Day 28 (4 July): Independence Day in a Mosque
I saw the Blue Mosque (one of the largest in the Islamic world) this morning, followed by the Tokapi Palace (the headquarters for the Ottoman Emperor and noted for its large harem) in the afternoon.
I spent the afternoon, killing time, waiting for an overnight bus. I came across another tout, also for the third time and went back to his carpet shop and had tea with him again. After talking to him for some more, he told me he would give me a carpet for free, since I was being friendly and actually talking to him and teaching him things whereas most American tourists wouldn't spend the time to do so. (He seemed decent enough, but I just hope nothing suspicious arrives with the carpet when it gets to the US since he is shipping it for free as well.)
The overnight bus I took was an experience as well as it starting pouring heavy rain in the afternoon. I woke up at one point an the bus was on a ferry with some big cargo trucks which was disorienting. Furthermore, I think I may have been the only non Turk on the bus.
1) When I went to the Blue Mosque, this Turkish guy asked me what I was doing, since it was Independence Day in the US. He thought it was strange that I would go as an American on our Independence Day since as an American, I am not supposed to like Islamic people. I had to explain that we do not and I think he got it, but I am not sure.
2) There was a short power outage this morning when I tried to check my email. The guy in the shop told me that was semi-normal (occuring approx. once a week) because the city was growing too fast for supply to meet demand. We talked for a while when the power was out and he explained to me that Turkish people are used to being in the dark so it is OK for them.
3) The guy from the internet place, also explained to me why Turks like Americans so much. He thinks that Turks are uniquely capable of understanding the post 9-11 world in the US, since they have been dealing with fundamental Islamic terrorism since the early 1980s from Iraq, Iran, and Syria. Modern Turks practice a much more progressive form of Islam. This guy had surprisingly visited 25 US States which is something I think few Americans have done (although I have been to 47.)
4) Savings. The same guy from the Internet place, also told me about the Turkish attitude towards savings. He said that no one in Turkey saves ahead because when they do they are used to losing all of their money; he said the three times he has tried to plan more than a year ahead that has happened to him. Apparently, credit card debit is becoming very common amongst younger Turks as well.
5) Watering the streets. In Istambul, people water the streets frequently. The theory behind it is that it keeps the city cooler. I think it just makes in messier as streams of dirt slide around the city.
6) Another way to see the world. I met a kid at the Tokapi Place today who is originaly from Long Beach (and turns out to have gone to high school with one of my college fraternity brothers) who is also on an around the world trip, but he gets paid to do it. For three years, he has been crew on a private motor yacht for the guy who founded Tyson's chicken as it travels around the world.
I spent the afternoon, killing time, waiting for an overnight bus. I came across another tout, also for the third time and went back to his carpet shop and had tea with him again. After talking to him for some more, he told me he would give me a carpet for free, since I was being friendly and actually talking to him and teaching him things whereas most American tourists wouldn't spend the time to do so. (He seemed decent enough, but I just hope nothing suspicious arrives with the carpet when it gets to the US since he is shipping it for free as well.)
The overnight bus I took was an experience as well as it starting pouring heavy rain in the afternoon. I woke up at one point an the bus was on a ferry with some big cargo trucks which was disorienting. Furthermore, I think I may have been the only non Turk on the bus.
1) When I went to the Blue Mosque, this Turkish guy asked me what I was doing, since it was Independence Day in the US. He thought it was strange that I would go as an American on our Independence Day since as an American, I am not supposed to like Islamic people. I had to explain that we do not and I think he got it, but I am not sure.
2) There was a short power outage this morning when I tried to check my email. The guy in the shop told me that was semi-normal (occuring approx. once a week) because the city was growing too fast for supply to meet demand. We talked for a while when the power was out and he explained to me that Turkish people are used to being in the dark so it is OK for them.
3) The guy from the internet place, also explained to me why Turks like Americans so much. He thinks that Turks are uniquely capable of understanding the post 9-11 world in the US, since they have been dealing with fundamental Islamic terrorism since the early 1980s from Iraq, Iran, and Syria. Modern Turks practice a much more progressive form of Islam. This guy had surprisingly visited 25 US States which is something I think few Americans have done (although I have been to 47.)
4) Savings. The same guy from the Internet place, also told me about the Turkish attitude towards savings. He said that no one in Turkey saves ahead because when they do they are used to losing all of their money; he said the three times he has tried to plan more than a year ahead that has happened to him. Apparently, credit card debit is becoming very common amongst younger Turks as well.
5) Watering the streets. In Istambul, people water the streets frequently. The theory behind it is that it keeps the city cooler. I think it just makes in messier as streams of dirt slide around the city.
6) Another way to see the world. I met a kid at the Tokapi Place today who is originaly from Long Beach (and turns out to have gone to high school with one of my college fraternity brothers) who is also on an around the world trip, but he gets paid to do it. For three years, he has been crew on a private motor yacht for the guy who founded Tyson's chicken as it travels around the world.
posted by Traveling Brian at 9:57 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home