Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
Some time ago, I wrote an article about the immense and unspoken allure of Istanbul in autumn.
I mentioned the beauty of just strolling the streets and enjoying the crowd while catching a glimpse of historical landmarks that just come, one after another. From the Dolmabahçe Palace to the Ortaköy Mosque, from small streets and venues that come within, any path in Istanbul promises a charming and unique experience.
Simit, ‘kumpir’
Today, however, I’d like to touch upon some other characteristics of Istanbul that distinguish it and add to its microcosm, as one of the countless puzzles that make this city special. I will start with a classic Turkish bagel, commonly known as “simit,” and also touch upon its vendors or “simitçiler.”
Probably one of the most recognizable things in Istanbul is those short, red strolleys, which sit around just any corner, close to bustling Sultanahmet Square, near the boats – just at the place and time when one needs it the most. Simit, as much as the iconic Bosporus Bridge, is known as a symbol of Istanbul and is engraved as an inseparable part of the city’s identity. You can see it in Turkish series, ads promoting the country, on social media, just everywhere.
And when you hear a seller shouting “Taze simit,” or “Fresh simit,” you can know you will grab a crunchy pastry, which will make you full and your senses satisfied. Pair it with a cup of Turkish tea and you get a full experience.
While mentioning simit, let me point out to what I find as one of the maybe not that well-known, but also one of the delicacies typical for Istanbul: “kumpir” or potato. If we have to detail it, it is a potato, large in size, filled with all kinds of additional ingredients, from cheese to olives and sausages. Although it is sold across the city, the “kumpir” is also a sort of street food particularly associated with the Ortaköy neighborhood in the Beşiktaş district, where the famed mosque on the edge of the shoreline is also situated.
Shoepolishers
This said, I realized I’m still on food. Intending to write another article about stuff that inspires me and makes me think about Istanbul of some distant past time, one thing stood out. The saga of shoeshiners.
Shoepolishers are those, usually elderly, men who are doing the profession that one may freely call almost extinct.
Those old men, usually with a beard and serious faces, have been doing for ages the work of a boot polisher or a shoeshiner. Not knowing much of the profession, after some searching, I found it to be a prolific occupation in certain geographies, and reading that, for instance, Charles Dickens worked in a warehouse that produced bottles of liquid shoe polish.
Walking around Istanbul, even on these super warm days, it’s almost impossible not to see one of these men on the corners of the streets, doing their work devotedly or patiently waiting for the next customer.
Apparently, the shoepolishers can be stumbled upon in the streets of India, Mexico and Türkiye, while there are also World Championships in Shoe Shining.
In the case of Istanbul, it is one of those occupations like “bozacı” (a person who makes or sells traditional sour-sweet fermented drink called boza) or “hamal” (porter), which were quite usual in the past centuries.
Dating back to Ottoman times, “hamals” are known to be part of the old merchandise process, often carrying loads of goods on their backs. As the “bozacı,” who were more prominent in colder weather, moving through streets while carrying their unique drinks, “hamals” were an inseparable part of Istanbul and its cobblestoned streets, especially in the dawn.
With the modern age and especially corporate life, that picture has changed quite a bit. Maybe “simitçi” is one of those occupations that prevailed more with time, but shoe cleaning seems to be much rarer, nevertheless, unique.
Passing one evening just close to the area where ships dock in Üsküdar, I remembered that once I had intended to write about this. Then I started thinking about some other professions similar to this, maybe not to call them even professions, but the unmatched work of people who, let’s say, sell corn or chestnuts on the streets of Istanbul.
In the diverse and bustling landscape of the city, which stretches across two continents and dazzles millions every year, these people and their role cannot just be neglected, as they paint Istanbul into a more colorful and more recognizable place.
When one comes visiting, sure he/she would try corn, kumpir, simit while walking through crowds and later remember it as one of the symbols of the city. The same is true with shoe cleaners.
According to some data I found online, the shoepolishers were even portrayed in popular culture, with one of the famed movies being the Italian “Shoeshine” from 1946.
And, while I was almost convinced that Istanbul is more beautiful on its serene and cloudy October and November days, small details such as commuters rushing even on a hot summer day, a catchy sunset, or even the appearance of a shoemaker next to the shore, make this city amazing in any season.
Add to it the seagulls’ noise and a ride on a ferry, and the perfect Istanbul picture is complete.
