We arrived in Istanbul to find our Airbnb apartment is just a short walk to Istiklal Street, the main pedestrian avenue in the new town. Just 5 days prior to our arrival there was a terrorist bombing on Istikal Street, which claimed 6 lives and injured 81 people. On our first day we walked along the same Street and stopped for a moment at a memorial to the victims. I don’t fully understand the politics which motivated this act, but I do understand that the taking of innocent lives to advance any cause can never be justified.
There is a visible police presence in the City especially at the major tourist sites, and despite recent events, Istiklal Street is still full of everyday people strolling, shopping and enjoying life, as it should be……with comical ice cream vendors, doner kebabs, baklava shops and the old street car soldiering on.
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