The Best and WORST of Istanbul!

[@southernbreeze3278]

when a stranger in a tourist area offers to do something nice, smile nod and keep going

[@ZONEPRESSLLC]

No, don't look at them and keep walking, same thing you do in NYC or any big city.

[@malcolmnicoll1165]

The minute anyone says "hello my friend, where are you from?" don't walk, run. That's the trademark line of a scammer.

[@tecomaman]

I know about it before I went and it was tried on me

[@edwingerard8544]

Pretty much a universal rule in tourist areas anywhere!

[@history_repeats8201]

I know at least 3 people who got scammed in Turkey. They promised never to step foot in that country ever again.

[@bluehawaii9314]

I left my phone, my cards, my ID card and some cash in the taxi on the night I arrived. I called my number and taxi driver answered and he brought everything back to me without even touching anything. Good people exist!

[@mal5297]

Exactly I leave my groceries at Mado next to my place and tell them I’m leaving here and coming back things are always looked after ..no one steals anything

[@terrygallant9938]

Love your channel. I got scammed in San José Costa Rica: got in a cab and did not ask about an estimate for the fare. I noticed the meter was at 6900 colones (about 14$ US). He promptly put down the passenger side visor to hide the meter. When I arrived at my destination, he showed me the meter and it said 12900 C. This was not my first cab ride in San José and knew 25$ for a 2 km ride was way out of wack. I told him I was not paying the previous person’s amount and gave him 4000c. (I opened the door before I confronted him, allowing me an escape route. He knew he was caught. I took pictures of the cab licence and the cab number as we were driving. I’ve taken many cabs in Costa Rica and this was new. I now use Uber in San José. Safer all around. I took an uber to go back from my destination to the initial spot and it was 2500 C, so 5$, not 25! I feel bad for new tourists arriving and not understanding the currency.

[@terrygallant9938]

They also do this at gas pumps. Make sure when they fill your tank, that the meter is at zero. :)

[@Photoboy1948]

Never, ever eat or shop in tourist areas. Go down the side streets or find out where the locals eat and live. This applies to every popular tourist city even here in the USA.

[@bigcity2085]

As a trucker , you learned about the tourist trap restaurants along the interstates. Tiger truckstop in Louisiana had great , great food , and down the road Crawfish Town was the biggest tourist rip off joke.Right next to the Chesapeake bridge I had the worst fried oyster po boy ever, and in Maryland of all places, i had the worst crab cakes. Don't be a tourist...be a local where ever you go.

[@lindadorman2869]

You two are just way too nice! When I travel, particularly in Istanbul, I don't make eye contact, smile or talk to men on the street. It may sound unfriendly but as a woman alone, I don't want to be hassled. If you get lost or need help, you can always approach someone in a hotel or shop. It's not rude to simply wave people off, say you're not interested or just walk away. It's actually more respectful because you are not wasting their time. Getting out of the tourist areas helps too...other neighborhoods are quieter.

[@ba8898]

Turkish women don't tend to go around smiling at men either. That's why they may seem cold to the foreign guys who go there. But it's really just because Turkish men (along with men in many other countries) see smiling and chattiness from a woman as a sign of flirtation and "romantic" interest. My recommendation to women visiting Turkey would be to adopt a reserved and conservative demeamour with the local men, unless you actually want that kind of attention.

[@Paul-yd6rr]

You're right, but that's not how I want to travel. Better to skip Turkey

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

@@Paul-yd6rr I'm a man, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I loved Turkey. As a black man, I don't just go anywhere, but I felt zero racism and everyone was friendly and helpful. If you go to any big city, there's going to be people trying to scam you, so there are universal things that apply: * don't accept any favors from anyone. * when someone you don't know strikes up a conversation, then invites you to go drinking, politely, but firmly decline * don't "wear your money". No expensive watches, rings, chains, etc. * try to pay with tap to pay as much as possible. It's amazing how many places in Turkey were set up this way. The less actual cash on you, the more you can limit your damage if you're robbed And that, "I dropped my shoe shine brush" scam is very, very common and comes in many variations.

[@A_Bunch_of_Savages]

@@Paul-yd6rr I think skipping Turkey would be a big mistake. It’s one of my favorite places in the world.

[@mikailboyaci6588]

It depends on who you greet :-) If you greet uneducated people or people coming from eastern part of Türkiye,for example Kurdish people , then it is normal that they can think you are a simple woman. But a person who grew up in Western part ,plus educated, would not think in the same way and would greet you. But why is there a need to greet people you see in street ? No need.

