A Day by the Bosphorus

The weather has not changed ever since I arrived in Istanbul. It is rainy, foggy and sky is gray at all times. Just the way I like it. 

My mother loved Istanbul when it was rainy and foggy. She said wolves which was her maiden name, love rainy and foggy days. My feeling must have a lot to do with that.

My day started just like yesterday. Ayşegül and I talked about what to do for breakfast and got ready for the day. Phone rings and my high school friend Zuhal says that the day belongs to me. The waves of feelings are going through my mind and body. She is my friend for the last 40 years. We were in a group of students in Ataturk Kız Lisesi (girl's high school) assigned to 1B class. The only common thing among us that our elective foreign language was German.  I ended in that class because the English language classes were filled. I remember sitting next to Zuhal first day and feeling really comfortable. I never forgot her and that feeling rest of my life.

She says she is going to be in front of the building in 10 minutes, Ayşegül and I rush down to the lobby. It is pouring down in Istanbul. I am not sure if the wolves like that much rain.

She drives us to a place to have our morning coffee and catch up on the years that we have not seen each other. As we find a table and sit down we start kaynatmaya (chatting to the point it boils). We offer each other intimate information about our kids, husbands, ourselves and mutual acquaintances. She  has to know everything and I have to know all about her. In the meantime, we take turns to explain some of the things we talk about to Ayşegül. I can see that she is amused about the whole situation.

Ayşegül splits from us and I ask Zuhal to drive us by the Bosphorus. We start from the very beginning in  Ortaköy and drive all the way to Sarıyer where the Bosphorus meets Black Sea. It is a long drive, two way street that goes between the water and the historic houses.  Water is choppy. It is emerald green and gray mix. The water is caressing the boats that are lined next to each other on the shore.

I am very happy to see that not much has changed in the neighborhoods we pass by. I see the familiar pastry shops, restaurants, apartment buildings, little parks, boats, tiny streets.

The Bosphorus is breathtakingly beautiful even on a day only the wolves were happy to have.