🇹🇷 10 Days as an Istanbul Local ✨
❓ Why I Stayed Longer Planned to leave in 3 days for Cappadocia... but: • Travel fatigue hit 📉 • Snowy Cappadocia = no balloons 🎈❄️ • Realized Istanbul had more soul than just sights 🚶♀️ Beyond Tourist Spots After ticking off mosques & bazaars, I asked locals: • Bebek: Coastal walks + sunset mosque hugs 🕌🌅 • Balat: Rainbow stairs + hidden cafés 🎨☕ • Asia Side (Moda): Hipster cafes + fresh fish sandwiches 🐟 (caught that morning!) 🎷 Unexpected Love Affairs • Jazz bars that converted me to a jazz fan 🎺 • Turkish coffee – hated it at first, now addicted 🤎 • Cats – Istanbul’s real rulers 🐈 (so fluffy!) • Food: Went from "meh" to devouring whole Turkish pizzas 🍕 🌉 Magic Hour Ritual Every evening at Bosphorus Bridge: • Watch fishermen 🎣 • Let the golden light wash over me • Whisper: "I’ll be back." #Istanbul #LiveLikeALocal #CrossroadsOfTheWorld