[@fulltimeabroad]

About the scams, we've learned to literally ignore everyone that comes up to us on the street. Its gotten to the point where we don't even notice people trying to talk to us. They tried the shoe shine scam on us in Ho Chi Minh City, but we literally screamed at the guy to bugger off! He didn't stand a chance. At least you have a story to tell!

[@mcdtubes]

It reminds me of the time when I moved to Los Angeles from Istanbul and took a stroll on Hollywood Blvd for the first time. There were people out on the street handing out "mixtape" CDs saying it is free and literally dropping onto people's hand. One came up to me and tried to hand one. First I didn't care but he followed me for a few seconds so I stopped and picked it up and just glanced at it, then tried to hand it back to him. But of course he didn't take it back and started asking for money. I immediately started smiling while looking into his eyes and *mic dropped* his CD on the ground, then left. I feel like growing up in Istanbul made me immune to such scams. Although less in numbers, those guys are still there on Hollywood.

[@ladythmilin]

@@mcdtubes yasss love that mic drop solution!!

[@EatDrinkBeMerry]

I’ve adopted the same strategy. Anyone that approaches me shake my head no thanks no thanks no thanks. Was in Vegas walking by the theater and someone was trying to legitimately give free tickets to Cirque du Soleil and I kept saying no thanks no thanks but the guy said no this is real. The show starts in five minutes. They were like almost $200 tickets that we got for free. Because they wanted to fill the seats.

[@marilyndoering2501]

I loved visiting Istanbul several years ago, and we found the sights and history to be incredible, the people very friendly and welcoming and the food excellent! There are scammers in every tourist city, so you just need to stay aware and avoid interacting with people who randomly approach you. But, I bought a small rug at a very helpful rug store that I keep beside my bed and I still enjoy it every day! And I bought some gorgeous and quality scarves at the Grand Bazaar that I enjoy wearing regularly! I have very good memories from that trip.

[@timbritzjr4099]

My wife and I were in Fez Morrocco and were walking through the Grand Market. A girl came up to my wife and started talking to us and telling us that she is trying to get through school. She grabbed my wife's hand and started to apply henna and said my wife's sex life will be better. At that point I started to say No Tjank you and tried to walk away. This girl wouldn't let go of my wife's hand and my wife started to try and pull away. Just then the girls "Handler" came up to us and demanded money. I told her that all I had was coin and she insisted "paper only", meaning bills. We just turned away and she grabbed me and again demanded money. I pulled out my coins and dumped them into hand and walked away with my wife, who was very traumatized by then. Huge lesson for us. Never stop when people just start talking to you.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Wow! Thanks for sharing!

[@Maria-js9ou]

Traumatized ?

[@oliviafrommelt7633]

😮 Just be glad your wife us not allergic 😮

[@Jeff-zs2pq]

There is a reason why the Spanish neglected to build a bridge to Morocco.

[@faydalton3625]

I fell for a bait and switch scam. I was shown a nice pair of earrings for my wife, I agreed to buy them. While I was digging for money to pay, he switched the earrings for a cheap pair and put them in a bag before I noticed. I was on the bus 5 miles away before I realized what happened.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Wow! Thanks for sharing!

[@malcolmnicoll1165]

@@faydalton3625 caveat emptor ( buyer beware).

[@ashleyriblet2326]

@@faydalton3625 You do not buy gold jewelry from the street. Go to the bazaar or real jewelry shops! Make sure they give you a guaranteed gold certificate!

[@ashleyriblet2326]

You are wrong about prices and menus at the restaurants!!! By the law, menus and prices are shown on windows before you enter to the restaurant!

[@derindeniz9975]

@@faydalton3625 Satıcılardan hiç bir şey satın almayın. Yerel halk onlardan alışveriş yapmıyorlar. Onlar çingeneler. Küçük çocukları çalıştırıyorlar. Kesinlikle ilgilenmeyin.Polisi arayacağınızı söylediğiniz anda uzaklaşırlar. "Türkçe, polisi arıyorum" demelisiniz.

[@malcolmnicoll1165]

Another scam is the menu at restaurants, especially in the heavily tourist areas. Oftentimes they'll present you with an English menu. Most tourists don't realize that there's a menu for locals (in the local language) that's considerably cheaper. Rule of thumb? Ask to see both menus. Also, if you're paying by credit card, in shops restaurants or boutiques, make sure the owner doesn't disappear with your card. A friend was scammed after the waiter disappeared with her card only to discover a few months later that the waiter had copied her CC vitals and ran up a $5K bill on her card. It took months and months for her to recover her losses.

