Unlike all the rest of the blurry, brief months since the pandemic began, this July finally felt like a real MONTH, jam packed with joys and sunshine. That’s because I spent the last 12 days of it at various stops on the Turkish coast, swimming as much as possible. Planning a trip like that at this time was complicated and sometimes stressful and when I left Istanbul, I wasn’t totally sure when I’d be returning, but I’m so glad I went.
Best Of The Month
My four stops on this sprawling trip were Cesme, Ekincik Koyu, Kalkan, and Datca, and while all of them are beautiful and special, one particular moment in one particular place sticks out as the most magical.
Gabby and I arrived in Ekincik Koyu in the early evening and decided that we would go for a night swim at midnight. The beach was pitch black— the moon had been new two nights earlier and was below the horizon anyway, and that darkness was filled with a zillion stars, meteorites, the Milky Way. I’ve been in the city so long, I forgot what it felt like to be somewhere so dark and isolated. We held hands and walked each other into the inky sea and stared at the blazing sky. Then Gabby gasped.
“Do you see that?”
She wasn’t looking up; instead, she was looking down at her hands in the water. As she moved her fingers, the sea sparkled. It was bioluminescence, a phenomenon I’d heard existed in Turkey but I’d never actually seen. With the sky sparkling above and the water sparkling below, the world just seemed giddy and unreal. We went for night swims every night after that.
On another phase of this trip, my friends and I rented a boat for the day in Kalkan, and swam in wildly clear turquoise blue water all day. That stretch of the coast is famous for scuba diving, and it’s easy to see why.
And back in Istanbul before this trip, I bought some small nice things to spruce up my bedroom and terrace, and beautifying my house brought me a lot of joy.
Worst Of The Month
If you’d asked me on January 1 what I was most looking forward to in 2020, I would have told you that it was my sister’s solo visit for nearly two weeks in July. And then, pandemic. Hillary didn’t come, of course, but it was still sad as those days slipped away and she wasn’t here.
What I’m Loving
Reads: I know re-reading The Plague by Albert Camus in the middle of an actual plague might seem masochistic, but! It’s an amazing book and somehow so insightful and true to this moment we’re currently in… I underlined so many passages and folded over so many pages. It’s wonderful book, even—especially—now.
I also read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, which my mom recommended, and really enjoyed it.
Music: I’ve loved the song Cumbia del Monte Fuji by Frente Cumbiero and Minyo Crusaders, which is basically a cumbia sung in Japanese. I also got really into Spotify’s Funk & Disco Zamaan playlist (they call it the “Arab hipster starter kit”) and as much as I hate to admit that a Spotify playlist is great… that one is really great.
TV/Movies: I rewatched Children of Men which, again, interesting choice for these pandemic times. But it is a terrific movie, and much more resonant than it was even when it came out in 2006. That’s the most terrifying part, really.
Podcasts: The podcast Endless Thread did a 5-part series called “Madness” that shook me, about a doctor and his dark and controversial methods, and the damage and grim legacy he left behind. Highly recommended.
The episode about the Sunscreen Song from Switched On Pop was so interesting, a deep dive into the twisted history and lasting impact of a song that seems, on its surface, to be a little silly.
The Film Files
I had an actual real-life photo shoot on the Moda Seaside with my friend Anastasia, and it was such a pleasure to shoot a person again! We’ve been talking about collaborating for a while, so I think this will be the first of many photo shoots. I also used my cameras more on this little trip than I did in the last few months, which felt great.
Ephemera
I’ve been ordering many cute cloth masks from CopMadam, which is based in Ayvalik. It’s a nice way to support a local, sustainable business while also responsibly covering your face in this pandemic, and often her masks feel like the most popular accessory in Istanbul this summer.
I did some cocktail experiments this month, including this recipe for a red and black from Smitten Kitchen and watermelon wine spritzers with frozen blended watermelon. I also made sour cherry meatballs, a real cooking commitment that stained my hands and tasted delicious.
Upcoming
I’ll mostly stay in Istanbul, though I might attempt to make my annual escape to Kabak. It’s hard to stay away from the coast for too long, and I’m eager to enjoy this pandemic responsibly as much as I can.
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