Istanbul, Turkey

Right now, I’m sitting at the airport in Istanbul, waiting to board my flight back to Austria after an amazing experience in Turkey!  I have to say, I’m a little tired.  It’s 4:30 am and my flight leaves at 6:10 am.  I took the bus to the airport around 1:30 am, and have been here three hours. 

meal together  :)

Turkish tea!

the "hole" in the ground for a toilet

ferry ride from Asia to Europe

crowded or what?!

Turkish flags galore

inside the mosque!

Mehtop and I

outside the mosque

me and Bedritton

most crowded streets everrr

Mehtop and I with a stray cat

Looks like a fairy tale!

Being here, I really experienced a completely different culture. Five times per day, you can hear the priests calling the people to the mosques for prayer. It sounds like Arabian music from the movie Aladdin!  The leaders of the Muslim faith have it set up so that different mosques in different cities of the world call the people to prayer at slightly different times, varying by five minutes or so, so that the prayer in constantly playing somewhere in the world at all!  Pretty cool. 

We stayed at Ben’s friends’ apartment, with a crazy dude named Nime.  He’s a short, skinny but strong, smiley, welcoming, energetic, jumpy Turk.  He hosts couch surfers often, and likes to share his home.  So it was a nice place to be.  There were four other guys who lived there too, but I didn’t talk to them much because they hardly spoke English. 

The first day, I was a little nervous! I got off the plane and Ben seemed to be in such a hurry, I could hardly keep up with him. He kept walking so fast I needed rocket shoes to keep up.  But, didn’t happen to be wearing my rocket shoes, so I got left behind. When I tried to go through customs, I realized I had to have a Turkish visa in order to get in the country.  Well shoot.  Didn’t have one.  So I’m trying to ask the guy what the deal is with the visa, what kind I need, all that good stuff, but his English was little to none.  Gotta be honest- I was freakin’ out a little bit. 

Finally, figured out the visa stuff.  But then, I didn’t have money to pay for the visa and stamp that I needed to get in the border.  So I’m standing there, wanting to just sneak into the country, but decided that would be a bad idea. So I try to use the ATM.  It was so hard to figure out because it was all in Turkish, so I was just pressing buttons and hoping for the best. Finally, I figured out how to withdraw American money, so I took out $50. Then I go and try to get the visa, and pay for it, and they don’t have change for a $50 bill.  I was thinking about just letting them keep the change at that point, but I couldn’t do it.  Guess I’m not cool enough for that kind of move.  So I go back to the ATM, blah blah blah, take out Turkish Lihra, blah blah blah… but eventually I made it through the border.  Step one, get in the country- check! 

I meet up with Ben again, and we’re walking toward the exit of the airport, where his girlfriend is waiting for him.  Her name’s Mehtop- sweetest little girl.  She’s so excited to see him, she’d been waiting there an hour.  They start kissing right there in the street, and I’m standing there as the awkward third wheel.  I’m pretending to look at my phone; definitely didn’t have any messages.  Trying to pretend like I’m so busy until they finish kissing, but they take forever!  I stand there awkwardly for a few long minutes before they’re done.  Step two- do my time as the third wheel- check!

We take a bus for about an hour into Asia, and make our way to Nime’s apartment.  He was very welcoming.  I went with him to the grocery store, and we bought food for dinner.  Everything was so cheap- I loved it!  We cooked a Turkish dish called “pan,” with potato, chicken, tomato, peppers, and sauce, along with rice and bread and juice.  They put newspaper on the floor and we sat in a circle on the floor and ate together. We didn’t use plates; everyone double dipped and ate straight from the pan- no big deal. Sharing a meal is a little more literal!  I slept on a couch, and slept surprisingly well.  Tired after a day of traveling.

The next morning, we made breakfast. We had lots of bread- Turkey consumes the most bread per person of any country in the world. There were dishes of various things to spread on the bread: jam, chocolate, butter, cheese, sesame with syrup, and then sliced hot dogs, potatoes, and olives. We sat on the floor once again and shared a meal. It was so great! Good thing I wasn’t in Turkey longer, or I would be very fat!

