my first visti to Istanbul it was 1990 i was falyingto Moscow and i was only in the Air port ,i had feeling that i will come again in Istanbulk
and in 1997 i came back but this time i was 5 days
i really feel something strange when i go Istanbul
in 2004 i caqme back but this time i was there 15 days and in 8 months i visit Istanbul 5 times
i am planing to buy flat there i really wish one day i can live there

Your story sounds very intriguing. What do you find most special about this place? I've never been there, so I have no idea..

Ohh Dear then you have to go there you know it is really some spicial feeling i really dont know how to say it
but i am sure when u go there
in old city or even when u walk in Taksim really u will feel soooo happy i really cant explane why but thats what i feel and i am sure that i will go back again and again

I came to Istanbul 3 years ago and now, I can't ever imagine myself leaving. It grips you more than any city in the world that i have ever been...

I can imagine that a place with such a history has something extremely magnetic about it. But do you think you could tell more about some of the things that you find most attractive? Again, I have never been there, so I'm just trying to find out.. Thanks.

Catwoman, All I can tell you is that İstanbul is alive. In every neighborhood, on nearly every street corner there is activity. It really isn't possible to put my thoughts in a short paragraph, but believe me, when you are in İstanbul, you know you are alive and a part of a great city.

I bet Istanbul is magnifficent and everyone who visits it falls in love with it for the rest of their life, but it is not all Turkey, or is it? I get the impression that it is. Any other places you might find interessant? I'd like to know what you think about other places in comparison to Istanbul. Surely there is more to Turkish culture and history than just one city.

Hi to all
you know you are righti mean you ave to go to Istanbul to know whats is that city
it s really hard to go there and not to cme back
any place in istanbul is grate
ohhh dear really when i look at my pic there i feel soo sad that i am not in istanbul

Everyone is so excited about Istanbul here, that now I am almost certaine about where I will spend part of my vacations this summer. I think I am now infected with the Istanbul fever too !

i live here

Aren't u lucky, dus kahvesi?

if u live near the sea, for exp near "kız kulesi" u r right.. i am lucky
bur if i dont live near the sea i am not lucky...

Dus k. That rhymes good

guzel kiz,
i wonder one thing whay r u always writing a note after than me?

istanbul can't describe it is just lived.....

Dus ... , look carefully, you were the one who started writing after me! It does sort of look like we are taking turns in this forum. Honestly, it does not bother me , that's what the forums are for, right?

don't be angry be happy

Is a big smile like this good enough prove that I am not angree ?

I've never been to Istanbul, but after reading this post I think I will give a try this summer

I had a friend from Istanbul who always talked about how much he loves and misses the city, but I used to think it as a simple obsession. But so many people are saying similar thing here, I am confused I definitely want to go there if I have the opportunity.

This place stole my heart 3 years ago, my favorite place there is Pierre Lotti, one day I will settle down there,Istanbul will always be in my mind....

Admin, you MUST go to Istanbul, it's the most beautiful place in the world (elbette dünyanin en güzel yeri, gitmelisin!!!)
Duskahvesi, hangi Istanbul'un yakasında oturuyorsun? Anadolu mu?

-KASİDE DER VASFI İSTANBUL ve SİTAYİŞ-İ SADRAZAM İBRAHİM PAŞA-


Bu şehr-i Sitanbul ki bi misl ü behâdır
Bir sengine yek pâre Acem mülkü fedâdır
Bir gevher-i yekpare iki bahr arasında
HurşÃ®d-i cihan-tâb ile tartılsa sezâdır
Bir kân-ı niamdır ki anın gevheri ikbâl
Bir bağ-ı iremdir ki gülü izz ü alâdır
Altında mı üstünde midir cennet-i a’lâ
El-hak bu ne halet bu ne hoş âb u hevâdır
Her bağçesi bir çemenistân-ı letâfet
Her kûşesi bir meclis-i pür-feyz ü safâdır
İnsaf değildir ânı dünyaya değişmek
Gülzarların cennete teşbih hatadır
Herkes irişÃ¼r anda muradına ânınçün
Dergahları melce-i erbab-ı recâdır
Kala-yı meârif satılır sûklarında
Bazâr-ı hüner ma’den-i ilm ü ulemâdır
Camilerinin her biri bir kûh-i tecellî
Ebrû-yi melek andaki mihrâb-ı duâdır
Mescidlerinin her biri bir lücce-i envâr
Kandilleri meh gibi lebrîz-i ziyâdır
Ser-çeşmeleri olmada insana revân-bahş
Germ-âbeleri câna safâ cisme şifâdır
Hep halkının etvarı pesendîde-i makbul
Derler ki biraz dilleri bî-mihr ü vefâdır
Şimdi yapılan âlem-i nev-resm ü safânın
Evsafı hele başka kitâb olsa sezâdır
Nâmı gibi olmuşdur o hem sa’d hem âbâd
İstanbul’a sermâye-i fahr olsa revâdır
Kûh-sarları bağları kasrları hep
Güya ki bütün şevk ü tarab zevk u safâdır
İstanbul’un evsafını mümkün mi beyân hiç
Maksûd heman sadr-ı kerem-kâra senâdır
. . .

