Author: tur

Do see the movie Gallipoli, starring Australian Mel Gibson, for background on the terrible battle on Turkish soil… Do be prepared for the hard sell tactics of touts and commission boys, who will employ any ruse to get you into a carpet shop/restaurant/pension, etc.

Women may find themselves constantly hassled by would be gigolos who comb resort towns looking for likely prospects. We’ve found that the simplest way to get rid of pestering salesmen and coastal Romeos requires no language skills at all just tilt your head back quickly, close your eyes and lift your eyebrows.

It isn’t rude it just means “not interested” and works like a charm. Do dress very conservatively (cover shoulders, arms and legs) if you’re a woman traveling alone in Turkey. Do take showers in the evening if you’re staying in smaller hotels and want warm water: Solar heated water is considerably cooler first thing in the morning…Don’t be fooled into thinking every shop sporting the tourist office logo is reputable. Many are not… Do not back away from a price you’ve offered when bargaining—its considered extremely rude not to buy something after stating or accepting a price. Do bargain hard. If you are trying to buy a rug, you should offer 50%-60% of the asking price.

If a tout or guide accompanies you, he usually gets 10% of the price (which means you pay 10% more). If you are paying by credit card and you are not asked to pay the credit card fee, you probably didn’t bargain hard enough… Do take along a supply of toilet paper, but if you get caught without, the little tap at the back of the toilet is for personal hygiene the Turkish way. You turn the water on with the knob at the left of the toilet… Don’t enter conversations about politics lightly, especially if you are a Greek partisan.

Turkey’s feud with the Hellenes is bitter and deep… Do take more film than you think you’ll need. It’s often difficult to find… Do check the arithmetic on restaurant and hotel bills mistakes often occur. Be aware however, that runaway inflation sometimes renders it practically impossible for a vendor to give you exact change. In most cases, the dispute amounts to a negligible amount of money… Do be very careful to stay within the law while in Turkey (i.e., avoid drugs, even if it seems safe to use them).

However, if you are the victim of a crime (even being cheated in a shop), the police can be quite helpful. The sad exception is a complaint of rape or sexual attack there is a general assumption that foreign women are promiscuous… Do be on time for appointments… Do remove shoes before entering mosques and observe a respectful silence. Wear clothing that covers your legs and upper arms (which means no shorts or sleeveless shirts). Women should carry scarves to cover their heads… Do take a flashlight, especially to Cappadocia…

Do keep in mind that if you take a ferry to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, your passport will bear a stamp that will bar you from entry into the (southern, “Greek”) Republic of Cyprus and also into Greece itself. To avoid this problem, have the TRNC official stamp a separate paper instead…

Street Vendors, In touristy areas you may see some goods selling or shoe shining children, do not think they are homeless. They most probably have big families and they do help their family budget. If you are annoyed by street vendors trying to sell something to you, don’t look interested in their products and look the other way. Even if you start an innocent dialog, that might continue insisting to sell. up

If you like to contact or speak to local people especially kids, go ahead, they love it. Incase it seems to be an economic relation and some goods are trying to be sold (saying he would like to show you interesting things, or his shop or invite for a drink) just be careful this might not be a real hospitality.