Istanbul - Is It Safe to Visit?, Istanbul, Turkey (B)

Some cities are so famous and we expect so much from them that when we finally arrive, after the initial moment of joy, the other, less pleasant phase of disappointment comes over us. Yes, the monuments are stunning, the food is good, the weather is perfect, but there is something missing. And it's hard to explain what. On the other hand, there are places pretty ugly, chaotic or completely unknown - we don't even know what to think - and we fall in love with them. That was the case for me with Tbilisi in Georgia, Prishtina in Kosovo or Kiev in Ukraine - although virtually non existent on the tourist world map, they enchanted me beyond imagination. Istanbul, in turn, was the place I had always dreamed of visiting and in the end, although I enjoyed it, I felt that thing that there's something missing. You will surely find the photos in this post absolutely stunning and you might think that what I say is silly. But I'll try my best to explain my point of view below.

I had always wanted to visit Turkey - its famous landscapes, oriental touch and superb cuisine are undoubtedly attractions on a global scale. Having experienced amazingly beautiful, cozy architecture with illuminated balconies, the fortress overlooking the city and superb food in Tbilisi as well as Turkish countryside, I thought Istanbul would turn out to be a better, bigger, richer version of the Georgian capital. Unfortunately, it didn't. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).