[@billw5189]

No offense, but the friend in your story seems not too bright. The only plausible way to get in trouble using a cc that I can imagine is if you don't check your statement and pay monthly statements to the cc company for charges you didn't make, but who's so dense as to do that to the tune of $5k. I think maybe your friend scammed you. lol

[@NorthernMike-1]

It shouldn’t take months to get fraud charges off a Credit Card. This is normally taken care of, within 2-3 weeks. 5-6 weeks would be almost heard of

[@NorthernMike-1]

Last time I was in Istanbul (20 years ago). I was approached at the Grand Bazaar by a guy who asked me if I spoke English. Being on guard, I said “no, hablo Español”. Turns out the guy simply wanted to inquire where I had purchased my Cowboy Boots at. And the SOB spoke Spanish, as well! 😂😂😂😂

[@Photoboy1948]

Turkey has changed so much since I was stationed there in the mid 1970s, more so than any country in Europe. It’s great to see how they have modernized their infrastructure. I’m sure their foods and breads are still incredible.

[@ThomasMcCormack-rq9xg]

Yeah, but Erdogan is a tyrant and it throws a dark shadow over the whole country. I'll return when they boot him out of office.

[@ashleyriblet2326]

​@@gordonwaite2Well, do not come then. Go to Israel.

[@Nicko-eb9kr]

food is amazing but so expensive now. I can say more expensive than Canada.

[@Havana1961cu]

@@ashleyriblet2326 ok..on my way

[@billrowe88]

My wife and I love Istanbul, great place for an extended layover to break up super long flights and full of amazing buildings, people, and history. We started a channel a few months ago and made a video guide on Istanbul a few weeks ago. Y’all are great at this and one of the channels that inspires us on our journey to full time travel.

[@burgeme]

AAJP - so sorry to hear that this happened to you in Istanbul. The exact same scam was tried on us - BUT I had read about it before so when the shoe-shiners brush dropped, I yelled to him and handed it to him. Then walked off as he tried to thank me a million times. LOVED your video - we love Istanbul - the people, the food and the hospitality. Wonderful people (most) but I would move there in a heart beat. Hopefully the scam did not put a bad taste in your whole experience of Turkey. As always - love your guys videos - keep them coming.

[@rolanddenomme5939]

I was in Quito, Ecuador and this kid came up to me and wanted to give me a shoeshine. I was wearing sneakers and told him I don’t have my sneakers shined. He was very persistent and said he would give a real good shoeshine. We chatted for a while, he spoke surprisingly very good English. I thought the young kid was trying to make money to just support himself. We talked for a while then I invited him to go for pizza. He agreed and we had a pleasant chat during lunch. We parted and I was glad I met him, he was so young and yet so grown up. I enjoyed our chat and never got a shoeshine.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Great story! And so Ecuador! 😊🇪🇨

[@Bigd0gg]

Great reframe- going to lunch!

[@davidmckinley5343]

Anytime someone comes up to you in a tourist area trying to be helpful, they are trying to scam you or at least push you into spending money.

[@Bigd0gg]

Not always but can happen ..

[@cdc1378]

As a Turk i can say Turkiye was a deservingly popular destination but especially after the pandemic it lost its appeal, While the inflation doubles the prices every year, govt implements a monetary policy to repress the exchange rates causing an overvalued Turkish Lira, therefore the prices increase in foreign currencies as well, Turkiye used to be a price/performance kind of option but now with Monaco prices for pretty mediocre service and products you have many better options elsewhere. Even the Turks who can afford, started to opt for vacationing abroad.

[@narniadan]

Sounds exactly like us, English then! Or Western Europe! Welcome to Western Europe then!

[@matthewhale2815]

Very informative video. My wife and I visited Turkey last September for a week and spent about 3 days in Istanbul. You mentioned the cats however, what we saw most were the well cared for street dogs which were friendly and appeared healthy. Found the city, bazaar and attractions to be too crowded and likewise thought the restaurant food was more expensive than I had initially been led to believe from my research. Walked most places as the traffic was horrendous and appeared to be at a standstill as it approached midday. Used Uber (service provided by their taxis) to get to and from the airport. Would suggest using this service for all rides because we found that on the one taxi ride organized by our hotel the driver, changed the agreed to fare and then feigned not speaking english when we tried to resolve the matter. I ended up paying him as we were flying out shortly. With Uber there is no squabbling about money and thus no haggling even if the meter is turned on. We preferred spending time outside of Istanbul in Cappadocia, Ephesus etc. as these areas were less crowded.

[@mikerubin7318]

Guys - The areas you visited in Istanbul are about as touristy (commercialized) as you can get. I don't feel like you experienced the real Istanbul, as it has so much more to see and offer. Its really ashame you did not take the 3 hour Bosphorous boat ride (very inexpensive). It is by far one of the best ways to "experience" the beauty of Istanbul.

