Airport Stories. [1st Edition, Istanbul] & Why i Ride Escalators Sitting Down.

May 25, 2019

Airport Stories. [1st Edition, Istanbul] & Why i Ride Escalators Sitting Down.

[More recently than not, I spent a little over 2 weeks traveling to the States and back again into the Middle East. It was a grand time in America, full of many stories and moments that will be held closely in heart and mind. I could ramble for days about those experiences, but i'll save that for another time, and fill you in on my first set of moments in the Istanbul Airport.]

There’s a simply amazing place in the Istanbul Airport that I’m sure no typical person has thought of going. It’s my favorite spot. But before i tell you about it, i will veer a towards a slightly different thought.

In all the years of my life, I have always loved driving up to the top of a hill or hiking a mountain, and then just sitting at the top and peering down on the tiny houses, cars, people. The tiny life below. It somehow takes me out of my mind, my worries, my stress in the moment, and shows me the bigger picture. Even when one thing goes a bit off in your day, or life, if you zoom out, it just becomes a hum of people in the distance, and so much clearer. Don’t get me wrong. I love crowds, bigger the better. I love being in the midst, watching strangers, wading through people, embedding myself into it all. But, sometimes I like to just sit, and watch. Watch my mind continue without me. Some days I get so tired of thinking, and this somehow puts my mind into a lullaby stage of peace. Plus, I can still watch people and feel connected, although I’m all by myself. Weather on a hill, a mountain.. or, an airport, that has a secret gray and white terrace of gravel, surrounded by trees and greenery, above the crowd, above the mumble and jumble. I was so pleased when I first found it, silent, Forgotten. I love to sit back there, and feel the hum of chatter with the silence of my brain.

All of that to say, I’m pretty sure no typical person has found this place in the Istanbul airport and enjoyed it as much as I did. As I was back, drinking my coffee, enjoying life, I got a slight worried feeling that a security officer might come wandering back and throw me out of the airport.. since, technically, I don’t think it was “open to the general public..”, but there weren’t any signs saying it wasn’t, so, I really don’t kno. To be safe, I packed up and slipped back into a quite open space in the airport, near to the entrance of this place, which was simply a banner that failed to extend its full length. I sat, back propped against the banner, and realized just how odd some people are. Within 10 minutes of each other, three Chinese men made their way back into my oasis, which thankfully I was no longer in. One went in first. Stayed 5 minutes, left. Less than a minute later, the next went it. 2 minutes after that, the third. How odd. I decided to put my detective skills to work and figure out what was happening so secretively back there. I readjusted myself so that I could see their reflection from the glass wall in front of me. Bingo. An exchange happening! I was about to bounce off my haunches and go running for help, screaming bloody murder... okay. That was extreme. I was however, about to go back and burst their bubble, but better judgment settled in, and I just watched in discus as they shared cigarettes and had a jolly old time smoking. People these days. They both came waddling out, as suspicious as ever. And I just shook my head, not that they cared to notice, which was fine by me. It did confirm my suspicions. No one is watching the security cameras.. my irrational fear of being jutted out of the airport by an official is old news.

Friday, May 3, 2019. 9:54 am: I’m sitting back in my spot in the airport. Not my security risk, secret back place -(now that I’ve realized it leaves load of dry wall dust all over you if you sit to long) but the spot just before that entrance. I really like this spot too. It’s a big empty area, leading into the special pass lounge. It’s so interesting seeing the types of people who come out of that place... wonder how they got VIP treatment? …

I landed in Istanbul at approximately 6:30am. Now it’s drawing nigh to 10:00am. The screen has yet to show my gate, so I’ve been having a bit of fun exploring. Watching people. I even walked the entire length of the midsection. 9 minutes. And I counted each tile I stepped on as I went. End to end, 832.5 tiles. 832.5 steps in 9 minutes. I realize I must have been hauling it, because I was sweating profusely at the end and panting. When I paused my music, took my ear buds out and looked up to a few well-meaning people staring at me. I wonder what they were thinking. I hightailed it to the WC {Water Closet... aka, bathroom} to wash my face. After splashing my face, next to a foreigner lady doing the same thing, I pulled my tank top down tightly and my T-shirt up to wipe the water from my face. The lady stared at me. Without shifting her eyes from me, I watched her hand reach up under the mirror and pulled out paper towels. “Oh!” I said in English.. she kept staring. She Definitely didn’t understand English. “I wonder why they hid them”. I commented, and ducked my head under the mirror to find a pile of paper towels. How odd. She wiped her face with the paper towels and walked away, I did the same, only now my T-shirt looked as if I had been sweating even more than previously stated. Such is life. I marched out of the bathroom, only to stumble into a group of maybe, 8 men, wrapped in towels. Like, only towels. One from their hips down and one around their shoulders.. I have a very blurry picture to prove it. I was equally amused at the several middle eastern dressed ladies who stood there, obviously supporting their wardrobe selection.

10:03: All three sketch Chinese men have disappears back into the plant oasis area. No trace of them. I can’t see their reflection in the wall anymore, but suspicions correct again. Something sketch is definitely going on.

10:44. I found the old men dressed in white towels. And there’s far more than just 8. I give it an estimate of 20 towel dressed men.

Let me retract those last 41 minutes, for your sheer enjoyment.

