Turkey is a lot like Disneyland. You are everybody’s “my friend”, there are countless Japanese tourists, and you always end up spending more money that you had planned. It is a country where even the poorest people seem to have something to sell! On my first day in Istanbul, I literally did feel like I was in the magic kingdom…Between St. Sophia and the Blue Mosque, there is an immense garden filled with well manicured flowerbeds in day-glo colors, delightful meandering paths and even an nice fountain. St. Sophia and the Blue Mosque are awe inspiring. The tile work in all of these structures is incredible. I eavesdropped on a guided tour and heard that they actually had tile theft problem at the Mosque because each tile was worth a couple hundred dollars! Then you leave the area and you begin to see the real Istanbul. It’s still focused on tourism, but it has a little bit for of an edge!
The entrance to the Grand Bazaar, or one of the many, is reminiscent of the cave of wonders (I know…I can’t seem to stop with these Disney references!). You walk in with a mass of other people and are swept up in the colors and sounds of hundreds of shops squashed together in a massive building. Now let’s get one thing straight, there are hundreds of shops but only about five different types of apparel.
You’ve got your carpet shops: I figured I needed the full experience so I let myself be led into one of these fine establishments. We chatted for a bit about Obama/Bush, how I was good looking and should find myself a nice Turkish bride, how he wasn’t like all of the other pushy vendors, how his carpets had been featured in national geographic (like two or three others I’d heard…) and how my mom would love some dusty old carpet for her floor. In the end, I made it out with just his card and a promise that if I should want to buy a carpet that I would come back!
The knock-off brand name clothes and shoes: If you are every looking for cheap anything…this would be the place to buy it.
Knick-knacks: These shops were probably the most interesting to me. They had everything from tea cups to lamps and chess sets. The problem with these stores is that there was WAY too much going on to ever be able to make a sale. They had things piled high and I was normally afraid to get close enough to actually inspect their wares! I did end up buying a nice wooden travel chess set. You will be impressed to know that I was able to bargain it down to half the price first offered! I still probably get ripped off…
Turkish sweets: Everything from baklava to Turkish delight. I must say that the Turks know how to make their desserts, although Turkish delight, especially the traditional “rose-water” flavored one, is not something that I plan on needing to try again.
And finally, jewelry stores: The one shop that I wasn’t actually ever ushered in to…mainly for the ladies I would assume.
Here is your history trivia for the week: What is ANZAC day?
A day that means thousand of Australians and Kiwis come to Turkey and fill up all the hostels so that you have to stay in a hotel. Okay, so there is a little bit for to it. ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps. During WWI there was a battle on the Gallipoli Peninsula where the Australian and New Zealand forces landed in the wrong spot along the coast and got slaughtered because the ground was so steep. There is a tour of the area. Don’t do it. Although it was fascinating to hear about it for the first hour and interesting to visit the first memorial cemetery, the following 4 hours of reiterated facts and identical monuments can get monotonous. It was a sad time and worth learning about, but you might as well just read about it on Wikipedia and mark it as a time to avoid Turkey.
Ephesus, oh Ephesus! What an amazing place! It was great to finally be able to see an mostly complete ancient city! I especially enjoyed the cows grazing amid the ruins of St. Mary’s Church. Troy, on the other hand, is an bunch of walls from different time periods. Honestly, playing with the puppies under the Trojan Horse replica was the most enjoyable part of that trip.
Maybe one day I will come back to Turkey and see the other 95% of the country! Until then though, other people will have to buy the carpets.
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2 comments:
Jesse thought I said "buy a Turkish wife" and was like, "If he's so good looking, wouldn't they just come to him?" :-) Hope you are doing super great!!! Alison and Jesse
You should have made it to Bodrum or Cesme! Istanbul is a must see, but if you were looking for a good time, those are the beaches and the parties!
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