地震中的伊斯坦布尔 2023

Turkey, a cat-friendly destination, spans the Eurasian continent. With a view of the Spruce Strait, you can fully enjoy the former splendor of Constantinople. Although it is only a short day, you can deeply feel the unique characteristics of this place: no other corner of the world can compare with this place. You can listen to the deep call of prayer from the minaret on the top of the ancient city, and enjoy the endless lively shouts of street vendors. This is a place full of vitality and rhythm, and every sound tells the unique story of this city.

Heathrow Airport, London, UK 2023.Feb.15

Before takeoff

I arrived at the airport a few hours early and sat quietly in a Chinese tea restaurant. I sat there alone, enjoying the busy scene of tourists around me. I enjoyed the lively atmosphere of people coming and going, especially those tourists who were dragging large and small bags and whose boarding time was about to end.

I ordered a "Chicken Noodles in Superior Soup". I had not had chicken noodle soup in the UK for half a month, so I was looking forward to it. However, after ordering, I suddenly remembered that I would be back in Hong Kong in less than 30 hours. This made me wonder, since I was about to return to the paradise of food, was it really necessary for me to taste this unauthentic Chinese dish here?

Compared to Sanmao's "Chicken Soup for Rain", this one is just average. I can't help but feel sorry for my wallet. It's just a few noodles, a spoonful of water, and a few pieces of chicken. Compared to what I make myself (which can be called art), it's still far behind.

Istanbul, Türkiye 2023.Feb.15

No Internet

Arrived at the airport at 5:00 a.m. local time. There is nothing more pleasant than seeing a city for the first time in the morning.

However, this happiness did not last long. As a "new age, new youth", the first task after getting off the plane was to connect to the Internet. However, before departure, I forgot to buy a data package, which resulted in my phone being unable to access the Internet. So, I turned my attention to the airport's Wi-Fi.

I have stayed in airports of different sizes, such as Paris, Rome, and London, and I have a deep understanding of the reliability of airport Wi-Fi. However, the Wi-Fi at the Turkish airport gave me a new understanding of Wi-Fi at international airports. Before I left, I had learned that Istanbul Airport Wi-Fi was only allowed to be used for one hour. However, what was even more surprising was that when I connected to Wi-Fi, I actually needed to enter a mobile verification code! My phone was unable to access the network at the moment, so how could I receive text messages?

I tried to send verification codes over and over, but never received any response. Like a headless fly, I rushed around the airport, encountering the troubles that the airport staff were already accustomed to. They responded to me with a helpless expression. The dazzling array of Wi-Fi names and the embarrassing situation of not being able to access the Internet formed a sharp contrast, making me more and more anxious. The happiness just now had long disappeared, replaced by a sense of anxiety and helplessness.

In this busy airport, I seemed to be the only one. The crowds around me, the busy schedule, the brightly lit terminal, everything seemed to have nothing to do with me. I was just a traveler lost in the online world, facing this huge airport alone.

As the saying goes, "When God closes a door for you, he will definitely close a window for you." When I almost lost hope, I suddenly saw a "Wi-Fi self-service machine." It is said that you can enjoy one hour of Wi-Fi service by just scanning your passport. I don't know why, I looked around at first, trying to stay calm, for fear that others would notice my anxiety because I couldn't access the Internet.

However, when I carefully put my passport into the machine, I found that the machine did not respond at all. I muttered helplessly in my heart: "This Turkish machine is really bad." At the same time, a green passport holder next to me easily took out the Wi-Fi account and password from the machine, which made me even more unacceptable. Obviously, the problem was not with the machine, but with my passport that could not pass the verification.

I had no choice but to give up. It had been an hour since I got off the plane, so I quickly went out of the country and found the "touristanbul" window to register for a one-day tour.

On the way, I saw another Wi-Fi self-service machine that I loved and hated. However, to my surprise, it actually worked this time. After getting the Wi-Fi account and password, I immediately turned on the network and finally reconnected with the Internet. At that moment, I felt relieved.

At this moment, the first ray of sunlight slowly penetrated the window and filled the entire airport. The warm yellow light brought new hope and vitality, and the haze in my heart was instantly dispelled. At this moment, my trip to Turkey officially kicked off.

About the touristanbul project

This one-day tour project is led by Turkish Airlines and is mainly aimed at passengers who take Turkish Airlines and whose transfer time at Istanbul Airport is more than 6 hours but less than 24 hours. Due to the impact of the epidemic, the project was suspended for a time and will not reopen until February 2023.

Passengers can choose a free one-day tour of Turkey at different time periods according to their own schedule. Since my next flight was at 1:00 a.m. the next day, the guy at the counter arranged the longest "T11 route" for me.

Turkey earthquake on February 7, 2023

In the early hours of Monday, February 7, 2023, two severe earthquakes occurred in succession in southeastern Türkiye near the Syrian border.

According to reports that day, more than 5,000 people were killed in the disaster and thousands were injured. The World Health Organization warned that the death toll could increase to eight times the initial statistics. By February 10, the death toll had exceeded 20,000 - including at least 17,674 deaths in Turkey, which has exceeded the death toll of any strong earthquake in the country's history.

