You’ve been there – you get a feeling that you are going to absolutely love a place then you arrive, you meet a friend that you haven’t seen for months and it just feels awkward, the city feels just a bit ‘not right’ and you wander around wondering what all the hype is about and why so many people have said to you ‘You will love this city’…
But, you’re just not feeling it. ‘What’s wrong with me?’ you think. Sure this city is huge, has so many different areas and the place where you’re staying is great but…it's just not blowing you away.
Istanbul, it's not you, it's me.
I’ve changed. I used to thrive in cities and considered myself a city girl but now it’s the places that I have no expectation of that I totally love: the residential area of Kotor, the fairytale land of Cappadocia, the whole of Albania but I expected to be blown away by the melting pot that is Istanbul – the gateway between Asia and Europe; the furthest point in Europe that I was planning to go. Instead, I am wondering why I came this far?
Maybe that city girl has well and truly gone…
Have you ever been somewhere you expected to love and just didn't feel it?
The Blue Mosque is stunning though.
I have definitely been a bunch of places where I just didn’t feel it. Istanbul was actually one of them. I arrived there from incredibly quiet Veliko Turnovo. So after a few days spent in peace on my balcony just relaxing, it was overwhelming to be thrust into a city of men yelling “HEY LADY” at me every 7 seconds.
I am very glad I went. I did love everything I saw. I will never forget the overwhelming excitement of walking across the Galata Bridge and taking my first steps on the continent of Asia.
But I did not fall in love with the city at all.
It is overwhelming isn’t it and I found Turkey such a shock after coming through the Balkans and loving them so much. I am glad I went too and my next post is saying nice things about Turkey.
I actually felt the same way about Istanbul. I kept hearing that it’s the best city and stuff. For me, I stayed in the ‘touristy’ district (Blue Mosque), which didn’t help. But if you want to really experience Turkey, I suggest traveling east where it’s still very traditional, like Urfa – home of the ultimate kabobs! Anywhere you go I tell ya, the Turks really are the friendliest people.
Thanks Jacci. Heading east does sound a great way to escape the touristy areas. That’s an area for my next trip!
wonderful,,,, liked it..!!
Thanks Arpita.
I actually fell in love with Istanbul, which was a total surprise for me, since I didn’t want to go there but I couldn’t avoid the 24 hours and latter the 48 hours layover.
I headed to Istanbul to spend the night, feeling very annoyed to stay at a city I didn’t want to visit, just to be blown away by it ( just like you, I’m not a city girl anymore, but this place worked out for me) 🙂
I really think that having a very low or no expectation helps. I’ve been to places I thought I’d love then then… I felt bored… Great post once more!
You’re so right. I think when you have an ideal of a place in your head, you expect so much more.