Hospitality, friendhips and unlimited smiles are just some of the things that are found in Turkey
“HANGSI MEMLEKET?” (which country are you from?), the cyber cafe owner asked me. “Pakistan,” I said and immediately had an enthusiastic “Pakistan dost” fired back at me. I was standing in a queue at a cyber cafe in Izmit, Turkey, to pay and was not expecting such a response as Pakistanis are not given a lot of respect abroad. At a restaurant I was given free food when I told them that I was a Pakistani. A bus driver and a telephone shop man would not take any money from me because I was a Pakistani. Nowhere in the world are Pakistanis liked as much as they are in Turkey.
Izmit is as beautiful a city as its people. An industrial city built on the top of a mountain ending at the edge of the Bosphorus Sea; the city offers breathtaking views of a beautiful valley stretching to finish at the seashore sprinkled with boats. I was reminded of Pakistan’s own Northern Areas. The marina is a splendid wooden walkway graduating into a more cemented one, which in spring is full of fathers and sons, uncles and nephews, with cans of worms and fishing lines trying to snare as many small fishes as they can. Besides the wooden walkways, there are anchored houseboat restaurants where one can have a decent meal and a drink to the soft bobbing of the boat.
Anchored close to the main marina is also a big battle ship used by the Turks during World War I. The ship has been turned into a restaurant and has a very comfortable interior where people can either chose to relax on comfortable sofas or sit at more intimate chairs and tables. One can also walk around the ship and look at the machinery and weaponry used at that time.
Summer in Izmit brings out the carnival at the Fuar (fair) near the marina which has many exciting things like the Turkish theatre, the many bars and dance clubs and karaoke bars or go on the many heart stopping rides at the carnival. The fair also has baby shows, exciting puppet shows and other activities for children.
In Izmit an umbrella and a hand towel are a must, for it can get extremely humid in the city and it can start pouring with any prior indication of doing so. The city is famous for its cotton candy called pismaniye which is one of the most delicious sweets one can ever have.
Our next stop was Istanbul. Here too the city’s unbearable humidity can melt a visitor into a pool of sweat if caught on the disconcerting traffic jams on the Bosphorus Bridge, while riding a public dolmus (minivan). The city is full of history. Originally known as Constantinople, named after Constantine the first Christian Roman Emperor, the city is proud to have Christianity’s very first church called Aya Sophia that Constantine built. Other tourist attractions include the breathtaking Sultanahmet Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque because of its beautiful blue, green and white tiles).
Built in 1609 by Sultan Ahmet, the mosque is the only one in Istanbul that has six minarets. The Sultanahmet Mosque has a glorious chandelier inside and a beautiful glasswork on its windows. The remarkable Top Kapi Palace (which means Cannon Gate) was built from 1465 to 1478 for Mehmet the Conqueror. It is lavishly decorated, in particular the harem area, and now operates as a museum. All these attractions are found in the tourist area of Sultanahmet. This area is also famous for its belly dancers and the many hamam’s where one must go for a relaxing massage and a warm bath.
There is also the underground Basilica Cistern (also known as the Sunken Palace) that was constructed by Justinian in 532 to supply the Byzantine Palace primarily. It fell out of use following the Turkish conquest and is the largest of all Istanbul’s ancient cisterns. The cistern was restored in 1980’s and today walkways have been constructed right through the cistern and illumination lends the place a suitably mysterious atmosphere. With soft music playing in the dimly lit walkway, one can imagine water rushing through the sturdy walls. Bending over the fence I could see fishes floating in the water. My husband’s friend who had graciously accepted to show me around the place said that concerts and theatre plays are performed in the place. The cistern also houses one of the two heads of the statue of Medusa, lying upside down with one of the pillars balanced on it. Watching the head made me think of the story and watch in wonder how nature has preserved the head from such ancient times as the 5BC. Istanbul also has the exciting ferry sea buses. They take passengers from the European side to the Asian side and back. One has to buy a ticket and is given a coin to put into a machine to open the gates towards the pier, where people stand against the harbour to quickly run across to catch the best seats or you are left standing for the length of your ride. Sitting on the outside of the ferry near the edge, reading a book and sipping on Turkish tea, the sea rippling through your hair is next to heaven.
The trains and trams in Turkey are something to contend with. One has to dash to catch the train before the doors close, but while waiting there are many vending machines with delectable snacks.
Taksim Square is the centre of Istanbul and a great place to hang out with friends at bars. It is a popular haunt of the youth and one can see couples walking hand-in-hand or with arms around each other at the beginning of spring. The square itself has benches and places to sit where people can relax, feed pigeons or simply take a nap in the sun. Most foreign consulates are situated in this area. The Turkish version of the saying: jina dey Lahore naheen weykhia undi jameyai naheen,” can be applied to Taksim. A ride on the tram running in the centre of the Taksim Road is a must.
Turkish food is among the most delicious I have ever had and I prefer it more as I am not very fond of spices. Most things are cooked in the very healthy olive oil. Food like lahmacun (baked flat roti with mincemeat on it, eaten rolled up with salad put in between), gozleme (cheese, potato or meat stuffed inside a rather greasy and fat roti), pide (could pass off as a Turkish pizza) and lemon drenched clams, still make my mouth water. Turkish sweets like the baklava are so drenched in sheera that our gulab jamuns would pale in comparison. However, Turkish pastries and cakes are the most delectable confectionery I have ever tasted. However, Turkish coffee, which is extremely bitter, did not quite appeal to my taste buds.
Turks in general are very considerate and hospitable people. They are also one of the most courteous ever. On public buses I saw people getting up to let an elderly person sit. When I would go out carrying my son in his carry-cot, people would give me a seat. In fact a bus driver even once stopped the bus, got off and to help me carry the cot down and assist me to get off the bus!
People stand in queues and wait their turn at supermarkets. Bus drivers stop at assigned stops and are very considerate of their passengers getting off. In Izmit, I would be walking home alone at 2am, carrying my son all alone and never feel unsafe. While coming back, my husband and I had a good long walk from the apartment to the bus stand to go to Istanbul airport. A tractor driver stopped to pick up my suitcase and take it to the bus stand and a husband and wife with their daughter walking by wheeled the huge bag that I was dragging behind me.
In short, Turkey is a beautiful and very welcoming land, the only stick in the mud being their taxi drivers who will take you on a wild goose chase if you do not know your way around the city and then name an exorbitant amount of money and people who offer to carry your heavy suitcases and once they do so, quote a price that would leave your ears ringing. A piece of advice: If you are poor at mathematics, it is always wise to memorize the colours of the many billion and million notes that constituent the Turkish lira, or else you would be lost in the many zeroes of the currency as I was.
Hospitality, friendhips and unlimited smiles are just some of the things that are found in Turkey 