[@lonelywolf1480]

Can't agree more. Anybody who comes back from visiting Istanbul without having a boat tour alongside the Bosphorus can't not be taken as having seen Istanbul.And it is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. And these words are coming from someone who has been to many countries in the world, from Japan to US; from Canada to Australia; from New Zealand to Ireland, China, Taiwan etc etc.

[@sibelerim7997]

It’s not expensive if you take the city ferry that starts from Üsküdar or Sirkeci and goes alongside the coast all the way to Anadolu Kavağı. Beautiful fishing village with nice restaurants. That way you can see all the historic mansions and palaces on the Bosphorus.

[@LisetteLittleL]

The alcohol in Turkey is expensive in restaurants and bars because they need to pay extra high taxes to sell it. So yes, it’s pretty expensive. Istanbul is not anymore cheap, now is like any other European city (imagine for us, the ones who lives here). It’s true that now the scammers are everywhere in Istanbul, please people, don’t accept any help or follow anybody who wants to show you something.

[@robertspoden1763]

@@LisetteLittleL I’ve been living in Istanbul for 9 years. One time my friend from the US visited so we walked around the old city. One of the “helpful” locals approached us. I knew what was going to happen next, so I turned to my friend and said hey do you want an adventure? He agreed, so we let the helpful guy take us to his carpet shop. We were show. Beautiful rugs, give. Tea and fruit, then we just left 🤣 we scammed the scammers

[@mrjuno1]

I'm glad to see nothing has changed. We were in Istanbul in October 2010. The helpful friend/rug salesman caught us at the exact spot yours caught you. We did accept his invite to his showroom where he plied us with tea and fresh pomegranates, and when we didn't buy the climate changed instantly (we did escape intact, minus the gifted pomegranates which we forfeited). And we had the same shoeshine scam experience too! I was walking a few steps ahead of my wife so I'm not sure exactly how he caught her, but it was the same script and I paid the exact same $20 tip to escape.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Wow! Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@JimBarcelona]

Hyperinflation turned lots of folks into hustlers in Istanbul. Thanks for sharing your story.

[@dibbuk5730]

In Istanbul, most restaurants have a menu posted at entrance. Take a photo of it with your camera to avoid price switching.

[@mikailboyaci6588]

Well, I dont work in tourism sector but often talk to tourists and ask them where they are from since my childhood. I grew up in 7 churches region and met hundreds oF Americans, South Koreans,Australians and British people. The first attemp is always by asking their motivation to be in Türkiye. I am really sorry for your bad experience. Some people wrote that they consider skipping Türkiye trip but it would be funny, it is number 5 most visited country in the World :-)

[@AWanderingWilly]

On my first walk around the block in Istanbul to get my bearings, I too was targeted by the shoe shiner. Tightly gripping my arm he cried “Oh my friend, my friend, I must thank you and polish your shoes and make them shiny”. I was wearing suede hiking boots. With a loud bark and strong yank, I escaped. When I returned to my room, I laughed as I watched your most recent video, this one, about the shoe shine scam of Istanbul. Thanks for sharing.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Thanks for sharing! 😊

[@nesligursen4349]

Turkish here…I understand that you are looking for an affordable place for your retirement. IstanbuI is not the place for it. Lately, the country is suffering from a hyper inflation and all the prices, especially food prices went up. The price for a alcoholic beverage is incredibly high comparing to Europe and the US because of high taxation . The countryside is a lot cheaper than Istanbul. However you both did not do your homework, you did not read enough about the country you were considering to settle down. You obviously did not know anything about the culture, language, geographical features of the city. The bridge you walked on is not over a river, but sea. Galata is one of the most hilliest parts of the city. The scammers are well known, I am glad you were not scammed by a taxi driver. The Asian part is nicer and less touristy with less steep hills. Lately, the country and Istanbul is occupied by millions of migrants, immigrants, refugees, Europeans looking for a cheaper place to live and we are fed up with this because the property prices gone up. Also, we Turks don’t speak English at all. I can see that you spent most of your time at the old city area, that’s why you think people speak English or Spanish. Except the touristic areas people generally don’t speak English or Spanish…”Stanzi” is Nişantaşı and the last but not the least “Türkiye’’ is a secular Muslim country with lots of different life styles, please do not judge places based on TV news or shows. However, I would like to thank you for your honesty and wish you luck on your search to find the best place suitable to your conditions….

[@AmeliaAndJP]

We were referring to the Golden Horn: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Horn

[@allyson1691]

@@nesligursen4349 how do I know which is the Asian part pls?

