Istanbul ’17 | Day 9: A Farewell Gift

30th July ’17. Day 9 of 9.

Today is our final day in Istanbul, and we’re feeling quite gutted. That being said, it’s been such a privilege to be here and we’ve had such a fruitful trip – until next time, beautiful city!

We’ve finally cracked down on our packing and it’s proving to be a tight squeeze. My suitcase is so full (and heavy) that I’ve had to pack my DSLR into my handbag. Eek. Our suitcases are also full of delicate ceramics, either gifts for or from people, padded with ample layers of clothing. We’ve also spent much of the afternoon cleaning the apartment, hoping to leave it in the best state possible for our host. It’s been a delight to stay here, and has felt like home since we arrived.

Later in the evening, we headed out for food and a final stroll through Sultanahmet. We decided to end our trip at one of our favourite restaurants and tonight they had a beautiful live performance (sorry about the quality, filmed on my phone!).

And of course, our farewell to Istanbul would never be complete without a last visit to the glorious Blue Mosque itself.

Late into the night, we slowly walked back to the apartment, slightly crushed at the reality that we were leaving in three hours. We happened to pass by a small doorway lit up in the midst of a quiet dark side street, store still open, and there was a man silently weaving tapestry, just weaving in complete contentment, not even aware nor affected by our presence. In the most apt of lasting ‘final impressions’, in a short span of two minutes, he taught me what it meant to be an actual artist. To be grateful, to be content, and to be so engulfed in your craft that in that moment, you are free. And that was exactly the lesson I’d been searching for for a very long time..

Thank you. Thank you, Istanbul. I hope to see you again soon.