My First Kumru Night in Istanbul

Some days feel like a small gift. This story is one of those days.

A few weeks ago, some close friends from my hometown came to Istanbul. They are not just friends to me — they are like family. My friend came because she had to attend a wedding of one of her friends, and she traveled with her husband and their two children. They arrived in the evening, rented a car, and later they called me: “We’re coming to pick you up!”

I was happy already, because I missed them. Istanbul is beautiful, but it can also feel fast and busy. When people you love visit you, the city becomes softer. We met, hugged, and suddenly it felt like we were back home.

That night, my friend said she had one strong wish: she wanted to eat kumru. I honestly had no idea what kumru was. I only knew the word “kumru” as a bird. In my head, I made a very strange connection: Is this bird meat? Do people really eat it? I know, it sounds crazy now, but I truly thought that might be the case