Flight to Istanbul: No Chicken No window – Just….
I chose the window seat flying to Istanbul; it would be nice to see Istanbul-by-night from air, I thought. But when I boarded there was no window, just a solid wall next to my seat. On top of it, masha Allah, an extra heavy lady landed in the isle seat, occupying at least 60% of two seats literally cornering me. I waited for the food arrival to comfort me but the food trolley was nowhere in sight. Air hostess handed everyone the menu of the day. It was roast chicken or vegetable pasta. Choice was easy for me. Then after a long wait suddenly trolley appears from behind. For reasons unknown, Turkish Air decided to serve back to front! “What would you like? Roast Chicken or Vegetable Pasta? But I have just the last chicken left” the stewardess murmured. The fat lady looked at me & then at hostess with hope! It’s OK lady can have the chicken I exclaimed! The fat lady accepted the offer gracefully. No delays no hesitation no 2nd thoughts, and the last chicken was lost. Damn, why do I have to be nice to ladies?
No Chicken, Again – Just Chinese
Same episode repeated on the way back. Same menu, chicken finishes, and I end up with vegetable pasta. No lady was involved this time though, it was male host with whom I cracked. “why meat fails to reach me every time??” Calm down sir, he very peacefully pointed to the small print at the end of menu page “we apologise if occasionally your choice is not available” hehehe.
Otherwise flight was quite comfortable, except table lock was broken and it remained open throughout, almost sitting in my lap. It was my fault anyway as I swapped my seat with a Chinese who was busy in cross-border talk with other Chinese sitting next to me. I decided to move away and unite them so I could refrain from “hee xsing zia ping pong pungg dung tapao tung” passing my airways. But Chinese were very friendly as usual, thanked me repeatedly whenever I accidently looked at him, until we separated at the immigration counter.
Sheraton: A Hotel with Class (I mean 3rd Class)
This time I stayed in Sheraton. supposedly It was 5 *. But reality was quite a bit different. I may never stay in it again, at least in Turkey. Room rent was way too high at 130 Euros per night and breakfast was additional at 23 Euros, usually breakfast is included. Even in western Europe breakfast is around 10. After finding out I started breakfasting at StarBucks nearby, costing me merely 6 Euros. Nothing was included, even I had to pay for internet 25 Euros per night. I was fearing there may be a coin slot on the toilet door! My room was on 12th floor. I went to my room the 2nd day and key didn’t work. I had to come back to ground floor to get it fixed. Next day the key didn’t work again. On complaint the receptionist gave me two, and both worked fine for remaining 4 days. Staff was very friendly though.
Sheraton had quite a choice at buffet breakfast, it was spread in a long corridor at least a cricket pitch long (22 yards). It was such a long journey that every time I would leave table to get something from buffet, the waiter would “run out” me clearing my table taking away food & drink. So I had to start my innings all over again.
The room was very hot. I turned on the air conditioning. Fan started running without any hint of cooling, on asking I was told that air-conditioning is shut now because weather ‘outside’ is pleasant, Comeon guys, I am staying inside the room and it is boiling. I was offered an additional small fan. I didn’t use it and opened the window instead, on 12th floor. Which made my room cool, airy and Noisy. 🙂 Otherwise my stay was “excellent”.
I’m Not an Agent..
You are strolling happily looking around. Suddenly a well dressed person starts walking & talking along. Enjoying in Turkey? Have you been to that history museum? Go after 3 & it’s less crowded. Did you buy any Turkish carpet? I know a friend who sells carpets at discounted prices. “No no I’m not a sales agent..”
Nicely Decorated Electric Power Stations
No, this (above, click on photo to enlarge) is not a historical traditional building, it is a small electric power grid station. The windows are not real, rather paintings on the wall. You can see the danger sign on bottom right windows. All power stations are decorated in the same fashion.
Comment from friend who has visited Turkey frequently:
“I also found Turkish people (most of them)coming out of the charisma of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk and tendency to come back to Islam; Juma prayers are completely choc a block; Harun Yahya books and documentaries are quite responsible for bringing back Turks from the shackles of secularism and atheism. But I must admit that it’s still a long way to come back to Islam for Turkey especially authorities, excluding Ordagan.
Istanbul attracts lot of foreigners and most of them accumulate around Taksim and Sultanahmet area, the only time native people visit these areas in flocks is weekend, so you won’t see many scarfs around here, only if you get out of these areas, you will find so many colourful scarves everywhere that even my wife couldn’t resist buying them saying’ you won’t find these colours scarf in England.
I went to the coastal areas in Antalya, Kas, Fethiye, & Ankara, Cirali, Olympus, this year, and surprisingly I found some Turkish women using a dress called ‘Hasheema’ for swimming; at first I thought some careful lady just wearing scarf but when she came out of the water, what I saw was a pleasant surprise, I then went to other coastal areas and found the same thing, I couldn’t resist my curiosity no more and asked a lady that what dress is this. This dress is a Turkish invention with an idea of shariah compliance, the dress is made with a bit of sponge filling which hides any features of female body revealing, only open from the wrist and face. I felt proud of that invention by some Turkish Muslim providing ladies with the fun of swimming without breaking any rules.”
Read & See Here the most famous mosque in the world & Great Palaces in Istanbul (after 3 most sacred maosques)…
Very nice this is indeed an interesitng ‘SAFARNAMA’ It seems that one himself seeing what you are describing. Thanks for such a wonderful job.