[@nesligursen4349]

@@AmeliaAndJP it is still over salty water …

[@yasinmumcuoglu2566]

@@nesligursen4349 Property prices have gone up due to incredibly poor economic policies that have allowed for hyperinflation. No where in the world have property prices risen by 1000% in the last 5 years, this is a fake bubble caused by the economic situation and you can see prices for properties have dropped since the peak before interest rates were increased. There was a small uplift in certain places around the coast in the west and south due to Russian and Ukrainians, but this was a systematic issue with the citizenship investment programme. English used to be highly spoken in Turkey and still is in many places, but unfortunately the education levels for non private schools have dropped over the last 10 years, again you can point at education system and control changes. Everyday prices now exceed many cities in the world including Paris, London, Madrid and Dubai and the level of quality and service is half, so you are paying for inflation and unfortunately the level of poverty in Turkey is now much higher, with 42% of the country under the poverty line. But it's still the most beautiful country in the world, with the most amazing culture, beautiful people and truly wonderful food and I am proud to live here and say I am lucky to live here.

[@wholderby]

We had a day there a few years ago on a cruise - pretty area but our excursion included a stop for Turkish Tea to learn how rugs are made. They dealt the tea out and it was delicious and then the guy (in a real 2nd floor office setting) started to have these rugs brought out and he would explain why this one is great and that one is even better. He started to say - this rug is $2500 US and all of our tour group started to laugh a little and each rug he would have brought out he was expecting one of our group or more to buy them and with each rug he was getting more and more furious with our group....in the end we snuck downstairs and waited for the tour to officially end. Very uncomfortable dynamic....then we walked to the famous bazaar and we carefully navigated that and bought a couple of small things.....overall not our fav place but much better than a typical cruise port destination.....

[@MarkCMoran]

Mark's rules for travel #12: Don't smile to strangers who work on the street selling/providing services. It can be taken as an invitation to take my money. (Only smile if you already know them or see them on a dailiy basis and they know you aren't interested in what they're doing). 😅

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

I loved Turkey and as a black man, I never felt any racism at all. I was there for my buddy's wedding and learned so much about the place with the tours, we did the boat ride, but this one took us not just to one side of the Bosphorus then the other, but all up and down it. We didn't go all the way to the top, but we passed under 2 of the three bridges that connect the two sides. And yeah, they're good at partying. Lots of fun to be had. Regarding scams, I had no issues, but I did hear of one that they'll usually do just to young men. So you're a man walking by yourself and someone will come up to you and find a way to strike up a conversation. They're usually very good at doing so, you feel at ease, next thing you know, he's inviting you to go have a drink. You think nothing of it and go for the drink. While there, a bunch of beautiful women show up. They're "friends" of your new friend and you enjoy their company. Just as fast, the women leave and you again think, ok, whatever...until you go to pay and you get a bill for $1,000!! What? I only had one drink. "Yeah, but the women with you ordered the most expensive drinks and they said they were with you. Pay up, please!" If someone approaches you, starts up a conversation, then invites you to go drink, politely, but firmly decline. Oh, and the, "I dropped my brush" scam is unfortunately, very common and comes in many, many variations.

[@miguelcontreras3953]

@@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403 very true and I can attest to that. Is called the single guy scam. I was there before COVID and walking by myself near the hotel I got approached by a nicely dressed and friendly gentlemen who started talking to me in very good English, after a brief conversation invited me to a bar for a drink but I politely declined and moved on. same thing near the Galata bridge, got hit twice with different approach, one offered light for a cigarette but I don’t smoke while another posing as a tourist asking me to take me a picture with my phone. Other than that is a great country. It was cheap back then, but due to inflation everything went through the roof.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@sabelomlambo3586]

I would have definitely fallen for that during my single years.

[@paulkeffer7580]

I've only spent two days in Istanbul ten years ago, but loved it. Historic, vibrant, and CLEAN. I don't think I'd live there but would love to visit again.

[@WienerWit]

As a Turkish person, let me tell you a fun (tragicomedy) fact about the prices. Yeah, you may be right about the scams and I want you to know that it’s not only for the tourists but also the locals. I’ve visited Istanbul once with my German friend, and we were quite cautious about the prices. We haven’t ordered anything before we see/ask the price. There’s a huge effect of inflation in Turkey. I don’t know how many of you is aware of that but the inflation rate is in Turkey passed even Venezuela. That’s why the prices are going up day by day. Even Turkish people started to go on a holiday to Greece islands because the prices are almost the half in these islands. So, it’s not a case for the tourists but the economy itself. But I’m still sorry to hear that you had some bad experiences.

