A Spiritual Morning and Rainy Day in Istanbul: Eyüp Sultan to Karaköy (eng-tr)

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(Edited)

Last Sunday was one of those days that start early and stay in your heart for a long time. It was still dark when my friend picked me up from home around 5 a.m. for the morning prayer at Eyüp Sultan Mosque. The air was cold and a light rain had just passed, leaving the streets shiny and quiet. When we arrived, the courtyard was already full of people. The mosque was so crowded that we couldn’t find a place inside, so we prayed at a nearby restaurant that was open for worshippers. Afterward, we went back to the courtyard to listen to the prayers until sunrise.

Geçtiğimiz pazar günü, hem ruhen hem bedenen dolu dolu bir gündü. Sabah henüz karanlıkken, saat 5’te arkadaşım beni evden aldı. Eyüp Sultan Camii’nde sabah namazı kılmak için yola çıktık. Hava soğuktu ve az önce yağmur geçmişti; yollar parlak, sessiz ve huzurluydu. Camiye vardığımızda avlu insanlarla doluydu. İçeride yer bulamayınca, yakınlardaki bir restoranda namazımızı kıldık. Ardından avluya geçip, güneş doğana kadar edilen duaları dinledik.

The spiritual atmosphere was indescribable — the sound of supplications mixed with the soft rain, the smell of wet stone, and the warmth of the people gathered for the same purpose. My friend had brought simit (Turkish bagels) and warm milk from home, so we had our simple breakfast sitting in the courtyard. That quiet morning turned into a peaceful, soulful experience.

O anın maneviyatı tarif edilemezdi. Yağmurun sesi, taş zeminden yükselen ıslak koku, dua eden kalabalığın huzuru… Arkadaşım evden gevrek (simit) getirmişti, yanında da süt vardı. Avluda küçük ama anlamlı bir kahvaltı yaptık. Güne böylesine dingin bir şekilde başlamak çok iyi geldi.

We spent nearly five hours there, just watching the light change, listening, and reflecting. After that, we decided to head to Karaköy, our favorite place in Istanbul. The streets were still wet from the rain, glistening under the streetlights. Our first stop was Galatta, a charming café we had seen on Instagram. They let you make your own sandwiches — a fun and tasty experience. We didn’t eat much since we had a long day ahead, but it was delicious and cozy.

Yaklaşık beş saatimizi orada geçirdik. Sonra rotamızı her zamanki gibi Karaköy’e çevirdik. Yağmur sonrası ıslak kaldırımlar ışıl ışıldı. İlk durağımız, daha önce Instagram’da gördüğümüz Galatta isimli şirin bir mekandı. Kendi sandviçini kendin hazırlıyorsun, çok keyifliydi. Fazla yüklenmeden lezzetli bir şeyler yedik.

Then came one of the best parts of the day: walking around Karaköy after the rain. The air smelled fresh, and the city felt slower than usual. We discovered a lovely spot called Ilters Coffee, which instantly became our new favorite. We sat outside, ordered a cappuccino and a filter coffee, and shared a croissant. Time passed softly — around two hours of quiet conversation, laughter, and calm.

Daha sonra Karaköy’ün sokaklarında yürüyüşe çıktık. Yağmurdan sonraki havanın o mis kokusu, şehrin yavaşlamış hali… Derken Ilters Coffee adında çok tatlı bir yer keşfettik. Dışarıda oturduk; ben kapiçino, arkadaşım filtre kahve aldı, yanına da bir kruvasan söyledik. İki saat kadar orada sohbet ettik, dinlendik.

Later, we visited Galataport, where we did a little shopping. I bought a new pair of shoes — a small treat for myself. As the evening approached, we started to feel hungry and a bit tired after such an early morning. We ended our day at Mezzaluna, a cozy Italian restaurant. Normally, I’m not a fan of pizza, but their pizza was exceptional — thin, flavorful, and perfectly baked. No wonder it’s famous.

Ardından Galataport’ta kısa bir alışveriş yaptık, ben kendime bir ayakkabı aldım. Akşamüstüne doğru hem acıkma hem uykusuzluk yorgunluğu başladı. Günü Mezzaluna adlı bir İtalyan restoranında sonlandırdık. Normalde pizza sevmem ama buranın pizzası gerçekten harikaydı, meğer zaten meşhurmuş.

As the night fell, my friend drove me home. I was exhausted but grateful — for the spiritual start of the day, the laughter, the taste of good coffee, and the peace that comes from walking through Istanbul after rain. Sometimes, the simplest days become the most meaningful ones.

Akşam saatlerinde arkadaşım arabasıyla beni eve bıraktı. Eve dönerken, içimi bir huzur kapladı. Sabahın erken saatinde Eyüp Sultan’da başlayan gün, Karaköy’ün yağmur kokan sokaklarında tamamlandı. Bazen sade bir gün, ruhun tam da ihtiyacı olan anlamı taşır.



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7 comments
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You didn't show your shopping pair of shoes, but the food was delicious and weather was lovely.

!discovery 30

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You’re right! I added it afterwards 😄 the shoes deserved a little spotlight too!

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I'm not a shopping fan so I would probbably skip that last part but: although I'm not a religious person I consider myself quite spiritual and I feel at peace near temples and churches. It's like there's a special energy around those places. I also love the rain. So an early mornig with rain and a sacred place in Istanbul followed for a good meal in some good company I believe it's the best food for the soul.

Thank you so much for sharing

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Thank you so much for your beautiful comment, Cristian.
I completely agree — there’s something truly peaceful about rainy mornings and sacred places. I’m glad this post could reflect that feeling. Wishing you many soulful mornings like this one.

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