Istanbul,Turkiye: I like Turkiye!


I like Turkiye!
I went to Turkiye 3 times in my life so far. One of the most adventurous of those trips was, after spending the night in a hotel with a handsome Tunisian guy who met me on the airport bus, later taking a local kind of bus from Istanbul, through Ankara and south, through Antokya and into Syria ( via Halleb). The journey from Istanbul to Syria was over 30 hours but very interesting. We stopped off at different rest places for Turkish cheese sandwiches, small cups of  tea, fresh apricots at a market and other inexpensive fruit- all at cheap prices! I shared food with different people on the bus along the way.  Although I couldn't speak Turkish I could communicate with feelings and heart!  They were very kind and hospitable people. On the bus there was a young, very handsome Turkish  lad who would on occasion go up and down the aisle of the bus with a lemon cologne which would open my stuffy nose. He was part time attendant and at times the driver. 
In Istanbul , a busy but easy to maneuver in kind of city with an exotic flavour, with good underground transport, I enjoyed wandering around the old city, sniffing around  the souks, old Islamic architecture, sampling food and sweets and ubiquitous cups of  Turkish coffee which I love, and also freshly squeezed pomegranate juice from guys who have their own mobile juice squeezer carts.

 I also visited one of those ancient HAMAMI- Turkish baths which is a  very male bonding experience as well as a way to relax and feel clean. I had a "special massage" from a burley TURKISH masseur who gave extra attention to my buttocks and fingered me secretly! wow!  There was a section of the hamam where I saw some funny guys gathering together and giggling. I went there and saw some guys trying to imitate a Marilyn Monroe scene or something, with their skimpy towels even skimpier. I guess they also had the special massage?
 I loved Turkish food , as it was Mediterranean style with an Arabic twist to it. and, again the sweets! 
After visiting Ephesus, a touristy site which has ruins similar to ones seen in Athens ( this was an ancient Greek place), and a homage to  the Blessed VIRGIN MARY'S house ( it is claimed she stayed there with St. John) which was a calming and beautiful location, I am planning another trip to see Capadocia and Antakia to see the ancient Christain churches in these areas and wish to go further to Eastern Turkiye closer to Armenia, Georgia and Iran.

0 comments:

Post a Comment