city runs on chaos: streets go uphill (both ways), crowds never thin, and there’s this constant hum of life that does not stop. The people are warm and welcoming, the food is delicious, and street cats rule the city, weaving through neighborhoods like tiny furry mayors. But make no mistake – Istanbul is an intense place. The layers of history and culture are staggering; every corner feels like it’s got a thousand-year story to tell. The traffic is horrendous, and there’s a haze of cigarette smoke that hangs over everything. It’s overwhelming, fascinating, exhausting, and unforgettable all at once.

Would I visit Istanbul again? Absolutely. But next time, I’d flee from the main tourist areas in favor of the city’s quieter neighborhoods (assuming there are such places). And we never made it to the Asian side of Türkiye, which feels like unfinished business. Beyond Istanbul, Cappadocia and Pamukkale look like places I need to see.

I decided it was redundant to post my photo essays both here and on my photography portfolio page, so please click here to see my full photo essay from Türkiye.

You can also click on this photo of the Josef, the Rug Guy. Because I like to give you options.

I hope you enjoy the photos. Please feel free to check out my other work in progress photography portfolio albums.

Cheers!

10 comments

  2. I’ve checked out the photo essay (excellent btw) and having read this you’ve sold it to me. A quick update on the Lemon Fanta situation, here in Marrakech. I found it in the first supermarket we called into for supplies. It’s in small 25ml bottles but the ‘it’s the real thing’ (wrong fizzy drink jingle but it fits!). I think you’d like Marrakech. Yesterday we went on an excursion into the Atlas Mountains and were taken to a rug souk, lol. Comical rug guy there though who spoke to us in a cockney accent that sounded like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. Today I took pics of cats, colourful slippers, more rugs and mint tea. It could have been your gallery 😀

    Reply

    • Nice score on the Lemon Fanta!! Did you buy a rug?? They make it soooo hard not to. I imagine most of the accessible layers of these souks are about the same in terms of inventory. Pretty, but man, tough to know what you’re really getting. Enjoy your time in Marrakech. Cheers!

      Reply

      • No we didn’t buy a rug but one of our party bought a Berber coat. Btw I got told off in the supermarket for taking a picture of the Fanta! I told the guy Kirsten, from America, wanted Fanta evidence and told me to take pictures. So you’re already in a heap of trouble before you even visit Marrakech 🙂

  3. Have also been to your photo gallery – would like to say a sincere thanks for the great overview – more so, the humour with which you take us all over the place. Loved the ‘journey’ with the cats and the rugs and shall repost tomorrow to various lists . . . would love others to see . . .

    Reply

  4. That rug guy looks vaguely like a girl I met right as a bar I had been in for many hours in Baltimore was closing. You don’t want to know, nor do I want to recall, the rest of the story! 😂😂😂

    Reply

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