Returned to town and instead of returning to the bus station, I stayed on the bus to the city center. Stopped on the city center square and had a beef and eggplant kabob for 15 lira and sat and watched people pass over a leisurely dinner, much like the Zocolo in Oaxaca. Relaxing, enjoyable, comfortable. I then walked around the city center for several hours.
The city square reminded me of city centers in Europe or Mexico. Lots of people, men sitting on benches watching women walk past and the world go by. There was a constant stream of people.
They stare at me, but not a hard stare. Children hard stare. Chinese hard stare. I smile and wave "hi" to them and they turn away.
Trabzon city center feels European, Western, Muslim. I saw a woman in a full black burka - with only her eyes and hands showing - walking and holding hands with a man wearing deck shoes or tennis shoes, shorts and a western theme T shirt. She had an expensive zoom lens digital camera and took several pictures of him. A city of contrasts.
While traveling in Thailand I blogged that I wished I was a woman because there were so many beautiful purses - especially the silk ones. Here, in Trabzon, I got the same feeling about head scarves. They are absolutely beautiful and a wonderful compliment to a woman's wardrobe. They are stunning in their diversity, color and patterns. Trabzon feels more Muslim than Ankara.
Many very modern jewlery, clothing and food shops. Nuts, baclava, pastries, chocolate, bread, etc. Many of the shops look exactly like something you would see in the mall in the US. Western wedding dress shops, underwear, electronics, kitchen appliances - just like in the US.
I mumbled to my self when I saw a woman in a burka looking at sexy bras and lingerie. "Is that what they are wearing under that black burka?" Pink, blue, plain white with lots of frill or maybe that tiger stripe? I doubt I will look at a woman in a burka the same again.
Turkey is not a 3rd nation country. Roads are very good, housing and sanitation appear quite developed and it is extremely clean. There are, however, many half finished multistory apartment buildings. Thousands of them. Everyone has cell phones. Most vehicles are new. You do not see beaten up, old vehicles like you often see in....say the deep south of the US.
While in Ankara I was asked by Hedar about my car. He said that in Turkey there is a huge tax on high performance, low MPG vehicles with big engines. He said a 370Z would be about 300,00 lira. So what you see are Toyotas, Hyundais - small, fuel efficient cars.
Many men my age are strikingly handsome, tall, thin, fit and well dressed in very nice suits and ties, or nice tailored jackets and pants, with immaculate closely cropped haircuts. Add an ear bud and a pair of sunglasses (which very, very few people wear) and many older men would look like Secret Service agents. There is money here, somewhere.
There are few beggars. The ones you see are truely needy. Rarely do you ever see a piece of trash or a cigarette butt anywhere - and most of the men smoke cigarettes.
Modern, clean, safe and just a bit under prices in the US. There are not many bargains to be had here. There is a feeling of zest for life. A stark contrast to old town Ankara near the castle on the hilltop which felt poor - but not really poor like Jamica,, rural Lao, Cambodia or Myanmar.
Make no doubt about it, cars have the right of way in Turkey and they never, ever, hesitate to let you know that that they know it. I was almost run over by a car that advanced 3 feet in log jam traffic - as if the guy would get to his destination 0..5 seconds faster - in traffic that was bumper to bumper for 3 blocks. Do not challenge any vehicle at any time, for any reason. Just dart across the road like a cat. I look for older women crossing or people with children to cross with. A much safer bet than crossing alone.
After wandering around and taking pics - I have probably taken over 1000 so far - I caught a van taxi back to the hotel for 1.75 lira. Now that I have the basics of the transportation system down and I am sleeping about as inexpensively as any traveler in Trabzon, I think I will stay one more day and head back to the city center and explore the castle that - with its trapizodial shape - gave Trabzon its name. Its walls were first documented in 500 BC.
Have been into several mosques. When I heard call to prayer around 4 PM today I was passing a mosque. I took off my shoes and ducked in to watch and take some pics. The ritual is quite mesmerizing.
All is good. This is a safe place - feels many times safer than......say Costa Rica or many places in Mexico - or many places in the US for that matter. But I still have a whistle around my neck or in my jacket pocket.
People are friendly, helpful. It helps to show them that you are friendly also and that you are willing to smile and laugh at yourself.
God is great, beer is good, people are crazy.
No comments:
Post a Comment