You don't have to work very hard
Even ugly foreign guys get lucky
Noone cares if you're a fashion disaster

Depends on who you are.



Even ugly Turkish guys think they can get lucky with foreign women



Have to disagree with you here. Turkish women are very into keeping up appearances. However, I do get irritated with that turtleneck/cardigan combo a lot of women here seem to dig; and a lot of men like loud ties.

Back to positive things - Taxi drivers switching to English music stations when I get in and sometimes asking if it is OK for me. Sweet I think.

Just back from a trip to Bursa with my best friend. She and I had a lot of fun, as usual. On the drive back we discussed how easy it is to access the positive energy that comes from people --almost everyone we met-- eager to chat, enjoy a laugh, have some friendly human interaction. Got into a political discussion about Turkey's future in the Koza Han (Silk Market) with a young shop assistant, learned how to make cheese from a shopkeeper, was personally escorted 3-4 km down to Arap Sukru Sokak by a shopkeeper interested in making sure we had good restaurants from which to choose (I'm a quasi-vegetarian and Bursa is home of Iskender kebab--not much to offer a tree-hugger like me).

I'm sure the very next post will try to take the piss, but in earnest, nearly every interaction was (usually always is) re-affirming and full of laughter. And that's usual for my experiences here.

We don't always take the piss!

Last night in my street (hence I know all bystanders but him) an old man gave me the eye - probably his blind one - I pulled a very comical face and we all started laughing.

People who give up their seat on the bus right away for pregnant women, women with kids, Gazi's and other old folk. wouldnt expect that on London transport.

Moments of Turkish serendipity...eating the fresh produce of the season, letting every morsel of slightly greasy levrek pass my lips as I breathe in the heavy scent of cherry blossoms, sip my 5 dollar-a-bottle of wine, and forget about all of the evils of the world.

I had Greek friends visiting who were astounded to have the dolmus driver get out and chase them down the street to give them the change for their fare that they'd overpaid...

You do get it in London though - normally from locals.

For

Fresh delicious fruit
The Food; from a simple soup to char-grilled swordfish, all delicious
"Wacky Races" for real on the streets (in a car)
Friendly people
Honest people (mostly)
Cheap software

Against

Expensive wine
"Wacky Races" for real on the streets (on a bike)
Electricity and water shortages
Corruption in all manner of life; from police to politicians

I was once leaving work (when i used to work in Cengelkoy) to go back to Bebek, but needed to break a 20 in order to get a token for the little ferry. I went to a bakkal to buy a pack of cookies and cola, but when the shopkeeper saw the 20 he said I could pay another time. I explained why I needed to break the 20, and he gave me coins from his pocket AND told me to keep the food. I wasn't comfortable with accepting such generosity, so I went next door to a restaurant and asked them to break a 20 and told them why. They couldn't break it, but forced me to take some coins anyway for the ferry token!

When I got to Bebek, I tried to break the 20 for the short 2 TL taxi ride to the top of that whopping hill to Etiler. I went into a florist shop to buy a bag of dirt (3 TL). They couldn't break the 20 and told me I could take the dirt and pay later. I told them the reason I needed the change and they gave me 3 TL and told me to take the dirt and the money and pay me back next time I came through!

None of those shopkeepers knew me or had seen me before. They didn't know if I was a regular in that part of town (I usually drove). But all of them were willing to risk it and eager that I should have my transport fare as well as whatever I wanted from their stores.

When I was here over spring break in 2004, I intended to go to Ortaköy, but as I took the Taksim bus from Hisarüstü instead of the Eminönü route, the bus went down through Balmumcu and Yildiz instead. I decided to get off at YTÜ and check out Yildiz Palace, as I had never done so before. The palace had just officially closed. After explaining that I just wanted to walk around for a short peek to the ticket girl, the curator of the museum spoke to me first in abrupt Turkish. After mentioning that I was in from out of the country and studied Ottoman history, he gave me a personal guided tour after hours. He even let me inside Abdulhamit's old bathroom and pretend squat over his marble alaTurka toilet!

Far too hospitable!!!

The money thing is pretty common. Pay me later! shouts the cabbie who forgets to sigh and tutt when I wave a twenty at him. The really clever one is the cat litter man who says to me, Ten bags luv? What? No money? Pay me later! or the flower seller, same story

I don't know about the flowers, but there's no such thing as TOO MUCH cat litter in my house with our three furry pals.

Changing the subject from hospitality to cat pee, have you tried the new LITTER PEARLS cat litter? It's awesome. I've gone from changing the boxes 2 times a week to 2 times a month. Since it's silica gel pellets (active ingredient in many reusable dehumidifiers), you can place it in open jars in closets and damp areas (before the cats get to it) for a cost-effective way to de-humidify.

Two times a week??? I change mine two times a day!!??
What kind of cat box do you have? I have the standard covered one with the filter and scoop in the top.
I have 5 cats though not three so that makes for extra plops.

I use regular non-perfumed litter at YTL4 a shot.
How much is the silica stuff???