I intended to be finished with Turkey — but the vivid images blow like snow drifts against my mind. I can’t leave until I dig out.
 |
|
Enlarge photo |
Each night during my six-night stay in Istanbul, I was drawn to the Ramadan street fair — the rollicking food fest after the fast. Six floodlit minarets rocket into black sky above hordes of people. Sticky treats shine under swinging lamps. Young girls make head scarves fashionable. Turkish coffee cooks in copper kettles buried deep in red coals. Hourglass-shaped tea glasses fit fists — Anatolian hand-warmers. All the little children know two phrases in English: “How old are you?” and “What is your name?”
Standing on a ledge overlooking the jammed mosque courtyard, I don’t understand this scene. I talk with a brother and sister. Their dad is an imam. I say, “Where I come from, pastor’s kids are trouble — we call them PKs.” The sister said that would not be her…but it would be her brother.
My guide said the ruins that break through the Istanbul cityscape come with a message: the vanity of all aspiration to empire. It made me think. She also explained how moustaches in Turkey make a political statement. I think it was, “up is communist, down is fascist.” I took a note to make political-statement moustaches along with turban fashion a conversation on a future radio interview.
Walking across the Blue Mosque front yard, a man in a colorful traditional outfit saw my book and opened it to the title page. There he was, pictured with his traveling tea service. I took his photo posing with the photo of himself (he didn’t know I was the author) and gave him a lira (worth a bit less than a dollar). Walking away, I heard the coin hit the sidewalk and the man say in a disgusted voice, “Toilet money!” He must make plenty of money off that photo. It was the rudest encounter of my Istanbul visit. (Or, perhaps, I’m just really clueless about what to tip tea boys for their photo.)
Travel teaches me how we are so different, yet essentially the same. For instance, out of all this Turkish wonder, my friend, co-author, and guide Lale drove me to her home — down an eight-lane California-quality freeway to a gated community of condo-dwellers that could have been suburban Dallas.
Lale’s mother (in from Ankara to help with the new baby) greeted us with the five-month-old baby, “Zu-zu,” in her arms. Lale took the baby, turned to me, looked over her glasses, and said, “I’m a very logical woman.
 |
|
Enlarge photo |
I know how to separate facts from emotion. But when it comes to my baby, the world stops spinning. My doctor and I talked. He said for a mother, hormones rule the body and there’s no way to control them.”
I’m glad you weren’t quite done with Turkey. I’m learning a lot. Even when it’s just anecdotal, I’m left quite entertained. Thanks. Looking forward to the day when I can observe it all firsthand.
It is so great to see a photo of Tan and Lale’s baby. We have just returned from a marvelous tour with Tan around Turkey where we heard lots about the baby from its Dad. Rick is correct, the after dark experience in Istanbul when the Muslims all come out to break the fast was a very lively and interesting experience. I would encourage everyone to contemplate touring Turkey, it is a fascinating country. We have so many great memories of a fabulous people and country. The Rick Steves Tour was just a magic time.
We left our ship, the SS Odysseus, to sight see on our own. A long line of busses were waiting for those who paid for a tour of Istanbul, but that did not include us.
Before we crossed Galata Koprusu, the bridge over the Golden Horn, we walked past a line of sidewalk vendors selling bread and other kinds of pastry, fishing boats offering fish for sale, and there’s a ferryboat terminal, disgorging crowds of people.
At the Yeni Cami (Mosque), a thousand pigeons were lined up on the steps and on the wires above, as if by a drill sergeant, waiting for tourists to feed them Semit Sesame bread rings, for sale right there, by street vendors. Pigeons remembered that from yesterday.
The Süleyman Mosque (Blue Mosque) in Istanbul, Turkey, is huge. Outside there are several domes, and six tall, slender minarets. Inside, the floor is covered with hundreds and hundreds of rugs. Turkish rugs we suppose, and there are blue and white Iznik tiles everywhere.
Rick, Your blogs are wonderful!!! and glad you are enjoying your trips…. Mr. Jim Humberd it appears you and your wife visited many countries in Europe, just wondering which countries hold the most magic for you? I enjoy reading others perspectives on countries they visited… ciao
We are not Pollyannish about our travels, but there is no place we have visited in 70 countries and Islands that we would not be happy to revisit. There is no “best†country, each are different.
Some are more interesting than others, but when we travel we know it is their home, if we don’t like it we can leave. We are there to learn about their home and way of life, we do not tell everyone our home and culture are best, but we are positive that it is.
Have your purpose, budget, and schedule well in mind. Once you decide what it is you want to see and do, don’t make changes without a good reason and then come home disappointed that your initial purpose was forgotten.
If your idea of a vacation is to visit Roman ruins, or wander through streets of half-timbered buildings, or just to visit “starred†restaurants or lie on the beach, remember, it’s your vacation, do it your way.
We travel for the people, the architecture, and the geography.
Happy travels Rick…..
Thanks for a lovely blog Jim…I have also traveled throughout the world and loved how you presented your travels…
What I liked about the way you travel is that your a traveler and not a tourist, that you state that there is no best country, just different..what a wonderful way to travel…
Rick I look forward reading your blogs in the eternal city..
Rick, thanks for writing a bit more on Istanbul; and for the update on Lale and Tan. I was on their Turkey tour in the summer of 2002 and it was obvious to all the women how much they wanted a baby. I’m thrilled for them. I loved Turkey and hope to go back. I would love to travel farther east the next time. The anti-spam word for this posting is reeducated, which is how I usually feel after checking this blog and other readers’ comments! Keep up your good work and good writing.
Happy travels, Rick!
Rick thanks for the update on Istanbul. We have been twice and love it more every time we go. Soon our daughter and son in law are going because we have raved so much about Turkey. Thanks too for the picture of Lale and her Mom. She and Tan are great. Keep on blogging.