I arrived in Istanbul yesterday afternoon. Katie and I had no means of communicating once we arrived in Turkey. The fool proof plan was to meet by a taxi stand right outside baggage claim in the airport. My flight arrived late but my bag came right away. Immediately outside is a taxi stand. Great. I go outside shlepping all the belongings in had in Rome with me and don't see my sis. I try asking the drivers waiting outside with signs if they've seen a red head but they don't speaking English. After some funny hand gestures and loud enunciating in English and Italian (my Turkish skills are zilch), they report that they have not seen Katie. Well, it turns out that we arrived in different airports. Off to a great start!
We finally meet up in our hotel and after big hugs and squeals, I go up to our room. Then comes faux pas #2. Katie follows me to the room a few minutes later with my carry on bag I left in the lobby. Only, I didn't leave my carry-on bag in the lobby. Katie just brought someone else's carry-on bag to our room thinking it was mine.
Okay, priorities: we first take stock of the food we brought. Obviously. Then, too cool to rest, we run off to the Galata tower. We explore Taksim Square and the area and arrive at the tower. We are disappointed to learn that we had to take an elevator to the top and could not climb the massive tower for the view. We ambitiously decide that we'll have more time for something else before shul. We get to the top and accept the view as a welcoming to Istanbul.
When it is time for shul, we try to get directions from the front desk of the hotel... fail. We walk and walk and walk and ask tons of people for our landmarks. Eventually, we see intense security and know we have arrived at the Sisli Synagogue. We had to preregister with the Rabbinate and email copies of our passports in order to get permission to visit a shul. The security guards ask us questions and Katie responds that we are "Americani." I don't know what that is or where that came from. He asked: "American?" Oh Katie. Eventually, they accept our proclaimed innocence and one of the guards led us 100 meters away to another building where he checks our passports and leads us through a metal detector and allows us to enter the Synagogue.
After shul, we go to chabad for dinner. It was us and this other American girl who is in Istanbul teaching English. To give you an idea of how strange she is (note: this will by no means do it justice), she responded to the Rabbi's comment that he should have brought a key to shul with: "No! You should observe the law" (meaning eruv). After she asked where I go to college and I said Cornell, she squealed "Waahoo!" and then to Katie going to Brandeis, "Yippee!" She was stunned to find that I had cleared her plate without her noticing and asked if I work at a cafe. To that, the chabad wife was so weirded out she responded with an eye-popping "Okay...?" Overall, the kids were cute, dinner was nice, and the food was good.
The next day, we returned for lunch. We had a hard time finding their apartment by day and asked some Turks along the way for help. One kind stranger, walked us to the front door and rang the bell. Awkward... Lunch was nicer than dinner. There were 2 men who we didn't speak to and 2 women with their daughters (who go to school with one of the chabad kids): lots of cute little ones running around. We learned all about the school for Jews in Istanbul and their maids and then had a heated conversation about the American presidential race before benching.
After lunch, we power-walk to the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar. Neither of us have ever had so many pick up lines used on us in a row in our lives. It felt like we walked into a movie scene and every man used these ridiculous lines on us. Here are some examples. (Disclaimer: this is not a comprehensive list.) To get the full effect, imagine these said in a thick Turkish accent.
[step in front of us, hand to chest] "Heart attack"
"Excuse me, you dropped something." [Turn around] "My heart!"
"I know you." (used about 12x from 12 different men)
"Do you know honey? You are like honey. I love you."
"I want to come back to America with you."
[Moves face very close to my face] "Why are your eyes so beautiful?"
"Where are you from?" (America). "I am from Chicago!" (Me: "No you aren't...")
"Why you so hairy?!" (We think he meant "hurry")
You get the idea. It's as if they all read the same book of lines. But truly, everyone we have met so far has been so kind. The men are Middle Eastern but not scary.
After the markets, we go to the Blue Mosque, which was exquisite. We had to remove our shoes at the door and put on long skirts and head scarves. I just love that Katie wasn't dressed modestly enough to enter. What has gotten into that girl?!?!
