August 2020
better than I remembered
On my first trip to Istanbul with Brian in 1991 [see: Istanbul to Kushinagar (part I)], one of the "not to be missed" sites was one of the ancient Roman cisterns under the city. I am sure we didn't visit the Cistern of Theodosius, because there were several others in town. My recollection of the one we first saw was that it was vast, dark and the ceiling was fairly low. I was impressed that such a large space was right under downtown Istanbul on that first visit. Its sheer size was amazing. Finally, dark and dank (but deliciously cool in August), the ancient reservoir was not even photo-worthy since in the days of film cameras where each photo actually did cost something, I have no photos of it. I filed it away under "unique experiences", but also nothing truly earthshattering. We had seen other places in Istanbul that were more impressive.
In 2020 during my walkabouts in Istanbul nearly 30 years later, I stumbled across the Cistern of Theodosius. Because historical sites were empty of travelers during the start of the Coronavirus Pandemic, I had the place nearly to myself. There might have been two other tourists with me in the depths. Either I did not remember the first cistern well or this one was totally different. This was a virtual cathedral cum water reservoir. The columns were soaring and the space was well lit. It literally looked and felt like a church interior where sounds strangely reverberated off the walls and water. It was so much more amazing than what I experienced in 1991. Poor memory? Better restoration? Totally different site? Whatever the case, I was impressed with this cistern (and equally cooled off on another hot, August day).
Often when we return to sites of past experience, we find them not living up to memory. In fact, that is why I don't return many places unless I am certain I LOVE them (like Dumaguete, Philippines or Yamadera, Japan or Newport, Rhode Island). We visit a place and experience it, develop a memory (perhaps accurate, perhaps what we want it to be), and then upon returning, run the risk of the location not measuring up to the images supposedly imprinted on our minds. Such experiences can even tarnish a cherished life souvenir. Sometimes it's better to visit a place once - and keep that imperfect recollection pristine. In the cases of the Cistern of Theodosius and of Prague in 2019 [see: return to Prague (2019), both were far BETTER than my memories. I view them as outliers.
Is a revisit to a memory a risk? Yes. Is it worth taking? Good question. Does anyone want to risk tainting a very good memory? If things are as we remember, there is a warm glow about a place. If totally different, a harsh spotlight is thrown on a constructed memory that exists uniquely in our minds. It is such a hard call.