[@godscommandmentsaretruthis2837]

I was just at the Istanbul airport a couple of weeks ago on a 6 hour layover (flying back from Rome to Denver, CO). Speaking of being scammed, the entire airport is a giant scam. Everything is about double the price you would pay in the city of Istanbul (according to one of the locals I talked to). Anyway... the airport is basically a beautiful, giant mall with a concourse and terminals all around the exterior of it. If they can't get you to buy something in the mall, as you walk down the concourse to go your gate, there are more shops spread out along the way as they try to get a last minute purchase out of you. I noticed the prices in these shops was a little lower than inside the mall and some items were discounted 40-50% in a last ditch effort to get you to buy something, As a retired business man I was impressed with the well thought out layout of the airport and the business acumen of the Turkish people, but as a frugal shopper I was disgusted with the outrageous prices. $25 Euros for a 4oz bag of Turkish Apricots? you have got to be kidding me.

[@philipdouglas5911]

Istanbul airport is huge but does not cope with the numbers going through it. Something needs to be done about passport control as only half of the desks on departure were open leading to considerable congestion. Because of the time it took to get through immigration did not get a chance to look at any of the shops. Allow plenty of time as this was the part of my trip where efficiency evaporated.

[@Roguesta54]

You really should have gone to the Asian side of Istanbul. I just moved from Kadikoy. It's a lot cheaper, and it's not so hilly. Very Bohemian feeling.

[@laughingtanuki8281]

My wife and I just finished our first trip to Türkiye. We were in Istanbul for the month of August. Our BnB was in Üsküdar, on the Asian side and we did many quick ferry or metro rides to the touristy areas on the European side. The Asian side is easily half the cost of the European side; the crowds are less packed; we did not see scammers. Yes, wine is expensive all over Türkiye.

[@Nicko-eb9kr]

how much is your rent Roger ?

[@Roguesta54]

@@Nicko-eb9kr I'm no longer in Turkey--I'm in the US until my daughter graduates from high school. Turkey has had outrageous inflation. It started at 4,000 lira for a two bedroom, completely furnished apartment, and when I left, it was about to go to 18,000 lira. So, at it's cheapest, with the exchange rate, it was $220, and it was being raised to around $650 per month. This is all in about two and a half years.

[@miishca]

@@laughingtanuki8281 Hello, Could you please tell me how was your housing and how much it was? Tx

[@laughingtanuki8281]

@@miishca Via AirBnB, $1133 for the month of August 2024, 2 bedroom flat, 3rd floor walk-up in Üsküdar.

[@stevenbagley9858]

Love you guys ! Your content is some of the best on slow travel. So sorry this happened to you. If I may, I strongly you and all your viewers searching on KZbin 'Scams in ........ " to whatever destination you're off to spend time in. I have been planning a trip to Istanbul and was alerted to this scam by a few You tubers. Safe travels my friends !

[@sbkpilot1]

Turkey in general has gone downhill, expensive now with all the inflation and tourists getting scammed left and right,,, used to be super affordable back in the early 2000s when I visited. Was shocked how expensive Airbnb's in Antalya have become, crazy!

[@frederickmuhlbauer9477]

Antalya is where most of the Russians are living Better off in other cities on the Med

[@Jeff-zs2pq]

@@frederickmuhlbauer9477 Russians who escaped the draft. Usually the extra demand raises the price of rentals for everyone in the city. Plus the humongous earthquake a couple of years ago in Antalya reduced the available housing even more.

[@Jeff-zs2pq]

North of Antalya, near Konya , Turkey there is the neolithic site called Chatal Hüyük that was discovered in the 1960s that's over 8000 years old!

[@freyagrayden9851]

2 or 3 years ago Istanbul was a lot cheaper but the rampant inflation has made it much less affordable now. I have had an apartment there since 2021 and the change in that short time is astounding!

[@allyson1691]

I hate that these scams take advantage of our desire to just be a nice and decent human being to others. It does sharpen our discernment though as I’ve been so poised for a scam and then just been met with genuine kindness with no expectation too while travelling.

[@njoynature123]

Like Dorie- just smile and just keep swimming!

[@gregorriusadolphus2729]

OMMMMGGGGG I fell for the rug scam when I was there! This dude stopped me in front of AyaSofia and was chatting me up. He said he was Kurdish and his family owned a rug shop a few blocks away. So i followed him because I thought a nice little rug would be a good souvenir.....the shop ended up being at the end of an alley way. I walk in, they seat me in a showroom, and then another guy came out of nowhere, and pulled these two curtains back to reveal all these rugs stacked on top of one another. I chose one and asked the price.....he said it was $600 (for a small maybe 3 X 5 ft kilim rug). I said I wasn't going to pay that. much for a rug. He then got belligerent with me and said he needed the money to feed his family. He then asked where I was from.....I said I'm from Texas...and I then made the "bang bang" hand gesture and I stated that he was upsetting me....and then I started talking in like gangster tone (I'm African-American....and also really from Texas, so I was leaning into the stereotypes LOL). Long story short-I walked out of there with TWO rugs and a tote bag to carry them in for $100

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Great story! Thanks for sharing!