Then, Ben, Mehtop and I took a ferry to Europe. I hadn’t even realized I was in Asia until they told me we were going to Europe! Pretty funny.  We cruised the Marmara Sea for about 30 minutes, and then arrived in Europe.  Istanbul is probably the most crowded city I’ve ever been to. The buses are crazy- you can never find a seat, let alone a place even to stand. The drivers constantly honk, and crossing streets is a free for all. I think I deserve a t-shirt that says, “I survived the streets of Istanbul!” We went down into a tunnel thing where people were selling all kinds of Turkish goods and spices, and it was so crowded you could hardly walk. I’d never seen anything like it.

We went inside two mosques- that was quite the experience!  At first, you go into a little courtyard type area, and there are spouts where you wash your hands, feet, head, and face, to be clean before you go inside. When you walk up to the door, you take off your shoes and put them in a plastic bag. I took mine off too early, and was standing on the concrete with my socks, rather than on the rug, making them “dirty.” Not good. Oops! Mehtop helped me put a veil around my head, and then we went inside. It was beautiful, with blue and gold paint and windows. There were areas for only men or only women to pray in. In the front, you could watch people pray. They would go through a ritual, standing then kneeling and bowing down, bowing down. Their faces were to the floor and arms straight. I really admire their adornment and respect for Allah.

 I watched a father teaching his son to wash himself in the spouts before going inside the mosque.  It was a precious scene, but also made me sad. They have to do all these things to come before Allah, and do so many good deeds to “earn” their way into heaven. Pray and fast and read the Qu’ran in Arabic and go to Mecca…  trying to constantly try to earn their way into heaven. There are so many people who do not know Jesus. They don’t understand that He has lived the perfect life that we could never live, and died the death that we deserve to die. He is our substitution. He paid the debt of our sin, and paid it in full!  We could never “earn” our way into heaven- how good is good enough? We can never be good enough to come into the presence of a Perfect and Holy God.  It is only through Jesus Christ- His death and resurrection- that we can come before God. His cross is the bridge that allows us to come into God’s presence. It is only through faith in Him that we can inherit the free gift of eternal life!    I am really developing a heart for the nations. The more I am around international students from all over the world, the more I am developing a passion to tell people the good news of Jesus Christ! 

We visited several places that used to be Christian churches, back when Istanbul was Constantinople, but have now been turned into mosques. Inside, there are still shrines of Jesus, but they added minerats and made them into mosques. We visited the Hagia Sophia- beautiful.  We walked around the city, and I drank “sahlep” for the first time. It is a warm, thick, white drink made from orchids, with sugar, milk, and honey, and they put cinnamon on top. I bought some to take home with me because I liked it so much! 

We went to Taksim Square, and walked up and down one of the most crowded streets I’ve ever seen. It had lights and was so pretty, with a million shops and restaurants. We ate a variety of baklava, and my favorite was the chocolate (surprise, surprise). Why do I have such a sweet tooth?!  Jeez Louise.

The next morning, I woke up and went running. I was so cautious and terrified of getting lost, but I’m so proud of myself that I found my way just fine!  Major accomplishment in my life right there. That area of Asia isn’t very nice. The streets and places are pretty run down, and there are stray cats everywhere. It made me thankful for where I live! After my run, I went and took a shower. Interesting experience. The bathroom was pretty gross- dirty and wet.  I used the shower shoes that someone left in the bathroom as stepping stones to get to the shower.  The shower was a tub with a hose to rinse yourself off with. Makes for a pretty short shower.

