Cappadocia or bust! - Thursday 10.28.10

I am currently sitting on the Guney Ekspresi - an 18 hour overnight train from Istanbul to Kayseri, Turkey. A few hours ago Jill and I were on our way to Best Buy to buy printer ink when we decided to stop in the main Istanbul train station. We have a long weekend this week thanks to Turkey's national holiday - Republic Day 10/29. As it's necessary to get out of packed Istanbul every few weeks for some space and fresh air, the Cappadocia region was our ideal destination.

Around 3pm we bought a 50 lira train ticket to the city of Kayseri - located smack dab in the center of this massive country. After handing the ticket man our money he so politely informed us that the train we had to catch would not be leaving from that particular train station but from a station an hour and a half away - via ferry - in 3 hours. Jill and I like to fly by the seat of our pants! Things immediately became very hectic and we are still out of printer ink!

Frantically, we hurried home to shower (not sure when the next one's coming), packed the essentials and headed back out to begin our spur of the moment adventure. Mind you - the only thing we have planned so far is this train. We managed to find the ferry to Haydarpasa train station with no problems. Of course, we then almost missed the stop and had to jump from the ferry boat onto land as it pulled away (safety isn't a main concern in this country) - but we also arrived at the station with 2 hours to spare. Maybe the man who sold us our tickets knew we are habitually running late because the ferry took 30 minutes rather than 90 as told. We're on time for the important things Mr. ticket man!

So far everything minus the bathroom situation is looking good on the Guney Ekspresi. Let's just say when I had to go I didn't look down through the hole in the floor to see clear blue toilet bowl water, but the train tracks...and it's chilly outside! Otherwise, Jill and I have a little room all to ourselves that is actually quite cozy. There is a sink, a mini fridge, and 2 bunk beds that fold out from the wall. I read about this particular train in research earlier this week so I knew there would not be a restaurant car. We came prepared with the essential survival snacks: cookies, crackers, diet coke, and water. OH and we just finished a bottle of red wine :) I'm cuddled up on the top bunk ready to hit the hay and will be waking up in Central Turkey around lunchtime tomorrow. Life's an adventure!! XO

Adventures of a Turkey Roadtrip - Sunday 10.10.10

My last post left Jill and I in our rental car, parked on a side street in Turkey near the Izmir airport. We had to wake up a few times through out the night to turn the car on to warm it up - one of those times I put on most of the clothes I brought with me. It's safe to assume we didn't get very good sleep that night, but sleeping from around 3 until 8am was not too bad under the circumstances...and I'm still here to tell the story! When we drove the car into the rental lot at the airport the same man who saw us leave was there to see us return. He was smiling ear-to-ear and I thought he might start clapping when we got out. It was about 50% luck and 50% miracle that we made it though roadtrip Turkey unscathed.
After a serious lack of hygene in our attempts to be thrifty over the weekend, the first stop Jill and I made in Izmir was at the hamam (turkish bath). We were both first timers. This could have ended badly, but I think we made all the right moves. First we walked into the "mens only" side. After a slight freak out when the man asked about giving us a massage, we were quickly lead over to the "womens only" side. Although the women didn't speak any English, they were helpful with actions and we figured out what to do (for the most part). An old lady scrubbed us up and sent us on our way squeeky clean. If any other first timers want tips or more details, let me know. It was a good cultural experience!
Jill and I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting at a restaurant along the water in Izmir, preparing for the week ahead. We survived our first travels through Turkey and saw some amazing sites. Roadtrip Turkey was a success! Life's an adventure!! XO

Adventures of a Turkey Roadtrip - Saturday 10.9.10

Saturday I woke up bright and early, ready for a full day of site-seeing. The first stop of the day, a 30 minute drive from Kusadasi, was Ephesus. The ancient city stood up to the claim that it is one of the greatest ruined cities in the western world. After seeing a good share of ruins in my life, I was amazed at how well preserved so many of the ruins were in Ephesus - I could see intricate details on pillars that were made in BC. BC!? The first picture below is of the Library of Celsus (built in AD 114-117). In the second picture you can see the intricate detail on the ceiling and then a well preserved statue. Of course, Jill and I had to take a glamor shot on the library steps!