[@thebiblepriest4950]

Bravo! You have the gift!

[@ladythmilin]

The one time being black helps us is when we are overseas 😂😂😂

[@seamusp5991]

Nothing changes apparently. I also got the rug and shoeshine schticks there back in 1987!!

[@southernbreeze3278]

a neighbor of mine and his wife were there and bought a rug. at some point after they had it for a while it got wet and all the colors ran. ended up tossing it out

[@1JackStClair]

Military? I was in Sinop 88-89. US Army

[@judymckee5992]

We were in Athens, walking at the tourist centre and took a seat on the bench ( I make sure there is no dirt/poo on it ) out ofno where a guy appeared and said my husband had dirt n his pants and the guy proceeded to try to clean for him . He was actually trying to pick his pockets. When we were in the train 5 people surrounded us and I was thinking there are many places they could stand rather then surrounding us. I managed to get out of their circle and started staring at them and they pretended like nothing happen. They were a group of pick pockets. Definitely no Istanbul

[@angiebee598]

There's a movie about the cats of Istanbul, called Kedi.

[@francoisbouchard9488]

We spent 3 days in Istanbul a couple of years ago after spending a wonderful 2 week trip in Greece. Also stayed in the Galata neighborhood (the apartment we had was amazing directly below the tower, with incredible views). Anyway, I fell victim to a couple of scams -- one "helpful person" who pressured me to follow him to his carpet shop. Bought an overpriced cushion-cover just to get out of there. Also we were charged an obscene price for a meal at one of those touristy restaurants on the Galata bridge. It makes me hesitate to visit Turkey again, especially compared to the overall honest approach of the Greeks next door. It's a shame because Turkey has so many more sites I'd really like to see, but probably will keep visiting Greece in the future.

[@Maria-js9ou]

Yes, Greece

[@kasinyvr9781]

Amelia you and I have something in common - I haven’t driven a car in at least 7 years; probably more. We live in a city and we either walk, use public transit or mostly we ride our bikes as there are a lot of bike lanes and it’s a moderate climate were we are. When we travel, we don’t rent cars with the exception of parts of the US where public transit is not an option. We are planning a trip for the spring of 2025 and Turkey is top of the list and your video has reinforced that choice.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Very cool! 😊

[@LaineyCrawford-w5y]

I've been watching your videos for years now. Really enjoy, especially the no holds bared comments. Thank you. Also, I don't know if this is the place to make this comment, but I wanted to thank you for a piece of information you have mentioned several times. That of using your Schwab card, not charging any extra fees. My grandson has gone to Rome on a basketball scholarship. Before he left, remembering your advice, I set up a Schwab account for him. Your right, no exchange fees on transactions. His parents had set up a Wells Fargo account, they said they don't, but they charged a 3% international fee on all transactions.. All I said was, I told you SO. So thank you, Thank you

[@AmeliaAndJP]

You’re very welcome! Happy to help!

[@thomasdenney4931]

Just returned from Istanbul, we thought it was fabulous. Nobody we went with liked the Grand Bazaar though. For shopping, find one of the large shopping Malls, find Mavi and shops that sell leather goods, great bargains. Real estate is very expensive and I agree the language is very difficult. We thought there was more of a language barrier than other places we went to, in fact, many young folk knew few english words.

[@friscoeddie3223]

Hear that southern coast line is the spot for Turkey. More small cities, more authentic, and less grifters.

[@Maria-js9ou]

Antalya ? Alanya ? Belek ?

[@daniloleonphd]

I have been to Istanbul 6 times (7 months) in the last 3 years and I have NEVER been scammed.

