On the second day in Istanbul we saw a glimpse of the Turkish temperament at last. It is safe to assume that, as a tourist, professional conmen are the only locals that will come and talk to you. Three attempts were given serious effort - one of them succeeded. The free shoe shine quickly turned into a costly one, and put a sour note on the chant of Istanbul. And there I had thought it wouldn't be so bad here - that this, being on the west of the Bosphorus, was still in Europe and as close to home as I will be in three months. The carpet salesmen were at least more pleasant in their way, yet quickly bid us farewell when they found out we would not be spending money.
Ahh the Old City of Istanbul, with its old walls and its blue mosques and its decaying Hagia Sophia, which isn't open on Mondays... "Where are you from? First day in Istanbul?" With its swindling Sultanahmet on the coast of the Sea of Marmara, the conquerors of ancient Byzantium and its relics. I had built up expectations that the city could not match. Perhaps too many. And thus my image of Turkey was not improved on this short visit. In fact it had worsened.
I was not sad to leave Istanbul behind that night and fly into the sweltering heat of Bangkok, Thailand.
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