Soon after, we left to go to Princes’ Islands. We took a ferry, and seagulls followed our boat the whole way. Got some great pictures of the birds with the Turkish flag waving off the boat. Oh that’s another thing- there are Turkish flags everywhere! The people are very proud of their country. On the island, we walked for a while and explored. I bought a flower princess crown, and wore it the rest of the trip. There were a million stray cats. They pretty much owned the place. There are no cars on the island- only bikes and horse drawn carriages. I like that. The horses are like speed horses. They don’t just trot, they sprint! Fastest carriages I’ve ever seen!  They would whiz by like race cars!

We sat down in a grassy knoll with trees all around, and it looked like something out of a fairy tale. The trees looked different from trees I’m used to. When I imagine Jesus going off to a solitary place to pray, that’s what the park reminded of. I’ll post a picture- no editing.  Amazing.

We passed a little café, and I saw a group of women who were completely covered- everything except their eyes. I started to wonder how they were going to eat if their mouths were covered. Would they take it off? I was so curious. So I was posted up, completely stalking these women. They ordered their food, and I anxiously awaited its arrival to see what they would do. I moved around a little bit, so they wouldn’t notice my stalking. Finally, the food came… drum roll please!  They removed some little clip near their chest, and then lifted the veil a little bit. They would make a bite of food, then sneak it under the veil to their mouths. Looked pretty difficult, but I guess they’ve had some practice. Most of them wore all black, but at the mosque there were all kinds of designs of pretty scarves to wear. I’d choose a crazy one or a sparkly one for sure. 

When we left the island, I bought a can of apricot nectar to drink on the ferry. Watching the waves and the seagulls and drinking my juice with a straw- it was wonderful!  Mehtop came outside with me, and we talked about the way that we know that there is a God, a Creator, when we look at the beauty of the sea.

After the ferry ride, I ate “wet hamburger,” and it was delicious! Later on, we ate rice and beans and vegetables- so good.  We’re at the restaurant eating rice and beans, and I have to go to the bathroom. So I tell them I’ll be right back. The bathroom is in the dungeon, and I creep down the stairs. When I get there, one says “Bay” and the other says “Bayun.” Which one’s which… hmmm.  Decision time!  So I look inside both bathrooms, but there’s no one in either, so I just guess!  Of course I choose the wrong one. Girl in the boy’s bathroom- oopsie daisy!

Then for dessert, we ate Turkish waffles.  It’s a thin waffle with chocolate hazelnut spread and unlimited toppings of fruit. We put strawberries, bananas, mango, fig, pistachios, coconut dust, chocolate chips, pineapple, kiwi, and walnuts on it, with chocolate sauce and strawberry sauce on the outside!  I was so full I swore I’d never eat again (a few hours later, that promise was void of course). We walked for a while along the Marmara Sea to burn off maybe a bite or two of the waffle, and across the sea you could the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia all lit up. Wow.

Our last morning, I woke up and everyone else was still asleep. I sat outside on the porch for a while and waited for everyone else to wake up, but it took a while. It was really nice though, because I finally had some quiet time by myself to spend some time in prayer. I knew I would be spending the day with only Mehtop, and that I would likely never see her again. I prayed specifically for an opportunity to share my testimony and the Gospel with her during our day together. (Sure enough, I got to do so later… but hold that thought).

Ben had to do some things for his American visa, so I spent a girl’s day with Mehtop. It was difficult at times because of the language barrier, but we had such a great day! And she was trying so hard at her English; I was so appreciative. We took the bus, filled with a billion people. We ate lunch, and she ordered us these cheese pastry things and flatbreads with tomato and spices in it, and we shared both. Turkish people always share. The food was wonderful.