After boarding the tour bus, the tour guide expressed deep gratitude to us foreign tourists, thanking us for supporting Turkey in this difficult time. Many tourists donate to Turkey spontaneously every day. Although the earthquake did not affect Istanbul, countless Turkish people lost their lives in this disaster. Unexpectedly, China Telecom also announced that it would waive all our network fees in Turkey.

Let's go! Let's go!

It was February 16, 2023, at 9 o'clock in the morning, heading to the city center in the first rays of sunlight in Turkey. Here are some photos taken in the car.

It was shot in the car.

Finally got off the plane, and our first meal in Turkey was provided free of charge by Turkish Airlines.

Although it doesn't look good, it doesn't taste good either.

There are many, many, many shops selling these gadgets in Türkiye, they should be called "second-hand shops".

It is worth mentioning that Türkiye is indeed the number one cat country in the universe, and cats can be seen everywhere. Friends who like cats must not miss Istanbul.

I personally like this kind of store that displays a wide variety of goods. It reminds me of the newsstands I passed by when I was a child, and there were so many things I wanted to buy. Now that the economy is much more relaxed, I can buy whatever I want to a certain extent.

One of the smallest seas in the world - Sea of Marmara

I saw the seashore from afar, but I didn't know that this was the Sea of Marmara, an area located south of Istanbul, Turkey, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

The history of the Sea of Marmara is very rich. Since the time of the Ancient Greeks, this area has been an important trade route between Europe and Asia. The importance of the Sea of Marmara was particularly prominent during the Roman and Byzantine Empires, when Istanbul (then known as Constantinople) was the capital of the empire.

Due to its geographical location, the Sea of Marmara has often been a stage for conflict and war. For example, during World War I, Britain and France attempted to control the Bosporus and Dardanelles through the Sea of Marmara to provide assistance to besieged Russia, which led to the famous Gallipoli Campaign.

Hippodrome of Constantinople

The Hippodrome of Constantinople, located in Istanbul, Turkey, was an important social and sporting venue during the Roman and Byzantine periods, used primarily for chariot races and other public entertainment.

Since my tour group is English, the following description may not be accurate.

The history of the square can be traced back to the 3rd century AD, when it was started by the Roman emperor and completed and further expanded by Constantine the Great in the 4th century. The original square could accommodate about 100,000 spectators and was the center of city life at the time.

Below are the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column, and the Column of Constantine.

Let me tell you about this obelisk.

The Obelisk of Thutmose III, also known as the Obelisk of Thutmose III, is an ancient Egyptian obelisk located in the Hippodrome Roman Forum in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The monument is made of red granite and was originally about 30 meters high, but the existing part is about 19.6 meters high.

It was built by the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BC to celebrate his victory in the Nile River basin.

In the 4th century AD, the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great ordered the obelisk to be transported from Egypt to Constantinople and placed in the Hippodrome Forum. This is why it is called the "Egyptian" obelisk, because it was actually moved from Egypt to Constantinople.

The monument has stood for two thousand years and is now one of the most important historical sites in Istanbul.

Blue Mosque

It's a pity that when I went there, the Blue Mosque was under maintenance and not open! !

The photo below was taken with my back to the Blue Mosque. (Don’t ask me why I didn’t take a photo, because the Mosque was completely invisible!!)

The design of the Blue Mosque is a unique style that mixes Byzantine and Islamic architectural styles, integrating Istanbul's history and culture. Its interior is decorated with about 20,000 handmade Iznik tiles, with various floral and geometric patterns painted on the tiles. The main color is blue, so it is called the Blue Mosque.

The Quran

Look at this Quran, guess how much it costs?

It is worth mentioning that the Quran covers a variety of topics, including theology, moral laws, guidelines for social and family relationships, and references and commentaries on pre-Jewish and Christian traditions. The language style of the Quran is known to be beautiful and profound, and is regarded as the pinnacle of Arabic literature.

Kalpakçılar, a famous market in Türkiye

"Kalpakçılar" means "fur merchant" in Turkish, because historically this street was mainly populated by merchants selling fur products, but now it is more famous for selling gold and jewelry.

You can see a wide variety of gold jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings, pendants, etc., as well as various jewelry and gemstones. In addition, many shops also sell traditional Turkish handicrafts and souvenirs.

I bought some souvenirs here! Including Turkish tea, but the Turkish tea is really so-so～～

Just be aware that shopping here requires good bargaining skills as bargaining is usually part of shopping in Turkey!!!

Seeing the beach again!!!

Chess

It has to be said that the Turkish people are also quite enthusiastic and persistent about chess. Whether in parks, cafes, or at home, you can see people playing chess.

This passion is not limited to amateurs; Türkiye also has high achievements in international chess competitions.

It is worth mentioning that Turkey has also vigorously promoted chess in education. In 2005, the Turkish Ministry of Education included chess in the compulsory curriculum of primary schools, making Turkey one of the first countries in the world to include chess in the education system.