A TURKISH TRAVELOGUE: INCISIVE, INSIGHTFUL, AND NOT OBJECTIVE

So I know some of you have those special eyeglasses which allow you to look into the computer and see me. Some others have that special camera gizmo which allows you to do the same thing. For those of you who cannot see me, I am sitting here at the desk playing with the tassle on my fez as I puff madly on my hookah and re-arrange my caftan which is itching like hell. What ever--here are some thoguhts/facts/opinions about our recent trip to Turkey. Bet you missed me.

-Before we went to Venice, no one told me Venice was an island and had no cars. I had to discover that for myself. Likewise, none of you told me 90% of Turkey's land is in Asia. I have been to Asia is now something I can boast about much like I just snuck in the fact that I also have been in Italy.
-99% of Turkey is Muslim. A friend told me before we left that the most secular part of the country is the military and that the military keeps "the lid" on any extremist tendencies.
-Did you know that in the 1920's thee was a poplulation exchange: Turks living in Greece were exchanged for Greeks living in Turkey. Unfortunatley, that sometimes meant fisherman landed on farms and had to learn farming. But large numbers of folks were involved.
-We are in a cab on a narrow one way Istanbul street. Our driver comes to the end of the street where he must make another turn onto another one way street ( a right turn). He prefers, however, going left and to accomplish that trick, he gets out of the cab and proceeds to direct the traffic on that one way street (traffic which included a police car). Meanwhile, Barbara and I are sitting in the cab listening to the honks of the cars behind us. Those drivers get out to yell at our cabby until he gets back in and does make the illegal left. Point is: don't let anyone ever tell you how bad Boston drivers are; Turkish cab drivers are the worst.
-The Great Bazaar is stupendous and overwhelming but we liked the Spice market just as much. Aisles and aisles of spices piled in in an array of colors and smells.
-The country is the second largest in Europe after Russia--even though only 10% is in Europe. Point is, it is huge.
-The Turkish soccer team lost twice while we were there--once to Germany (expected) and once to Azerbajan (not expected). Front page news in every Turkish daily and there are many dailies in Istanbul not just two or three. Including one in English.
-In the most rural of villages we visited, everyone has a dish, everyone has a solar panel for hot water not heat, and everyone is yakking on their cell phone.
-No one has heard of decaf coffee or margarine.
-Each of the 3 guides we used took us to their "special" rug factory. I have to say the rugs were beautiful and if not for Barbara, I would be expecting a big shipment any minute now. They all had little guys to run the carpets in, lay them out, and show them. Some even offered us tea.
-Drank more tea than I have ever had in my life. In these little glassess with those "old fahsioned" sugar cubes.
-Dont want to be too "America is the best"--but our dentists are better than theirs.
-And, no thanks, I don't want mayo on everything I eat.
-Istanbul is aplit by the Bosporos Straits and that waterway further separates the country into a European side and an Asian side. Turkey borders Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
-So we are in a tourist trap of a wine shop when up pulls a big old tourist bus full of Syrians mostly women. They get off the bus, enter the shop, and seemingly go berserk buying shit. These were "modern" Muslim women all bejeweled, made up, and smoking like fiends.
-Speaking of smoking, most restaurants in Istanbul ban it but once you move into the country all bets are off and not just about smoking. The country becomes more "traditional" (meaning more religiously conservative) the further east you go.
-In Bodrum, a resort city on the Aegean, almost every sailboat in the marina was wodden and gorgeous.
-The level of sophistication of the people who built and lived in some of these ancient (and recently excavated) cities is remarkable. Running water anyone? Libraries? Hospitlas? Toilets? Just incredible.
-During WWII, the Turkish government actively sought out Jewish European intellectuals and scientists both to save them from the Nazis and to staff their universities. They saved many-A great trip with a few minor hiccups along the way and two ugly layovers At Heathrow. And Steffen, by the way, those couches you said they had--nope.

SPORTS TALK
--Danny emiled me scores via Barbara's blackberry regularly--what a reporter he was. So I was wrong about my Yanks but right on about Michigan. RichRod out there in Ann Arbor is on the verge of another mediocre if not losing season. He should be sent to his room and join AJ Burnett and Javier Vazquez. Or kicked to the curb or both.
-I am writing this on the verge of game 6 with the Rangers. I'm now thinking that even if the Yanks win tonight, Cliff Lee has looked unhittable. On the other hand, I don't trust the Texas middle relief and if the Rangers can be forced to use them, there is a chance.
-Kudos to the Bruins for playing so many young energetic kids. I hope they can sustain it. And they are fun to watch.
-Ditto to the Pats. If you remember, I believed the more the defense played, the better they would get. and they too are very very young including what could be the two best young safeties in the NFL.
-Not sure about the Celtics given their age but I do hope they crush Miami next week just so the folks down South start worrying right away.

That's about it.

Sayonara