Hello everyone. Istiklal Street, the heart of Istanbul, is shaken every day with the steps of thousands of people, the voices of dozens of different languages and my endless movement. Sometimes you want to get lost in this crowd, sometimes it's a quiet corner where you can find yourself right in the middle of that crowd. Two days ago, I was just after such a moment while walking alone on this historic street. My steps took me to one of the most characteristic points of the street, the Turkish-German Bookstore (Turkish-German Buchhandlung).
Spirit of the Place: Wood Smell and Coffee Aroma
As soon as you enter, Istiklal's chaotic noise is cut like a knife. What welcomes you is a peaceful silence, the smell of freshly ground coffee and huge bookcases that rise to the ceiling. This is not only a bookstore, but also a port where time slows down. While wandering between the shelves, the weight of German works is immediately noticeable; there is a wide collection from Goethe to modern German literature, from philosophy to art history.
Although I didn't speak German, even looking at the volumes of those books, breathing that intellectual air between the shelves, was a pleasure in itself. Seeing the German editions of Orhan Pamuk or Ahmet Ümit reminded me once again of the boundless power of literature. However, my intention was not just to travel, but to withdraw into my own world and rest my mind.
Alone in the Crowd: Alone with Asâ-ı Mûsâ
The companion I brought with me was Bediüzzaman Said Nursi's work called Asâ-ı Mûsâ. I chose a quiet corner for myself in the cafe of the bookstore. I have a delicious dessert and coffee in front of me, and a work looking for answers to the deep questions of existence in my hand...
While that huge energy of Istiklal Street was just outside the window, it was a great contrast to dive into such a deep world of contemplation inside. Asâ-ı Mûsâ, as the name suggests, is just like Hz. It is a work that illuminates the darkness like the staff of Moses, dispels doubts about faith and explains that everything in the universe is a meaningful letter. As I turned the pages of the book, I felt once again how temporary that outer rush actually is, and how long-lasting the journey in our inner world is.
Why Read Alone?
For many of us, reading a book is an act at home, in a quiet room. However, in a city like Istanbul, especially in such a historical place that carries the spirit of Pera, reading turns the act of reading into a "performance". Reading such a deep work in my mother tongue in a bookstore where I don't know German actually shows that a person can carry his own inner home with him wherever he is.
The brick walls in the space, the dim lights, and that feeling of "travel" provided by my Stanley thermos, turned my reading experience out of a hobby into a ritual. When the people around me spoke in different languages, I went on a journey about the truth of existence between the lines of Asâ-ı Mûsâ.
As A Result
If you find your way to Istiklal Street, don't just walk; stop at these stops. Turkish-German Bookstore can offer you the most peaceful office or the deepest library in the world with a book and a cup of coffee. For me, this two-day short getaway was an experience that refreshed my mind and rested my soul.
Which book do you take with you when you walk around the city? How do you build your own quiet island in the crowds? Let's meet in the comments.
