TRIP TO ISTANBUL

Istanbul is a place where I’d come back over and over again. Nowadays, there’s little tourism, that’s true… but I never felt unsafe and, as I always say, visiting is a way to support countries that are having a rough time.

I’d come 11 years ago with my mom and my aunt, and I chose to come back becomes it’s a city that drives you to do that.

You will not only find the Blue Mosque; there’s thousands of mosques here. There are 3,000 in Istanbul alone. Plus, there’s tourism from many Arabic countries.

The Grand Bazaar, where you can buy from jewelry to leather jackets, lamps, pillows and purses, among any number of things, is one of the main features of the city, being the world’s biggest bazaar. There’s also the Spice Bazaar, where, as anticipated in its name, allows you to get spices, Turkish delicatessens and oriental food.

The Bosporus, the strait that divides the city into European and Asian sides, is a must. From a boat you’ll be able to feast your eyes on the astonishing mosques, palaces and mansions, a priceless view. Despite being a Muslim country in its

majority, Turkey’s three main religions —Islam, Christianity and Judaism— coexist peacefully.

This country has something else that has a special appeal to the Latin folk. Two years ago, the 2006 Turkish soup opera Binbir Gece (“One thousand and one nights”) was broadcasted in South America. The show was such a hit in Argentina, that one of the stars of it became a star of a famous Argentinian show. And the Turkish people, well known for their commercial skills, know how to capitalize on the soup opera’s success: everywhere you go, whenever they’re trying to make a sale, you’ll hear the show’s main theme on the background, or they’ll engage you about the characters.


Istanbul is Turkey’s both more developed and more expensive city. It has flight connections to every corner of the world. You can even purchase a direct flight from Buenos Aires, with a small stopover in San Pablo (Brazil.)

Whether if you liked the soup opera, you’re into its culture or you’d be interested in meeting a city filled with history, there are more than enough reasons to visit Istanbul.