MEE

I will be going to Istanbul for the first time this July . I have never travelled outside of the USA before . Any ideas on a inexpensive motel ? Are there any resturants where I can dine on american food if I choose to ? What type of clothes should I bring ? Any ideas or help would be greatly apreciated . I am a 35 yr old woman travelling alone & I am on a very tight budget . <BR> thank you in advance , <BR> MEE

michele

Went to Turkey about three years ago. It is a fantastic country. When I was there everything was quite cheap ( dinner for two with wine was about 14 US dollars.) <BR>Check the European forum for several posts about Turkey.

michele

Went to Turkey about three years ago. It is a fantastic country. When I was there everything was quite cheap ( dinner for two with wine was about 14 US dollars.) <BR>Check the European forum for several posts about Turkey.

AMH

Background: I have been going to Turkey every year for the past 4 yrs (my husband is a Turk living in Canada). I am a Canadian. <BR> <BR>My advice: You will find a number of fast food restaurants to eat hamburgers. If you get a desire for pizza try the Turkish la-ma-june (I've spelled it phonetically!!!). Also, if you have experienced Greek food in the US you will find a number of similarities. Ask the locals where they eat to find the cheaper restaurants. Going to the small restaurants often means you can go up to a case and chose your food. Eating meze, small appetizers, is also an inexpensive way to eat. <BR> <BR>For clothing July will be fairly warm, so wear what you normally do in the summer. You are going to a very European city. So short skirts, shorts, t-shirts, etc. are totally fine. Turks are very much like Eurpoeans, who tend to dress up more than North Americans. Bring VERY comfortable shoes and a hat - it will be sunny all the time. Also bring your own sunscreen - it is a bit expensive there (because it used mainly by the tourists). Bring one long, brezzy dress for the day you go to the Blue Mosque (not an absolute necessity, more done out of politeness. <BR> <BR>A very inexpensive way to spend time and get into the culture is to go to a cafe and have a tea (cey, proniunced chi) this is regular leaf tea (no milk) or get an apple tea (elma cey, very popular with the tourists, fairly sweet). And then just sit and watch the people go by. You can sit there for hours (literally). A tea in a small glass (small glass = cuchuk barduck, spelled phonetically!) should cost about 50 cents, maybe a dollar in Istanbul. <BR> <BR>Take a dolmus (pronounced dolmush) across the Bospherous (also about 50 cents). You get a great view of the city. You usually pay after the boat takes off, just give your money to the boy and hold up your finger for 1 (1=bir in Turkish). They may need to come back to later to give you change - but don't worry they will. <BR> <BR>Lastly, check out Lonely Planet, Middle East thorn tree for advice (the board hasn't actually been working lately, but should be operating soon. People there are budget/student travellers and you will definetly find a hotel reco and lots of advice on Istanbul. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps! <BR>

M & J

We were in Istanbul last November and truly enjoyed it. You will experience numerous men approaching you to visit their carpet shop, leather shop, gold shop,etc. Go at least once. You will treated to hot apple tea, shown an incredible variety of carpets and don't have to buy a thing. It is the experience of the sale process that is interesting and very different from indifferent mall shopping in the USA. We used ATM at the airport to obtain Turkish lire. <BR>Some places you absolutely must visit are: Blus Mosque as mentioned in a previous post--again, many young men will approach you, engage you in a conversation, escort you to the mosque and wait for your exit--then off to the carpet shop. Visit the Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome area with its remaining obelisks. Go underground to the ancient Cistern (Yerebatan Saray), sip tea while listening to the water. <BR>Take a Bosphorus Cruise (departs at Eminonu Dock #3, only a few dollars) and cruise up the river, have lunch in the fishing village Anadolu Kavagi. Oh, before you purchase a can of coke, look at the date, some are months old, one was dated l997 (really). A good web site is www.turizm.net for lots of info. <BR>There are many children, actually a little older than toddlers, selling kleenex for donations. We have a real tough time not giving them money. Then there are the constant postcard/sock/tourbook/perfume sellers everywhere. <BR>If you wear leather shoes, shoe polishers will constantly be asking to polish them. We were literally taking in the wonder of the Obelisk of Theodosius when I glanced down--a kid was busily polishing my boots. <BR>You must have a visa (I think it was either $20 or $25 dollars---US cash money only) and you obtain it while waiting a passport control. Please feel free to email us for ideas. We would like to hear about your trip.

JAD

Yeah definately Turkey is a inexpensive country. I was in Turkey this past December and it was a bit windy, but had a great time. For inexpensive motel, you might want to try living in hostels, behind the Blue Mosque, they're pretty cheap like 3-10 US a night. They're lots of food around Istanbul, so don't worry, but something that will be costly is the visa. Nowadays, the visa cost USD45, and you obtain it right before passport control.