Ksu93dlv

This recent rash of bombings in Istanbul is really sad to see. When I visited
there in June some people thought I was nuts but I figured you had about the
same chance of getting attacked in pretty much any other big city as you did in
Istanbul. Now I have to say I would not go there if I had the chance to go
again. That's very sad, because it is obviously a very small group that's
carrying out these attacks and it is not at all indicative of how Turks feel
about Jews or westerners. By all accounts Turkey seems like the most open and
free predominantly Muslim country in the world. And since they rely to a large
extent on tourism, I can only imagine that the severly depressed tourism market
we witnessed in June will get much worse now. It's a real shame. I feel bad not
just for the direct victims of these attacks but also for Turks in general.

Thur

"Ksu93dlv" <> wrote ...
    > This recent rash of bombings in Istanbul is really sad to see. When I
visited
    > there in June some people thought I was nuts

I'm not aware of any reasons for people calling you nuts when saying you're
going to Istanbul. The city has, as far as I know, always been described as
absolutely fabulous with the mix of Western atmosphere and Islamic
influences. Was it just ignorance or was there an negative travel advice or
caution for Istanbul?
Greetz,

*never been there... yet :-/*

Thomas Peel

Thur schrieb:
    >
    > "Ksu93dlv" <> wrote ...
    > > This recent rash of bombings in Istanbul is really sad to see. When I
    > visited
    > > there in June some people thought I was nuts
    >
    > I'm not aware of any reasons for people calling you nuts when saying you're
    > going to Istanbul. The city has, as far as I know, always been described as
    > absolutely fabulous with the mix of Western atmosphere and Islamic
    > influences. Was it just ignorance or was there an negative travel advice or
    > caution for Istanbul?
Must be ignorance. Try turning your TV on.
T.
    > Greetz,
    >
    > *never been there... yet :-/*

Traveller

I was there in July 2003 and would come back tomorrow if I could.
Terrorists?... They are everywhere in the world, yesterday was NY, today is
Istanbul and tomorrow can be whatever city in the world. Even in my city Im
in danger everytime I catch the metro, or everytime I go to a big commercial
center.

Thomas Peel <> escribió en el mensaje de noticias
...
    > Thur schrieb:
    > >
    > > "Ksu93dlv" <> wrote ...
    > > > This recent rash of bombings in Istanbul is really sad to see. When I
    > > visited
    > > > there in June some people thought I was nuts
    > >
    > > I'm not aware of any reasons for people calling you nuts when saying
you're
    > > going to Istanbul. The city has, as far as I know, always been described
as
    > > absolutely fabulous with the mix of Western atmosphere and Islamic
    > > influences. Was it just ignorance or was there an negative travel advice
or
    > > caution for Istanbul?
    > Must be ignorance. Try turning your TV on.
    > T.
    > > Greetz,
    > >
    > > *never been there... yet :-/*

Thur

"Thomas Peel" <> wrote ...
    > Thur schrieb:
    > > I'm not aware of any reasons for people calling you nuts when saying
you're
    > > going to Istanbul. The city has, as far as I know, always been described
as
    > > absolutely fabulous with the mix of Western atmosphere and Islamic
    > > influences. Was it just ignorance or was there an negative travel advice
or
    > > caution for Istanbul?
    > Must be ignorance. Try turning your TV on.


I was reffering to people saying to the OP in _june_ that he was nuts for
visiting Istanbul.
Greetz,

*tss*

Charles Hawtrey

(Ksu93dlv) staggered to the nearest keyboard
and wrote:

    >By all accounts Turkey seems like the most open and
    >free predominantly Muslim country in the world.

Which is probably the reason they were attacked. They were likely
seen as "setting a bad example" by their less tolerant coreligionists.

Miguel Cruz

Ksu93dlv <> wrote:
    > This recent rash of bombings in Istanbul is really sad to see. When I
    > visited there in June some people thought I was nuts but I figured you had
    > about the same chance of getting attacked in pretty much any other big
    > city as you did in Istanbul. Now I have to say I would not go there if I
    > had the chance to go again. That's very sad, because it is obviously a
    > very small group that's carrying out these attacks and it is not at all
    > indicative of how Turks feel about Jews or westerners.

It's also sad because it's illogical. Attacks like this in Istanbul are
nothing new. Like always, from the perspective of a tourist, the danger they
represent fades into noise when you include traffic accidents in the mix.

    > And since they rely to a large extent on tourism, I can only imagine that
    > the severly depressed tourism market we witnessed in June will get much
    > worse now. It's a real shame. I feel bad not just for the direct victims
    > of these attacks but also for Turks in general.

I think you're right on this count; it is going to affect tourism and it is
very sad, because they nice and welcoming people with a beautiful country.

At this point the best way we can help is by voting for increased funding
for mathematics education in American public schools so people can make more
rational analyses about where to visit rather than being put off by pinprick
stats.

miguel

Jon

    > I think you're right on this count; it is going to affect tourism and it
is
    > very sad, because they nice and welcoming people with a beautiful country.

I doubt it unless the goons start targeting the real tourist resorts - and
then the goal would be to retard the tourist income. I have been to Turkey
only once, but from what I saw, it wasn't beautiful in my eye and the people
were not very welcoming. I know there must be nice places in Turkey, and
that there must be nice people there as well...

http://www.herrhagen.net/turkey.html

Jon

Philip George

I worked in Ankara for 6 months and found the Turks very hospitable indeed.
Some of them invited us Brits around to their houses for dinner of an evening
and a couple even drove us to other parts of Turkey at weekends.

I can't imagine receiving that kind of hospitality anywhere else.

If you're interested in historical sights, Turkey is one of the best places
to visit in the world. If you're not then it's probably not so great.

The two things that annoyed me were being harrassed by carpet-sellers is
Istanbul, and danerous road conditions. But that aside I'd say it's one
of the places I most enjoyed visiting.

phil





In article <_Xavb.34520$>,
Jon <> wrote:
    >> I think you're right on this count; it is going to affect tourism and it
    >is
    >> very sad, because they nice and welcoming people with a beautiful country.
    >I doubt it unless the goons start targeting the real tourist resorts - and
    >then the goal would be to retard the tourist income. I have been to Turkey
    >only once, but from what I saw, it wasn't beautiful in my eye and the people
    >were not very welcoming. I know there must be nice places in Turkey, and
    >that there must be nice people there as well...
    >http://www.herrhagen.net/turkey.html
    >Jon

Jon

    > If you're interested in historical sights, Turkey is one of the best
places
    > to visit in the world. If you're not then it's probably not so great.

Well, the Temple of Apollo in Side seems fake. The marble rubble laying
around seems original but the headliner is just too perfect and is not of
the same material:
http://www.herrhagen.net/pictures/turkey/Dscf0012.html

    > The two things that annoyed me were being harrassed by carpet-sellers is
    > Istanbul, and danerous road conditions. But that aside I'd say it's one
    > of the places I most enjoyed visiting.

We went there with the intention of buying a rug for our bathroom. So, it
was fun haggling with the carpet sellers and drinking their tea. On
haggeling technique, I can say that Turks are real puppy dogs compared to
Northern Africans.

Dangerous Road Conditions? You got that right: it seems like they want to
HIT YOU. Turks are the most insane, worst drivers I have ever seen.

Jon