I usually never blog on my trips but I just couldn't help this time. Immediately getting off the plane I realize that I was going to have an issue with personal space.. Or they had a problem with personal space lol..I also have to say I was just a little uncomfortable with my attire because most of the women still are covered with head scarves and veils. The government has actually outlawed it before but as people know, religion often surpasses government. Anyhow, the closer I got to the Blue Mosque and tourist attractions things changed..
Things changed alot! Men pretty much outnumbered women here tremendously! So I knew we would get crazy looks. Well they out did their selves with the looks. I was getting weird things shout out to me from men across the way. No clue what they were, I simply kept my head down and kept it moving. I did finally come to a younger man who spoke semi decent English and I understood "SISTER OBAMA HELLO!!!" all the while I'm thinking I'm disgusting these people because I wasn’t covered or I didn’t look “like them” I come to the realization they are quite happy I'm here… Talk about language barrier. Soon after I hear Mrs Obama, Lady Obama, Janet Jackson, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Lopez, China, and Brown Skin Beauty..I hear all this within 20 mins!!!!! Oddly china was yelled twice but I have no clue why. I got sister Obama at least 7 times!! A man ran buy me and kissed the air and others asked for pictures.. I'm sure it's clear I am not Mrs Obama sister Obama or Mrs Obama's cousin (or maybe it's not clear and that's the issue lol) I was trying to make a bit of logic
behind it in saying that I'm black and typically people associate one black person with all black people over here but then I realized I was very wrong because there are several Africans that travel through Istanbul and they are seen before they are heard just as I was and this wasn’t quite the story they had to tell. Anyhow, it has reached it's point of flattering however it was just my first day and I have 4 more:) . Glad Obama is a positive image or else this trip would have been significantly different...
TUESDAY
I visited the Blue Mosque today, went to a carpet Museum, the Grand Bazaar, and received a belly dancing lesson from a little person LOL..
Okay not really a museum lol but we ran across a guy that gave a 2 hour lesson on CARPET!(I was over it.) There is where I learned that the Turkish people are extremely hospitable but will take up a massive amount of your time. Among this LONG day, here are just a few of the quotes I received….
You are from Ali
You chocolate, you Turkish delight
I want
Are u from Harlem? U look like Naomi Campbell
I milk, you chocolate..U want to make mix?
FYI I can continue with more upon request!!!!
Wednesday
Dropped by Asia (seriously)
Hiked up a hill about a mile.. really cute
Received handpicked flowers from a 15 year old boy..twice
Pierced Puerto Rican purple penis—Don’t ask LOL
U know facebook has gotten big when...I got a school group of 15 year old boys ask me can I be their friend. Then they came back an hour later to make sure they would be able to find me, asking all my details along with my email address and last name.
Pay peanuts get monkeys—Don’t ask LOL
Took pictures with Turkish women..over and over and over again.
AND the Black girl say the Black Sea
THURSDAY
SHOPPING DAY:)
While in the Hagia Sophia I took pictures with at least five groups of people…. It got to a point where I begin to hide and walk fast… Security guards had to request the little girl not to take a picture of me and to simply ask.. She asked
and another photo session began… Once you start taking pictures EVERYONE wants one.
I realized I had a stocker.. He told me what I did last night and then proceeded to tell me he would kill for me… He asked me to feel his heart to see how much he loved me and it was racing!!! His palms was sweating and all.. Unfortunately his restaurant was across the street from my hotel so I have to think of creative ways to get to my hotel without him trying to cross the street and not get hit… Once I “ESCAPED”I was able to Shop AGAIN..
FRIDAY
SHOPPING continues:)
While in the spice market I heard I was a spice girl and the BEST line of the day was “U dropped something....my heart”
Oh yeah, I also felt like the president…. I was handed kids and told to take pictures with them.
I was in the grocery store buying my candy fix for the day and a woman was in front of me purchasing a bag of chips. She paid for them and then handed them to me as a gift.. I politely declined and then she opened them and handed them to me again. She wasn’t too happy I declined for a second time. Yes weird, but very sweet.
Istanbul was WONDERFUL, I think it has become my favorite country..It use to be Prague but now I’m moving towards Turkey. Weather was great and the hospitality even better. I didn’t get to eat turkey like I wished BUT I ate everything else under the sun! I did however see a rooster which is close enough. I recommend this place to everyone, especially those that recently got out of a divorce, bad breakup, need a self esteem lift or simply want to hear people tell you how beautiful you are. True, some are trying to push a sale on you but mostly others are genuinely telling you how beautiful you are.
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