Istanbul: An odyssey through chaos, carpets, and call to prayer with a Leica Q-P

There are places in the world that challenge your every preconception. They shake you by the collar, and demand you reconsider your world-view. Istanbul, my friends, is one of them. it’s an odyssey into a city of sixteen million souls: all of them crammed into this ancient metropolis. It’s a glorious contradiction wrapped in the scent of roasting chestnuts and diesel fumes. And yes, we arrived just as Turkey decided to, shall we say, “reorganise” certain parts of Syria? Timing, as they say, is everything.

The odyssey starts here

Getting into Turkey requires a visa. That’s handy if you want to avoid an extended stay in a small, windowless room at the airport. Visa sorted, we breezed through passport control, only to emerge into a swirling vortex of humanity. Hundreds of smokers loitered just outside the airport doors, puffing away as if their lives depended on it. We negotiated our way to a cab with all the finesse of an Olympic gymnast.

Our odyssey to Istanbul starts with an hour or more of looking out of the taxi window. That’s the time it takes to get from airport to the centre of Istanbul. From there, we hurtled toward the Bosporus in a manner that can only be described as *terrifyingly efficient*.

The new Istanbul mirrors Europe

Istanbul’s suburbs were a dazzling revelation: glass skyscrapers lit up like they were auditioning for a role in Vegas. Outlet malls stretching as far as the eye can see. And the logos of every global hotel chain you could think of. I half expected to see Mickey Mouse waving from a Starbucks.

Discovering the perception of Istanbul is not the reality

Western media still portrays Turkey in a very different way from what you experience in reality. When exploring Istanbul you realise this place does not need propping up. It is not destitute, and it appears to be thriving in every conceivable way. I am so glad I came here: it has set me straight on what life in Turkey is really like. 

Our Airbnb, just a stone’s throw from the Galata Tower, offered a breathtaking introduction to the city. The tower itself, a proud sentinel on the European side, gazes across the Bosporus towards Asia. That’s Istanbul for you: a city split between continents, cultures, and about five thousand carpet shops. Our host, Jamil, welcomed us warmly and gave us the lay of the land. He also assured us that Istanbul was “much quieter this time of year.” Spoiler: it wasn’t.

Of mosques and minarets

The next morning, our odyssey to Istanbul starts with Turkish coffee so strong it could have woken the dead. We flagged down a cab to the Blue Mosque. My trusty Leica Q-P hung from my shoulder, its 28mm lens ready to capture Istanbul in all its Technicolor glory.

And oh, the Blue Mosque did not disappoint. The interiors were a symphony of blues, greens, and golds, shimmering like a kaleidoscope in the morning light. The Leica Q-P’s colour science handled it beautifully. It renders the scenes with such vibrancy that I could almost hear the whispers of history in my photos.

Capturing beauty

From there, our odyssey to Istanbul continued as we ambled over to the Hagia Sophia. It’s an architectural marvel that defies belief. As we wandered through its cavernous halls, the Leica Q-P once again rose to the occasion. It beautifully captures the interplay of light and shadow on the ancient mosaics. It’s the kind of place where you forget to breathe, let alone take notes for a blog post.

Carpets of every size and price

Of course, no odyssey can be all plain sailing. Our visit to Istanbul would not be complete without running the gauntlet of carpet salesmen. They appeared from nowhere, grinning like Cheshire cats. They try plying us with tea while explaining, at great length, their tenuous connections to Canada.

I swear, every single one of them claimed to have visited Nova Scotia, or had a cousin in British Columbia. I briefly considered claiming to be Icelandic just to see if they’d switch to Reykjavík.

An odyssey through Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar

After enjoying the mosques and surviving carpet sellers, our odyssey continued into the Grand Bazaar. It is a kaleidoscopic assault on the senses. Picture the world’s oldest shopping mall crammed with trinkets, treasures, and the occasional knock off Rolex. Or, as the sign charmingly misspelled it, “Bolex”.

The Leica Q-P was in its element here. Its sharp lens capturing the bustling energy and vibrant colours of the market stalls. The camera’s compact size made it easy to navigate the crowds without attracting too much attention. A godsend in a place where everything is for sale, and everyone wants to sell you something, including your soul.

We eventually found ourselves at the Egyptian Spice Bazaar. It smells exotically of saffron, cumin, and something unidentifiably fishy mingled in the air. The Leica Q-P’s sensor practically begged to capture the riot of colours. Everything from vivid reds, to deep yellows, and every shade of green imaginable. I obliged, snapping away while marvelling at the chaos.

Istanbul: A place that changes you

By the time we collapsed near the river to rest our weary feet, our odyssey to Istanbul was almost over., Istanbul had thoroughly bewitched us. This city, with its contradictions and complexities, had forced me to reconsider everything I thought I knew about Turkey. It’s not the destitute, war-torn place Western media might have you believe. On the contrary, Istanbul is thriving—vibrant, modern, and steeped in history.

And the Leica Q-P — the best travel camera of its time?

It captured every nuance of our odyssey to Istanbul. It embraced the dazzling mosaics of the Blue Mosque to the kaleidoscopic chaos of the Grand Bazaar. Furthermore, it’s a camera that doesn’t just take pictures, it tells stories. And Istanbul, as I’ve learned, has no shortage of those.

So, come to Istanbul. Bring an open mind, a healthy appetite for adventure, and if you’re lucky enough, a Leica Q-P. You’ll leave with photos that speak volumes and a new appreciation for a city that defies description. For me, the best travel camera of its time.

To learn more about the Leica Q-P look here

For more about Turkey look here

See more of Mark Catto’s work

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