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Published: October 18th 2010
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clock tower
a gift from Germany in 1901 Thank you Turkey
Today, I am sick. Achy, sore throat kind of sick. Maybe because our tour is over? I don’t know.
Currently, we are in Imzir. One of the known oldest urban settlements in the world with over 3,500 years of history. (not swag) This was to be our shopping stop, our vacation from our vacation. And I would get sick. Figures. Don’t worry tho, I have still shopped.
I didn’t have to come all the way to Turkey to learn about kindness, but that is what I have found here with the Turkish people. I am overwhelmed with the kindness of the men here, something I didn’t expect.
A couple of examples that I experienced today which illustrates my whole two weeks in Turkey experience.
Cay. Did I tell you Turkish tea, Cay is the national past time. The Turkish people always have a Cay in hand. Delivery men bring Cay to those who can’t run out and get it, including fishermen. Yes, I love watching the man in the white shirt walking down the pier selling Cay.
In wide open public areas, you will come across lots of small tables
sunset
and beer. Like the size of the beer & chairs. Every table, every chair will be taken. You just stand around the edges waiting for an empty table. When one come available, you grab it. Soon, the Cay man will come round with a tray full of either tea or Turkish coffee. You simple raise a finger and tada, tea. The more challenging part of this experience is actually paying for the tea. The is usually just one person that collects the money and you just tell him what you drank & how much or there is a Kase stand. (cashier) All on the honor system.
Today, Dan & I must of looked weary. We stood along the fringe just wanting to sit when an elderly Turkish man grab my arm and pulled me to a table and ordered me to sit. He then took our order (as stated above, out of the norm) and personally brought our coffee over.
For his kindness, I am thankful.
For lunch, we sat a doner stand (local fast food). The owner came over and spoke to us in English and then changed the music to play English tunes (with the first one being California Dreaming.) He asked us
find waldo
I'm drinking tea how our meal was (this too, is unusual and never done here) and then insisted we have Turkish Coffee, on the house (after all, it as after 1:00 and legally okay to drink coffee.) For his kindness, I am thankful.
So, let’s review. I said I was thankful for all the kindness of the Turkish men, which I truly am. I am not being sexist here, but it’s men. Men serve, men wait on people. Even at all our hotels including the cleaning staff, always all men. Men are the ones out on the street working and/or hanging out. As Dan and I walked down the street this morning, Dan said stop and count all the women. I couldn’t. I was the only one. The only English newspaper with Turkish news that I’ve read had an article about pay and equality. It seems Turkey ranks in the bottom 10 of all the countries in the world with Yemen being last.
Women, don’t let that stop you from visiting Turkey. Come and know you will be waited on Men and that’s not such a bad thing, is it???
And that’s how it goes.
Prost.
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