by Terry Crawford
contradictions. It's one of the friendliest places I've
been, but it was also the only place where I faced
outright racial discrimination. It's modern in one
section and centuries old in another.
Its where "East meets West" literally!
I arrived in Istanbul around 3:30 p.m. and took a taxi
to my hotel. The Hotel Park was a nice clean place in
the old section of Istanbul. As I rode to the section, I
marveled at the old city wall and the ancient feeling of
the city. The next day, I started to my first destination
goal, the city of Bursa. I caught the 11:30 AM ferry
boat across the river to the city of Yalova. From
there, I asked around until I found someone who
could help me find the right van.
clean. After walking about 30 minutes I passed the doors of a small hotel. I peeked in and the lobby looked inviting. I
thought “This is the place!” Standing at the front desk was a dignified, middle aged man dressed in a dark suit. I asked for a
room. He looked at me and said, "we are full, no room." I responded, "Well, can you give me a recommendation for another
hotel? I'd like something clean and safe…". Suddenly, his eyes grew wide and he said," Madame, may I see your passport,
please?" I handed him my American passport and suddenly he said "Excuse me Madame Crawford, we do have a room for
you.” From that point on, Mr. Muhammad was extremely hospitable, even giving me a heater because, "the heating here is
not so good." It bothered me though, that Mr. Muhammad refused me a room, but I later learned that this was going to be a
common reaction. The first impression that I gave, upon sight, was that I was an African woman. It was only after catching
my American accent that I was welcomed into hotels and shops.
Bursa is the location of the Ulu Cami mosque, one of the most important in the country. It is an amazingly beautiful place, but
my main goal was to visit the covered market which is renowned for Turkish silk scarves. I picked out several "unfinished"
scarves at a bargain price. I also found a small rug (almost obligatory in Turkey) and some pillow covers. Later I returned to
Istanbul and went straight back to my hotel. I needed the rest for the next day in Aya Sofia.
Aya Sofia is a major tourist sight in Istanbul. It was originally a Christian church but it is now a mosque. The tile mosaic work
was very intricate. I especially liked the portrait of the Madonna and child. The Blue Mosque, named after the color of the
tile work, is equally beautiful.
That day I followed my usual procedure for such places: Get there at the "crack of dawn" as soon as the place opens in order
to avoid the crowds and the heat of the day. But even though I had left early, some other tourists also had the same idea. I
didn't have the places "to myself", but by the time I was finished at both mosques, there were enormous lines to get in! I was
happy that I had followed my plan!
Next, I walked the mile or so to the famous Istanbul bazaar. The bazaar is a covered labyrinth of shopping streets with
everything from food to furniture to clothing. This is true guerilla shopping. The shop keepers all stand outside of their shops,
trying to get customers to come in. They can sometimes get very aggressive.
A word to the wise, practice your bargaining skills. Since the market is so large, if the price is too high at one shop, you'll
surely find the same or something quite similar at a better price. And being willing to walk away will get a better price from the
original shop keeper!
puppet shop. Only one shop sells the original Korogoz shadow
puppets. The owner is also a puppeteer and gives regular shows
of traditional folk stories. This is one shop where bargaining is in
bad form. You will not find these leather puppets anywhere else
so if you find one you like, you should buy it at the listed price.
The next day, I was off to the biblical city of Ephesis. I'd
arranged for a direct bus, but because of a time mix up, I missed
that one. I had to take another bus and make a change in Izmir.
That turned out to be providence though. While on the bus I met
a young man on his way to a job at a tourist resort. He was the
only person who spoke English on the bus and was able to
translate to the service steward. Every first class bus has a
steward, like an airplane, who serves free snack and drinks.
Emil also helped me find the bus to Ephesis.
sat by the baptismal pool in what was left of the alter and thought about all of the faithful who had been baptized there
thousands of years ago. The next morning, I followed the regular plan, arriving at the Ephesis site as the gates opened. As a
musician, one of my favorite areas of the city was backstage at the coliseum. I remember reading that Paul was booed off the
stage and run out of town by the craftsmen who made the idols. His message threatened their business.
I also laughed as I listened to a guide in the city's latrine describe how wealthy men sent their slaves to warm the stone toilet
seats in the mornings. Poorer men sent their wives!
An exceptional photo op is the still standing, two story facade of the city's library.
In the city of Delcuk, I met a retired Turk who'd worked at Boeing for 30 years. He sat with me and told me about Turkish
history. He also suggested some other cities to visit when I came back to Turkey because as he said: "with such great history,
of course you will return to see more of our wonderful country."
And indeed, I will return. There are so many things I missed. I didn't wait in the enormous line to see the palace in Istanbul. I
missed the whirling dervish dance and I also want to see Eastern Turkey. Some things had to be sacrificed because of time
constraints, and some because I simply wasn't aware of them. Besides, you can't get a feel for any country in one trip. You
have to peel back the layers of a culture-and that takes time and repeated visits.
Just a tip, Turkey is a very homogenous country. You may, as a Black person, experience some negative reactions. This is a
response to the influx of African immigrants. Unfortunately, this is the same attitude in many countries.
Once it is revealed that you are an American, the attitude warms, mostly because of another stereotype: that all Americans are
rich. But indeed by comparison, most of us ARE wealthy if we have the money to travel, even on a budget. And we are
most certainly wealthy in comparison to the people that we're likely to encounter.
I view it as an opportunity to educate people and erase some of those negative ideas about Blacks. And it has lead to some
great and enduring friendships!