Turkey, a parallel universe

ISTANBUL When I say Turkey, I am not referring to  the dish, although I imagine if it had a scent it would smell like thanksgiving turkey. When in Turkey take notice and advantage of the warmth, especially that which comes with the Summer breeze. A honey pot of diversity is everything I see in front of me. Yeah, the language is hard to understand, note however, language will be the last thing to make you feel like an outsider.

It’s the kind of country that makes you ponder on what an upbringing here would have been, what type of adult you turned out to be, or even what type of art it would have gotten you into. The possibilities feel overwhelming, in the most heart-warming way.

I’m not here for long but that has nothing to do with the after-effects I will feel, long after leaving this place. Nothing to do with when I will look back and wonder what happened to the faces I saw across the street from me. Did that kid get the ice cream they wanted? Did that man put the baby back into her carrier after carrying her for so long? That is what Turkey will leave me with, memories of lifetimes I spent here, perhaps in the past life, perhaps in a parallel universe not too far from here.

If there is one piece of advice I could give, is to never go ‘cold-Turkey’ on Turkey before you go to Turkey. It feels homey at best, like a good overnight hotel if you don’t believe my first reference. No sights will be shouted out because perhaps every corner is just as worthy of one. It seems not to matter what corner of Turkey you are in, once you are in, you are in Turkey.

If it were a feeling, calm would be the word for it. Almost like you don’t need a guide, it gives you this burst of confidence that you can, self-navigate your way around, even as a first-time visitor.

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