Read our conversation with a Turkish native:
Snapshot: Türkiye
Turkey is a place that lights the imagination. Full of diverse cultures, history, and amazing places to visit, it is difficult to find someone who has traveled to Turkey and not fallen in love with the country and its people. Nurcan Kocyigit, a native of Turkey, has sat down with John Eric Home to answer some of our questions on this exotic destination.
JEH: What is your favorite place in Istanbul?
NK: To be honest I have many favorite places, but my absolute favorites are in the old sections – The Blue Mosque, the Hague Sophia, the Old Bazaar, the Galata Tower. There is so much history there. I also enjoy that The Blue Mosque and Hague Sophia are car-free zones so there is not traffic involved – I enjoy the parts where no cars are around. In the morning, it is really nice to go there for first prayers – as the sun rises and there are only a few people around, it is amazing. From Galata you can see the Bosphorus River. It is so lovely. I can’t describe it – you have to see it.
JEH: Can you please tell us about one or two of Istanbul’s hidden treasures?
NK: Hidden treasures – hmmm. The real hidden treasures are the local restaurants in the city. Where you can’t find them at first sight – there are lots of really old ones that have been run by the same family for 150 years or more and still remain in their original styles. The treasures are all about food really. But I would also add that what is really, really nice is a trip to the islands which are close to Istanbul. You can see how big Istanbul really is. It takes about two hours to go by boat to the biggest island, but the amazing thing about it is all the while you travel there you are passing Istanbul. I mean, you look right and left, all the skyscrapers pass by, yet it is still all Istanbul. I don’t know for certain how long it takes to travel from one end of the city to the other – but I think that it is about 4 hours. It’s huge.
JEH: To the travelers who are interested in going to Istanbul, what would you say in terms of the vibe of the city?
NK: Istanbul is like New York. It is a big and diverse city full of restaurants and shops and museums and culture. Everything that you would expect for a big city to have. But there are hidden parts where people don’t even use televisions – they think that there are too many influences – and they like to live on their own. Istanbul is a different spot from the rest of Turkey. It’s like its own country. It’s like Singapore in a way – it’s its own. That what is in Istanbul is Istanbul – you will not find the same throughout the rest of Turkey. That is what I really want to point out.
JEH: If someone is coming to Istanbul, what are the top 3 sites or activities that they must see or do?
NK: If you are staying in Istanbul make sure to take a Bosphorus ferry trip. It is special. Of course, visit The Blue Mosque and Hague Sophia which are very close to each other. Topkapi Palace was the home to the Ottoman Sultans and has a lovely view of the city. Visit the islands and eat tons and tons of very nice food. Oh, and one more place to visit is the Hamam within the Old Bazaar. It is old and many say shabby but definitely should be seen. Most hamams in Istanbul were built in the 17th and 18th centuries.
JEH: Can you share with us some insight in terms of what it is like to live in Istanbul?
NK: It is a city that doesn’t sleep – it’s like New York – always busy. So, life in Istanbul is very similar to life in any big, metropolitan city. One difference may be that there are very few playgrounds for children. People prefer to go to shopping malls because they have air conditioning, and they go as a trip – not to shop – but as a trip. They have lunch or dinner at the food court and use the malls’ playing areas for the kids.
JEH: Let’s leave Istanbul for now and speak about Turkey in general. Not so much about places to visit or see, but the character of the country and its people. What can you tell us about that?
NK: Because there are living so many nations in Turkey and the Turkish have so many relatives all over the world, you will find for sure someone that has lived in your country. They will ask where you are from and then they will find someone, whether it is a friend of a friend or the cousin of a friend of a friend’s friend and they will say “I lived there as well” or “I’ve been to the US, and it is so nice.” I’m pointing to the US because you are from the US (said with a giggle.) It’s like searching for a common ground to become closer to each other. That is what I would love to point out. They will welcome you like you are a very, very old friend. The hospitality of the Turkish people is very, very serious. I have traveled a lot – and it’s not because I am Turkish – but I have never seen the same hospitality anywhere else in the world. The Turkish like to give joy – they invite you for dinner and bonds develop. To have this hospitality, it is something that is difficult to express in words. It is just felt. I will give you an example. My family and I were in the countryside and there were women preparing fresh bread. I wanted to give them business, so I approached one of them to buy a few loaves. But it was early and so she had no change as she didn’t have much business yet. Do you know how it ended up? She gave it to my kids as a present – to see joy in their eyes. I wanted to help her, but it ended that she gave me the present. This happens all the time in Turkey.
I would advise anyone traveling to Turkey to go out into the countryside. It is difficult because most people only speak Turkish, but they are very kind, and they will do everything to communicate with you. To be honest, my family and I generally go to these kinds of areas because it feels like our childhood where the people are welcoming and warm. If you stay only for a couple of days, you will leave with a new auntie and uncle. This is how it was in my childhood, but you can’t find this anymore in Istanbul because the people are living very close and crowded, moving in and out, there are tons of apartments where people don’t even know their neighbors.
JEH: What is your favorite activity to do in Turkey overall?
NK: I love going to the market to see all of the fresh fruits. The best time to go to Turkey is at the end of August or early September because it is getting a little colder and all the fruits and vegetables are at their peak. I did a fig jam in Turkey and the whole apartment smelled for one week. The scent was amazing. Then I came back to Germany where I now live and did the same thing, but the house didn’t even smell. This is so different.
JEH: Can you share with our readers something that may surprise them about Turkey?
NK: There are now so many working moms, and if their child can’t go to school on a particular day, a school holiday or anything else, in Istanbul, they bring their kids to the office with them. This is completely OK. Mostly there are people who work there, say as a tea server or in security, and they play with the kids. The children play with other children too. In Turkish culture, children are the very heart of the family. They go with their parents to all events, whether it is a wedding or party, they accompany them.
Something that may also surprise people is that Turkey is home to people of the Christian, Jewish, and Moslem faiths. Everyone lives with each other in peace. I think that this may not be known to many. And Turkey is one of the only countries that can survive completely on its own. It has all the natural resources that are needed and can be completely self-sufficient. This is a richness of sorts.
One important cultural item to note – the poorer of Turkey will not accept donated money. For example, in Istanbul, you will see loads of people wandering around selling tissue packets. If you try to just hand them money, they will not accept it. They will tell you that they are not beggars. They are selling tissues. If you try to give them more money then asked for, they will turn it down. Once I bought all the packets from one of the sellers.
JEH: Any final thoughts that you might share with us?
NK: Around 25 years ago or so, I was staying in a 5-Star hotel in Istanbul. There had been a crisis in the city – bomb scares, or something like that – and a member of the hotel staff said that because of it, tourists weren’t coming. He also said that once the crisis finished, the visitors would be running back to Turkey. Because if someone has been to Turkey once, they will come again.
