An Istanbul Walk in the Sun

This morning I had a brainwave and set-off from my hotel to walk to Istanbul City Center! It didn’t look far on the map – believe me, although now I am beginning to think that I read the scale wrong and also the sky was cloudy which made perfect conditions for a long trek!

My hotel is located in a suburb of Istanbul called Pendik, closer to Tuzla than Istanbul! The map showed me that a simple walk along an excellent promenade (that runs all the way along the coast) would have had me in the big city without further ado! And so with all the good will in the world, a little bottle of water and a steady gait I set-off on my Sunday adventure!

The point at which I decided to turn away from Istanbul

I never reached my destination! After setting off at 9am the sun decided to appear and blast 33 degrees plus degrees down onto lil’ol unsuspecting me! Not to be outdone I pushed on but after three hours and 17 kilometers of grueling sun I eventually had to give up! Another 17 kilometres later and back in the hotel I looked at the map again! I had nearly reached the big city, I was on the last lap but it was just one kilometer too far!

Dressed to the nines - sweating under the miday sun

It was an interesting walk and well worth it! I spotted life on a Sunday in Turkey - without hindrance of tourists to cast the life in a false light! Amateur fisherman abounded, I never saw one fish being plucked from the sea despite their endeavors but that might just ruin the enjoyment of it all! Muslim woman covered from head-to-toe sweat profusely, many sought shelter under nearby trees, others looked as if they were about to faint – their pale skin not used to such exertion! More relaxed girls and boys snuggled under the shade of trees, holding hands discreetly whilst looking out to sea with misty eyes! Families unpacked vans, set-up tents, blankets and food, a day out on the grass and in the shade, away from the stifling heat of an apartment or house with no air flow perhaps!


Catching a Sea Breeze in Istanbul Turkey

People saunter around, old men sit where they have always sat, not saying much, just watching the world go by without expression or worry! Young boys try to sell things, the obvious water bottles and sandals and the less obvious, a weighing machine and a handbag and in-between the need to earn money they take time out to swim in the cool of the sea!

Passengers on a day out - an overloaded ferry perhaps?

Half way along I encounter a ferry, it looked as if it was overloaded but whose there to watch? A well-dressed man covered from head to toes in black looked as if he had just realized his mistake as he sweat painfully along! Cafes everywhere, well decorated, presented and full of young couples, of families and friends as they sipped coke and tea away from the sweltering sun!

And out and over the deep blue sea are the ships, the new and the old waiting perhaps to sail through the Bosporus and away to distant shores, others perhaps awaiting bunkers, some for the scrap yard, a long wait it might be!

But as I pulled myself along, my feet beginning to swim in my boots and as I saw the sky-scrapers and buildings that herald a city-center I opted to turn back! Whatever I felt then I knew, I would feel twice as bad by the time I clocked the 17 Kilometers back to the hotel again!

I didn’t really want to get to Istanbul anyway; I just wanted to stroll along the promenade under the midday sun!