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This would be my first time travelling alone and first time travelling in Turkey. As a Turkophile and student studying in Bulgaria I decided I would reward myself after passing my summer exams with this trip to Turkey. As our night bus entered the Turkish side of the border the differences were becoming clear. The sun was rising and Turkish flags were to be seen everywhere. And even the Mosque of Edirne lit up that it could be seen from a distance. Our bus arrived at around 8am at Istanbul’s biggest and busiest bus station. Turkish flags, so many people, the sun in full bloom – I imagined I was in one of the romanticised Rick Steves oldern Istanbul travel documentary once I had arrived. I took a free local bus from the bus station not fully certain of where I was going but I was able to arrive at another bus station where I was able to buy my bus ticket that would take me to Armenia in the next few days. In the meantime I made my way to my AirBnb host’s place through the hilly and multiple streets of Istanbul’s Taralbasi district. On my way and whilst asking for directions in Turkish I mistook a native New Yorker for a Turk, who was sat a breakfast bar. He was in his late middle age and told me about the career he had in the NYPD. Soon after I thought I’d found my accommodation. I’d found a building that was burnt out and just told myself everything happens for a reason. I struck up conversation with a young Turkish woman in the street with my newly learnt Turkish. Thanks to her I was able to meet my host where we met on a main road and as I would depart from her she insisted on writing all of my contact details on a notepad. That was kind of old school and kind of sweet. I arrived at my host’s place where he offered me Turkish Coffee that I was able to drink whilst being able to take in the view from his apartment block with hearing the sounds of the countless calls to prayer. Now I was starting to feel that this is Turkey. My host took me to the main street of European Istanbul and walked me on it. After I was able to find my own feet and immediately headed for historical Istanbul, Sultanahmet. It’s amazing knowing that there are people from everywhere who come to visit Istanbul, even hearing American voices there, knowing that there are some states in America that aren’t too diverse in culture, but still, there was something so special about Istanbul for those people that they came all the way here. In the coming days I would smell and remember the distinct smell of the Spice Bazaar for the rest of my life. I never want to forget that nor the visuals or atmosphere I understand about the place. I would go underground and see the Basilica Cistern. It’s an amazing scene that would look well in any movie. I walked through other markets and saw traditional things such Turkish Hamams and adverts to see Whirling Dervishes. When you’re Istanbul, specifically historical Istanbul, you are enshrouded in some of the greatest history that can ever be seen on this earth. I saw Dolmabahce Palace and tried to imagine the lives of those who used to operate there, especially Mustafa Kemal Ataturk when he used to host foreign dignitaries there. Riding on the Bosphorous itself is amazing. You can’t beat those blue waters and blue skies, especially on a sunny day. Or ‘Balik Ekmek’. Istanbul’s answer to grilled fish sandwiches. The food is so fresh in Turkey and there is so much variety, with produce imported from all over the world. Everybody has to go to Kadikoy Market. It’s so relaxed, especially on Sunday in the day and there is so much good fish on sale. It’s perfect for a grilled barbeque, especially when you can do these things so easily in Istanbul. My trip came to an end and then I was on a 36 hour bus to Yerevan, Armenia.