Istanbul by Morning
There is something about Istanbul at night that takes your breath away.
By night, she is clothed in her little black dress and the light from her buildings sparkle like diamond earrings against the inky sky. She shows you her blushed cheeks and painted red lips and intoxicates you with the scent of her perfume as you explore her streets and wander into the doors of her cafes and pubs. Her flaws are covered by the shadows like a thick layer of rouge on the skin. Her midnight dress flaunts only the best parts of her to the eye of the beholder.
Istanbul by night draws you in, takes your breath away, and makes your jaw drop. Exhilarating, like the kiss of ravenous lovers or the rush of free falling through air. You are enamored, fascinated, and seduced.
But as the first rays of morning begin to touch the sky, you take her in by the light of day. There is no more black dress, no more diamond earrings, no more shadows. And for the first time, you truly see her.
I remember the first rays of sunlight appearing in the sky over the Galata Bridge and how the fisherman chatted as they awaited their daily catch. I remember the little puffs of steam rising from the mouths of the vendors as they construct their carts to feed a city that never seems to sleep.
I remember the sound of water lapping lazily against waterside cafés on the Bosporus like the first movements of fingers and toes after a long sleep. I remember the sight of thin morning fog casting a pink glow over the outline of Hagia Sophia against the sky- like a luxurious duvet that encases everything beneath it in a spell of quiet sleepiness.
She stirs and flutters her eyes open.
Sunlight streams in, chasing away the night.
And then it happens.
Her eyes meet yours as the light reveals her. And that’s the moment. That’s the moment you fall in love with her.
Many will speak of Istanbul by night and the secrets and thrills they experienced at her fingertips. But if you are one of the lucky ones to see her by morning, to watch her awaken, and to stay with her there in the intimate light of morning, she will have your heart forever.
