Sorry everyone, I'm going nuts trying to figure out why my review won't stick when I post. This is my 4th time to try....one more time and then I'm calling the Fodor police.

Lotis, someone commented to break your post up into smaller pieces and use eacy piece as a reply to your origional. If you try to post to much it losses it. I did mine this way last month and it worked fine. I wrote in in Word (spell checking!!!) then posted portions by cutting and pasting. <BR>Good luck, looking forward to it as Turkey is one of my future travels. <BR>

Art you're an angel. Thank you I will try that suggestion. I'm just about to lose what is left of my mind!

I have taken advantage of so many threads on this site in preparing for my own various adventures that I occasionally feel the need to make some small return. So….I went to Turkey for 10 days and here is the story. <BR>I hated it for the first 24 hours. I arrived over stressed out from work and it was pouring rain (it actually rained for 5 days straight), there are no firm prices on anything, making every purchase an ordeal (not to mention all the zeros on the currency), men following me and tapping my arms for attention in the Grand Bazaar and shouting at me to BUY, and the really bad air pollution in Istanbul. I also nearly got hit by a trolley on a narrow street. Ten days later I felt it was one of the best countries I’d ever visited (and I’ve been to quite a few) and I felt a sort of sadness at leaving. My husband and I are actually going back next year to visit the interior. <BR>1) Turkey is very clean. It’s amazing how neat and tidy even dirt roads in the provinces are. The odd thing is…the Bosphorus is dirty, with all kinds of trash floating in it. <BR>2) The Turkish people are very honest and I was never once ripped off or shortchanged. Several times, impatient vendors would take my entire wad of cash out of my hands and take the amount they needed and return all the rest. (I was struggling with all the zeros and would stare at the bills for too long). Never got cheated by a taxi driver either. Best buys: the wonderful aged soap, silver thimbles, hand made lace, carpet bags, limon cologne, saffron….My husband also ate more than his share of Baklava. <BR>

3) Fantastic street animals. Really. Cats so open and friendly they walk right up to you and politely meow and look straight into your eyes in a sort of …equal way. Stray dogs come up to you with wagging tail and sit down a few feet from you with a hopeful look. I was advised that they were all street animals but people always left out extra food for them. So, I never saw a starving or skeletal or really dirty animal. They didn’t bug you either but after greeting you would leave if you had nothing for them. (I would offer bits of bread that I had saved from breakfast but I felt them laugh under their breath as they moved off).They really amused and amazed me and next time I go to Turkey I am bringing a box of tidbit treats to give out. (tips are very important in Turkey!) It is my personal opinion that the state of street animals in a country tells you a lot about the character of the people. <BR>4) I won’t bother to enumerate the fantastic sights. See them all, they’re absolutely worth it. The museums are the best in the world if you’re into antiquities. We were breath taken at the depth of the exhibits. You can spend days just going to museums and it would never pall. Amazing. <BR>5) The countryside is the best part of Turkey. Fabulous people. Interesting places. Good roads. Better shopping than Istanbul and better prices on everything from hotels to food. Everyone is helpful and friendly. Had many conversations with locals and even met a Kurd and heard his side of the story. We went to Selcuk, Ephesus, Siringe, Izmir. All happy experiences. <BR>

6) I did something on this trip that I have never done before when traveling and that was to contact a local guide for some information and help with hotels, transport etc. I had seen his name on a few posts here and decided to email him and ask for some advice. I was a bit nervous as my husband and I travel on a budget, stay in cheaper lodgings, never do organized tours…we travel extensively but we’re not moneyed enough to warrant having someone spend their time helping us out. However this turned out to be a really great move. His name is Nejat Incedogan and I can’t say too many nice things about him. Helpful, intelligent, always going the extra mile for us. Never tried to push me into any tours (he runs several different ones). Booked hotels, made phone calls and arrangements, emailed me detailed mini bus directions, gave me lots of free advice on local doings, arranged contacts for us in different towns….on and on. In the end we actually did tag onto a group he was guiding one place and although some of the Americans embarrassed me with their comments and attitudes, Nejat was always a gentleman and an intelligent and industrious guide. You can reach him at [email protected]. Oh yes….he never charged me anything but a small share of the tour we latched onto and even left the amount up to me. I did give him a small amount to cover phone calls he made for me because someone (not him) told me cell phone calls are horrendously expensive in Turkey…something like a dollar a minute and I felt so embarrassed because he had made several calls for us…even checking up on us from time to time to see we were ok when we weren’t with him. <BR>7) If I can help anyone with information, please feel free to email me. Thank you again to all here who have unknowingly helped me in my travels! <BR>

I wanted to add one more thing. The Turks are very clean personally. On a bus in the province the conductor's aide de camp came down the aisle with a huge bottle of limon cologne and poured some into each persons hands so we could freshen up. A bit later he came back with a big bottle of water and lots of little cups and gave everyone a small drink. I got the giggles but I thought it was so sweet! I have another funny story but it's only for girls as it concerns my experience in a hamam. Ta!