Turkey Visa 1990 - Cikis or Giris?? / Stuck in Customs / Islamic Relics Room / Harem Tour in German

            Entrance and exit stamps in my passport for the 1990 visit. I was supposed to go to the "customs exit" to meet my transfer driver. I knew "customs" was "gumruk" in Turkish but confused "cikis" and "giris"  and gave the porter the wrong instruction. He went back into the secure area with my suitcase and walked a long distance. Finally decided something was wrong and found someone that spoke German - "exit" is "ausgang" in German. After a considerable amount of discussion with security was permitted to exit "the wrong way" and found the driver.  The remainder of the visit to Turkey was completely without problems.

On the last afternoon the tour visited the Topkapi Palace Museum. At 3:45 PM was a few steps from the Islamic Relics Room when the door was locked. Immediately decided to return to Turkey in a year or two and pick up where I left off. Skipped the stop at the Grand Bazaar and passed out in the hotel -- 20 minutes of pounding and kicking on the door were needed to wake me up for dinner.

In the fall of 1992 aranged another tour of Turkey, with extended individual stays in Istanbul before and after. In the meantime a  streetcar / light rail line had opened from near the hotel to most of the places of interest. 10 minutes after arriving picked up where I had left off by going to the Grand Bazaar - too much to see at once, returned several times. First thing next morning took the streetcar to the Topkapi Palace Museum and headed directly to the Islamic Relics Room. Inside were such historic items as the Swords of the Calliphs and personal items of Prophet Mohammed. Two Turkish boys showed me around "Dis Mohammed. Mektup Mohammed" (Mohammed's tooth, Mohammed's letter).

Another day visited the Harem. One roll of film had been improperly loaded so I went back yet again. The sign by the door said "Harem closed today". I waited by the door and some one came out to announce a tour in German. The area I wanted to return to photograph was "off limits" that day so when one of the Germans wandered off I gestered to the guard and he went off after the wayward German. By the time the guard returned holding the German by the collar I had the desired photos - the guard then thanked me for helping him do his job.

First class round trip from LA to Istanbul with a stopover in New York cost me $42 by using frequent flier miles - could not afford to not go.

Taken in: Turkey / İstanbul (show map)

Taken on: July 1, 1990

Tags:

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1990s

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Turkey

customs

streetcar

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Topkapi

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Islamic

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Sets appears in: • Among My Souvenirs

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