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Published: October 8th 2010
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Eastern style
pictures says it all It’s only a bathroom
It’s the beginning of a long night. It’s 10 pm and the train leaves at 10:30, arriving to Ankara at 7:30 am. Thank goodness it’s a sleeping cart with bunk beds and we even had our own sink. We were told not to go to the bathroom while the train is in the station since the bathroom runs directly outside to the tracks. Knowing this, I used the restroom in the train station. It’s a eastern style restroom (foothole spots, open hole in the floor…consider eastern style toilets as a workout for your thighs muscles)
Anyhow, a lady of some age, I don’t know, comes into the women’s bathroom (which has a line over 10 people deep) walks directly to the front. I immediately tell her in English we are waiting in line. She doesn’t look me, so I go front of her and block her from entering the next stall while letting the next person in line go first. Just because she was wearing the black robe and veil across her face doesn’t give her permission to be rude; or least in my book.
After I did my duty and washed my hands
train
words said enough (I know this is critical for you to know) I pay the attendant my .75 cent lira and the male attendant is yelling at me, giving me the riot act (gosh I wish I knew what he was saying so I could respond) when another attendant, train station employee (I don’t know) starts yelling at me as well. I just put hand in the air and waved him off & walked away. Then it dawned on me; we are in the Eastern part of the of Asia, with Eastern toilets and eastern religion, duh of course I should of let her take cuts.
I know, what a long dull story with a very dull outcome. I will try to do better next time. I will.
Next day
“Don’t even ask.”
And Tialan keeps on walking.
Our tour guide is asking everyone over breakfast in the dinning cart how our sleep was. Ha, I though sleep was a bonus on the night train. We did have a berth with bunk beds if you will. The bed is about five feet long, and the room is a cozy 81 degrees or so. I could be stretching
bunk beds
our room in the train it a bit; could have been 83. I don’t know. And if that sounds great, sleeping curled up in a sauna, mix in the lovely sounds of a locomotive moving. It is so soothing. And this morning, I feel cleaned and refreshed and just rip-ready-raring to go (to sleep that is.)
After our 9 hour overnight train ride, we made our way to the Anatolian Civilizations Museum. We saw monotheistic and artifacts from 600 BC. And then we went to visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the father of Turkey who established the Republic in 1923. He is highly regarded in this country. To Turkey, he established nationality and declared Turkey an secular country, and gave women equal rights (long before the US I might add.) The Mausoleum is highly guarded by the military. We had an Army colonel and his caption board our bus, drove us to a security check point and we had to get off our bus and go through yet more security. Our tour guide said this was not normal, but not to worry. Oh yeah, having armed Army officers escorted us into the national landmark is the safest way to get in I imagine.
really old
Super old stuff...pretty cool Now I’m a walking zombie in case you are wondering. I am only staying awake because it’s raining and only 50 degrees. I’m wet and cold, but awake. But it gets better; we board a bus to Cappadocia only a mere 6 hours away. I know what you are thinking; nap time or in my case, time to mediate. However, mediation is nearly impossible since the bus driver wants to gives us the same experience as the train and cranks up the heat. I am feeling like my body is cleaned.
All I need now is to stand in line for an Eastern style bathroom only to be cut off by the ugly American. I think that would complete my day.
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anonymous
non-member comment
thats the most disgusting thing i have ever seen.