After the first dose of the vaccine, wandering around, meeting friends in Istanbul, and the nine-day holiday in Turkey, there was nothing left to do in Istanbul. It was the perfect opportunity to visit dear Ankara. Planning the trip on a budget was somewhat difficult. Almost all hotels and trains were booked, so I had to look for alternative ways. I had decided to use ride-sharing cars, but at the last moment noticed a night bus ticket was available, which saved the cost of a hotel night and reduced the risk of ride-sharing. In any case, I arrived in Ankara on the morning of July 20 without knowing that it wouldn’t be as enjoyable as I had imagined.

Two days earlier in Istanbul, while buying water at the supermarket, I noticed some frozen bottles and immediately bought them. At lunch, I had a very oily sandwich, and by evening my digestive system was in chaos. The next day, when I tried to get the same frozen water, the seller said it was tap water and not for sale. I reminded him I bought some the night before, and he said he hadn’t noticed and added, “Gecmis Olsun.” For those who don’t know, a few drops of Istanbul tap water can give you a week of diarrhea, and that’s exactly what happened. On top of that, chest soreness and tightness started. Hoping it was nothing serious, I took the bus to Ankara, but as my condition worsened, I suspected COVID. I spent a few hours in line at the hospital among many feverish and cautious patients until it was my turn. I took my third PCR test and entered quarantine for six hours. Turkish quarantine works by issuing a HES code synced with your identity, which prevents you from entering cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, or even public transport. I returned to the hotel, hoping my symptoms were not COVID-related, and fortunately, they weren’t. Although I still haven’t figured out whether it was the frozen water or something else that caused my continuous coughing.

After finishing quarantine and being cleared of COVID risk, I continued my trip. On the first afternoon, I visited my old neighborhood and house, reliving memories. On the way, the taxi driver gave a typical political analysis, claiming Iran and Turkey are brothers and complaining that Iran doesn’t support Turkey against the U.S. I also visited a nearby café and, by luck, my favorite band, which usually plays only on Sundays and Wednesdays, performed that day (Tuesday), and I enjoyed their live music until night. Unfortunately, Khalerize had closed their restaurant, so I couldn’t visit.

The next day, I walked around the 10-kilometer area near my hotel in Kizilay.

Due to the holiday, all cafes and restaurants, even McDonald’s, were closed, but bars and pubs were packed with older men. Hoping the restaurant that made my favorite Kosova Iskender was still open, I found it and fortunately it was. My stomach was happier than me.

That night, while the whole city was closed, after searching for half an hour, I reached a small restaurant. Upon arrival, they said the food was finished. Exhausted from walking and hungry, I looked at them pleadingly, and they said, “Okay, we’ll make something for you.”

The next day, due to fatigue and persistent coughing, I decided to skip the Izmir part of my trip. I booked a night ticket to Istanbul and checked out of the hotel. With my friend Ayyurt, I visited Atatürk’s Museum and Mausoleum, capturing some beautiful moments there.

After the museum, he treated me to cheesecake, and we spent the afternoon gossiping about everyone in the company.

This concluded my second visit to Ankara. I returned to Istanbul, postponing the Izmir part of my plan to the following weeks. Hopefully, the spell will finally break, and I’ll get to see that city too.