On Thursday, June 7th, we organized a very enjoyable trip to Balat with our students. Zili Qiu, one of our B2 Daytime students, shared that day with us through her own eyes. Happy reading!
On Thursday, June 7th, we organized a very enjoyable trip to Balat with our students. Zili Qiu, one of our B2 Daytime students, shared that day with us through her own eyes. Happy reading!
Colorfol Memories in Balat
On June 7th, the day before the Eid al-Adha holiday, as ITU TÖMER teachers and students, we went to Istanbul's Balat district for the last cultural trip of the semester. Balat is known by the Chinese as the "Colorful District." It's a really famous place! But I had never visited it before. So this cultural trip was a really great opportunity for me.
As always, we first met at the ITU campus and took the metro together. I see the time we spent on the metro as a small party because during this time, we met and chatted with new friends from different classes and took photos. In a narrow space like a metro car, classmates get closer to each other. But unfortunately, as soon as I get on a bus, metro, or plane, I feel sleepy. So I couldn't participate in this metro party.
(I was sleeping, that's why I wasn't in this photo.)
After getting off the metro at Haliç, we walked a short distance and got on the tram. From the tram window, we could see Istanbul's beautiful and colorful buildings and streets on the left, and the sparkling turquoise sea on the right.
Our first stop in Balat was a bakery. When we arrived, the street where this cafe was located was still quiet and peaceful. But the scent of fresh dough wafting from the cafe woke up both the people around us and our stomachs. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful smells of sesame, butter, and yeasted dough. I bought a warm simit fresh from the oven and immediately took a bite. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside — a real feast for my palate!
After satisfying our hunger, we continued strolling through the streets of Balat. We petted the cats lying in the window of a confectioner's shop that opened in 1879. Then, we also entered a shop set up inside a cave; the owner was trying to collect all kinds of beverages produced in Turkey — Sarıyer Gazozu, Beyoğlu Gazozu... The shop owner also showed us old Turkish games like the spinning top.
After leaving the soda shop, we all walked together for a bit. A few minutes later, we reached the famous colorful stairs. I had seen these stairs on Instagram maybe millions of times before, but I had never visited them. We immediately took photos there with my friends.
Then we arrived next to the Private Fener Greek High School. The red-bricked castle truly amazed us. It's truly a legendary place! But we couldn't visit this school; it only opens for 2 days every year in December. I decided: This year I must buy a ticket for this school's open day, and I will definitely enter this beautiful castle!
Our last stop was a restaurant by the sea. An old man was playing the qanun there; his voice immediately captivated us. A few weeks ago, we learned about traditional Turkish musical instruments in our classes, so my friends and I sat next to this musician for a long time and listened to his live performance. I was very grateful for this moment.
Thus, our colorful cultural trip ended with the melodic and joyful music of the qanun. It was truly beautiful. The most beautiful and colorful memories will remain in our minds.