After walking around Ephesus, we jumped in the car on to our next historical destination - the house of Mary. Yes, as in Mary Jesus' mother. The story of how Mary's house was found is incredible. You can read about it at www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/ephesus-house-of-the-virgin. All of the history surrounding how Mary came to this particular location outside of Ephesus and how her house was found is amazing. Being there was an experience I would recommend to anyone with an ounce of religious belief or curiosity. It was interesting to see but Jill and I couldn't stay long at the house of Mary as our next stop came after a 3 hour drive into Central Turkey - Pamukkale.

The 3 hour drive turned into 4 with a detour off of the main highway and onto random Turkish roads. Luckily Jill and I noticed the change immediately and our Lewis and Clark skills kicked in when were were solely surrounded by mountains. After hours of Turkish music (there are no English stations in central Turkey), a drive through what looked like Egypt, and a few doners later...we finally arrived at Pamukkale!!

Pamukkale is basically the side of a mountain that has been turned white because of mineral deposits in water flowing down along the side. You have to take off your shoes to walk up the "cotton castle" as an attempt to better preserve the natural wonder. The entire time walking up the mountain a cool stream of water flows over your feet - in some places the rock was smooth and slippery, in others not so much. There were times when I very seriously thought about putting on my shoes (especially on the walk down after the sun set and things got a lot colder!). In ancient times the romans used the pools as thermal baths. This had been allowed by tourists until about 20 years ago when it was clearly deteriorating.

Jill and I no doubt chose the best time to be at Pamukkale - right around sunset. It was by far the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

At the top of Pamukkale is the ancient city of Hierapolis. With the long car ride we didn't have as much time to explore Hierapolis as I would have liked but it was exciting to be walking around the ruins after dark. One fun thing we did see, was the "antique pool" - a pool that people can swim in that is littered with fragments of marble columns, which may be a pool associated with the Temple of Apollo. You just don't get to see these sorts of things everyday!!!

Since Jill and I were playing the weekend by ear and didn't book a hotel in Pamukkale, we decided to make the 4 hour trek back to Izmir that night. We had to turn the car in by noon the next day. Unable to find a hotel around the airport, Jill and I made the most economical decision yet - that night we got cozy on a well-lit side street near the airport and decided to make the fiat our home for the night. Yes indeed, I slept in a car in Turkey! Now onto Sunday...Life's an adventure!! XO

Adventures of a Turkey Roadtrip - Friday 10.08.10

Desperately needing a break from the over-crowded concrete jungle of Istanbul, this past weekend my roommate and I packed our bags and headed to the sea - just like true Istanbulians. Early Friday morning we hopped on a flight to Izmir, a port city in southwest Turkey. Walking out of the Izmir airport on a hunt for public transport Jill and I looked at eachother - should we rent a car?? Both impulsive and adventurous, we decided to go for it. Sun rent-a-car provided us with a fiat "automatic". I'm 100% positive the nice Turkish man who took us to the car, showed us how to use it, and watched us jerkily drive away, thought he would never be seeing it in one piece again.

Once out of the Izmir airport - not an easy task with all Turkish signage - it was smooth sailing on the open road. Our first stop was Kusadasi, about an hour and a half drive from Izmir. The drive was absolutely beautiful. Amazingly, Jill found an English station on the radio and we blared Nelly and Kid Rock while driving past chickens and goats, Turkish mountains all around us. The highways in Turkey are actually very nice, brand new and there are very few cars - perfect for my first driving in a foreign country experience. Jill didn't know I was a first timer when she climbed into the passenger seat :) hehe. We took a quick stopover in Selcuk as recommended by my "Eyewitness Travel Turkey", and then continued on to Kusadasi.(Selcuk is pic on left - behind Jill and I is a 6th century Byzantine citadel). A quick Outlet store stop, close call with a dog running in front of the car, and several narrow turns later, we finally parked the car by our hostel, Hotel Sezgin. Yes, the picture on the right is of "Hotel Sezgin"...and after a brief heart-attack Jill and I walked happily 20 feet ahead to the newly re-built version.

As Friday was still a work day, we got settled, grabbed lunch, and headed to the local Starbucks to steal some free wifi for online research. That afternoon I worked and chatted online in undoubtedly the best located Starbucks on earth. See the pics below - this is Kusadasi harbor from Starbucks, me "working", a 14th century Genoese fort on the island I sat staring at, and finally what the view looked like around sunset. There's a high probability this setting will go down as the best work setting (maybe not most productive but most beautiful) I'll ever have.

