Holiday in Istanbul
The fave holiday destination of most Israeli's beckoned us this midwinter so last weekend off we flew...
We landed in Istanbul at 7h30 pm, checked into our 4 Star hotel which turned out to be something between 1 & 2 stars and went for coffee and a smoke (hookah) at some strange place down the road from us. We later found out that our hotel was in an area frequented by Russian prostitutes.
The next day we headed to the bazaar, made friends with the guy from the tourist info centre and shopped the day away. Well, we didn't shop, so much as argued with every shopkeeper. Orly, being Israeli, haggled for everything and needless to say negotiations were not always successful. BTW, 1.4 Turkish Lira = $1! So we bled...
There had been an assassination last Friday while we were there. Sick stuff and the vibe was kinda tense. Many Turks said they were ashamed for what had happened.
That night we went to see the Whirling Dervishes! And they were so cool. Amazing. Took photies and a short movie! Round n round they went, tranced out and connected to the Other Side.
Then we hung out with ANOTHER tourist information centre guy (who shared with us his plan for world peace and brotherly love).
Saturday the weather was great so we took a ferry and chugged up the Bosphorus. We stopped for a delicious fish lunch in a small village on the coast of the Black Sea.
Then it was... back to the bazaar and another round or seven of haggling. Orly bought a belly dancing outfit (she goes to lessons).
At night we went to a belly dancing show, but it was very disappointing. All the dancers looked like Britney Spears and had perfect bodies with 6-pack abs. Not very enticing when it comes to belly dancers.
The whole place had a pimp n prostitute vibe to it. The final act was an ageing Tur-kitch lounge lizard crooner (who was surprisingly good). He sang in at least seven different languages with members of the audience (Iranians, Tunisians, Algerians, Kazakhstani's, Moroccans, Australians, Americans an Israeli and a South African).
Yours truly got dragged up to dance with a babe from Kazakhstan, and later on to serve as a target for a guy who threw knives into a board using his teeth. Sadly management changed their mind and coaxed him off the stage so I didn't get to fulfil my closet desire to become a human pin-cushion
Ahhh.... Sunday we shopped in a more trendy part of Istanbul. Met a friendly student along the way and we chatted in the quadrangle of his uni. Later that day we met an American who just happened to know where to get all the good deals at the market. He told us "well, you could say I am with the Justice Department. We help other countries take care of their bad guys."
And then he told us a few stories. Scary stuff. Guess it goes with the territory when you work for the CIA, I mean, the US Justice Department.
We caught a taxi back into town and went to a Hamam (Turkish bath) which also had a whorehouse look n feel. OK, so this Hamam had been around since 1500 but even so. I had to strip down and was handed a cloth to cover my tushie before heading off to the sauna. Could not see a thing without my glasses but hey, checking out Turkish men wasn't exactly on my agenda.
I lay on the marble podium for about an half hour, sweating like a virgin in a whorehouse before my "personal masseuse", Mustapha, grabbed me by the foot to indicate my time had come. I was doused with cold water and then lathered up. He massaged (scrunched) my body into the steaming marble for another 30 minutes before pouring buckets of hot water over me. This was followed by another massage and more hot water. By the time I was done I was relaxed for the first time on our short vacation. Should have done this every day I thought, leaving the hamam and swinging a heavy daypack over my shoulders. Hours later we left for Israel.
Went through 4 baggage checks at the airport where everyone's luggage was checked. Jews and Arabs, no exceptions. DNA swabs for everyone. "Diz iz alvays like diz in Turkey. PKK, Al Queda, Turkish Hizbulah, vee chek" said the cute Turkish security gal.
So that was my Turkey visit. 2nd time in 15 years. Been there, done that.
Will upload pics as soon as i have time to edit them. Work is hectic and I have not managed to get home before 9 even once this week.
The fave holiday destination of most Israeli's beckoned us this midwinter so last weekend off we flew...
We landed in Istanbul at 7h30 pm, checked into our 4 Star hotel which turned out to be something between 1 & 2 stars and went for coffee and a smoke (hookah) at some strange place down the road from us. We later found out that our hotel was in an area frequented by Russian prostitutes.
The next day we headed to the bazaar, made friends with the guy from the tourist info centre and shopped the day away. Well, we didn't shop, so much as argued with every shopkeeper. Orly, being Israeli, haggled for everything and needless to say negotiations were not always successful. BTW, 1.4 Turkish Lira = $1! So we bled...
There had been an assassination last Friday while we were there. Sick stuff and the vibe was kinda tense. Many Turks said they were ashamed for what had happened.
That night we went to see the Whirling Dervishes! And they were so cool. Amazing. Took photies and a short movie! Round n round they went, tranced out and connected to the Other Side.
Then we hung out with ANOTHER tourist information centre guy (who shared with us his plan for world peace and brotherly love).
Saturday the weather was great so we took a ferry and chugged up the Bosphorus. We stopped for a delicious fish lunch in a small village on the coast of the Black Sea.
Then it was... back to the bazaar and another round or seven of haggling. Orly bought a belly dancing outfit (she goes to lessons).
At night we went to a belly dancing show, but it was very disappointing. All the dancers looked like Britney Spears and had perfect bodies with 6-pack abs. Not very enticing when it comes to belly dancers.
The whole place had a pimp n prostitute vibe to it. The final act was an ageing Tur-kitch lounge lizard crooner (who was surprisingly good). He sang in at least seven different languages with members of the audience (Iranians, Tunisians, Algerians, Kazakhstani's, Moroccans, Australians, Americans an Israeli and a South African).
Yours truly got dragged up to dance with a babe from Kazakhstan, and later on to serve as a target for a guy who threw knives into a board using his teeth. Sadly management changed their mind and coaxed him off the stage so I didn't get to fulfil my closet desire to become a human pin-cushion
Ahhh.... Sunday we shopped in a more trendy part of Istanbul. Met a friendly student along the way and we chatted in the quadrangle of his uni. Later that day we met an American who just happened to know where to get all the good deals at the market. He told us "well, you could say I am with the Justice Department. We help other countries take care of their bad guys."
And then he told us a few stories. Scary stuff. Guess it goes with the territory when you work for the CIA, I mean, the US Justice Department.
We caught a taxi back into town and went to a Hamam (Turkish bath) which also had a whorehouse look n feel. OK, so this Hamam had been around since 1500 but even so. I had to strip down and was handed a cloth to cover my tushie before heading off to the sauna. Could not see a thing without my glasses but hey, checking out Turkish men wasn't exactly on my agenda.
I lay on the marble podium for about an half hour, sweating like a virgin in a whorehouse before my "personal masseuse", Mustapha, grabbed me by the foot to indicate my time had come. I was doused with cold water and then lathered up. He massaged (scrunched) my body into the steaming marble for another 30 minutes before pouring buckets of hot water over me. This was followed by another massage and more hot water. By the time I was done I was relaxed for the first time on our short vacation. Should have done this every day I thought, leaving the hamam and swinging a heavy daypack over my shoulders. Hours later we left for Israel.
Went through 4 baggage checks at the airport where everyone's luggage was checked. Jews and Arabs, no exceptions. DNA swabs for everyone. "Diz iz alvays like diz in Turkey. PKK, Al Queda, Turkish Hizbulah, vee chek" said the cute Turkish security gal.
So that was my Turkey visit. 2nd time in 15 years. Been there, done that.
Will upload pics as soon as i have time to edit them. Work is hectic and I have not managed to get home before 9 even once this week.