That's right, I made it to İstanbul!
A quick pass through customs and a happenstance of timing. I had no idea where to pick up my checked bag but I walked right by just as it was coming off a claim belt.
My uber hospitable host picked me up from the IST airport (which is so huge) and we headed to Beşiktaş.
After we arrived at his very lovely apartment, I showered the travel filth off of me and became new again. We ventured out on foot (as is the way) in search of food and drink.
There are a lot of people in Istanbul and apparently they're all gorgeous. I became a little verklempt at the sights, sounds, and smells of this new to me city.
We traversed quite a bit of land from Beşiktaş to Cihangir and ended up at this delicious thai food place.
After a spicy and delicious meal we went for a cocktail at Geyik.
Everyone in İstanbul smokes, even the cats. I had no idea.
I fought off a cat drinking toilet water to use the bathroom, what a treat for me.
We walked down to the waterside for a bit then headed back to Beşiktaş to sleep.
I tried to sleep but was unsuccessful, my first real bout of jet lag I suppose. I also had a very large amount of anxiety-inducing intrusive thoughts which is very rare for me. Like a little mild panic of everything that I had seen and done in a short amount of time since leaving Tulsa on Thursday.
I live in a very controlled and predictable space in Tulsa, traveling is neither controlled or predictable. This is good for me I say. For the first time in a hot minute, a slight discomfort was felt.
I know that I needed something that I would get from this trip but I don't think I realized that what I needed was to be uncomfortable and thrust into a world unknown. İstanbul makes me feel very small and insignificant and in a weird way that can be freeing. It's easy for me to think about my fragility in Tulsa where even when I think about it, it seems off a ways. But here, it somehow seems more real.
I called my mommy like a little baby and ranted to her all the things that I was feeling and that made me feel 100% better. Acknowledgement has a funny way of doing that.
I watched the sun rise from the terrace with the Bosphorus in view and then did my meditation to the sound of seagulls.
The view from above the bed in the loft I'm sleeping in, its cute, peaceful, and that bird is actually huge.
Day 2 here I come.