The paving slabs on Istiklal Caddesi wait until the wet winter season to take their revenge. For months they are trampled by the masses, but when the heavy rain falls they fight back.
The paving slabs spit at you as you stroll along the street. Spurts of dirty rain water spring out on the ground, seemingly spontaneously, as the unfortunate passer-by chooses the wrong slab to tread on.
Scooters drive
past and shower casual shoppers. A heavy van heaves a wave of grimy
subterranean liquid over a unfortunate father, bending down to tie
his grandson's laces. A group of drenched young women search for new tights in the late-night shops to save their night from a disastrous early end.
The paving slabs have no mercy. They take no prisoners.
They don't mind that many of their victims are tourists - visiting for the first time - or innocent school-children playing games. They gleefully soak business-men, traders, pensioners and youngsters alike.
You dance and skip across the unpredictable landscape. You look for the potential traps and your invaluable school-day hopscotch skills landing you only on sturdy surfaces, before a noisy street-merchant distracts you and a wayward foot splashes a muddy puddle beyond your purposeful builder's boots and half way up your favourite jeans.
The paving slabs have no mercy.
No comments:
Post a Comment