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про мой Стамбул (воспоминания об осеннем трипе 2008 г.)



I was very lucky. I visited Istanbul in autumn. The autumn in Istanbul – is a fairytale. It is mild, fresh, with a smell of mint and cinnamon, pistachios, fresh-made coffee and strong cigarettes, with a warm wind, with a tender colour and a nice rain, from which I did not want to hide under an umbrella. But the umbrella appeared in my hand anyway. It was an unusual walking-stick, a purple and a transparent. I brought it home with me. Such umbrellas are not sold in Nizhniy Novgorod.
Russia does not have many interesting things, like Istanbul. And these countries can not be compared because they are very different. Istanbul - is an other life.
Istanbul – is a city of contrasts. Rich and poor, beautiful and ugly, new and old, cold and warm. Istanbul – is a secret, which you can keep solving infinitely. And I want to solve it also.
I began to discover Istanbul in Beyoglu, on Istiklal street, which starts at Taksim Square and ends at Tünel. We lived not far from the street, it is one of the most important locations of the new Istanbul. I do not like this street because it is crowded at any time of the day, noisy and look not real. It has many different expensive shops, bars and restaurants.
I fell in love with another Istanbul. It consists of a multitude of labyrinths of streets, you can walk on them infinitely. To walk and not be afraid to get lost. But I do not remember the names of these streets, because there were too many.
Living in Istanbul is harmonious. A mad rhythm of the city dilutes a calming hum of Bosporus. In this city smiling townsmen live, with peace inside. Many of them murmuring songs to themselves –that’s an astonishing feature of the Turks. And the Turks say: «The guests should be treated as God's messengers». And they are really happy to meet guests. In this city I felt the colour of the East, heard the sound azan and the songs of seagulls in unison with hum of the Bosporus. I saw the mighty Blue Mosque, was walking along the bridge of Ataturk, where there were a lot of fishermen. I went up Galata Tower and saw the city from a bird's eye view, it is very exciting and it is very beautiful. Homeless cats deserve special attention, because they can be met at every corner of every street, they respond on «Pis-pis». Also in Istanbul live thousands of transvestites, and they live quietly in this city. I think they feel defence, unlike the other countries. Also in Istanbul have many yellow taxis. Their constant hum, a noise of streets, talks in the air, the meaning which you not do understand, and the sweet smell of the Bosporus - all this is not enough.
Istanbul for me is a city of the soul. Let it be I do not know and do not understand Turkish, but I felt the harmony inside this city, the calm, I was myself there. I left Istanbul, but left there a piece of my soul, to come back one day.
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