NEDİM (1680-?)

(How I can translate,i don't know really...)






:-S

seticio,
yes
anadolu yakasinda yasiyorum.

Ha, boyle dusundum. Uskudar'da mi?

I will try to translate it, but I can't promise I'll do it, because it's in Osmanli, I suppose. There are very many farsca tamlamasi.

This city Istanbul, that is like...beha
I have no idea what is beha
I can't do it myself. I'll ask somebody who can possibly know it, he's turkish philology professor from my university.

hayir
kadıkoyde...

Iki gun orada oturdum. Cunku arkadasimin ailesi Kadiköy'de oturuyor

kadikoy guzeldir ama uskudarın gece manzarası ve kiz kulesinin gece gorunusu, eminonu sahillerini direkt gorebilmen bence daha guzel...

Haklisin

DEAR ADMIN AND CATWOMEN,
ALL THOSE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR FEELNG ABOUT ISTANBUL ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS I FELT WEN I VISTED ISTANBUL FOR THE FIRT TIME IN MY LIFE LAST YEAR.
ITS A PLACE THAT GRIPS UR HEART AND MIND AND U ALWAYS WISH TO SEE THAT PLACE AGAIN AND THE MORE U VISIT IT THE MORE U FEEL TO BE THERE AND UR HEART WILL NEVER FEEL LIKE LEAVING THAT PLACE AND ALSO ITS THE PLACE OF MY DREAMS.
I CANT JUST EXPLAIN WHAT MAKES ME CRAZY ABOUT THIS PLACE BUT I JUST KNOW THAT IM CRAZY ABOUT THIS PLACE AND EVERY WHERE I M SEARCHING FOR ISTANBUL AND JUST ISTANBUL.
I THINK THAT ITS THE PLACE WHICH FULFILLS EVERY PERCEPTION A MIND THINKS OF, PEACE, BEAUTY, EVERYTHING INFACT.
THATS Y I M GOING TO ISTANBUL NEXT MONTH.
AFTER U VISIT ISTANBUL THEN DO EXPRESS HOW U FEEL ABOUT IT AND DO U FEEL THE SAME AS WE DO OR UR VEIWS R DIFFERENT FROM US.
BYEEE

Just a little anecdote...

Yahya Kemal, the famous Turkish poet, was once asked, “What do you like most about Ankara?” He replied, “Going back to Istanbul.”

I guess what I like most about Istanbul is its incurable chaotic atmosphere!

I just wanna add , i like Istanbul also , especially Taksim area

I like At Meydani, I love sitting and looking at Aya Sofya and then at Sultan Ahmed Camii. But my favourite place is Uskudar, it's beautiful especialy in evenings...

my choice would be leander's tower at night - the sight of all the mosques lit with dim lights and the bosphorus is something that made my heart throb...then kadikoy - there's a small open-air cafe with bad coffee and awesome view. i can't wait to see that again...

u should see a plcae from topkapi place and kız kulesi..

Istanbul is the most beautiful city in whole world (and I have traveled a lot, believe me ). I hope to go there someday and never come back again. Every time I leave Istanbul my heart is staying there I will be there in July and having my wedding ceremony in Edirnekapi It is not because I am so religius so as to get married in Patriarchate but because it is THE only way to have my wedding in my dearest city All you live there are soooo lucky that I envy you!

I am sure I have said this before somewhere on this site, but for all of you who speak of Istanbul, I recommend duskahvesi's essay. It is poetic and wonderful. For myself I have only been to the airport in Istanbul, so I have nothing to say about my experience. When i was at school we learned about Constantinople, some great things happened there. Perhaps someone could tell the story of the great Ottoman prince who won a great battle on the Bosphorus by trapping the ships. Its a good story, I just can't remember all the details.

