Parklife

It was only last September that my gf and I had visited Istanbul for the first time. Apart from being an overwhelmingly beautiful city and one of the most historically significant in the world, I was completely pulled in and fascinated by the blending of East and West. There is really nothing like it anywhere else.

On the Bosphorus

When I first read about the protests a few days ago, I wasn't surprised. One thing that jumped out at me when I was visiting was how dense and compact the city center was, especially the Goldern Horn. It reminded me of Tel Aviv in the same way, albeit on a much larger scale. Even around areas by the water, the lack of major public parks was very apparent. Taksim Square is a massive place, however, it resembles a giant concrete slab. Not exactly somewhere you would go to seek respite from your surroundings. This is just one small reason why Gezi Park, which is just adjacent to Taksim is so important. More than anything though, it's a matter of principle, and a microcosm of greater problems. Turkish power and influence is increasingly growing and Prime Minister Erdogan has steadily taken steps to ensure that civil liberties are being taken away from her citizens. The fact that the move towards theocratic and dictatorial rule is being firmly rejected by young, secular Istanbulites is only another sign of the times. Yes, there are far too many differences between Turkey and other countries of the Arab Spring to list, however, the spirit acting against forces looking to impose their control is the same, and the need for change is clear.