I spy Istanbul. Shopping and Eating.

Stomach-friendly sweet

During my sojourn in Europe, I was quite set on seeing as much of the world (well that which was easily accessible from where I was...ahem cheaply) before it goes down the drain.  This thinking is a bit pessimistic yes but its all but practical.  If I am going to shit all over my child's future, I might as well do them the favour of having seen all of it presently and gloating about the past glory days in between their food security issues, land degradation, and climate changes.  Yes, I'd be a pretty damn good mother.

On this note and facing imminent visa default, I left Germany to travel to Istanbul, Turkey before my retreat back to Canadian soil.  It was a very learning experience - for myself, my wallet, my stomach, and my olfactory senses.  I started off the adventure flying via Basel Mulhouse Freiburg airport (which has shared borders in Switzerland, France, and Germany) direct to Istanbul.  As the name suggests, you should leave from the correct side of the exit or face stepping into the wrong country (sadly I made this mistake twice). Visas for Canadian citizens cost 40 USD. I am informed that BOTH British and American citizens pay much less.  Apparently Canada has managed to offend someone more.

You haven't lived until you've bought a fish kebab from a boat

My arrival to Istanbul was marked by a most unfortunate and gruesome sighting - a pack of dogs and ravens picking away the flesh of some other animal left out in the public park.  This would have seriously turned my conviction against vegetarianism if I weren't one already.  Yet, I think that this small carnivorous event is analogous to the Istanbul that I saw. Embattled by lack of resources (economic?), one necessarily becomes more opportunistic of the resources available to him.  I chose this explanation to describe what I have seen in the following days.

Young boy (8-12?) carrying garbage: better than the alternative

Never one to shy away from suspicious street food

I think the most boisterous markets and sales people must be in the city centre of Istanbul. OK it's also tourist mecca but I've never been cajoled so much by street vendors even in Morocco, Hong Kong, or Shanghai. I have unsavoury moments of vendors obstructing my path and insisting that they 'had something to tell me' or 'I just want to say something' or 'where are you from' before they would try to pull me into their store.  Shoving and undisguised annoyance was quickly adopted and remained so for the rest of the journey.

Bargaining at the Grand Bazaar

Strong Turkish coffee. Emphasis on strong.

The markets there are the most boisterous ones yet. Especially the Grand Bazaar where I must have spent a far bit of my time and money in :) The rule is bargain...hard...and then bargain again for half of that bargained price.  Oh sneaky buggers try to take pictures of you with their merchandise - to prove to other tourists that tourists like buying their stuff. If you happen to see a photo with a frowning tourist pushing away a lamp - that would be me.  I'm also convinced that shopkeepers communicate via fb updates if they are satisfied/unsatisfied about a shop patron. Its a feeling but I have no proof unfortunately.  The Grand Bazaar itself is one huge cavernous maze of shops in alleys specialising in specific goods (like tea, scarves, jewellery, turkish delight, etc.). And undoubtedly I got lost for as many hours as I spent shopping this was also compounded by the fact that I mistook the Turkish word for 'exit', çıkış, to be a unique naming of the exit gate.

I love trying new foods so you can bet I tried as many foods that I couldn't pronounce as possible.  It's an assignment that requires a strong stomach.  Luck for me is this carried me the entire length of the trip. Unluckily for me, I took the hit on the plane ride back home. Most miserable trip ever.  Unfortunately, taking the bill is another thing not to be taken for granted.  I can't tell you how many times I was charged a 'bread fee' where I had never taken any.  Most common response is ''oh but didn't you order bread?''

Efes and Raki are respectively the local beer and spirit. I enjoyed neither and yet somehow managed to take up my friend's share too. Kunefe is made with phyllo pastry and cheese and one of the best dessert dishes I had there. Ayran my favourite yoghurt drink and milk pudding my next favourite dessert.  Next up was Turkish coffee. When I saw it was strong I'm not exaggerating. It was like espresso but more bitter and more granular inside. Still today I cannot figure out if the coffee WAS supposed to be half liquid half coffee grains.  Interestingly, Turkish coffee can be ordered one of three ways - sweet, sweeter, and plain. Those in the know ask for sweet or sweeter.  And even with that coffee is still bitter. Its a taste I'll leave for someone else to acquire.

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