We did some shopping, and took the ferry to Europe. Story time.  Gotta back track a little bit- bare with me. So at Nime’s apartment, I couldn’t figure out how to use the toilets. One bathroom just had a hole in the ground, definitely wasn’t using that one. The other had a toilet but I couldn’t figure out how to flush it. I tried and tried to press buttons and pull on cords, but couldn’t figure it out! So the whole four days I stayed there, I never flushed. Bad guest, I know.  Since I couldn’t flush, I couldn’t poop. It was fine for the first few days, but by Monday I really had to go! So Mehtop and I are on the ferry to Europe, and it just hit me all at once and I had to go. So I went in the bathroom on the ferry, but it wasn’t a toilet, just a hole in the ground. But I couldn’t hold it in any longer. So I pooped in the hole, but it didn’t go down! Crap! (literally). Then, there was no toilet paper. Dang it. So I’m standing there with my pants pulled down and no toilet paper, looking at the poop sitting in the “hole.” I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t leave the poop there; there was a line of people outside and they would know what I did! Then, I saw a water pitcher on the floor that was catching a leak from the top of the boat. It was about ¾ full. So I poured out the water into the hole and hoped the poop would go down! It helped, but you could still see the poop pretty clearly. After a while, I realized there was nothing I could do, so I just left it! Talk about walk of shame out of there! 

 We went to the crowded tunnel to buy sahlep for me to take home. The first guy asked 30 TL, but we kept shopping around and I got some for 10 TL with a bag of cinnamon. I can’t wait to make it!

Then, we went by the sea and shared a Turkish waffle. YUM. After eating waffles by the sea, we walked and watched the boats and waves. Then, we went to another beautiful seaside café and drank Turkish coffee and tea. First, you drink some water to clear your pallet. Then, you slowly drink the coffee and nibble on the small piece of chocolate that comes with it. So good! When we finished our coffee, she showed me how they spin the coffee cup upside down with the plate on top, and wait a few minutes. I spilled some of mine, of course. But after a few minutes, the coffee turns hard, and people use the shape that forms as a means of fortune telling. The waiter was hard core flirting with us, and brought us some free Turkish tea. I’m starting to really like drinking tea.

As we were drinking our coffee and tea, God answered my prayer and provided me with an opportunity to share the Gospel with Mehtop. Somehow, it just came up in conversation. She had never heard of Jesus, and didn’t know who He is. She kept talking about the prophets Muhammad, Esau, and Musa. She told me about her family, and everyone in her family is Muslim. I think Turkey is over 90% Muslim, so this was no surprise to me. She has several pages of the Qu’ran memorized, along with Arabic prayers. Like my friend Tugba, she can read Arabic but cannot understand it. So she reads it in Arabic, then in Turkish to understand it. She told me about making the voyage to Mecca, and that her grandma died there. I guess that’s a good thing for them. She asked me about my beliefs, and I was asking God over and over again in my head to speak through me and to remove the language barrier between us. I told her who Jesus is, and that He came to earth and died on a cross and rose from the dead. Right as I started talking about Jesus, you could hear the sound of the priest calling the people to prayer at the mosques. I shared my testimony with her, and why I believe in Jesus. I tried my best to explain that Christianity is the only religion in which we aren’t earning our way into heaven, Jesus paid our way for us. She told me that she’d really like to read the Bible one day, and compare it with the Qu’ran.  I had my Bible with me, and showed it to her. I pray that God uses our conversation and our time together for His glory. 

Then we explored the city a little more, and she showed me some of the famous universities in Istanbul. We went back to Taksim Square for dinner at a delicious kabop restaurant. We drank “Iran” which is a mix of yogurt and water and salt. I didn’t like it, but tried to force some down anyway. They served us salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, peppers, and lemon juice. Then they served us the yummiest bread, raised with air in the middle like a giant dome. It came with dishes of butter, cheese, and tomato and spices to dip the bread in. Our plates had rice, sausage, roasted tomatoes, and flatbread. So good!  When we were walking out, we wanted to go inside the kitchen to watch the chef make the bread, flip it and roll it and cook it in the oven. They let us go back there, and talk to the chef! Then, he wanted to let me take home a free loaf of bread!  So nice! 

We met up with Ben around midnight, and hung out for a little bit before I took the bus back to the airport!  Here I am, soon to fly over Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, and back to Austria. What a trip!  Turkey Turkey Gobble Gobble!