The Silence Inside Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is supposed to be a marvel. That’s what every guidebook, every Instagram post, every friend who’s been to Istanbul says. And yes, the domes are dizzying, the mosaics almost too much to process. But standing in the middle of that echoing space, I didn’t feel awe. I felt small, and not in the poetic way. I felt like a tourist in someone else’s memory, surrounded by crowds all searching for something sacred in the noise. Maybe I expected too much. Maybe the magic isn’t in the place, but in the stories we bring with us. I took a photo, then put my phone away. Sometimes you just stand there, and that’s all it is. #Travel #TravelExpectationVsReality #CulturalOverload