For me, Istanbul is over. I won’t go back, not for a long time, if ever.
In the city however, the troubles continue. I shared some photos from the first few days of the riots, then I went back and made a short video of the chaos. When all the trouble looked like it was over, I speculated that it was only the eye of the storm. These speculations proved to be true.
Just before I departed from Istanbul to hitchhike across Europe, I visited Gezi Park and Taksim Square one last time. Here are some pictures from that day.
The following night, my friends moved into the park to take part in planting a garden. On their first morning in the park, the police arrived with water guns and tear gas. My friends were heavily gassed and lost all of their belongings to the police who forced them out of the park.
I refrain from making political statements concerning situations that I know little about, but I cannot help but notice the heavy handedness of the Turkish police and the idiocy of the president.
The rules of Gezi Park
Homes of the protestors
Washing a duck
Pro vegan
A cat with it’s tail ripped off
I loved visiting Istanbul this past January, I’m so sad that it’s a place people are now terrified to go. Here’s to hoping the situation resolves soon. I love the photographs, they’re quite poignant.
you will never, EVER visit Istanbul again? Is it because of the political climate? I hear it is a marvelous city…!
-Maria Alexandra
No, the political climate was fine. It was many other factors instead. I’ll share them when I have many minutes to write them all down and think about it properly.
That’s so sad-it’s somewhere I would have loved to have taken the kids.
In all honesty, what I saw was very tame. I am sure it will be tourist friendly in no time.