Next, we looked for the Hippodrome. We met a Turkish man along the way and he gave us a tour of the area. Then he brought us to his carpet store and sat us down on the couches and served us tea. One of the employees came over and asked us what our heritage is. Katie replied that our grandparents are from Poland and Germany. He goes, "Oh, so you are Ashkinazi! I'm Sephardi." Stunned, that he pegged us, we delved into a chat about the Jewish community of Istanbul before he taught us more than we ever thought we would know about Turkish carpets and showed us a large sampling of their collection.
Finally, the day was coming to an end and we headed back to the hotel. We weaved through the crowds at a pace we recognized that no one else we could travel with would tolerate, and arrived back at the hotel in record time.
Stay tuned for more on the dream team adventures!
We finally meet up in our hotel and after big hugs and squeals, I go up to our room. Then comes faux pas #2. Katie follows me to the room a few minutes later with my carry on bag I left in the lobby. Only, I didn't leave my carry-on bag in the lobby. Katie just brought someone else's carry-on bag to our room thinking it was mine.
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| Top of Galata Tower |
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| Galata Tower |
When it is time for shul, we try to get directions from the front desk of the hotel... fail. We walk and walk and walk and ask tons of people for our landmarks. Eventually, we see intense security and know we have arrived at the Sisli Synagogue. We had to preregister with the Rabbinate and email copies of our passports in order to get permission to visit a shul. The security guards ask us questions and Katie responds that we are "Americani." I don't know what that is or where that came from. He asked: "American?" Oh Katie. Eventually, they accept our proclaimed innocence and one of the guards led us 100 meters away to another building where he checks our passports and leads us through a metal detector and allows us to enter the Synagogue.
After shul, we go to chabad for dinner. It was us and this other American girl who is in Istanbul teaching English. To give you an idea of how strange she is (note: this will by no means do it justice), she responded to the Rabbi's comment that he should have brought a key to shul with: "No! You should observe the law" (meaning eruv). After she asked where I go to college and I said Cornell, she squealed "Waahoo!" and then to Katie going to Brandeis, "Yippee!" She was stunned to find that I had cleared her plate without her noticing and asked if I work at a cafe. To that, the chabad wife was so weirded out she responded with an eye-popping "Okay...?" Overall, the kids were cute, dinner was nice, and the food was good.
The next day, we returned for lunch. We had a hard time finding their apartment by day and asked some Turks along the way for help. One kind stranger, walked us to the front door and rang the bell. Awkward... Lunch was nicer than dinner. There were 2 men who we didn't speak to and 2 women with their daughters (who go to school with one of the chabad kids): lots of cute little ones running around. We learned all about the school for Jews in Istanbul and their maids and then had a heated conversation about the American presidential race before benching.
After lunch, we power-walk to the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar. Neither of us have ever had so many pick up lines used on us in a row in our lives. It felt like we walked into a movie scene and every man used these ridiculous lines on us. Here are some examples. (Disclaimer: this is not a comprehensive list.) To get the full effect, imagine these said in a thick Turkish accent.
[step in front of us, hand to chest] "Heart attack"
"Excuse me, you dropped something." [Turn around] "My heart!"
"I know you." (used about 12x from 12 different men)
"Do you know honey? You are like honey. I love you."
"I want to come back to America with you."
[Moves face very close to my face] "Why are your eyes so beautiful?"
"Where are you from?" (America). "I am from Chicago!" (Me: "No you aren't...")
"Why you so hairy?!" (We think he meant "hurry")
You get the idea. It's as if they all read the same book of lines. But truly, everyone we have met so far has been so kind. The men are Middle Eastern but not scary.
After the markets, we go to the Blue Mosque, which was exquisite. We had to remove our shoes at the door and put on long skirts and head scarves. I just love that Katie wasn't dressed modestly enough to enter. What has gotten into that girl?!?!
Next, we looked for the Hippodrome. We met a Turkish man along the way and he gave us a tour of the area. Then he brought us to his carpet store and sat us down on the couches and served us tea. One of the employees came over and asked us what our heritage is. Katie replied that our grandparents are from Poland and Germany. He goes, "Oh, so you are Ashkinazi! I'm Sephardi." Stunned, that he pegged us, we delved into a chat about the Jewish community of Istanbul before he taught us more than we ever thought we would know about Turkish carpets and showed us a large sampling of their collection.
 |
| Taksim Square |
Stay tuned for more on the dream team adventures!
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