A quick trip to Istanbul

I had a quick trip to Istanbul in early June for business. Needless to say, when on business, forget the yarn shops, and be happy of you get to see something else than the meeting rooms in your hotel...

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and the fifth largest city in the world with a population of 12.6 million. Istanbul is the cultural and financial centre of Turkey. It is located on the Bosphorus Strait. It extends both on the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. I was lucky enough to take a cruise on the Bosphorus, the river that divides Istanbul between Europe and Asia.


The whole city reflects this East-West divide. You see as well blondes that would perfectly fit into a Hollywood movie as women covered from head to toe according to the strictest rules of Islam. You see as well mosques as tall rise buildings that would not be out of place on the New York skyline.


The main impression Istanbul left me with is a city that suffers from a permanent traffic jam. According to one of our Turkish guides, Istanbul has approximately 14 hours of traffic jam everyday. This is due to the fact that most of the population lives on one side of the river, whilst most jobs are located on the other side. The only way to cross over are the bridges, which of course means endlessly clogged up roads, and an ever moving population...


I would have liked to explore the city more in detail, as there must be fascinating things to discover there if you take the time. Maybe I can get back for a holiday someday...