Adventure Stage 6 – Istanbul

People make the journey great......

All these are stories from my time in Istanbul.  Next will be stories from Ephesus.

I’ve got to start with the belly dancer since I left off with her last time.

I didn’t really know what these ‘belly dancing lessons’ were…..so I went to check them out.  The travel books that I’ve read say ‘learn a new skill’ as part of your travel experience….I thought belly dancing might come in handy back in Kyiv sometime.

She showed up an hour and a half late.  She was very beautiful and a good dancer.  But, I just kept thinking, ‘How does she feel doing this every night?  Every night, these guys are staring at her like a piece of meat.’  I mentioned this to one of the Australians at the table….he thought she was just doing it for the money.  

After 10 minutes, the ‘lessons’ started.  She pulled an embarrassed-looking Asian guy out of the audience, made him twist his body around…..then she ripped his shirt off.  This is when fear shot through me.  I was strategically positioned in the room to be the next victim.  Suddenly, I developed a quick need for the toilet….pretended to go in….but actually snuck around the corner, back upstairs and to bed.  That was enough belly dancing lessons for me……

I was walking through the edge of the bazaar looking for a small pizza.  I had heard about Turkish carpet salesmen – how they are very persuasive….how they drive a hard bargain.  I’d already made the decision that I was not going to buy a rug.  He came out of nowhere – just magically appeared.  Suddenly, he was my best friend.  He knew all the right questions to ask a lonely traveler.  Next thing I know, I was drinking tea and listening to his 30-minute sales pitch in his ‘carpet warehouse’.  I scarcely remember how I got there.  At one point, he had more than 20 carpets laid out on the floor in front of me…..and had described each intricate detail…..what it meant.  One carpet was covered with animals (not live ones….ones that were stitched in).  He told that the family that made this one was from the region where Noah’s Ark was rumored to have landed in Southern Turkey. 

Somehow…he got it narrowed down to 2 carpets….and it was true….the 2 that were the most interesting to me.  Several of his young apprentices stood in the background and watched him work his magic…they must have been thinking, ‘Surely, master will succeed again!!!’.  Then came the final blows….his offer of a ridiculously low price (‘Especially for you, my friend!!’)…. and his promise that it was good karma for me and good karma for him if I bought this rug.  But alas!  The desire not to spend money and not to have extra weight in my backpack won out.  I left him and his young apprentices with all their carpets…..

I thought I wouldn’t have much to write about today.  But, I met some interesting people that merit a story or 2.  After a workout at a local gym, I stopped by a Turkish restaurant. 

Again, there was a man who seemed to be my best friend.  I took a menu….As I sat down, he put his arm on my shoulder and said, ‘What can I get for  you, my friend?!?!?’   I needed more time to look at the menu.  Later, he returned….put his arm on my shoulder again…..and I ordered this time.  Again, later, arm on my shoulder, asked me where I’m from.  I said I lived in Ukraine.  He replied, ‘Turkey 2:Ukraine 1. European Champions Soccer!!’  Later, I was looking at my handheld computer….he came…put his arm on my shoulder and asked me about it.  I showed him some of the features, but highlighted the pictures of my friends in Kyiv and the picture of Rembrandt’s ‘Prodigal Son’ painting that I have on it.  We got a little bit lost in me trying to explain it……

I tried to explain how important and how famous it was….and that it was in St. Petersburg.  2 minutes later, another foreigner comes and sits at my table and says hi.  Turns out…it’s Vladimir and his home is in St. Petersburg, where the ‘Prodigal Son’ painting is.  Between us, we are able to explain a bit more about the painting.  Also, Vladimir has lived in Vietnam for a couple of years….and I will be going to Vietnam for a month at the beginning of next year.  I’ve got Vladimir’s email address for when I visit St. Petersburg in the future.  God is good.  He often provides the best things at the least expected times.  Did I mention that the waiter gave me my dinner for free?  Now that’s a true act of grace……..

Today, I was in a mosque for the first time in my life.  This mosque (The Blue Mosque) is very large.  The sheer magnitude of it is impressive.  On the inside is just open space and carpets where people kneel and pray.  Since I was wearing shorts, I had to cover them (with a silly light blue Velcro skirt ☹), and I removed my sandals (not a pleasant aroma). 

Actually, there were lots of bare, smelly feet pattering around in the mosque.  It makes me think about the differences between Muslims and Christians – Jesus and Mohammed.  It makes me think about the Muslim guy I met last night at the bus stop.  It was great to talk to him.  He was warm and friendly, as most people I’ve met here.  His name is Kadir, and he is just finishing his Master’s degree in business and interviewing for jobs.  Today, he was offered a job at a jewelry company at a low salary.  He will refuse it, he says, because he needs more money and wants to work for a food company.  I explain that I do some consulting in the food industry.  We talked a bit about food, and the topic of pork came up. 

Truth be told, much of my life has revolved around pork.  I’ve worked for a large number of years in that industry, and have travelled to many countries to work with pigs.  He is taught as a Muslim that pork is a dangerous and unhealthy food.  We discussed it a bit, and became grid-locked quickly, and eventually changed the subject.  Suddenly, he jumped up and said, ‘This is my stop! Goodbye!’  And just as quickly and unexpectedly as I’d met him, he disappeared into the night.  But I have his email.  One day, I also want to show him The Prodigal Son painting and explain the grace that gives the painting…..and could give him so much life.

That’s all for now.  I’m going to say cheers for now and sign of cheers in honor of my new Australian friends that I met on belly dancing night.  Stay tuned next for a day in Ephesus……with an unexpected twist……..