Istanbul the beautiful - Sunday
May. 29th, 2005 11:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jeanvieveThe next leg of our Spring Fling has begun, a successful finding of our hotel for less than $5 USD total. We compare it to the $70 it took to find the hotel in Athens and already love the city more. Plus I got a carpet salesman to lug the heavy loot and laundry bag the last three blocks from the bus stop to our hotel across the street from his shop. In truth, he insisted. Already I adore this place. His shop is lovely. They have framed photos showing that the last two American presidents have shopped there, Bush apparently being lured into buying a rather large and expensive carpet. (We learned later how deeply he'd been cheated in price, and laughed to ourselves.) But we drank tea with the owner, and had the boys unroll piece after piece for us and teach us more about colors, patterns, and how to avoid being cheated in the future by others. We learned about traditional women's rugs, and saw another in progress on the street.
After Athens, it smells so very clean - of roses and honeysuckle and ocean breezes. Now and again, something spicy wafts by, and I'm hungry again. Though we have been assured by the salesmen that smoking is Turkey's national sport, they seem to respect their merchandise and customers not to do it in the shops as much, and certainly not on the trains that we witnessed.
In America, we have events like Denver's annual Waiter's Competition. Hong Kong has grown men climbing towers of buns to rip them off and carry them down. We're now certain that Istanbul must somehow have a special day for the sidewalk salesmen to compete for the coveted title of Most Patrons Waylaid and Money Divested. The line in Greece we heard over and over again was "Looking is free". Here in Turkey it is "Would you like some tea? This will only take a minute to show you..". A cup of fantastic tea later, and you're hooked.
Though the land is over 80% muslim, none of the salemen have the air or habits of being strictly orthodox. Or perhaps Mohammad said to pray at the five prayer times unless you're making a sale to feed your family.
Special mention must be given at this time to Tomas outside the Turkistan Restaurant, who stole my heart and promised me marriage if only I might enjoy the restaurant just here owned by his third cousin. This was the best food in all of Istanbul that we visited - everyone remember to go to the south west corner of the Blue Mosque and eat there. Wonderful, wonderful food. Good prices. Beautiful interior and exterior, and live music.
After Athens, it smells so very clean - of roses and honeysuckle and ocean breezes. Now and again, something spicy wafts by, and I'm hungry again. Though we have been assured by the salesmen that smoking is Turkey's national sport, they seem to respect their merchandise and customers not to do it in the shops as much, and certainly not on the trains that we witnessed.
In America, we have events like Denver's annual Waiter's Competition. Hong Kong has grown men climbing towers of buns to rip them off and carry them down. We're now certain that Istanbul must somehow have a special day for the sidewalk salesmen to compete for the coveted title of Most Patrons Waylaid and Money Divested. The line in Greece we heard over and over again was "Looking is free". Here in Turkey it is "Would you like some tea? This will only take a minute to show you..". A cup of fantastic tea later, and you're hooked.
Though the land is over 80% muslim, none of the salemen have the air or habits of being strictly orthodox. Or perhaps Mohammad said to pray at the five prayer times unless you're making a sale to feed your family.
Special mention must be given at this time to Tomas outside the Turkistan Restaurant, who stole my heart and promised me marriage if only I might enjoy the restaurant just here owned by his third cousin. This was the best food in all of Istanbul that we visited - everyone remember to go to the south west corner of the Blue Mosque and eat there. Wonderful, wonderful food. Good prices. Beautiful interior and exterior, and live music.
