Istanbul, Men and Cats (page 2 of 9)

I absolutely love this angle on cats. Cities don’t usually give me the big thrill, but there are two that totally captivated me: Sarajevo and Istanbul. I’m waiting to see what comes next—curious if we’ve been shaken, stirred, or enchanted by the same places. Luc

Hey Luc

For those who aren’t cat lovers, you might wanna skip to another travel journal! 😉 They’re part of what fascinated me—would Istanbul even be the same without its cats? And some neighborhoods too, but I’ll get back to that...

I don’t like cats, but I’ll stay 😏

Good evening Catherine, yes, the cats—I have memories of them, but you're the storyteller. I still have a vivid memory of that city, even though when I visited, I was steeped in an oriental atmosphere since I was living in Albania. Luc

I don’t like cats, but I’ll stay

That’s nice, my Pierrot

@Masterpo You said you weren’t drawn to Istanbul. I’m really surprised! This city must bring together all your interests (well, from what I know ), from rich Art Deco architecture to wooden houses, stunning palaces, mosques, churches, museums, a wild and tumultuous history, and also the cobblestone alleys, street art, quirky passages, and little bars that remind you of Parisian corners—plus, most importantly: the cats!

I dunno... some kind of mental block, for sure... 😛

Well, we might need a defibrillator because I’m sure you’d love it. (Aren’t you getting a little bitter, though? 😛)

Here’s a little selfie while I wait—something different from the cats.

What a pace, Catherine! From Japan to Turkey in less than two weeks 😄 Thanks for this new share. Istanbul has been tempting me for years—if the city is also full of cats, I’ll *have* to go 😻

But tell me, it seems like you're also really racking up the trips 😉

Okay, I'll keep going since I'm only up to Sunday and there are still more cats to see 😇 I'm heading toward one of the shores of the Bosphorus, that famous strait separating Asia from Europe. The idea feels strange... The crossing will be for tomorrow, and we'll do it by bridge like all those good old-fashioned tourists.

Still those street vendors selling chestnuts (I always wonder if they're chestnuts or sweet chestnuts ), fishermen, lost tourists, weird little treats (which I'm going to try), and... cats sniffing the air... scented with fish.

Wouldn’t that be the Galata Bridge? I really loved this place :)

Hi Kate,

Congrats on your travel journal! Great idea to include our furry friends in your city visit. Are they European-type cats? The same breed as our cats here? Everywhere I go, I notice them— in Israel, I found they were small, long-haired models, and in the Caribbean, they were tall and very slender.

Keep up the good work with these purr-fect companions.

♪ ♪ ♫Meooow, Meeeow, ♪ ♫ MeOOOOow, Meow ♪ ♪ ♪ Meeeow, ♫ ♪ ♪ ♪ MeOOOOOOw, ♫ Meow, mew Meeeow, mew Meow, mew, ♫ mew, meow, ♫ ♪MeOOOOW, Meeeeeow Meeeeeeeeeeow, ♫ ♪ mew ! ♪♪♪♪meHAHAHAHAow ♫ ♫ mehehehehehehe♪aw ! Meeeow !! ♫

Hello Kate,

Here’s a travel journal from an unexpected angle! I was familiar with the cats of Morocco, Venice, Greece... the Asian cats in Buddhist temples, Japan in pictures... but I’d never thought of Istanbul.

It adds an extra charm among the people, a unique perspective... but this city between East and West must be full of curiosities and treasures!

Wasn’t it a bit disorienting to go from zen culture to the hustle and bustle of Istanbul? I totally get that choice, that desire... contrasts are part of the journey.

I’ve been drawn to Istanbul for a long time because of its vibe, its history, and its riches, so I’m happily following along with this journal! !

Yes, Turkish cats say meow! And the roosters say cock-a-doodle-doo... Those Turks are crazy 😏

But tell me, it seems like you're also really racking up the trips 😉

Sure 😎 but not with your efficiency in writing travel journals 😛

@Pierre Yes, it's the Galata Bridge, 200m from our APARTMENT. Such a great neighborhood—you’d recommended it to me, by the way! 🙂

@Poste42

Are these European-type cats? Same model as our cats here?

I’m not sure if they’re "European" breed cats, but I’ve seen all kinds. I noticed they often have big paws. I also spotted a real Turkish Angora (Ankara used to be called Angora, named after the silky-haired goats from there—that’s where the name comes from). It was a female nicknamed Mademoiselle. I asked why such a pretty name, and her owner told me—translating his English as best I can—that she was sensual, flirty, and independent (a bit snobby, really!) like a French woman! Too bad the photo of Mademoiselle is blurry 😕

@Kola Thanks for that noisy passage

@Ming

Wasn’t it a bit destabilizing, going from zen culture to Istanbul’s hustle and bustle?

Not at all! That’s exactly what I love—otherwise, I’d get bored. There’s hustle, sure, but in some neighborhoods where we intentionally got lost, we were completely alone. Tourists are mostly concentrated around the mosques, Topkapi, and parts of Galata.

I don’t know anything about Istanbul (I didn’t even know if it was an 'n' or an 'm'), but to me, Galata was more of a tower than a bridge, right?

Playing Assassin’s Creed can come in handy...

I don’t know anything about Istanbul (I didn’t even know if it was an "n" or an "m"), but to me, Galata was more of a tower than a bridge, right?

Playing Assassin’s Creed can come in handy...

Galata is a tower, a bridge, a neighborhood...

Monday, October 21

Furball has mobilized quite a crowd. Actually, Furball is a tiny little cat with really big teats, poor thing. Her kittens appear as soon as I set foot on my balcony. Gotta say, the soup is good... But they're not agile enough to reach me, so I toss them little bread balls soaked in milk. They fight over them 😕



We cross the Golden Horn on foot, an estuary that flows into the Bosphorus. Today’s outing is planned for Sultanahmet, the ultimate tourist district, which packs into just a few hundred square meters the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, the Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, and more (Masterpo, if you're nervous about venturing into Istanbul’s working-class neighborhoods, you can stick to this area—there’s plenty to do 😛)

The 250 km-long line in front of Hagia Sophia puts me off. We’ll head to the Süleymaniye Mosque instead and hang around the area while we wait for lunch at an amazingly good restaurant for chicken skewers and veggies—everything perfectly spiced.









A quick stop at the Egyptian Bazaar—it’s all sparkly, but we leave quickly (even though I love markets, I don’t feel like I’m discovering anything new, plus it’s packed). Then we head to the Kucuk Pazar district, which I’ve heard about and can’t wait to see.











It’s funny—sometimes cats have very human expressions 🙂