magic to be found?

[lapsedmodernist]

My friend really wants me to go to Istanbul with her for a weekend in November. I feel ambivalent--I am really worn out still from all the summer travel but might be into going if it's an amazing place I should absolutely see. I think I am unlikely to go there on my own.
You people read my livejournal, you know what I like. I don't care about museums or "official" cultural artifacts, but I love colorful bustling energetic photogenic cities with magic and mystery, a flaneur's paradise. Is that Istanbul?
Thoughts?

Comments

[all-or-nothing3.livejournal.com]

I had a friend in grade school, her father was a photographer. They went to Istanbul when she was maybe 8 or 9. I remember thinking it was an amazing place...plus..turkish food!. I would go.

[doraphilia.livejournal.com]

I've been twice! Haven't been since I was a little kid, though. 3/8 of my family is from there (my grandma's family and 1/2 my grandpa's family) which is why we went.

From what I remember, and from what people tell me, it's a pretty amazing city.

[never-the-less.livejournal.com]

I am ambivalent about it! (I went this summer) Granted, I was only there for five days, and the primary purpose was visiting my best friend, but I was neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. I.e. I thought it was cool, but honestly didn't feel that "crazy unique" to me. On the other hand, I didn't hate it.

My sense is that if you are not going to hang out with someone who is from there, you are mostly going to be restricted to tourist-y stuff/parts of town. Not to say that there are not streets to wander -- there certainly are, and perhaps you will appreciate the non-griddedness of it, but...Istanbul did not feel particularly, yeah, strange or totally overwhelming to me. Then again, I was probably very invested in not exoticizing it, and staying in the area that is kind of the upper middle class/going out area (near Beyoglu) made that quite easy, as, no surprise, this part of the population of Istanbul is pretty committed to being western. Also, I am probably too cynical to describe any city as filled with magic and mystery, so take that into account as well. :)

My thought are that if you can get cheap tickets, it's worth seeing, but if not...(also, I feel like I was pretty familiar with Turkish culture before going due to knowing so many Turks/Ottomanists)

PS one nice thing about the "official" cultural artifacts in Istanbul is that they tend to be very un-museumified, often serving as functioning mosques, etc.

[motive-nuance.livejournal.com]

Istanbul is an astonishing city.

[dcart.livejournal.com]

I have never been there, but everything I've ever been told by people who have makes me say that you would enjoy it very, very much.

[msmsgirl.livejournal.com]

It is so amazing!! It is one of the most stunningly beautiful, huge, crazy, sprawling places I've ever seen!!

I would second what others have said, that it's good to STAY in a local neighborhood not the central touristy area. I really liked the area of Beyoglu where we stayed, Cihangir, which was off the Istiklal Cadesi main drag, east and south of Taksim square (and I admit that part of why I liked it was that it was the historic beaux-art Occidentophile quarter - the antique shops were chock full of rich Europeans' personal effects and rich Turks' travel souvenirs that came in to the city 100 years ago on the Orient Express!!!)

It's not that hard to walk around and see the whole city, though - and I would second that the BIG TOURIST things there are actually strikingly, staggeringly un-mediated and un-museumified. You CAN'T go and miss the Topkapi palace and museum, the Aya Sofya, and the dozens of other utterly, utterly gorgeous mosques, they are really incredible!

It has WARRENS of streets forever, you will love it. I am as sure that I will go back there in my life as I am sure that I will go back to Paris and London -- it was an instant favorite city!

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

Oh yes yes yes, you have to go. Besides everything else that was fascinating which other people have mentioned, there were the commuter ferries! full of plain old ordinary commuters! on ferries!

Also, I really enjoyed watching the other tourists. There were a lot of Europeans enacting disrespect for functioning religious sites ("hah hah I put my shoes back on!" etc) and a lot of Muslim tourists doing the usual tourist things, more respectfully.

Parts of it - especially the way the historical sites were also functional parts of everyday city life - reminded me strongly of Mexico City, which is a good thing from my POV.

[nightspore.livejournal.com]

I think you should go. It's pretty amazing. Yes, you should go.

[sissyhips.livejournal.com]

It absolutely is that. It would be heaven for your lens.

[dfordoom.livejournal.com]

It sounds wonderful to me!

[londontheory.livejournal.com]

we were there this summer & despite even the thousands of tourists & ridiculous heat i still loved it. i was there 10 years ago in april and it had been one of my favourite cities since there. i think you should go! there's a great restaurant called Sofyali 9 that's worth a visit - the whole area near that place is pretty fun, actually. also, damnnnn woman, the aya sofia is worth it!

[anthrokeight.livejournal.com]

My dad still talks about having gone to and loved Istanbul 40 years after the fact.

He is a bustling market kind of guy.

So he'd say "go."

[pdanielson.livejournal.com]

I've never been, and so have nothing of value to add, but when I read "a flaneur's paradise," I thought for a second you meant this:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/its-not-easy-being-a-frotteur,11344/

and became confused and was all like why would she want a place like that.