Cat in Istanbul
Aweh dearly beloved fellow ruminants & groupies
Having recently returned from an epic ten-day trip to Turkey I am now an expert on the country. Travel writing is not my usual genre but today I am making an exception. Not a lot of people know that Turkey is not a shithole country. It is the most tremendous country, and it is already great again.
This trip to Turkey all started because of our son Connor. He got picked for the South African national archery team. He got to compete in the 2024 Archery World Cup in Antalya. My friend, Robert Keip, had a brilliant idea – why not make a family trip out of it?
Luckily for us, Robert took care of all the planning. He put together a fantastic tour that included both our families. We flew into Istanbul first for a few days of sightseeing before heading down to Antalya to cheer on Connor in the scorching Turkish sun.
Connor did amazingly well for his first international competition, especially considering he was up against some of the world’s best archers. He got to meet some of his archery heroes. It was a great experience, and hopefully, just the beginning of many more international competitions for him.
The real adventure began after the competition. We rented a car and embarked on an epic road trip. We drove all the way from Antalya back to Istanbul, with some amazing stops along the way. First up was Pamukkale, with its otherworldly white calcium pools. Next, we stepped back in time at the ancient city of Ephesus. Finally, Bursa, known for its Ottoman history, rounded out our journey before we arrived back in Istanbul for our flight home. Feeling like I’d practically seen it all, I was ready to declare myself an instant Turkey expert (although maybe not quite!).
But instead of bombarding you with every detail, I want to share something special that struck me right from the very first day. We were exploring the old town in Istanbul, and Robert had arranged for a fantastic Turkish guide to show us around. This is where my story about Turkish society really begins…
One of the first things that struck me was all the cats in the streets, window ledges, and doorways. They sprawl on doorsteps, on café benches, and lounge inside the mosques. They are everywhere. At first, I thought they might be feral or stray cats, but they were all healthy and well-fed. They were also completely unperturbed by the crowds in the streets. You could approach them, and they would play with you and purr and were very comfortable with human company and strangers.
I asked our guide who owns all these cats. The answer was no one. They live on the street. The community builds shelters for the cats to sleep in and provides food for them. Many are fitted with electronic chips and the community funds vet bills.
The prevalence of strays across the city is nothing new: “The dogs sleep in the streets, all over the city,” Mark Twain wrote after a visit in 1867 to Istanbul. “They would not move, though the Sultan himself passed by.”
This approach to cats and dogs was not just a feature of Istanbul but was consistent across the entire country. When we had a late dinner in Ephesus a dog with a tag in his ear came up to us and curled up under my feet while we ate. He did not beg for food. He didn’t need to. The waiter said he is a regular visitor When we left, he followed us for a bit and then trotted off happily.
Mahatma Gandhi said the following, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” By this measure Turkey is not a shithole country.
Of course, there is so much more that I could say about Turkey. It is an ancient civilization that was part of the Roman Empire. There are Roman ruins, impressive mosques, museums and so much more to see but others can write about that better than I can.
On the political front Turkey, like so many countries in the world elects bad leaders. The country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, won almost every election he contested despite a deteriorating economic outlook. Erdoğan felt that economic orthodoxy and conventional monetary policy was not applicable to Turkey. The result is 70% inflation which has now resulted in interest rates of 50%. If you want to book a hotel in advance you have to pay in Euros because prices change so fast. In recent elections, Erdoğan’s AK party lost the popular vote for the first time since 2002 and the main opposition parties claimed victory in key cities including Istanbul and Ankara. Feels like home.
The election of bad (truly awful) leaders appears to be a global theme. Dearly beloved readers – why do we do this to ourselves? Turkey served to remind me again that you cannot judge a country by its politicians and leaders. When I got home, I watched the highlights (were there any?) of the US presidential debate. Is this really the best the United States of America can do for their president? If I were to judge Americans by the leaders, they are selecting I would suggest increasing the budgets for prisons and dementia care facilities.
The Turkish people were warm and welcoming although many of them needed to work on their English. How they treat stray dogs and cats says more about Turkish people than the bad leaders they elect.
So, what was the absolute highlight of this incredible trip? Honestly, it was the fact that Robert took the initiative to organize the whole thing. It gave our two families the chance to bond and create some truly unforgettable memories. One night, we had an amazing dinner at a rooftop restaurant in Istanbul. Overlooking the Bosphorus as the sun dipped below the horizon, we all enjoyed too much wine and many beers. It was the perfect setting for deep conversations and catching up on everything under the sun.
This trip wasn’t just about sightseeing and archery (although those were awesome too). It was about strengthening family ties and making new memories with friends. For that, I’m incredibly grateful to Robert for putting it all together.
I want to express my gratitude for all the ideas and comments received. I genuinely appreciate them, and please continue to share your thoughts.
Regards
Bruce
Ruminant Pink Friday 