An Istanbul correspondent for one of Britain's leading newspapers used the following interesting expression to describe her experience in Turkey: "Turkish business people and businesses have adapted to the new reality. But the most important business arm that affected everyone was beauty salons and barbers.”
Said newspaper gathered impressions of its correspondents from different parts of the world and its correspondent in Istanbul described her experiences in detail, using a witty language.
The article written by the reporter starts mentioning that first time visitors in Istanbul are amazed by the buzzing and rattling chaos of the city and continues as follows: “without the residents and the tourists in the town and with venues and other business spots closed due to curfew on weekends in particular, the city looks like a static oil painting. Without steamboats, the Strait of Istanbul (Bogazici) becomes a calm lake and the air of the city is so clean that even Uludag (in Bursa) which is many miles away can be seen. I am very lucky to see Istanbul, the city I love so calm. It is an experience that will come once in a century.”
The reporter goes on to say she continued to live around her house on days when there were curfews and restrictions, adding “a lot of people stay inside out of fear, even on days when a complete curfew is not enforced. But Turkish businesses and business people have adapted to this new reality. Monopoly has expanded its distribution network, and now I can buy fresh oranges as well as booze. The tavern next to my house started sending appetizers to homes and a local designer started producing custom-designed masks”.
The report also says that Istanbulites discovered new ways to celebrate national holidays and a truck had driven around the neighborhoods and played Barış Manço songs through the loudspeaker, and that night everyone had been at the window of their homes to sing the National Anthem.”
The article goes on to mention that the closure of beauty salons and barbers due to Covid-19 affected everyone and notes that the most important places that affected everyone were undoubtedly beauty salons. The reporter says, “Young Turkish men's cool hair succumbed to gravity, and women began to worry about the lack of care of their eyebrows and nails. But the announcement that the barbers would open on Monday comforted people. In the end, Istanbulites can look as beautiful as their cities”.
