Istanbul

After arriving at the hotel and checking in, the group headed to the hotel dining room for much needed food... The unfortunate part was that it tasted like it was ready three hours before, which was when we were expected - communication and subsequent adjustment could have done wonders. Oh well, maybe next time.

A few of us went out after dinner to a lounge around the corner... I ordered raki (traditional Turkish digestif that's like Ouzo, but significantly more potent, as I discovered) and a highball glass full arrived, accompanied by a bottle of water. This was much more than I expected, so it went around the table for all to try this Turkish "treasure". After the trials were completed and there barely a dent in the glass, the proprietor came by and explained that you ship the raki and then take a sip of the water - we all tried that and it did help with the harshness, but by the end of the night, we still hasn't finished it. You've got to know when to fold 'em...

I also tried sheesha (flavoured tobacco from a hooka). I tried each of the three flavours (grape and cherry, grape and orange, and apple and mint) that the table ordered throughout the night... I wouldn't describe it as bad, but it's not good and definitely not for me. Now I know. The other thing was that it turned into a very late night!

Our full day in Turkey started with breakfast at the hotel followed by a walking tour around the oldest part of town. Then, my highlight of Turkey... A Turkish shave and haircut! Most of the guys of the group (most had bears or some level of scruff) stopped shaving about a week before, in preparation. The "Turkish shave" is really just a straight razor shave, but I've never had one before and it was fantastic to have one performed by such a professional! That was definitely an experience I would seek out again! The haircut was needed and I already love those, but the next two pieces were new and interesting, to say the least: wax applied to ears and nose, as well as threading. The customers being served while we waited both had it done, so maybe that's just part of the regular experience. There was a language barrier, but i think , while the nose wax was to remove pore impurities, while the ear waxing and threading goal was to remove stray hairs and/or peach fuzz. He applied the got wax very liberally with a massive tongue depresser-type wooden stick and started threading while the wax dried. I'd heard of threading before, but never really understood how it worked: thread is wrapped around fingers and hands, and twisted, then some rhythmic motion pulls hairs out... Magic! By the time that was completed, the wax was dry and could be peeled off - this was done rather aggressively, but it wasn't painful. The overall results: an pretty short haircut (good, especially for the hot, hot weather) and smooth skin! Success!!

Next up was the Turkish bath experience: essentially a wet sauna, body scrub, and massage. You start of in a large, hot room by laying on warm marble slabs in a towel, which is quite relaxing. But then "aggressive" is the descriptor that dominates the rest of the experience. The scrub removes dead skin, which is great, but they want to continually show you how good a job they're doing, so I kept having to open my eyes, which disturbed my experience and caused me to almost lose a contact lens. Then the real fun began - the massage - a Turkish man brutalizes you for 30 minutes. We left with bruises, and I left with a knot in my left shoulder that was so mad that I could hardly turn my head and it took 4 days to improve. Needless to say, the Turkish bath was not a positive experience.

We then went to check out the Grand Bazaar and have some lunch. The Bazaar is definitely grand, but my opinion would categorize it in the same manner as the Athens markets (Manny's vendors selling the same junk), except on a much bigger scale!

Our last so of the day was the Blue Mosque... Surprising to me, it wasn't blue from the exterior, but rather the interior is decorated with thousands of blue tiles. It was free to enter and appropriate cover-up garments were provided to all. We arrived just after the mosque re-opened for viewing after lunchtime prayers. The wait time was minimal and the inside was quite beautiful.

After getting cleaned up at the hotel, the group went for our official Turkish dinner and a show... Food was was mediocre, plus I want feeling particularly well, but the show was great fun! Historic cultural dancers, belly dancers, and a singer. He went through the entire audience to learn where people were from and then sang a song linked in some way to their country from memory... Oh Canada!Read more