We all know Turkey by its mesmerizing architecture, the great mosques that take shape no matter where you are in the city.
Trust me, I definitely enjoyed walking and sightseeing, but it was the cats that I was looking forward to the most, and they did not disappoint.
12 Feb
First official day in Istanbul! Breakfast accompanied by Orange cat and - very yummy - Kaşarlı Mantar, oven-baked cheesy mushrooms.
Although I was stuck inside all morning, the sun finally came out in the afternoon and so we can finally explore. Not too far away, you can find some really pretty streets at Fatih neighborhood, where I stayed, and, of course, cats!
Feb 13
It is possible to feel overwhelmed with the amount of culturally rich and interesting sights you can visit in Istanbul, but when you don't know where to start or if you don't have a lot of time in the city, Sultanahmet Square is the place to start.
It is surrounded by several well-known mosques, like The Blue Square and Hagia Sophia, the Basilic Cistern and the Grand Bazar, that is why the Sultanahmet Square is always booming, any time of the day, both with tourists and cats looking for an easy target.
A few walks later I was at Sultan Ahmet Parki and had one of my funniest interactions while trying to enjoy a snack, which luckily was recorded by another cat appreciator, iykyk.
But I guess this guy had other plans for my snack!
Going home on the same day, I was blessed by these two cuties.
Feb 14
Time to move on to the next adventure, Kapadoccia. Before that, let's chill in another park while we wait for the time to call the uber to the airport.
This little guy sat with me for over 30 minutes until he saw some big dogs near us and decided to run for the bushes. I have to be honest, I was grateful he did because I was almost being late, unable to find the strength to get him out of my lap.
Feb 15
Kapadoccia certainly deserves a post for itself, but as the matter of cats goes, things could not be different.
Although a lot colder than Istanbul, outside walks always lead to cat-stalking.
My friend ended up walking by my side for a good 5 minutes, at first hesitant by my path by lured by the promise of some love. While I continued to venture further away, he finally decided it was too far from home for him, but I could still hear his meow as he hid behind piles of snow.
And when I thought I had gone too deep in the snowy mountains to find cats, I was proven wrong!
Honorable mentions
No one tells you this but: there are dogs in Turkey too! And really big ones.
I will always remember my time in Turkey, part of it has its lessons and hiccups, but the lovely memories I made there will always overtake any negative experiences.