karaköy docks | istanbul travel deck no. 8

Karaköy docks is probably one of my favorite places in Istanbul — in that it’s where I feel the energy of the city at its most potent — (though in this current version of my istanbul life, I almost never go there anymore, and even if I do, it never feels quite the same).

the summer when I first came to this city, in 2021, I was going through a dark period, and then, spent a lot of time sitting on one of these benches, looking out into the waters of the Bosphorus, watching the ferry boats pass.

once, an old man would come and offer me tea from his thermos, ask if I had any friends I was with (no), and offered to be my friend. those days, I was keenly aware of my aloneness in a chaotic place. and because Istanbul is a city where it’s kind of hard to breathe, this waterfront was where I went to air out my psyche, while feeling embraced and comforted by the dark. I sat here alone for half an hour, and listened to a lot of bitter Turkish songs.

from there, you can look out and see the skyline over Eminönü. sometimes, I’d get a fish sandwich from one of the local shops, or sit at the tea house with all the turkish men, or ride a ferry to Asia, just to have a little more water-time.

*

I actually drew this a while ago, back in December, and forgot to post it. my brain is feeling at a stand-still today, so here it is.

 

go to istanbul

 
art from my soulKening Zhuistanbul travel deck, istanbul