Don’t Throw Out Old Turkey

One of my favorite memories of visiting Istanbul and the surrounding areas, was the fine old “yali” houses along the Bosphorus.

Luckily, other yeban feel the same way, and many foreign investors are restoring old Turkish architecture, even if the locals prefer a destroy and rebuild mentality.

“When you walk in,” he said, “you should be able to get a sense of the house’s original sound — like when the wind blows on it or when you step on a stair — and even its smell. That’s the charm that does not exist in a concrete form building.”

It’s amazing how many of us are willing to chuck authentic history in the bin, while flocking to editorialized versions. Why bother saving New Orleans when there’s a sanitized replica at Disney Land? And why bother saving original windows when you’re the only house on the street without environment destroying vinyl replacements?

After all, isn’t blindly following others much easier than putting a little effort into it.

Tweet This Post