Turkish Delight

Shoe Shine
Originally uploaded by hazy jenius.

Harems, hookahs and hamams. Turkey has taken me under it's spell and left me wishing for more. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the natural beauty and warm hospitality of this country. Right from the start, Turkey inundated me with the exotic: smells of tattered prayer rugs and apple tobacco. Sounds of hooves on cobblestone streets and calls to prayer. Visions of whirling Dervishes, ancient ruins and turquoise waters. And OH the food!!! What does Turkey taste like? (Tastes like chicken?) Juicy lamb kebaps wrapped in hand rolled crepes. Skewered eggplant, beef and chillies. Stuffed tomatoes, salty olives and cucumber yogurt. Figs stuffed with walnuts and syrupy-sweet baklava topped with nutty pistachio. Turkish Delight!!! Speaking of food, it's been Ramadan all month. Like my travel agent said, Turkey is "Islam-Lite," so the fasting holiday hasn't been too hampering on my travels. Many people actually gain weight during this month of fasting. Having witnessed plenty of picnics, parties and gorging on sweets after sundown I can see how. The only downfall of the Islamic holiday was being repeatedly woken at 4 AM by a procession of drums reminding the faithful to wake and eat before the sun rose. Ramadan- a- ding-dong. I started my trip in Istanbul, a city straddling two continents, both geographically and culturally. Nowhere is Turkey's identity crisis more apparent than here, mixing aspects of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The range of Turks reaches as far as the Ottoman Empire once did. Exotic Mediterranean goddesses shop the markets next to Moustached matrons whose cups runith way over. Sleek handsome salesmen try to lure tourists into a carpet shop, or into bed. Old weathered men gather in the afternoon sun to play backgammon and drink round after round of chai. Slightly hooked noses and piercing green eyes peek out of carefully pinned veils or over moustaches so thick you could scrub a floor with them. My favorite was seeing a young women covered head to toe in conservative black robes with a "Jackass" Tee shirt over top. Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is one of the world's oldest and biggest markets, with over 4,000 shops selling intricate carpets, sparkling jewels, and belly dancing bras. I immediately bought two necessities. First, dark sunglasses to avoid unwanted eye-contact. Second, a fake wedding ring to prove my fake marriage to my fake husband who is always "sick at the hotel." Poor guy has an eternal case of Turkey tummy! The only guys that line doesn't work with are the hostel owners who not only know that you came alone, but also know where you sleep! Overall the men have been pretty well behaved. Of course there have been plenty of cheesy come-ons, rude noises and lewd grins, but none of them made me feel uncomfortable, laid a hand on me, or followed me too long. I met a French woman who had made Turkey her home for the past 6 years. She claimed the real Turkish Delight was the kind on two legs. I think I prefer mine with marshmallow.