A Weekend in Istanbul

Easter Weekend, Istanbul

Spring in Istanbul—damp and clean and cool with pulses of warm light filtering through bold bright red and yellow tulips…..the wind smelled like rain and sun and life and home….I inhaled the air, allowing the hope inherent in Spring to invade me…it was hydrating, invigorating and I was flooded with childhood memories of the Easter holiday, of running through wet grass searching for Easter eggs and stuffing myself with peanut butter chocolate bunnies and jelly beans. I felt very far away from those Easter memories as I wandered around the New Mosque and indulged in Turkish delights. Very far away indeed…At the same time, I was a little relieved to be out of the Middle East, to be in a city where I could disappear into the crowds without feeling slightly nervous, slightly guarded, to be in a city where I recognized some of the elements of my own culture…..

Jake and I spent our first days in Istanbul wandering around, stopping periodically for doner and kofta and baklava and freshly squeezed orange juice, admiring the vibrant European city bustling around the incredible mosques and bazaars, trying to avoid the Easter crowds. I think that Istanbul is my favorite city—its unique and ancient history palpable and alive in its monuments, its people, its food…..its architectural wonders that tell stories of religion, culture, politics and power and how the tension between these constructs have shaped the world as it is today. I could have been perfectly happy getting lost in Istanbul forever.

When I remember Istanbul, I will see only fragments of cityscape…..deep blue painted tiles, imposing arched domes, soaring minarets, silk headscarves, flowering trees, curving alleys, stray cats, sun showers, delicate tea glasses, the Turkish flag blowing in the wind….and, of course, a sea of colorful carpets…..

During one of our afternoon wanderings, Jake pulled me into a carpet gallery….let’s just look, he said, knowing I would hesitate…..Due to the fact that I have an almost pathological aversion to buying things (especially when we travel), Jake had to use all of his skills of persuasion to get me to sit down and accept the little glasses of tea they offered us as the gallery owner proceeded to unroll one after another of incredibly beautiful woven carpets. Silk on silk, wool on wool, wool on cotton, double knot vs. single knot…..deep blues and reds and yellows…..flowers and geometric patterns, small and big, old and new……symbols of love, fertility, protection…..The dowry rugs were the most extraordinary…representing intricate and intimate female expressions of self, skill, and love to future husbands….. It was one of these dowry rugs (one that we carefully chose together based on its symbolism) that Jake gave to me as a promise of a future life and home together. We quietly made a commitment to each other over this piece of woven art, one that will provide a foundation for and be worn with the footprints of our life together. In that moment, we made a commitment to marry and my life was forever changed. Under a warm Spring sun and surrounded by tulips, we celebrated with a box of Turkish delights. Yes, I could have been perfectly happy getting lost in Istanbul forever.