Dire predictions of traffic nightmares during Obama’s two-day visit this week went unfulfilled, reports Today’s Zaman, as city residents “abandon[ed] private vehicles for public transportation in large numbers to avoid getting stuck in traffic—which ended up being prevented altogether.” (As evident from this picture on the side)

Previous appearances by former U.S. presidents, as well as separate visits just last year by Queen Elizabeth and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, nearly brought the city to a standstill. But whether due to past experience, better planning, or more information available about the city’s many transit alternatives, things were different this time around. Land transportation methods, which include city buses, trams, subways, trains, and Metrobus lines, saw a 40 percent jump in ridership, while Istanbul’s ferries—a scenic and exceedingly civilized way to travel anytime—were filled to capacity during the Obama visit.

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