Oct
09

A 9 day layover in Istanbul in photos.

“IN PHOTOS” is a series I will use to share many of the hundreds of photos I have taken during my travels. It is a series I have thought about for a while now, but did not want to start until I got back home from my trip. However after spending a week in Chefchaouen, Morocco I couldn’t wait any longer. “IN PHOTOS” will not have a set schedule like my “MUSIC MONDAY” or “PHOTO ROUND UP” series. “IN PHOTOS” will be a post with several photos with no limit. The only restriction this series will have is that it must be about a certain subject or theme. I will write a brief paragraph or sentence describing the subject or theme of the photos and then post the photos. I will not caption the photos like I do on my “PHOTO ROUND UP” with my thoughts. I want to use “IN PHOTOS” to share my photos and let you come up with your own thoughts about the images and hope you share them with me. I have also numbered them in case you want to leave a comment about a specific photo.

I know what you are thinking… “Umm Jaime 9 days anywhere is not a layover. That is a vacation or hell even a sabbatical for some.” Well the reason I am calling my 9 days in Istanbul a layover is because it was my transition period… I knew after spending 3 months living in Cairo and saying good bye to him and the Egypt I love so much I needed some time for myself in a city I loved. I needed that time so I can just soak up all my thoughts and wallow in my mini depression. I needed that time so I can get back in the backpacker mode. I also needed that time to think about the beginning of the end. My next stop was BANGKOK… and that meant I would be starting the last leg of my trip. A few months in SouthEast Asia and then I will be going home. Well that is all that Istanbul really was for me… during those 9 days I did a lot of thinking and a few other things.

I spent New Years in Istanbul and then fell in love and kept dreaming of Istanbul so it felt good to arrive somewhere already knowing how to get around. I arrived with my friend Jason who I met on the road in Dahab over 6 months ago also in Istanbul. 1st thing we did together was have him cut my hair… and then enjoyed some nights out. I then spent a few days on the Asian side of Istanbul with one of my readers (now great friend) offering me some amazing Turkish Hospitality (thank you for everything Gule). She showed me a lot of the Asian side I hadn’t seen before and loved it. The more I saw of Istanbul the more I fell in love with it. Then the last few days I spent them being a tourist… I had been to Istanbul 3 times, but had never been inside the Hagia Sophia so finally did that. I also did some shopping for me, my family and friends back home at the Grand Bazar and sent a box home full of goodies. Then on my last 2 days in Istanbul… I really just did nothing and was okay with that… I just gathered my thoughts before the start of my next adventure a few months in SouthEast Asia. I leave here with a few of the photos I managed to capture during my 9 days in Istanbul.

Getting my hair cut in Istanbul

—1—

Metro tokens for Istanbul.

—2—

Scarfs of Istanbul

 —3—

Modern Mosque of Istanbul

 —4—

Having drinks in Istanbul

—5—

Blue Mosque

 —6—

Modern Istanbul.

—7—

Street Art of Istanbul

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Street Art of Istanbul

 —9—

The evil eye.

 —10—

Istanbul

 —11—

Inside Hagia Sophia

—12—

Inside the Aya Sophia

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Inside the Aya Sophia

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Inside the Aya Sophia

 —15—

View of Istanbul

 —16—

Istiklal Street.

—17—

Scarfs of Istanbul

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Lamps of Istanbul

—19—

Galata Tower

—20—

Hope you enjoyed the photos & I hope you share your thoughts below.

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Comments

  1. It looks wonderful! I’m flying through Istanbul to Bangkok, but no time for a visit then 🙂 I will need to make another trip there.

    • Jaime Davila says:

      Oh Jo, you should visit if you get a chance. I love love LOVE Istanbul… it’s simply just an amazing city. Hope you make a trip there soon. When you do let me know if you need anything!

  2. Istanbul looks awesome, Think picture 12 is my favorite 🙂 really cool shot
    Brendon of Nerd Travels recently posted..Choosing A Day Pack For Your DSLR Camera And Laptop On A Budget

    • Jaime Davila says:

      If you haven’t been you should… you’d love it. Oh & yes 12 is one of my favs… I almost cried just sitting there looking at all this amazing-ness around me.

  3. Great pics buddy! Julia and I have literally sat down to book our flights to Istanbul 3 times on this trip, and for
    different reasons each time we pulled out. We are going to try to get there in December for 10 days or so to finally see this awesome place!
    Scott recently posted..Might As Well Jump

    • Jaime Davila says:

      Uh uh Scott… I’m gonna need you and Julia to change that and soon. For real… Istanbul will blow you away. It’s just the right mix of West meets East. 10 days in Istanbul will be just enough to see a bunch of the city. When you go let me know if you need anything.

  4. I love green spaces in big cities <3 Not sure if 16 is Gulhane Park or not, but I loved walking through there!

  5. Lay me over there any day! Wait, is that a bit too forward? lol
    Hogga recently posted..Canadian Nature Through Instagram

  6. Sounds like a great idea to spend some time in a city you know you love before going somewhere completely new. Great pictures, and I’m soooo glad you finally got to Hagia Sofia! (and thanks for the links!)
    Ali recently posted..Sometimes I Fake It

    • Jaime Davila says:

      Oh yes I so needed this down time Ali, especially after leaving Egypt. Oh & yes I finally went in… I couldn’t visit a 3r d time and not go inside. Oh & your welcome for the links. You know I love when we help each other. <3

  7. great photos! and looks a very interesting place… would like to go one day!

  8. Hi from pattaya/Thailand, i was just searching about gay life in egypt, and found your blog. Nice pictures from my country Türkiye. It seems u really loved . And yes we have really handsome guys there 🙂

  9. Yes Istanbul is one amazing city, totally understand you! If I wont visit at least once every few months I feel like I need to go as soon as possible. Still can’t understand your love for Egypt though. Need to read more of your posts about it!
    Marysia @ My Travel Affairs recently posted..Lucerne Lovely Light

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