Re: Anybody been to Turkey?
why does turkey seem so liberal compared to other muslim majority countries though? when i saw a video of istanbul, it looked like some place in italy....even my friend seems so cool headed and laid back, not very conservative, are most turkish people like that?
studying islamic culture, i'm totally drawn to a place like turkey, it's mostly sufism, it seems so wonderful....not too conservative and not too liberal....perfect!
Re: Anybody been to Turkey?
why does turkey seem so liberal compared to other muslim majority countries though? when i saw a video of istanbul, it looked like some place in italy....even my friend seems so cool headed and laid back, not very conservative, are most turkish people like that?
studying islamic culture, i'm totally drawn to a place like turkey, it's mostly sufism, it seems so wonderful....not too conservative and not too liberal....perfect!
When it gained independence the westerners placed Mustafa Kamal as the President who was a liberal. His policies were basically liberal and western/modern.
The reason Istanbul looks like other European countries is simply because it was called Constantinople back in the days and the Romans used to rule it. Also geographically it sits on the border with Europe and Asia.
Yes, most Turks are quite laid back and liberal/secular.
Yes, Turkey is kind of heaven for westerners or those scared of he conservatives. Lol.
Re: Anybody been to Turkey?
^yea i remember history class in school, Constantinople and all, Turkey’s history is pretty rich, ohhhhh i want to go right this second!!! darn entry level IT job!! and i ain’t scared of conservatives 
, i am conservative myself 
when the culture is very very strict though, tourists or foreigners need to be mindful of that and be very careful not to ruffle any feathers so i think it’s easier for tourists in more liberal, more secular countries that’s all just in case they mess up you know
Re: Anybody been to Turkey?
check with submission to peace - he has lived for years ...
i have been to Istanbul twice - good experience !
Re: Anybody been to Turkey?
I've been a few times, just came back again from Istanbul a few weeks ago..
It is liberal but then again not as 'westernised' as u'd think.. I saw a lot more hijabis than I see in say, Bangladesh (it's quite rare in Dhaka).. I'd say about 40% or so of the women I saw in Istanbul on the streets wore a headscarf (and not just the older ones)..
Obviously officially it was looked down on but nice to see that, on the surface at least, the 'average' person seems to have the attitude of live and let live.. It's a beautiful city as well, defo would recommend a visit..
Re: Anybody been to Turkey?
All the people who've been to Turkey so often, is it for business or just vacation??
My husband and I plan to go later this year or early next year. What is an average cost of visiting Turkey, food, hotel, sightseeing etc?
Are there a lot of Pakistanis there?
Re: Anybody been to Turkey?
Well my reason for visiting the first time was studies but then the second time I was quite literally passing through and you could say it was more a pilgramage and trek than a Holiday.
I think you can comfortably spend a week or two there in a fairly decent Hotel and still get tickets for all the main attractions in Istanbul like the Museums and Masjids... for around £2000 that is enough for the fares accomadation and some spending cash as well though I think a package Holiday would be a lot less and some folks can go there and back with a double ticket for as little as £900-1200.
There isn't actually a big Pakistani presence in Turkey even in the big cities you might not see any desi folk. But thats not to say they dont live there and in the Working class neighbourhoods there are some Desi shops as well as many Desi students who stay at the University campuses many students go there for the Islamic studies.
I think it's best to see what offers travel agents have for you. Also how long do you want to stay there and what exactly do you want to see. If you plan to visit places like the Topkapi Palace for example and check out the Walls of Theodoses they are big money and the tickets especially during summer time can be expensive, also the bazaars tend to be quite expensive too especially in the centre of town. If you plan the trip yourself you have more control on things but you will also need to do your homework to avoid being fleeced which I had done to me the first time.
I went to Turkey on a trip for equivalent to £1500 mainly centred round Istanbul with a brief visit to Ankara... but the second time round I dont think I spent more than £400 and I went the length of Turkey from Polhktraas to Batman.
I think prices have also come down a lot since I went so best double check becuase I know what would have cost you over a grand a few years back is probably half the price now. :)
Re: Anybody been to Turkey?
^Faris, what would be the best place to shop for clothes, shoes, special turkish items at really affordable prices? $1 US dollar is like 1.5 turkish lira…that totally sucks so bad :hinna:
i’m guessing istanbul would be very commercial and expensive compared to another city. is there a city that’s on the west side of the bosphorus that’s good for tourist,foreigners. what hotels were good in your opinion, in terms of good prices and being clean/comfortable?
of the little that i googled about turkey, december and january are the coolest months where it’s not too hot right?