As many, if not most, of you will know by now, there was a bombing in Istanbul on Sunday afternoon. The Turkish government goes silent when incidents like this happen, so we don’t know much. The government also shut down social media in an effort, they say, to prevent disinformation. (There is a law that permits this.) But we know that at least 8 people were killed and more than 80 injured, some seriously.
The explosion occurred on Istiklal Caddesi, a favourite place for its lights, stores, crowds, and general feeling of celebration. Lots of tourists go there. Lots of locals too. Presumably that’s why the bombers chose this site. The avenue bristles with people day and night, even more so on Sunday because of a football (soccer) game later that day with one of Turkey’s top teams. (They cancelled the game after the attack.)
This was the first attack of this sort in Turkey in nearly seven years. But it’s a reminder of the reality of the world. On our blog we tend to accentuate the positive in travel, the excitement and learning that come from visiting different people and different cultures. (And perhaps we say a word occasionally about food, for our readers.) But any action involves risk, and you have to factor that in whenever you decide to do something.
Is Turkey a dangerous place? It’s perhaps not the question to ask. Every place has its dangers. John was living only a mile from the World Trade Center on September 11, a place he often took friends who visited. We were both living in Tallahassee when a gunman walked into a yoga studio near us and shot six people, killing two of them. Which brings us to the astonishing number of people who die every year from shootings in our home country. A number of our foreign friends think that the US is the most dangerous country in the world. Every place has its risks and dangers.
So – in response to the question some of you have asked – the bombing in Istanbul doesn’t change our plans. Not at all. Although we keep it lighthearted, we are well aware that the world is sometimes dangerous, and we keep an eye on world events. We’re not interested in spending time in places that are unsafe. But we’re also not willing to be afraid of things we can’t control.
Tomorrow we’ll get back to our usual posts. In the meantime, we thank all of our friends and family who wrote to us immediately after the bombing expressing their concern. Your love and support mean the world to us.
Thank you. We do feel very much not only for the families of those who have died, and for those who have been injured. And there’s also also a loss for those (like us) who have regarded that street as a joyful place.
Such a sane and sage response! Having lived in places my family and friends called “way too dangerous” (and been fine) and also having been a crime victim in so-called “safe places” (16ème arrondissement near my Dad’s beautiful apartment), I appreciate the balanced view.
So sad for the casualties there. But very glad you are both continuing to enjoy that great city.