It has taken me a few days to get used to my new surroundings - for only the second time in my travels, I have to admit to suffering some culture shock. Although Turkey has some similarities to Greece, it is definitely not Europe anymore.
The food here is a mixed bag. While there are some things that I must rave about - Turkish Delight is sinfully delicious, they have the most amazing puddings, doners (donairs back home) and everything eggplant - I do desperately miss vegetables, something that those who know me well will laugh at. An anemic tomato, some wilted lettuce and olives (even for breakfast) are the best you can expect. Pita and bread seem to dominate every meal. Though I must give them props where due - the bread here is ridiculously good. My friend Diana and I have a borderline obsession with it at our breakfast cafe. They are also big on fresh squeezed juice: on every street there are literally two-three stalls selling fresh squeezed pomegranate, orange and pineapple juices (I happily take this over the ubiquitous Starbucks outlets in Vancouver). And the pomegranate is so, so good. As is the cider-like apple tea served everywhere. Turkish coffee I am less enamored with. The bottom half of the cup consists of chalky rinds and the top half is watery.
The streets here are lined with cozy looking cafes, each with its own hustler on the street to lure (harass) passerbys into patronage. They blast melodramatic Turkish music on extra loud, and many feature tiny chairs and even tinier tables (think children's play sets) or cushions on the floor with low lying tables that make the temptation to having a nap after your meal very strong. These seating arrangements...well, I could get used to lying around on giant cushions while I eat. It feels quite luxurious.
About the people I will say this: the Turkish are born hustlers. Everywhere you go, you are followed by cries "Lady, yes please!" (whatever that means), and when they're not busy proposing, they're selling. God forbid you so much as look in a store window - they will descend on you like vultures. That being said, I have met some gems. We are spoiled rotten with free Turkish Delight at another of our regular haunts. They find the fact that we are Chilean and Canadian quite impressive - apparently neither of our nationalities are found often in Turkey. The Turks I have engaged with regularly are sweet, endearing and warm. And, it seems like all locals I talk to want to move to Canada. I also met a really nice Turkish grad student from Minneapolis at the Chicago airport, and he took me out to show me where the locals really hang out yesterday - I demanded an authentic Turkish experience and he complied graciously. On the other end of the spectrum is the gypsies - they tend to towards sour. I was also surprised to find how many women wear the traditional Muslim dress and burqas here.
By far, the strangest and most entertaining evening spent to date was our trip to the Hamam, also known as the Turkish baths. I will be the first to admit that modesty has never been one of my stronger virtues (I blame the fact that I'm half German for this), but I have to admit feeling a little uncomfortable throughout this activity. First, you strip down completely. Then you walk into a steaming room full of other naked women. The masseurs (at least in this case) were all hefty, mature (read: well over 50) women wearing nothing but tiny panties. You lie on a giant marble slab (don't even get me started on the bacterial possibilities presented by the fact that thousands of people have been bathed naked on these slabs...and disinfecting doesn't go beyond soap and water) and are rubbed, exfoliated and bent within an inch of your life by the panty clad matrons. I was also initially horrified when we walked in to find a giant cockroach waiting for us at the baths, which were an impressive 458 years old by the way. However, my local friend told me that in Turkish 'cockroach' actually translates to "Hamam bug"...so, basically, an encounter is to be expected.
We also watched of a Sufi ceremony featuring Whirling Dervishes. I was impressed in that I cannot fathom how they spin for as long as they do. I would have tipped over from sheer dizziness. However, they believe spinning brings one to a meditative state close to enlightenment. I do find the ideology of their sect endearing: they believe in taking from above and giving all to those around them while keeping nothing for themselves. As they spin, one hand is turned upwards to the sky, as if to receive from god. The other points downwards, as if channeling what is received from above directly to those below...they see themselves as a direct funnel of sorts.
We also enjoyed a cruise up the Bospherous, though it was bitterly cold. Istanbul sits on two continents - Europe and Asia, with a large bridge joining the two. The cruise provided us with an opportunity to visit the Asian side. While it is apparently more affluent, and where the locals hang out...our stop over didn't really impress me. It actually looked how I would picture communist Russia to look back in the day. Early 20th century dirty generic buildings without charm.
There are also hundreds (maybe thousands) of mosques that dot the city, dominating the skyline. They are really quite awe inspiring when you first touch down and the view from the harbour of these giant structures is very impressive. To arrive in Istanbul for the first time by boat must be an incredible experience. We visited a couple - the famous Blue Mosque, and also the New Mosque. While from the outside they are spectacular, from the inside mosques are quite bare...the exception is the Hagia Sophia which is definitely worth a full visit. They all feature incredible ceramic tile work.
We didn't do much shopping, but no trip to Istanbul is complete without a jaunt to the Grand Bazar and the Spice Market. Imagine more than 4,000 shops all crammed into a massive, historic labyrinth with interweaving pathways...you could literally get lost for a week trying to find your way out of these places. The merchants are ridiculous - you have never heard such nonsense spouted by sales people...and aggressive doesn't even begin to describe their tactics. They sell everything from kitchen sinks to fine jewelry (though I don't know who in their right mind would buy jewels in a place so full of counterfeit everything). Haggling for deals is truly tiring. On the city streets, there seem to be blocks devoted to specific items. For examples - there are three blocks that feature only lighting stores. There are three blocks with only musical instrument stores, same with office supplies, optics...etc. There is a main street, Istikal, which must run for two kms, and is full of clothing stores and cafes - and is so crowded that you are literally pressed shoulder to shoulder...all the while trams and crazy taxi drivers are trying to plow through the crowds. It is chaos but entertaining. We managed to get lost trying to find the Spice Market (forget trying to use street maps here, they are useless), and had to ask for directions. We were lead down a steep, busy hill by a little worker man, yelling for everyone to get out of our way as we followed him and his trolly down the street. He was quite the escort.
Istanbul features an incredibly rich history, with a blend of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman ruins and architecture...and possibly more. The Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace (where you can find a stick that belonged to Moses and Mohamed's footprint), Domabrasche (sp?) Palace, Galata Tower and so much more are all must sees. There's also a measuring stone that marks the spot that was considered the centre of the known universe in the Byzantine era - all distances were measured from this point. There are even Egyptian obelisks!
Final thoughts - Turkey is very, very expensive. For the quality of what you get here, things are extremely over priced. There are few, if any, good deals to be found. And if you are an animal person, the sheer number of homeless dogs and cats will break your heart. The people, while a little melodramatic, are generally good sorts who have resisted Westernization (it's been nice to visit a country where they listen to their own music and don't have horrible Beyonce type music wailing in the background EVERYWHERE). And the way people drive here is totally out of control - yet they never have car accidents. I guess when everyone drives like a maniac, they have mutual understanding. The rules of the road are : no rules. But Turkey looks like a spectacular country and I will definitely be back to explore more historic areas and the countryside.
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