Istanbul, the place where Europe sits next to Asia, and the poor next to the rich and the sophisticated to the simple and the beautiful to the ugly. So many people have come here to this endless city for a better life; so many of them with big expectations. Never rejected Istanbul them. She was like a beautiful woman who doesnt know how to say `no`. Somethimes maybe she was a little too promising and sometimes maybe a little too indifferent. If Istanbul were a woman one could tell she knows how to have fun, thats for sure my friend. But she doesnt seem to know how many broken hearts she left behind. Also she doesnt seem to care much.
If Istanbul were a woman you could never satisfy her, thats for sure. Istanbul, a city of huge ups and downs one could tell.
People, the ordinary people on streets, the little man you come across on shops, on bus stops or in crowded buses going to work in the early mornings or trying to go home in the evenings, these people can tell you Istanbul.

There were so many things you wanted to do; maybe there were a few more things you wanted to have. There were a few moments you felt very happy and lots of moments you were sad and there was always the rush like time never was enough.

The little boys and girls who have started working early in their young ages will tell you Istanbul. The factory workers, you can recognise from their big dirty hands will tell you.
Some people said Istanbul was a place where life never stops. Maybe a city of young people who enjoy going out on nights. But it isnt my friend, it isnt.

Everyone wanted a better life. I`m sure the young people working in the bakery on a hot summer day wanted a better life. The old shoe repairman working in a tiny shop maybe wanted a better life. I think he could speak for hours if you would ask him. I`m sure the boys who had to quit the primary school earlier and soon started working in a car repair shop wanted a better life. It will take time but Istanbul will teach them how to calm down and how to accept life as it is.
When you go to Istanbul next time look at two old men having a chat on a narrow road. "Ne var ne yok?" one will say and "Valla ne olsun," the other will tell "yaşayıp gidiyoruz işte".
You will see the deep lines on peoples faces. People will talk a lot. They will talk a lot about anything, about all the unnecessary things they will talk for hours. But about the things they actually want to talk, they will never do. Many have learned how not to care too much and how to be still happy among so much unhappines. People will still smile where you would never expect them. Maybe the poverty you can see on every corner is the soul of this city which makes her so much more real.

Has time passed very fast? Maybe you wanted life to be different. Maybe there were still things you would like to do but now it was too late. Istanbul, my friend is a story an old man likes to start as "there were times...".

I dont know much about Istanbul and I dont want to know much. I just know a bit about the people living in Istanbul. Istanbul, my friend is a story of happiness and sadness. It is only as real as a sad memory in a child`s mind. You could easly forget about it. Maybe there is no Istanbul.

CONGRATULATIONS, ERDINÇ!
I'm breathless! You're such a poet!

By the way, why everybody talk about Istabul as a woman?
Did I miss something?

Regards,
Slavica

Hi Slavica,
the title "Istanbul my love" by qaheri, was too inspiring and I couldn't resist to write something down. Now, I'm reading the lines aloud, trying to catch the rhythm behind. Some parts are clear, some not so much. All in all it sounds good to me but needs to be read a little slowly and intermittently.


About the woman analogy I think maybe it's because for some, Istanbul is like a mother and for others like a lover. It's like Istanbul has a desire to be beautiful.

erdinç

Hi Erdinç,
I've read it very carefully and with great pleasure.
I conceive myself qualified to say thet it's exellent.
I can only wish more titles inspiring for you.
(Thanks for explanation)
Best wishes,
Slavica

i have been to istanbul for the first time this summer....i am half turkish myself but ive never been to istanbul itself even though ive been almost everywhere else in turkey...all i can say is....i have fallen in love...istanbul is like a drug...it runs through my veins...it gets me high...a feeling of euphoria....i didnt want to leave and i hope to be back someday....istanbul is such a wild and beautiful city...full of curves,twists and turns enticing you....there is a mystery...

i only go to the airport.from aieport to bursa.i love bursa.

I passed through Bursa last week. it looked very pretty. Do you ski Bursali? Or go in the summer?

I visited Istanbul, for the first time, 3 years ago. I was a bit scared while going there. As a greek, i was expecting to meet unfriendly people there. Uncivilized, inpolite, etc etc. What i finally found there was amazing. Nice smiling polite people, who made me feel at home. I fell in love. With the city, with the people, with everything! I realized that Turks are so much better than we are. So pure, so friendly...
There is magic in the air. U walk in Istanbul's streets and u feel like u ve always wanted to be there. I can't explain it. And, to be frank, i don't want to.
I m planning to go there again, in 2 weeks. God! i can't wait!

bravo erdinc!thanks for your poem
when i read that i sensed how i miss istanbul