Istanbul, Men and Cats (page 5 of 9)

I love photographing little things and knick-knacks. You find them everywhere in café decor, often made from upcycled objects, scraps of fabric, and other bits and bobs. It’s usually in great taste and charming.









Under the Galata Bridge, restaurants teem with a pushy vibe and tables packed with noisy tourists. On the other hand, along the quays in the Karaköy district, we discover charming little bistros. The area is a bit touristy, but nothing like the previous spot, so I don’t hold back on enjoying this stroll. We spot our dinner restaurant—a whole tempting menu of mezzes, grilled fish, and why not a little raki. I won’t regret it; these modest tables serve divine meals (though be careful not to accept the offer of a "special menu" for us without a listed price and the promise of a "great experience").







In the area, a cat perched up high...

I’m absolutely determined to get my Cartier-Bresson shot of the stunning Camondo Stairs. This amazing Art Nouveau staircase was built in the late 19th century by the Camondo family, a dynasty of financiers. It allowed the illustrious banker to easily reach one of his countless buildings. 15 minutes later, I admit defeat. I won’t get much out of it—there are too many people, and I only need four, ideally in the right spot 😇

Henri Cartier-Bresson gave us this:



Kate did this, with blurry faces and where you can’t even see the stairs 😊 (and I even heavily edited my photo with a plugin to hide the flaws)



Anyway, today it looks like this, and I think if I didn’t pull off a Cartier-Bresson shot, it’s because of those ugly trees 😏

The sultan’s cat is really gorgeous.

The sultan’s cat is really superb.

The sultan’s cat! 😏 She has a regal bearing worthy of her role...

You're right, it is a female cat (3 colors). A male cat would have just as much noble bearing.

Good evening, a travel journal about Istanbul’s cats without mentioning Gli is just absurd 😄.

https://www.facebook.com/HagiaSophiaCat

Good evening

I wasn’t familiar with Gli :/

I think you just have to go back there now, Erdogan or no Erdogan...

With you? 😇 (I’m not jealous...)

Friday, November 25

It’s my second-to-last day in Istanbul. Furball is here, loyal since day one. She waits for me to get up with one of her kittens who managed to climb onto the balcony. He’s cute, unlike her—she hisses at me as soon as I hold out a bowl. Today, the bowl will be exceptional. -Thin slices of bread infused in casein, aged Emmental shavings, and bits of emerald-green olives flavored with crumbled salami. -Salmon croquettes from Alaska -Fine crumbs of honeyed biscuits

I love the one on the left... it matches its face 😛

I love that one on the left...

The ONE on the left! It's a female cat! 😛

THE ONE on the left! It’s a female! 😛

Well, why? Be careful when you say that calico cats are always female—it’s a shortcut. Actually, it’s calico cats with these specific colors: orange, black, white... This one doesn’t seem to match, does it?

😉The bowl’s menu is pretty nice, you know—hard to turn down. With a menu like that, she should be nicer... gotta talk to her in Turkish😉 For my little black coffee, I had the same one for 19 years. He was super friendly

THE ONE on the left! It's a female cat! 😛

Yeah, I thought so too—it had to be her, the mom, since the other one looks younger...

That said, a female cat *is* a cat, though the reverse obviously isn’t true 😛

The one on the left! It's a female cat! 😛

Why?

Well, because I know! 😛 If you'd been following the story, you'd remember that Fluffball has teats! Anyway, aren't there that many cats in my thread?!

If you'd been following the story a bit, you'd remember that Fluffball has teats! Well, aren't there just too many cats on my thread?!

Oops, even though I love cats, I'm getting lost with all these toms 😛

Women.

In this post, I’ll talk about the women of Istanbul. I don’t want to fall into the stereotype trap, but I was struck by some particularities—enough that they stood out to me. There are the "ordinary" passersby, the ones who don’t draw attention. But I came across *a lot*—really, a lot—of young girls with Botoxed lips, reshaped cheekbones, and lifted eyebrows. I’m not even talking about the overly made-up, shiny faces. Beside them, ghosts. In certain neighborhoods, a proliferation of niqabs. Not just little scarves or hijabs—no, full niqabs. (I also saw women in niqabs taking selfies. But that’s just an anecdote.)

Them.



In the same café...







In the same spot, on the street...





A lovely encounter during my walks—mothers and their daughters...







And here and elsewhere, diversity...

😉The gamelle menu is really nice, you know, you can't turn that down. With a menu like that, she should be nicer... you gotta talk to her in Turkish😉

She’d bolt when I got near her and hiss when I offered her food. I think she was scared, but still, that’s no way to behave! Most of the cats let you pet them, though. The dogs too (I assume—I didn’t try 😉)

Kate, I’ve been following your travels in Istanbul with great pleasure. I have a question: are there still "bear handlers" for tourists in some neighborhoods??? I saw them in 1980 😕.... I hope that tourist trend is a thing of the past. Julie.