Although beautiful, I would recommend Kusadasi only to those looking to stick their pinky toe into the pool of Turkish culture. Friday night Jill and I had the least Turkish experience in the least Turkish atmosphere I've been in yet. After a dinner at "Planet Yucca" (Planet Hollywood of Turkey) we went to Bar Street Kusadasi. Irish Pubs one after the next was exactly what we'd been longing to see. Unfortunately, we missed the memo that the nightlife scene in Kusadasi dies at the end of September. Although most bars were completely empty, we managed to find the only crowded bar, and wrapped up the night by crashing a Kusadasi University party. Saturday's coming in next post so I can get in more pictures :) Life's an adventure!! XO

Asia by Day, Europe by Night

Almost one month into "project Turkey"! Crazy how the time flies. I am finally getting into a groove living here - or as much of a groove as I will probably ever get into while living in such a different culture. My American habits and routine are beginning to blend into a new Istanbul routine with American touches. Blending rather than changing is much easier to handle and makes life here so much more comfortable. We found a gym tonight, for example - it was amazing. I wore shorts (unheard of outside of the gym) and I ran to American music. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but gyms are few and far between in Turkey and shorts are mostly taboo. Any American-esque experience I can get usually makes my day. The Turkish culture is great and nice to experience for a visit, but it's a bit much to jump into head first.

Last week was a busy week. My co-workers and I are filling our schedules with meetings, learning where to go to meet people, and exploring new cafes, sites, and areas of the city. Last week I had my first meeting in ASIA! Ok, so it was just on the Asian side of Istanbul but hey - I have finally stepped foot on the Asian continent :)

So far every meeting I have attended has been an entirely different experience. Entirely different from any meeting I have ever attended, ever. Of course that's the thrill of working across cultures. You always have to be on your toes as you never know what to expect. For example, we had a meeting last week with a mining company. It was a family owned company, which became immediately apparent. After walking into a grungy apartment building us three young American women (my co-workers and I) found ourselves in a small room with six Turkish men - all smoking cigarettes, none speaking English. It's an interesting feeling to be an American woman sitting in a meeting with Turkish men who find the majority of their business with Iraq, Iran, Syria, and other countries that have an ominous recent history with the U.S. - a bit unnerving as how to act.
We waited a few minutes until their English speaking brother entered to talk with us. Unfortunately there was no big sale. The uber-nationalistic brother was not interested in branching into China bud did share his ideas on America and Iraq/Afghanistan. All after telling us he didn't want to talk about such issues, us not asking about them (or wanting to talk about such issues), and him talking about them anyway. Then, after a 30 minute schpeil on different marble colors we were finally sent on our way to the next meeting - of course with the taxi driver cousin. Always interesting!

A drink is somewhat essential after some of our crazy meetings and my co-workers and I are quickly improving our knowledge of Istanbul nightlife. We've found it's a great advantage to be foreign when going out here. We now stick mostly to more upscale bars, as those are where English speakers can be found (and they feel safer). As all of us are extremely sociable, being able to talk to the people around us is a huge plus. Last week we attended an event at the W hotel. I think there's an arrow hovering over our heads telling everyone we're foreign, but after being spotted by the bartender we didn't have to pay for drinks all night (a major plus for the budget). The bartender's generosity led my roommate to a drunk stumble landing her 2 feet from the sea. There was a dock at the club we were at, Anjelique, as it was outdoor on the Bosphorus (sea). Had Jill been just a bit closer she could have had the story of a lifetime ;) We all made it home dry and in one piece - probably for the best. Another post coming tomorrow so the length of this one doesn't get too out of control. Life's an adventure! XO

We're not in the U.S.A. anymore...

There are moments in my day-to-day Istanbul life when I forget that I am living in a foreign country. And then moments sneak up on me, in which I feel like I am living on a different planet - sometimes an entertaining one, sometimes not so much. Let me rewind to Friday night. After a long week of training my roommate and I decided drinks would be a fabulous way to start the weekend, so we headed out. We walked down the pedestrian street, the Istiklal, working our way through massive amounts of people. Suddenly, I feel a kick. I look back, shocked and confused as to what just happened. A little Turkish woman stood behind me, her babushka pulled tight and an a mean look on her face. She had just kicked me in the bum! I turned to my roommate, who was behind me and saw everything go down. Jill was laughing histerically. Understandable, as it was behavior unlike anything either of us have ever witnessed. I would have been laughing if I hadn't been so in shock. I couldn't even be mad it was so ridiculous. Where in human social behavior is it acceptable to kick someone who is in your way? It's not acceptable, but it happens in Turkey.

