T-CANE said:
doubt the authorites stold your vital papers or money and for locals to carry a weapon is illegal, so that shocks me as well.Perhaps things have changed, but not much in all likelyhood
T-Cane,
I trained in from athens (24 hr) on an old WWII track and had the privledge of sitting with two greek guys wearing out their worry beads and a young turk that had spray painted F-*-C-K USA on his white t-shirt. So the ride was long, and when natured called, it was just a hole in floor with visions of the passing tracks below. When arrived at the border, armed squad of turks were posted at checkpoint; and they reveiwed everyone's credentials. They did rifle through my gear, and took out monies for what I assume a VAT tax or similiar to enter the country. As we pull into Instabul after hundreds of miles through countryside, it was close to midnight and the chants/prayers rang through the street (kinda cool). Stayed at a place that charged 6 million turkish lyra a night (about 2 usd), and roamed around. Of course the window didn't shut in my room and I kept getting bit my mosque-ito's. The old world religions definately have some interesting culture, and was intrigued. Took on sights to constantanoble and such, a few bazaars, and others.
I agree that as a whole the indigenious people were benevolent, but american politics had greatly disrupted their lives at that particular place and time. I can certainly understand the unsettled nature of being dragged into GW's war, and not to mention tourism had died, which allowed me to purchase a silk herke rug for next to nothing. I didn't want to sound biased and slam an entire country; so I apoligize if I offended you or any other. Understanding the significance of that geographic location, it certainly has had it's share of bloodshed over the centuries. I can pass for greek till I speak (green eyes, tan, dark hair, etc..) but don't look turk, so the jig was up. Other than the one incident, most just went about their business, but the "tension" was there and in the air. Certainly a very interesting place due to europe/asia significance.
Do memba drinking some curdled alcoholic goat milk at the "good" rug shop? Yowza..........
As far as having someone slap a loaded clip of full metal jacket 9mm rounds, engage the slide and putting a loaded gun to your head, demand that you turn over your wallet and rifle through your belongings, i feel is uncool in any f*cking country, but cooler heads prevailed, and I left unscathed.
OTOH, I'm not your average american tourist and when I do travel, primarily distance myself from the typical a-holes that gives the states tourist a bad name. Of course, your lumped into that category by design; but it appears that the value of the dollar has diminished some of that tourism.