CATS

"For a long time, I didn't know that I loved cats this much, but honestly, here in Istanbul, it is very hard not to fall in love with them. For one thing, the streets are full of them. There are all kinds. Smaller ones, bigger ones, colorful ones, tabbies, solid-colored ones, sweet ones, and more feisty ones, little and large. And it is just so hard to stop yourself from constantly petting them at every turn. You just have to look at them, and they already come over to you. It's not always clear what they want—food, water, or just someone to pet them?

I always start making friends by slowly extending my hand toward them, and if they approach or nuzzle against my hand, then I figure it’s okay to pet them. 

But I'm not so sure if this is the right method! Not so long ago, there was an instance when this turned out not to be a very good idea. At first, that cat was sweet, it seemed like it wanted me to pet it, but then it suddenly scratched me. And not just any scratch. Blood was dripping from the back of my hand. 

I didn't take it too seriously at first; I quickly washed it with water and wiped it with a wet wipe. But my husband wouldn't let it slide, and the next day we had to go to the hospital, where I got a rabies shot (only that one, because I had already received a tetanus shot two years ago). So yeah, it wasn't pleasant. 

I didn't touch a single cat for about a week, but then the ice was broken, and very carefully, I petted a few again—ones that I already knew from before, and also a little kitten who turned out to have a sweet nature as well.

I didn't know this before either, that cats have their own personalities. I didn't know this because I didn't have a cat at home for several reasons. For one, our family is more of a dog family (so we had dogs at home), and for another, I have a cat allergy. And although I would love to have a kitten for myself at home, unfortunately, I can't keep a cat due to my allergy (and well, I don't want to constantly take allergy medication just for this).

But for those who love cats, Istanbul is a true cat paradise. However, in light of the above, I wouldn't recommend anyone who is just here as a tourist to pet the cats on the street. And if you get scratched, it is highly recommended to go to the nearest hospital and explain what happened so they can give you rabies and tetanus shots. This is a very serious thing; if the cat was rabid and you don't get the vaccine, unfortunately, you can die from it—there is no cure for it, only the shot, which must be received within 24 hours. So everyone should pay very close attention to this! It's just not worth exposing yourself to such a risk. Yet, some people who simply cannot hold themselves back when they see such a cute little round-faced or punk kitty, they go ahead and do it, and a few end up just like I did 😊

But! Kitties are very photogenic 😊 and you can take photos of them without any risk. I can't stop myself from constantly taking pictures of them, which is why I have about ten million cat photos on my phone, and when I want to delete them, I always just procrastinate because they are so cute.

By the way, a movie was actually made about this cat-centric nature 😊 of Istanbul. This one: 'Kedi' which by the way you can watch on youtube in full lenght.

I was surprised by why there are so many cats here and why people treat them so kindly. They care for every cat that lives on the street. 

They feed them, give them water, and if they are sick, some even take them to the vet.

These cats are interesting; different cultures have endowed them with different beliefs and mystical powers. For example, in ancient Egypt, among other things, they were a symbol of divine protection. In Islamic culture, they are the embodiment of ritual purity and domestic peace, and the only animal that is free to enter mosques as well.

In many places, people believe that cats have nine lives because they can get out of so many unfortunate situations, and they really are very clever. There is also a very cute movie with this title: (Nine Lives)

It is also a belief that a cat always lands on its feet. This is actually not just a simple belief or experience, but it also has a scientific explanation. Cats are born with a so-called righting reflex, and this allows them to turn around in mid-air when falling and land on their paws. And there are some who connect the role of cats to the afterlife, magic, etc."

 KOLONYA

This wonderful thing is a kind of scented alcoholic liquid. It is not perfume and it contains a bit higher percentage of alcohol. It’s not straight alcohol either 😊 but it is used everywhere here in Turkey. Due to its high alcohol and water content it has an excellent disinfectant effect. I have grown very fond of it, but I rarely use it for "washing hands" like most Turkish people do 😊 My skin is very sensitive and dry, and this dries it out even more.

However, it is produced in many different scents and is truly useful. In the summer, it is used not only for disinfection and cleaning but also as a fragrance. For example, on crowded public transport, where—well, let's face it—there is no pleasant smell due to so many sweaty human bodies, someone will occasionally pull a small bottle of kolonya out of their bag, spray or pour it on themselves, and the scent of kolonya floods the entire vehicle. In the best-case scenario, it’s a pleasant fragrance. In the worst-case scenario, it’s not so pleasant; you see, the high alcohol content also means that the alcohol punches through much more, which can be quite pungent if someone uses poor-quality kolonya.

This great liquid is a huge help when there is no water, or in areas where water is not accessible. Of course, you cannot wash clothes or brush your teeth with it, and it cannot be used instead of a shower or a bath, but after all, it is good for getting around with cleaner hands, face, and neck during the day. This helped a lot, for instance, during pandemics like COVID-19. I think people used vast amounts of kolonya to disinfect their hands back then.

Some people believe it cleanses the air of all kinds of harmful or negative energies and makes the it positive. Indeed, when a pleasant, refreshing scent enters the air (like lemon or green tea), you suddenly feel revived and feel as if everything is a little lighter 😊

We might not think about it, but scents have a major impact on a person's state of mind, even if just for a few moments. I might have already written about this in a previous post, but I am still fascinated by how scents or smells affect people, and what they trigger in the brain and the whole body. I think it is very interesting!

Just pay attention to how certain scents or smells affect you! What attracts you, what is it that you absolutely want to stay away from, etc. to get to know yourself better. 

Returning to kolonya, this scented liquid is a very important element of Turkish hospitality. Hospitality itself is a key component of Turkish culture. So, when you arrive at a place where you have been invited for breakfast, dinner, lunch, tea, coffee, or anything else, one of the very first things that happens after you are seated is that they spray or pour some kolonya onto your hands. This is considered a very kind gesture and is an important part of traditional hospitality.

By the way, at home, I use it for practical things like mosquito or spider bites (and it really relieves the symptoms), or if I happen to scratch myself, cut my finger in a kitchen accident, or for pimples and skin cleansing (not regularly, just occasionally... very rarely 😊).