Another side of Turkey . . .

I’m copying this from my travel partner in crime’s blog — check it out here if you want to basically read my experiences from another point of view! I guess occasionally we write about different things . . . occasionally. But here goes:

Top 12 Turkish men one-liner’s

Traveling with Lani in Turkey was a great idea for many reasons, one of the most entertaining being her model-status among Turkish males of all ages. It brought unique marketing approaches by merchants and compliments by random people. To clarify, at no point did we look or act particularly attractive

-Touch it and love it (journals): spoken on two different days as we passed this high school vendor

-Cheaper than yesterday: our first jem, outside the Hagia Sophia, first day in Istanbul

-Did you come from paradise?: guy on street

-Your face is delicious: scarf salesman in the Grand Bazaar completely smitten with Lani

-How can I take your money?: vendor in Grand Bazaar

-This is my brother. He’s imitation Mexicano: Spice Bazaar vendor trying to help out his single sibling

-What is your name- Michee? Mokee? Ah, Mochee- you have Asian eyes. And this is Isabelle (Lani) and Juliet (Rachel): Spice Bazaar vendor, naming me and my friends based on our looks.

-Try my love tea: genuine sales-pitch for mixed flower tea of this name, sold in giant barrels

-Good morning… double great: Pamukkale restaurant host greeted us with good morning at every time of the day. The last time, as we walked away, he added what was supposed to be a compliment to us both

-You know black market?: perfume seller on the street with “genuine fake” designer goods

-OH MY GOD…. Cindy Crawford!: taxi driver going opposite direction out of the archaeology museum grounds, referring to me or Lani

-She is more mature… physically: from one CS host, in response to my comment that Lani is almost a year older than me