Despite what happens today, I would like to remind everybody what a beautiful city is Istanbul...

http://bit.ly/ZuXQcd

I can't wait to visit. Sometime. But not this week.

I am going this week, well, in 4 days. Keeping an eye on the situation.

sf, have a great trip

I found that the people who deal with tourists in Turkey to be extremely patient, good-humored, and helpful. As far as I can tell, whatever the political situation may be, it is internal and it is not directed at foreigners.

In our 40 something years of traveling we eaten at restaurants in Pamplona and Paris that were subject to terrorist attacks a few weeks after we were there, we were in Venice when Pope John Paul Ringo and George I died, we drove into a riot in Miami, there were horse theives at the lodge we stayed at in Belize, we missed volcanos at Etna and Iceland just by a few weeks, and I know I am leaving out some stuff.

It is part of the adventure. And yes, people do not want to travel with us.

well stated, Big Al...you're a welcome newcomer to this forum, I can't understand why people don't want to travel with you. Adventure is part of the travel scene as one would hope...avoiding it, one's back porch looks mighty inviting. That may be why only 33% of Americans have passports (if it's that high a percentage).
Branko

I heard OC was hit by a fire-hose stream today...I told him not to flip off the fuzz.

A bad day in Istanbul is not getting a reservation at Divan in Ortakoy.


Thin

Thanks Tower, maybe one day we can travel together.

We have spent considerable time in Spain but there have been over 800 deaths in Spain that have been attributed to the ETA since the 1960's. In fact there are an average of 25,000 deaths by guns in the US every year. Turkey had 525 in 2011.

There is a level of comfort and level of knowledge about certian countries. No one can ever assure another's safety but there are realities and there are fears.

"I found that the people who deal with tourists in Turkey to be extremely patient, good-humored, and helpful. As far as I can tell, whatever the political situation may be, it is internal and it is not directed at foreigners."

If this were the 1930's, I'll bet you'd be saying the about Germany.

We've been in this great city for 6 days now, and have traveled all over the city - Sultanhamet, Topkapi, Byoglu, Karacoy, yes even Taksim Square, Kadicoy and the Princes Islands. It's as if nothing is amiss, and we've had a truly wonderful visit. Unfortunately, we are leaving tomorrow afternoon.

Just spent 5 days in Istanbul (10-14th) and LOVED every minute of it. We stayed a few minutes from Taksim in Beyoglu and 6 out of our party of 7 went to Taksim at least once at different times of day. While they saw the police and water cannons at the ready, no one felt threatened and no harm fell on anyone. We travelled all over the city and never felt unsafe. The people, sights, sounds, etc were all magical. Just an incredibly beautiful city which I hated to leave. Everyone was so friendly and I highly encourage people to go and visit!

marymoess,

I hope you have been following my thread and are OK.

I am seeing a great deal of pepper gas flowing down Siraselviler street.

Tomorrow, there may be more violence and possibly even rioting in and around Taksim.

sf7307

Please leave your hotel for the airport at an early hour tomorrow just in case some of the trouble jumps and affects your side of the city, as it may.

Heard now that some of the Golden Horn bridges, the road between Besiktas and cruise ship docks, the ferries across the Bosphorus have been closed up.

The police, following the injured into the Divan hotel have forced their way into the hotel. We hear people screaming through the telephone of a hotel employee speaking from the inside. There are people with asthma attacks because of pepper gas and with injuries. She says, everyone is in a panic. She has seen children, IV and oxygen tubes, We hear calls for doctors.