Istanbul: The City That Stayed in My Heart

There are cities you visit once, and they fade into memory, and there are others that quietly stay with you. For me, Istanbul has always been the second kind. The first time I saw it was almost ten years ago. It was November, cold and autumny, the kind of weather I love. The air carried that mix of sea breeze, roasted chestnuts, and a soft sense of something ancient. I remember walking through its streets with a sense of wonder I couldn’t explain. I was younger then, more fearless, in love with different things, and still unaware of how hard life could be. My dreams were lighter, my heart more open.

Yeni mosque interior detailed roof - I took this picture during my first visit to this mosque in the Eminonu area

I could have never imagined that a decade later I would come back, not as a visitor, but to live here, near this beautiful city. Life took its turns, as it always does, but choosing to stay close to Istanbul has been one of the best decisions I have made so far. It hasn’t been easy, especially navigating life as a foreigner, searching for work, and building something stable, but even in difficult moments, this city still feels like home. Istanbul is different. It doesn’t look, sound, or taste like any other place in the world. People sometimes compare it to Damascus, or say it carries something of Andalusia’s spirit. Maybe they’re right, there are echoes of both. But for me, Istanbul has its own heartbeat. It is not a place I can compare, and not a feeling I can fully describe.

Green door and sunlight -I took this picture at the Mesih Ali Pasa mosque in Istanbul's Fatih Area

What surprises me most is how little my feeling toward the city has changed, even as I have changed so much. Despite growing older, wiser, and perhaps more careful, the same spark returns every time I walk through the old city, stand by the water at sunset, or hear the call to prayer echo across the Bosphorus. The ferries, the seagulls, the bridges, the smell of simit and sea salt, everything still feels magical, as if the city refuses to become ordinary.

Every visit, every short trip to the heart of Istanbul, feels like a quiet reunion with a part of myself I never lost. It’s a reminder that no matter how much time passes or how many places I go, some cities simply stay. They wait, they change with you, and when you come back, they welcome you as if you never left. Istanbul is that city for me, my constant, my beloved place, my reminder that even after all these years, wonder can still feel the same.

A 15th century style window in sunlight - Again, the beautiful -not very popular- Mesih Ali Pasa mosque

Note to Readers

This reflection is a beginning. In this section, I plan to share more pieces about the places I love, not as a guide, but as someone walking through them with curiosity and a camera. Sometimes I’ll write about where to go or what to eat, but always about what it feels like to be there.