10:07: sitting in my upper perch here and see 4 ladies, fully dressed in the black, full body, nothing but your eyes showing type of clothes, known as an 'Abaya'. Before my thoughts could reach my mind, I was racing down the escalator. 25 ft behind them. 20ft. Pause to look casual. 15 ft. It’s been my wish to pinpoint someone and follow them through the airport, unbeknownst to them. What better opportunity. I was genuinely curious to see where they were off to in such a rush. I wasn’t creepy, I just walked, and walked and walked. I mean, I do have hours to spare. They ended up all the way at the very end of the B Gates. On my way, I saw my gate was A6... completely opposite direction, but I chose to keep following them, tracked them to B12 which was flying to Saudi Arabia, sorta boring to the average person. But my mind raced. There we’re about 4 of them.. once at the gate I counted 5 more. The man they were with clearly spoke another language...kurdish.. or so I thought. In reality, it was probably actually a form of Arabic. Things like this intrigue me. Why were so many of them going with him? What was waiting for them on the other side? What were their minds thinking... their hearts feeling? Were they going home? Where had they been? And why? And for how long? I’ll never kno. I left the B gates and thought I’d see what’s down on the A side of things.

10:40: I found my gate, and decided to keep walking to see if I could find anything interesting.

10:41: First old man in towel re-spotted.

10:43: 3 more.

10:44: Entire group, rushing to get on their plane.

10:52: a straggler man comes rushing past me, running all the while holding his towel on, to his gate. Made it. Steps through door.

10:58: two more, towels men, yelling “Ali, Ali!!!” Through the sitting area, running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
3rd toweled man come out of... WC? Prayer Room?
Harsh words are addressed as all three of them goes up with towels and run like man women to their gate. Made it. Success. All the toweled men accounted for, out of the airport.

….
Man. If things got any more interesting... I think I’d collapse.
….

11:01: Just Kidding. It got more interesting. I currently moved from the comfy blue abstract couch to a charging station. As I sit, with my ear buds in my ear, a man walks up.

“Are you American?” I read his lips and pulled my ear bud out. He repeated, “American?”
I think I looked shocked that he was speaking to me.
“Nah, Swiss” the man at the charging station said, not lifting his eyes from his phone.
Man who asked question keeps looking at me. “Oh Swiss,” he said in a very disgusting way... and walked away.

That was weird.
And thanks, random man for answering a question that wasn’t for you.. Truly, thanks.
Guess I’m claiming my swiss background now.

Disclaimer: I wish I had a dash cam implanted on my forehead, for my words are not capable of telling of all the odd happenings in such a beautiful place as an airport.

11:23: I saw a long line, so I decided to get in it. It’s near to my gate, but not sure if this is it or not... guess we’ll find out.

11:24: Standing in line, Found Another toweled man, walking fast and confused. Sorry buddy, they gone.

[2.5 weeks later] May 22, 2019: Istanbul Airport Update: The little Oasis area where the Chinese men slyly smoked is now blocked off with a big, unmovable wall that says, "No Smoking." Well done, airport. Well, done.

On A Completely Different Note:

In my log of things that happened in Istanbul i forgot to write the account of 3 American Looking young boys. Young as in, 18, 19, 20 years? I was walking to get on the escalator to go up to my little oasis area, when i noticed 3 American-Looking boys behind me, who spoke with a frat-boy kinda accent and were terribly annoying and seemed as if they had no clue of culture, or travel. They were very lost. i could have helped them, but really had no urge to at all. I walked past the big board that has all the gates on it, went to my escalator and sat down. I do this frequently when there's no one on the escalator. As i sat, the boys made eye contact with me. it was humorous. They stared with the most confused looks. I crossed my legs, put my fist under my chin, and just stared back. All the while riding higher and higher up the escalator. It honestly was very funny. Upon arrival at the top, i stood up, very gracefully i might add, and walked around the corner to my little spot i had been perched at previously. Minutes later, the three boys arrived at the top of the escalators. I resumed a similar position and stared back at them as they glanced my way. They all exchanged looks and back and forth from me to them, and prominently got back on the escalator heading down. Either they were really as lost as i had assumed, because at the top of the escalator your only option is to go is into the VIP area or sit in the open space. And they defiantly did not look like the VIP type. Or, they knew it was a dead end at the top, and just wanted to see where i went. In either scenario, i received much joy in watching their expressions as they hightailed it back down the escalator.

I suppose you could say there are many reasons, for this on going thrill of mine of sitting down on escalators. Somehow, airports bring out the “want to write and ramble all day long” in me. Especially international ones. Maybe because of all the strange people. Maybe because of the over priced food and liquids people blindly buy because of the lies their stomach is telling them... news flash, your not actually starving, but hey, if you wanna pay 13 euros for the half club sandwich, be my guest, but, just a hint... that’s not real cheese in there.

Why I Ride Escalators Sitting Down:
{Dedicated to all those who stare until they run straight into things...
or run into other people staring.

Reason 1: For the stares. And I got exactly what I wanted. And not only the stares, but the look on their faces... I’m pretty sure everyone looks ridiculous with their mouth hanging halfway down to the floor and a crooked head.

Reason 2: It’s an awfully lovely way to rest your legs and bag, while still continuing to where your going. Sometimes I wonder if those wheelchair stair lifts will ever come back in and make their way into airports. T’would be a grand investment.

Reason 3: What’s life without adventure. Now, granted, if the escalator is full and people are in a hurry, then, no. I won’t sit down. I will act like a normal human and blend in with the rest. For the sake of convenience. But, if I’m on one, all alone, or almost all alone, no where to go in a hurry, you better believe it, I ride those escalators up and down, over and around, many times over. All while sitting. And if I’m not sitting, I'm prolly running them, as fast as I can, or backwards, inside out, upside down... really, you could ride them however you like.

All in All, Escalators are lovely things.

I will end by leaving you with some select few pictures of the Airport I now feel as if I am friends with: