The Travelin' Redhead

The polite haggler “How much for this?” Kirk asked. “55 Lira,” the shopkeeper at the Grand Bazaar told him. “You can’t do 30 Lira?” Kirk asked politely. That question was met with an explanation of the Turkish lamp’s superior craftsmanship, its authenticity, etc., from the good-humored shopkeeper. “OK, I sell to you for 45 Lira,” he said. But Kirk wasn’t done haggling. “You really can’t do 40 Lira?” Kirk asked again ever-so-nicely. “Don’t push me,” said the shopkeeper laughing, telling us that he can’t sell it for less than the wholesale cost. “So, you can’t sell it to us for 40 Lira?” Kirk questioned again innocently. “OK 40,” the shopkeeper quickly replied with a laugh. And the haggling was done. The polite haggler himself: One shopkeeper told Kirk he looked like a "Buddhist Master." The master haggled away. The Grand Bazaar was not nearly as intimidating as it looks. Sure, it’s crowded and huge, but the shopkeepers aren’t aggressively stalking you or twis...

Turkish baklava, Turkish delights and pistachio  and chocolate Turkish milk pudding were all delicious. The Hagia Sophia is even more majestic at night. Its great orange, glowing facade seems to rise high above the surrounding park where tourists and locals gather for a peaceful little seat with a view. Men pushing street carts were roasting chestnuts and corn-on-the-cob while the fountain's lights changed from green to pink and blue to purple. With our stomachs full of the Turkish delights and Turkish tea from the famous Hafiz Mustafa tea house, we strolled around the fountain between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. The moon was out and the buildings were dazzling. I could spend 1,001 nights in Istanbul taking in this view. Underground Istanbul But since we didn't have that kind of time, we had packed in some more interesting activities for the day. We took a slightly creepy stroll through an ancient underground water storage facility also known as t...

The Library of Celsus When Paul, one of the apostles, preached in a giant stadium in front of thousands, he was at the stadium in Ephesus. We stood there. When people selling mini Artemis statues rioted because his Christian teachings were bad for the idol business, Paul was taken to prison. We saw that prison on the hill above Ephesus. In fact, ancient history is so well preserved at Ephesus, it's obvious why tourists worldwide come to see what was once a major city of the Roman Empire.   One of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world We walked down the original wide marble roads in the city’s downtown area and walked into public restrooms outfitted with ancient marble toilet seats and a drainage system for waste. We stood in awe in front of the Library of Celsus where the Ephesians stored 12,000 scrolls, and we sat in seats once reserved for ancient theatre performances. Terrace Houses Ephesus also offers a look inside the luxurious condo-style ter...