See Something, Say Something: Wednesday, May 14rd, 2014

We ended up booking everything with Turista. Online feedback seemed to reaffirm its trustworthiness.

Just a few words about peddlers. The tourist neighborhood teems with peddlers and shop owners who go out of their way to befriend potential customers. Everyone that has tried to sell some kind of business or goods to us has been very friendly and courteous all the way through, even after we had to flat out turn down their offers. I have to give it to them of how hard they try to make business grind along all the while retaining good humor and patience. I can only imagine how tough business could be for shop owners who own a stall/shop in the Grand Bazaar or the Spice Bazaar. Imagine all the merchants who sell practically the same type of goods have their stores neatly lined up right next to each other, stretching for the length of several street blocks. The only thing that makes a difference between one store and the next is service, or in other words, the capability to win over customers with smart conversations and sometimes flattering remarks. The set up therefore, of business hubs like the major bazaars, probably has a direct role to play in how glib and flattering the sellers try to act towards potential buyers. This, unfortunately, is also one of the reasons I might not end up shopping at one of the major bazaars, instead opting for nearby alleys or other stores whose owners strike a better balance between importunity and indifference. But overall, I never think of shopping as a "game of stratagems", which is why haggling, if I actually do haggle, is always a casual thing. I am just constitutionally unable to take haggling seriously.

The friendly owner of a scarf shop.
He was the first merchant who tried to sell us something in Istanbul.

I thought he'd be a good representation of a lot of the merchants you'd meet in Istanbul.

The other thing that utterly surprised me about Turkish people was the ubiquitous nature of tea drinking (or coffee drinking) to the average Turkish, as far as I could observe. To put things into contrast, if you were to go to China for the first time and just observe the daily lives of typical Chinese people, I wonder if you'd actually reach the conclusion that tea was first discovered by the Chinese and later introduced to the rest of the world. There's no doubt tea is still essential to many if not most Chinese. Drinking tea is probably as common as drinking water. But the ritualistic and celebratory nature of the act of drinking tea in China has long stopped been taken for granted and is instead elevated to something more like stage performance, seen more often at tourist destinations and chic-cum-traditional tea-houses that have spawned much later and cater to those willing to spend up to hundreds of Yuan. All in all, there's a deliberateness to bringing back the aesthetic qualities of tea in China, though I applaud the effort, I can't help but feel a sense of loss and sadness. Tea drinking for many Turkish people seemed like clockwork. At designated hours of the day, tea trays on which are placed several glasses (complete with saucers) of black tea (may be flavored with apple or other fruit flavors) are taken to local shop owners and staff for a short respite. The tea is invariably served in a small glass about 5 inches tall and placed in a saucer beautifully handcrafted. And it is a common sight to see men and women sitting down for hours to chat with nothing else but these dainty cups of tea. I felt it is more about the company and the conversation than quenching thirst. Nevertheless, the tea is indispensable, it serves a symbolic purpose.

Turkish tea

Tile craft takes up center stage in Turkish aesthetic appreciation. Topkapi Palace is one of the best places to see beautiful tile works.

Topkapi Palace - Tile art

Within the Palace, the Harem is a separate quarter, which was closed off to the outside world in the past. The Harem, or the "Sanctum Sanctorium" of one man, in this case, the Sultan, and in China's case, the Emperor, has always seemed an eerily unpleasant place to me. Not in the physical sense, of course, the harem of the Topkapi and the living quarters of the Forbidden City are preserved with meticulous care. Instead, the notion that so many women reside side by side in an enclosed and off-limits quarter abiding by trivial formalities and scheming against each other, all for the pleasure and the procreation (the more important purpose) of an heir strikes me as morbid. All in all, it is better that such vestiges of history remain outdated and irrelevant. (Photo Credit of all photos below in this post: L Miu)

entrance to the Harem

Eunuch's quarter in the Harem

beautiful lattice door with mother-of-pearl inlaid (?) (in Harem)

beautiful colored glass window (in Harem)

The Grand Bazaar. Very interesting to browse, it was an eye-opening experience to see seemingly endless rows upon rows of shops selling beautiful ceramics, lamps, potteries, sweets, spices, clothes, souvenirs, and just about everything else save fresh produce. (These, to my surprise, I didn't find to be very readily available in tourist destinations) To buy anything at the Bazaar, much bargaining skill is needed. Prices here are set high to allow room for bargaining. Shop owners are as international as you could find anywhere, readily speaking half a dozen languages. One man actually said to us in Chinese with a Beijing accent: 美女，钱掉了。Unbelievable.

Suleymaniye Camii is a beautiful mosque on a grand scale. Even though the Blue Mosque enjoys international fame, the Suleymaniye Camii does not pale in comparison. In fact, visiting the Suleymaniye Camii might be a more satisfying experience. Fewer tourists visit this Camii, situated on a hill which you will eventually get to after traversing many busy streets while trying to avoid cars. It is easier capturing better photos here.