Where are you from? America. America!? Welcome, I am so happy you are here. I hope you feel welcome in my country. We are pleased that you are here. Please join me for some çay tea. Everywhere we went in Turkey people were truly happy to see us and greeted us warmly.
  Restaurant wait staff, hotel receptionist, shop owners, and it wasn’t just the people involved in the tourist industry. We were greeted warmly by people from all walks of life, policemen, street repairmen, military police, school children, etc.
Click map to see a larger image.
 

The other thing that stood out throughout the trip was how many people spoke English.In the more touristy areas it seemed like just about everyone spoke English and not just the people that dealt with tourists. The further east we traveled English wasn’t as prevalent but was still spoken by a larger percentage of people than some European countries that we’ve traveled. Turkey is a very easy country to travel in.

Drinking is a social way of life in Turkey and part of doing business. All day long it’s an endless stream of one drink after another. No not alcohol but mostly tea. Especially çay tea or apple tea but also coffee. When two friends meet they have tea.

 

If a Turk makes a new friend they have tea. Before any business commences (or sales pitch is started in earnest) they have tea. Everywhere you go in Turkey you see guys running through the streets carrying a silver tray filled with small glasses of tea being delivered to waiting customers.

The people of Turkey are absolutely wonderful! Well, everywhere except in the Sultanahmet District of Istanbul - the old town area where the Haghia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace are located. The sales people are like cats and tourists soon feel like mice. Thankfully this is just a very small portion of Istanbul.
  One thing that Turkey has in abundance is history. Wow, I mean really ancient history! Geeze o’petes, the Virgin Mary and several of the apostles all lived here and the history goes back thousands of years beyond that!
 

It’s mind boggling. People like Alexander the Great, Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, and Julius Caesar all meandered through parts of Turkey. Ephesus was a major city 5,000 years ago. Civilizations such as the Assyrians, Hittites, Romans, Byzantine and Ottomans all called Turkey home at one time or another. If you are a history buff get ready for yesteryear overload.

Turkey is absolutely wonderful, the people are great, the food is good, the sights are exotic, the history amazing, and it’s all affordable. What’s not to love? I highly recommend a trip to Turkey. So let the trip begin – NEXT PAGE >>>.
 

Please consider donating to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. I just lost a sister-like cousin to cancer 5 days before leaving for Turkey. I was holding her hand as she took her last breath. I lost my Dad to cancer. Patti lost her Mother to cancer. Most of us have lost a loved one to cancer. We need to find a cure. My daughter is walking 60 miles in 3 Days for the cause. Please give. Even if it’s only just a little. Thank you. DONATE.

 

 

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This page was last modified: December 15, 2007