There I was, having a gin and tonic god knows where in some part of Istanbul. Before I had left the US, I thought I had did all my research ahead of time in regards to where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do in Istanbul. I had picked the perfect nightclub next to the Bosphorous that was open until morning. I had planned everything so well, only for it to end up being one of the craziest nights of my life. What an adventure this would turn out to be.
I remember while booking my trip to Spain and Portugal, I found a killer price on Turkish Airlines out of LA. I always fly out of LA because there are cheaper transatlantic flights to be found out of there than most or all airports near me in Colorado. There was a catch, I had a day long layover in Istanbul and another day layover back, So I figured 2 days in Istanbul, shouldn't be bad. Isis had just bombed the international terminal of the airport I was flying to and fro. Seemed legit. I felt like Austin Powers, I too like to live dangerously.
Here I am in the passport/customs line for 3 hours, literally, trying to get my stamp and flee to my hostel after the long exhausting trip. I get to the person at the counter only for them to turn me back and say I need a visa to enter the country. First time this has ever happened to me so I didn't know quite what to do. Luckily I was directed to a counter which issues visas promptly for a fee of what I believe to be about 50 euro. I got my visa and hopped back in that line for another 2 hours so I can leave the airport into the country.
It was about midnight or after by the time I finally was able to leave the airport. I had booked a ride through the hotel for pickup and I was already about 2 hours late after having to do the visa thing so I wasn't sure he was still hanging around. Generally when I travel, I don't have a phone and this was a moment one could have came in handy. Ultimately, I found the gentleman and he picked me up and took me to my hostel, which was close to some sites I had wanted to see like Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque.
There I am driving in a taxi next to the Marmara sea, in some foreign land I had never been to, the farthest away from "home" I had ever been. But, as a single man, that is why at the time I had and continue to have a heartbeat; for the unknown, the uncomfortable, and the adventure of not knowing what will happen the next minute, hour, day, week etc. I have been to some places prior, such as Morocco Africa which had a unique smell in the air. There, the smell was a mix of either human or cat urine, burning animal flesh, the worlds largest tannery and thousands of years of occupation and history. Here in Istanbul, it had a unique odor as well, but couldn't quite put my finger on what exactly that was a combination of or was caused by.
I get to my hostel, the gentleman is very friendly and hospitable and directs me to my room. It is hotter and more humid than all hell and its close to 1am. So I researched some clubs I wanted to see by the river, and I only had this night to explore before I had to fly to Spain the following morning before noon. So I took to the streets to do a little exploring of my immediate vicinity. I ventured off over near the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque area and got to admire them at night. This was unlike any other place I had ever been; the language, the tone, the vibe, the architecture, everything. I felt the neurons connecting every which way in my brain from soaking up all this new experience.
Then, I catch a cab and tell him I want to go to this club by the bosphorous that I looked up before I came. The driver seemed innocent and like an alright dude. He began asking me questions, which I answered truthfully, not thinking much of it. He asked where I was from, if I was alone, how long I was going to be in Istanbul. Like an idiot, I respond that I am american, here alone, for the first time ever and leaving to Spain in the morning. I remember being in awe of some of the ruins and architecture we were driving by on this journey. I saw an old Roman aqueduct illuminated in some part of the city with old byzantine or Turkish towers that had to have been at least 1000 years old.
"That club you want to go is closed, but I know better one I will take you." This right away set off an alarm in my internal system, but all I responded with was, "will there be girls and music?", to which he eagerly responded, "of course friend, I will take care of you." After his interrogation, he had gotten on his cell phone and began talking Turkish, so I had no idea what he was saying or to whom.
He took care of me alright. He takes me to some club in some part of the city that seemed sprawling. Before I even stepped foot out of the taxi, some men from inside were coming out to open the door for me and greet me. The cab driver seemed a little too friendly with the people who came out and they began talking and walking me inside to the "club". They were giving me VIP treatment. When asked for what to drink, I ordered my usual gin and tonic and they brought me a cup along with the bottle. I then begin to enjoy myself a little, let the guard down, and case the place for anything out of sort, exits, workers, guests, and of course, pretty ladies.
Got a gorgeous stranger to come have a drink at my table from Uzbekistan or some foreign land I had honestly never heard of until this point. She ordered a baileys. We sat and conversed for awhile as I had another gin and tonic and she, another baileys. Then, one of the waiters brings a platter which had flower seeds, grapes, oranges and things to that sort. As I was basking in the ambiance, I never even thought to ask for a menu, to my demise.
As the young Uzbekistan lady and I were about to try another spot, I ask for the bill. It is brought, and all I see is '3000' and then it was in Turkish Lira. Having ordered my Liras from my bank before I left, I knew that a Lira was about a 3rd of the dollar in value. So I asked for clarification, as to how much USD we were talking here. The turkish man told me in a broken English, "1000 american dollar."
"Holy SHIT!" I was thinking to myself. I didn't even have that. So, as my brain usually does, it began to pump out thoughts which manifested to words. "I am not paying 1000 dollars for 2 gin and tonics, 2 baileys and platter of seeds and some fruit, not going to happen." I remember telling him that all I wanted to do was find a nice establishment that my friends in the American military could all come hang out in and maybe find some companionship. I was trying to bring them imaginary business in the form of my imaginary American military buddies. This of course was letting them know that I am not alone, I have some friends that could cause trouble and back me should the need present itself; although ultimately, I was as scared and vulnerable as I had ever been.
