Once again, I traveled to Europe and back. This time, judging by the headline, after working in Cyprus, I stopped for a day in Kutaisi, Georgia, and spent a week in Istanbul, Turkey. After such long flights, the desire to travel anywhere disappears for at least six months. Cyprus is, as usual, primarily about work. However, I was fortunate with the season, and my weekends were enjoyable—picnic in nature, beaches, the sea, sunsets, and all the resort amenities.
Right after work, I had to go to Istanbul. Unfortunately, it is impossible to get there directly—there is a long-standing conflict that has divided the island into Turkish and Greek parts. The situation is very similar to other Middle Eastern dramas, where independence from Great Britain, unfortunately, did not lead to harmony among the inhabitants themselves. I had to plan a route through a transit point.
An 18-hour layover in Kutaisi, a city that turned out to be surprisingly quiet and, unfortunately, very compact. One day was too much for me. You can walk through the entire historic center in just a couple of hours. Outside of it, life goes on as usual—the residential areas of the Georgian province. The locals confirmed that if you want more, you should take a car and go to the mountains. Nevertheless, I have nothing to complain about. It was a decent stop, everything as should be: wine, khinkali, and so on.
The Colchis Fountain. The first of the city's main symbols.
White Bridge, where this scene took place
Other interesting things of the city
The new airport is a definite plus!
After a nearly sleepless night in the comfortable Kutaisi airport, I arrived in Istanbul in the morning. This city is huge, ancient, very “delicious” in terms of food, and undoubtedly beautiful with its history. However, the first thing that catches your eye is the incredible density of tourists per square meter. The legendary Istanbul bazaars turned out to be an endless repeating gallery. Hundreds of shops, each selling the same selection of spices, Turkish delight, and magnets. It's as if someone had COPY-PASTE the same thing as far as the eye can see, creating a spectacular illusion of diversity. The shopping streets are like a huge branch of a Chinese market selling cheap consumer goods.
that very COPY-PASTE
narrow old streets and the bridge between Europe and Asia
The architecture is already beautiful, but with the lighting, it's simply mind-blowing
Access to view the interior is available everywhere, but the lines are simply enormous
Perhaps, if you try hard enough, Istanbul can offer some decent entertainment. But the overall impression remained ambiguous. I remember how Palestinian propaganda was shown on large screens in the main square near the bazaar, with police guards armed with machine guns, police vans, dogs, etc. I immediately felt that my homeland was somewhere nearby.
Conclusion. A giant city where illusory diversity hides a lack of choice, where crowds of tourists obscure history, and where giant flags show who is the boss here.
