While the southern and western regions of Turkey are roasting under the intense 'eyyam-ı bahur' heat wave, citizens in Istanbul are trying to cope with an immense heat wave, taking shelter in beaches and parks.
Turkey has been influenced by "eyyam-ı bahur", also referred to as desert heat or African heat. This expression is used to describe the hottest time of summer in the last days of July and the beginning of August, and it has certainly given those living in the southern and western regions of Turkey a hard time since Thursday.
Likewise, inhabitants of Istanbul have had their share as well, and many are observed to be seeking relief by taking a dip in the sea or cooling off in the shady areas of parks.
Based on data from meteorology, humidity has reached 79% in some places, making things even worse. Thus many people living in Istanbul seem to have preferred taking advantage cool waters of the Bosphorus or beaches such as Kadıköy's Caddebostan Beach and Üsküdar's Salacak Beach near the iconic Maiden's Tower.
On the other hand, Caddebostan Beach, one of the most important spots in town, was full as the temperature read 39.6 degrees Celsius Thursday afternoon.
As for the most crowded centers of the mega town, it was observed that people did not prefer to go out under the burning sun. The same situation was observed in Eminönü, one of the busiest areas of the city's historical peninsula. The crowd decreased, especially in the scorching heat of the noon hours when the sun was at its peak.
Also, most tourists visiting Sultanahmet Square were protected from the sun with umbrellas and hats, while others tried to cool off in the shade of the trees.