I mean here I was, over 6 or 7 thousand miles from home, 2000 from the nearest country I knew anyone in, and in one hell of a pickle. I didn't have 1000 cash and my budget for the trip in its entirety was maybe 3 times that for the next 2 weeks and next 2 countries. I didn't speak a lick of Turkish, I had no idea which part of Istanbul I was in relative to my hostel. I just wasn't sure what the next several minutes of my life at that point were going to bring about.
"800! you pay 800 and we will be ok, we let you go."
"I am not paying you anything close to that, so we need to figure this out."
At this point, he goes to the back, visibly agitated, and grabs what I assumed to be the manager or some other dudes from the club. They raise their voices and talk in Turkish amongst themselves, giving me the dirtiest of looks. I didn't care, hell, I could probably find a used car for 1000 in the US, and I wasn't about to drop that amount on 4 drinks and nuts and seeds.
"500 and we settle."
"OK, again, not happening. So we need to figure out if you guys are going to take me to the back and beat me up, or call the American embassy or call the cops or something because I am not paying anything close to that. And you better hope we settle this before I get a hold of my American military buddies who are supposed to be on their way."
They continued, about 5 of them, to converse angrily in Turkish amongst themselves, while giving me the "malocchio" aka evil eyes. They seemed to be getting angrier and their voices getting louder. I was getting more fearful and pondering different scenarios in my head playing out. I had never found myself in a situation even close to this in all my travels.
"My manager says 300 is the lowest you will pay and you go, no trouble."
"So here is what I will do, I will give you 100 euro, and you shouldn't even get that for 4 drinks and some seeds, and I will get out of here and take my business and my friends business elsewhere."
By this time, that gorgeous lady had gotten frightened and left the place. Bummer. I got your drinks and whatever will come about of this my dear; i thought to myself unconvincingly. I really was starting to like her too. But there were more pressing matters at hand at the moment, than a foreign love story.
"200."
"OK, here is what I will do. I do not have 200 cash, but I have 100 euro and you can put the rest on my card and I will leave."
He goes to the back and the disgruntled group of workers and managers seems to get riled up but then calm down. I gave him the 100 euro bill and my card to charge. After having signed a slip I knew I would contest and win, I couldn't find and hop in a cab fast enough. Before the ink dried on that receipt I signed, I was probably back at my hostel, relieved, yet pissed that my first hour in this country went like that.
I gathered that the cab driver was in on it the whole time, probably with what were his buddies at this club. He was bullshitting that the club I had wanted to go to was closed. I should have know because I remember reading that it was open until daylight and that it was a popular club for internationals. I almost wanted to hold something against the entire city, the entire country, and sulk and stay in my safe little hostel and go straight to the airport (that ISIS had just bombed) the next day.
"Aren't you scared? You shouldn't be traveling in those places right now, don't you think?" I remember having been asked I don't know how many times before I left on this particular trip by family, friends, and co workers.
"I cant let fear stop me from doing what I love most. If I am to pass on over there, it will be an honor, as I passed doing that which I love to do most."
The next morning I was up super early. Nothing was open, I checked, until about 9 or 10 and I had to be to the airport by about 11 or 12. Was about 6 or 7 and I took off on another little morning adventure. I knew the sea had to be close, after examining some maps before I came as well as that smell of the sea you get and the breeze you feel when one is close. So I took off to the general direction of where it could be with a little map in my pocket provided by the hostel.
As I stood on the edge of the shore, there was an overcast and ships in the distance. I remember seeing the red Turkish flags hung on just about ever building possible, the stop lights, the ships, everywhere, reminding me exactly where I was; a stark contrast to the stars and stripes you see everywhere back home in the USA. I remember thinking to myself, "What the hell am I doing in Turkey?" But I appreciated it, and thanked whatever created me for allowing me to be there and experience it.
I walked back toward my hostel, and to the grand bazaar market as well as the Hagia Sofia. I remember wanting to see it so very badly not just on the outside but on the in. Across from it was the blue mosque, and nearby was the cistern basilica, an old greek/roman underground fortress that was part of the inspiration of my travels to the ol Constantinople. The only trouble was they all opened around 9 or 10, and it was like 8. I did some external examinations of the edifices and explored around the area before going back to my hostel
An authentic Turkish breakfast was being prepared for guests on the rooftop, which was where I headed. I remember seeing 2 older Turkish ladies cooking up there and me saying hi. The view was beautiful from up there, I was on the Europe side of Istanbul on a rooftop overlooking the sea to the Asian side of Istanbul. That's how easy it would be to see another continent, I thought to myself; just cross that body of water and I can say I was in Asia. But I didn't have the time, unfortunately.
There I sat having my super strong Turkish coffee with freshly squeezed orange juice and an assortment of food I still don't really know was. I was rooftop, with views of Europe and Asia, in a city that dated back thousands of years. I thought to myself, "this is exactly why I am alive."
After having squeezed in trips to and inside of the Hagia Sofia, the blue mosque, the palace nearby and the basilica cistern, I was rushing back to my hostel. I was unsure if I was going to make my flight to Madrid to meet my family there. I bought all the souvenirs and trinkets that I could and ran back to my hostel. I stuffed my suitcase and grabbed all my stuff and caught the hostel shuttle back to the airport. What an exhilarating 13 or 14 hours that was. Holy canoli. Off to one of the motherlands to meet my family in ol Madrid Spain just as soon as I cross that Mediterranean again....
I had thought Morocco Africa had been the scariest most alien place to give me genuine lasting culture shock prior to that trip (I will delve into that little adventure in another post, and let you compare how it stacks up). And then Turkey stood up, and declared, "hold my beer..."
