I traveled to Taksim with some friends today to see a soccer match. We went more for the experience than the match itself; we chose this game because tickets cost only 10 TL ($6-$7).
Security was very tight at the stadium. We all got patted down twice before entering, and had dangerous objects like water bottles, pens, and coins confiscated, supposedly so we couldn't throw anything during the match. I had brought my big re-usable water bottle which the security officers were nice enough to let me keep; they just made me promise I wouldn't throw it at anyone. Later, we found out that the tension was because the fans of one of the teams, Bursa, had been banned from attending ten straight matches because they had started a big fight at another stadium in the city. Though the fans weren't supposed to be at the game, officials weren't taking any chances.
Since we couldn't support Bursa, we were rooting for Kasimpaşa. Unfortunately, our team lost, but the fans we were sitting near didn't seem too upset. They cheered, chanted, and sang through the whole match regardless of what was going on on the pitch, which certainly made the game more entertaining for us!
Halfway through the match, the nearby mosques (there were four that I could see) started sounding the call to prayer, the song broadcasted from the minarets five times a day here. I had expected a pause while the call finished, but the game progressed unhampered. The call made an interesting backdrop for the game, every movement was much more dramatic.
The one downside of the game was the distance-- everything is so far away from school, especially since traffic in Istanbul is always terrible. But the game, dinner, and dessert at a local cafe was definitely worth it, especially since I had left my homework behind and got to chat the whole way down and back.
I don't have any pictures of the match, but I'll try to post some once my friends have put them on Facebook.
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