Not every man is a creep, but the ones who are, spoil it for the others.
First of all, like my time in India, I'd been warned. Twice.
My friend's mother cautioned her that it may not be wise for me, a tall, blonde, Western woman, to travel alone in Istanbul. "Have you ever been to a Muslim country?" my friend asked. "Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia" I replied. "India."
My friend's mother cautioned her that it may not be wise for me, a tall, blonde, Western woman, to travel alone in Istanbul. "Have you ever been to a Muslim country?" my friend asked. "Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia" I replied. "India."
Not the same, she quickly dismissed.
The other warning came from a friend who has friends who have married Turkish men. It did not go well, she said, and both women are now divorced. Do not have a holiday romance with a Turkish man being the moral of the story.
The other warning came from a friend who has friends who have married Turkish men. It did not go well, she said, and both women are now divorced. Do not have a holiday romance with a Turkish man being the moral of the story.
Cairo Time is one of my favorite films. It's with American actress, Patricia Clarkson, and is a visual and soulful feast that starts with a woman traveling to Egypt to meet her husband. He is working for the UN but is delayed from his post, which leaves Patricia largely alone for days unto herself.
Her husband has a local business acquaintance who takes Patricia under his wing, and while this man is very likable and the ultimate gentleman, others, we come to learn, are not.
One such scene demonstrating this is when Patricia's character walks out onto a city street. She is quickly seen and followed by several men.
One such scene demonstrating this is when Patricia's character walks out onto a city street. She is quickly seen and followed by several men.
This has happened to me in Old Town Istanbul (a highly touristic part) three times in four days. That's not counting the constant: "Hello lady" "Where are you from?" "Can I tell you something..." that I endure from the touts the moment I walk out of my hotel door.
Yes, on three consecutive days, I've had a different man follow me, arrive at my side, and start a conversation...and then, what? They keep at it for a few more go's until thankfully, seem to accept defeat.
Yes, on three consecutive days, I've had a different man follow me, arrive at my side, and start a conversation...and then, what? They keep at it for a few more go's until thankfully, seem to accept defeat.
These incidents harken back to the time I went swimming in Gokana, India, when I needed to keep swimming further out to avoid the packs of Indian men wanting to grope me underwater. I'd read about this, and that local Indian men are not great swimmers, so the idea is to swim out to get ahead
and away from them. Unnerving it was.
and away from them. Unnerving it was.
Back to Istanbul.
I wanted to like this place, I'd heard great things, and friends rave.
The thing is though that I travel as much for the interactions I have with the local people as I do for a place, and this city is tarnished. It's branded with a collective of men who are sleaze buckets and honestly, probably know no better. Or at least, that's the impression.
The thing is though that I travel as much for the interactions I have with the local people as I do for a place, and this city is tarnished. It's branded with a collective of men who are sleaze buckets and honestly, probably know no better. Or at least, that's the impression.
I loved India - even with its gritty layers - I still loved it. Unfortunately though, India in its dark corners, has a problem with how it treats women. What impressed me however was that news reports do not shy away from this dirty truth. And the local women are right on it (scroll back to posts of mine in 2013 to see my writing on it).
I don't feel that from the Turkish women. I don't feel the resistance...but what do I know? I can't understand Turkish so I can not read the news, nor have I spoken to any Turkish women about it, if
much at all. Language and culture is a barrier and working Turkish women in the tourist parts are scarce.
But it does seem evident in this city, that it is a man's entity, and even when called to prayer five times daily, many are not practicing the virtues of the Qur'an.
Picture: Patricia Clarkson in a scene from Cairo Time.
much at all. Language and culture is a barrier and working Turkish women in the tourist parts are scarce.
But it does seem evident in this city, that it is a man's entity, and even when called to prayer five times daily, many are not practicing the virtues of the Qur'an.
Picture: Patricia Clarkson in a scene from Cairo Time.
