The Sidewalk Along
Barbaros Boulevard in Istanbul
One of the pleasures of my daily life in Istanbul is this sidewalk. Every time I walk on it, I am filled with gratitude for the thoughtful planner and builders who created it. The width of it seems extraordinarily luxurious in a crowded city.
Trees were planted long ago by people who would never get to experience them grown the way I do everyday when I walk under them. These people created a gift to the future.
I always ask myself when I am walking here, "did I plant a gift to the future today?"
You might also enjoy these other posts with amazing walks:
5 comments:
Just wondering how you answered your own question? ;)
Yes, trees along sidewalks are wonderful. I am now in the south of France and everywhere are the plane trees shading roads and canals, planted a long time ago.
Now you've made me think too about what I'm doing today that's a gift to the future . . . mmm
I watched the trees near Bodrum Marina being planted about 25 years ago. It's great to now walk under their green canopy.
Hi Pat, My favorite was (and it still is) the road from Dolmabahce to Besiktas and from Besiktas all the way up to Ortakoy and to Arnavutkoy. During my childhood, each morning I used to take bus #40 from Taksim to Sariyer or bus #40A to Emirgan. Watching the trees on both sides of the road and seeing them grow used to make my day. Regretfully, I haven't been using this road as frequently after moving from Taksim to the Asian side years ago. Barbaros Avenue on the other hand, I always found it too steep to walk, even then. Walking down is okay, but walking up? Oh gosh! I remember my father hating it too. That was much because living in Baghdad, which is a completely flat city, for over five years. He used to love walking and you could see him all over Istanbul, walking. But he dread walking down the hill by taking Barbaros and then walking up the hill to Taksim by taking Inonu Caddesi through Gumussuyu or Ayaspasa. By the way, your picture of Barbaros is beautiful and it made me remember all those years, but the strange thing is that I don't remember this avenue being this beautiful. Could it be because your picture is so good? All the best, Ali John
Ali, I LOVED hearing your remembrances of your childhood in Istanbul. I noticed during the Istanbul Marathon and 15K, the runners were routed along your favorite stretch of Cırağan Caddessi from Dolmabahçe Palace to Ortaköy. I thought that would be such a cool way to experience those trees, without automobile traffic.
I agree that Barbaros can be hard to climb, but if you go into that little park, you're rewarded with lovely views of the Bosphorus shipping through the trees. Seeing that adds a couple minutes of joy each time I am there.
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