In the middle of my posting to Belgrade I was temporarily deployed to Ankara and I decided to drive my car there. For me that was the road trip of all road trips, driving through Eastern Europe into Turkey and driving across Istanbul you actually drive from Europe to Asia, so in my book it is a momentous journey. And to think it was all on the "wrong side" of the road, the opposite side to Australia. And to top it off there was the language challenge.
I stopped for 2 nights in Istanbul as close as possible to the Blue Mosque. I always try to be polite to locals when visiting a place, after all I am a guest. It is not always easy, especially when fending off enthusiastic and persistent touts.
On the first night when admiring the sights a little man sidled up to me and on finding out I was from Australia showed me photos of his friends from Australia. He then went on to tell me he knew we would soon be good friends and perhaps even fall in love and get married! I couldn't excuse myself quickly enough, he insisted on walking me to my hotel, so I picked one with a large foyer over the road from mine and said that was where I was staying and hung out in the foyer until he left.
The next day I wanted to go inside the mosque and a carpet salesman latched onto me and nagged me to come to his carpet shop, and I responded perhaps I'd visit after I had seen the mosque. He walked me to the door of the mosque, insisting I'd visit the shop. I sat inside the mosque a long time hoping he'd be gone after my quite reflection inside. To my dismay there he was when I emerged. He again tried to get me to go to his shop, I advised I was just going to take a few photos and I went up to the end of the mosque and took this shot, I loved the effect of the domes above each other. Best of all, I finally shook the carpet seller off my trail.
Beautiful photo. I was in Istanbul during the start of the Iraq war. Very strange experience - the place was completely deserted of tourists. There were some touts and pushy sellers, but not many were bothering to come out, and those that did (and all the restauranteurs) were all just desperate for us to enjoy our trip, and go home and tell all our friends that Istanbul and Turkey was a safe place to come. It was a bit sad really.
What an incredible building! It somehow seems so perfect with all its layers placed so neatly. Love the story.. I remember being in Egypt trying to shake off a 'salesman' who tried a new line and offered my newly-married husband 30,000 camels for me. He asked what the devil would he do with 30,000 camels in Norfolk. I rather thought he should have said I wasn't for sale....! :)
I love the symmetry of this photo. And what a road trip it sounds like! I must admit, I'm getting more envious of your adventures the more I read!! Amazing tales.
Lovely photo and great story. One good thing about PNG is that they weren't that persistent. I too try to remain polite but I think I may have lost my cool with the carpet salesman.
@filsie65 - And you must have been looking quite the "hottie" to have been worth 30,000... Good thing the Egyptian didn't say the "fleas of 30,000 camels"!!!!???
@bobfoto :) Sadly he just wanted BC to buy his quality tin plate with a picture of Cleopatra on it and tried sweet-talking him. I don't think the deal was really on the table (which was also for sale for several hundred amerrican dollars and may or may not have come with free camels plus fleas). At least he didn't offer amerrican dollars for me which might have been more tempting ...
@filsie65@lbmcshutter - I guess I got lucky being a bloke because often in PNG, performing a good deal for a community I would be offered a young lady to be my wife... Was never sure if it were a permanent arrangement of just a wife for the night. I didn't need pigs or shells or cash either. I was always very polite in saying it wasn't part of my kustom (while giving my potential wife a wink and a smile).
I had the same experience in Morocco, not so much the marriage offers but the tradesmen trying to push sales. This is amazing though, in Morocco you weren't allowed in the mosques unless you were Muslim.
