Thursday 8 April 2010

Istanbul-Final Chapter

When we weren't buying rugs and steaming ourselves in the hamam, we were walking. And walking and walking. We also took the ferry on two occasions- one to an island with castle ruins and the other to a small summer vacation island, both with more delicious food and tea, of course. We saw castles, mosques, churches and a beautiful underground cistern. All of these places were amazing, as you would imagine, but the three things that I keep thinking about were not nearly so grand: water, plumbing and strays. First, the water-you can't drink it-everyone drinks only bottled water. You can shower and wash clothes, but that's it. By the end of the week, I was really appreciating the water in the US, where we never have to worry about dysentery or weather we have enough bottled water to brush our teeth before bed (which is when you realize that you forgot to buy more). One morning, without thinking, I drank two cups from the faucet in the bathroom. As soon as I realized it, I panicked, but eventually realized that there wasn't alot I could do to change the situation, so I waited. Miraculously, nothing happened, but I was much more vigilant after that. Next, plumbing. Holy smokes. Every trip to the bathroom was a new adventure. You can't put ANYTHING in any toilet anywhere, ever-not even toilet paper. And it's not like you might want to sneak and do it because that may lead to having a very awkward conversation with someone who doesn't speak English about why you have not followed the rules and just destroyed their bathroom. Definitely not worth the risk. Now just think for a moment about putting all of the things you flush down the toilet into the garbage instead......not pretty or fragrant. However, there is an upside (can you believe it?). In the back of the toilet bowl near the top is a water-squirter that keeps you from having to use quite so much toilet paper. It's sort of like a toilet and a bidet in one, but the water is ice-cold. It will nearly make you jump right off the toilet if you aren't ready. Dave was so enamored that I think we may be getting all new toilets when we return to Raleigh.
Istanbul also has another kind of toilet (mostly older public toilets) which is a basin in the floor with a drain, no water. You squat over the basin (hopefully you remembered you're own toilet paper) and when you're done you fill a small plastic pitcher with water from a spigot to pour down the drain. This type of toilet really helps to improve balance, hand-eye co-ordination, fine motor skills and multi-tasking. All in all, making you a better person when you are finished.
Finally, strays. There are dogs and cats everywhere (alot more cats than dogs). Initially I was really concerned, so I asked the rug man and got an interesting answer. Instead of euthanizing healthy strays, in Istanbul they tag/microchip the dogs and let them go. (I don't think they do the cats.) All of the dogs looked healthy and none of them were aggressive. People seem to adopt them, almost as a neighborhood pet, looking after them and feeding them. They spend most of their days laying in the sun. All of the cats looked healthy, too. Not old, skinny or sick. If I understood correctly, they wait until they are sick to euthanize. I think they also spay/neuter the animals. The reason for this is that in the Muslim religion you are not supposed to hurt any living thing, even bugs. So basically the community takes care of the animals. It's a very different solution to the problem of strays.

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