Jill and I made our way off the Istiklal - much to my satisfaction. Our first stop was Babyface, the Turkish women's salon. We both got our hair washed and blown out (it's about 5USD to do this and a nice little treat). Our next goal was to find friends. It's very challenging to meet people here without knowing Turkish, so we keep our ears out for English speakers and aren't afraid to be friendly. We ended up befriending a couple from the States and a few Germans who spoke English enough to communicate. I have a new appreciation for the work I did at Cartus - my previous employer. Cartus organized language and cultural progams for business people moving to new countries. As I don't have an option I'll settle with the baptism by fire approach, but those lessons would have been nice!

Most of Saturday and Sunday were spent siteseeing. Jill's friends parents were in town from Minnesota, so we went to the grand bazaar (pic on right) and basilica cisterns (pic on left) with them. It was a relatively uneventful "tourist" weekend until Sunday afternoon when Jill and I found ourselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. Walking down the Istiklal on our way to lunch, we began to see many officers in uniform, all of them riot ready holding thick plexiglass shields. As I now know, we uncomfortably walked through a Hamas rally. There were many hamas flags and women in full burkas, a few signs written in English reading "people who desecrate the Quaran should be punished". It was an interesting and scary walk through the crowd. When Jill whispered to me that she wanted to take a picture I shot her a quick "nein". The rally was over when we went back through the area a while later, but it is an experience and feeling I'll never forget.

Finally, I have to share one of the most entertaining of my Turkish experiences so far. Last night while out smoking hooka with my roommate and her friend, a man sitting at the table down from us pulled out his pet monkey! Thank god it was on a leash. It was also wearing a diaper and the owner was feeding him beer (as seen in pic). It was hilarious! I'm not sure if too many things will surprise me once I move out of Turkey. It's a different world. Life's an adventure! XO

Hen Parties and Lessons Learned

I arrived in Istanbul one week ago today. It's unbelieveable how fast this week went by but at the same time it feels like I've been here much longer than one week. My life is progressively getting busier everyday, and I think it's going to be like that from here on out. Jill and I started our official training on Tuesday. There is so much to learn it makes my head spin, but this job is going to be just as exciting as the living abroad experience that comes with it. After our first training session a drink was in order so the 3 girls and I headed out to a local bar (we saw a balcony with flashing lights and Turkish music and made our way up 4 winding, narrow flights of stairs). There are winding stairs leading into every establishment, it's no wonder drinking plays such a small role in Turkish culture.

Finally in the open air roof bar, we found ourselves at a Turkish bachelorette party - they call them Hen parties in Europe. When we sat down a couple of Turkish girls, English speakers, came over to make friends with us. Soon after they began a Turkish tradition where the bride sat in a chair while her friends walked around her in a tight circle holding candles and dancing (pic on left). It looked like so much fun we almost got up to join in! The Turkish girls saw we were interested and let us in on the next tradition, putting a spot of henna on our hands (pic on right). Two days later I still have a brown blob on my hand that smells like grass and am not sure what it represents. I don't feel too bad about it, the Turkish girls didn't know either. After a drink and a round of flaming shots we left the Turkish bachelorette girls to their own devices, made a short stop at a sidewalk hooka bar, and called it a night.

Wednesday was a long workday - mainly spent learning material. We did however have a Turkish teacher come over to our apartment in the afternoon to teach us a few survival Turkish words. For the record - in my first shopping trip I did a great job guessing on what I was buying. But Ayran is such a deceiving bottle! The people in the picture look so happy and it was kept in the cold food area - Ayran is buttermilk and it does not taste good with Honey Nut Cheerios. My Turkish teacher informed me that milk is called sut, and is kept warm in boxes (refridgerate after opening?). Now that we know a few things Jill and I make it a point to say hello (merhaba) and thank you (tesekkuler) every chance we get. The Turkish people love our attempts.

Today one of the highlights for Jill and I was wearing shorts when we went out to the store. We didn't get too many looks - many people dress just as Westernized here as they do in America. I should have more cultural stories and pictures to come this weekend. Jill and I are staying in Istanbul to finally go see the sites, maybe visit a hammam? Stay posted!! Life's an adventure! XO