[@Booboonancy]

Wow

[@bernitahector2085]

@daniloleonphd Before I went to Turkiye I always read up on everything. I was aware of the shoe shine guy. Don't fall for anything like trying to show you anything,walk away. Not all are Turkish people who pester you it's other people from other countries. Inflation is high and you still benefit from their lira,as they lost its value. We had a great time a month ago. After we left the touristy sites had gone up by extra 200 lira. Transport excellent and country is safe with so much security and over head cameras. We stayed sitting in parks till late at night and never felt that safe even in my country. People were very helpful. 🤗🤗

[@ML-by6me]

I learned after living overseas my whole life that 1) never engage with small business people on the street (they will scam you and even if they don’t, you are not experienced enough in the local culture to be able to identify who will and who won’t) 2) when someone asks you something, keep walking away. It seems rude, especially if you are a nice person, but you didn’t ask them to sell you a fake watch, flowers, bagels or whatever they are hawking 3) if someone is in need, walk away. Most of the time, they are faking it so they can steal your money. You were actually quite lucky you only lost $20 with the shoe shine, and somewhat willingly gave it, because most of the time one will pretend to drop something, the coconspirator will steal your wallet, and you will have lost a whole lot more. If you want to engage with the local people, talk to the old grandmas, the friendly teenagers, the moms with the happy babies. But don’t feel bad at all about ignoring and walking right past pushy people who are just trying to make a buck off of you.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Great advice 👍

[@tracybranson1699]

I learned in Nepal that no matter how hard it is not to respond or look at some one in the eye, Don't do it. Don't even say no thank you or no because at that point you have engaged and they aren't going to let it go. It was such a weird feeling not being able to look at or engage with some one. So when ppl came up to me I had to look straight forward and not acknowledge their presence. It didn't feel good, but the alternative was worse.

[@kmilton1593]

In Mexico City (in the 1970's) a 22 year old shoe-shiner wanted to shine my sneakers and i said "no". Finally he offered this for free: after making a mess on my sneakers he then demanded $5, and i said "no" and walked away. He yelled after me "we are tracking you and you will have your throat slit my morning". I went to the airport at 4 a.m. and bought an expensive flight away from Mexico.

[@BrixtonTone]

I also fell for the shoe shine scam near the Blue Mosque. The guy didn't ask for a specific amount , just asked if I could help him with some money , I offered him a coin and he said "No no give me paper money !" by then I was already thinking the dropped brush was just a set up so I just said "forget it" and walked away . When he started following me shouting in Turkish I shouted back at him "Shall I call for the police ? ! " and he quickly turned and scuttled away. Beware of people offering you anything for free (even as a thankyou) and never accept an invitation to anybody's shop ! .

[@deezeed2817]

@@BrixtonTone I think being aware of scams will make a persons trip easier. Naive tourists will fall for anything

[@goldmaple5290]

People also sometimes offer to take your picture, please refuse. As soon as they take your picture, they ask you for money for taking your picture, so be very careful. Take your own pictures

[@hatfire3]

Turkey has changed drastically for the last 22 years since Akp. We are experiencing a huge socially and economically hard times. If you are a tourist at hot turist stops never let a shop owner to interact you. And alcohol 🍷 there is too much tax on it thats why its so expensive. Locals tend not to drink outside😅 Apart from these negative situations Istanbul is incredible

[@lakelvp]

When the guy walks in front of you on a bridge or someplace without police around and drops a brush please DO NOT pick it up and try to be "kind" but keep walking.

[@gorongo4202]

Istanbul is a place we stayed longer than usual and we’ve lived and traveled for 40 years. It’s an easy place to live and get familiar especially in the less touristy neighborhoods. We’d live there as expats. We’re friendly and approachable but aware, and may have overpaid a few times but never scammed in Istanbul or elsewhere. We walked Istanbul at all hours and never felt uneasy. My issue is that it’s hard for me to ignore the politics and the impact of (the politician’s) economic policy that hits the Turkish people very hard. The language is less challenging over time. But I’d still live there.

[@faisal-ca]

I have heard stories where people were invited inside the cafes, and customers ended up paying 10-20 times the average drink would cost.

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

Not only is this a very common one, I follow KZbinr GabrielTravel and that very thing happened to him in Turkey. Some friendly guy started a conversation with him and invited him to drinks. Next thing you know, about 4 or 5 beautiful women showed up and joined them, claiming they were friends of the new "friend" he met. Just as quickly, they left. Ok, so what's the scam? When he went to pay, they told him the bill was $1,000, saying the ladies ordered the most expensive drinks they have and said he'd pay for it. Often, even the cops are in on the scam, so good luck if you think you'll get law enforcement involved. If anyone invites you to go drinking, just politely but firmly say no.

[@sammiesmith6690]

That happened to me in Tbilisi, Georgia 🇬🇪 in 2022.

[@Nicko-eb9kr]

that happened to me in Bogota. a hot girl invited me for a drink in a bar after she disappeared I had to pay 400 dollars for 2 cocktails. Anyway she was hot while twerking 😬

[@hikingviking859]

Trust no one! This is why I travel with tour groups. The tour guides warn you about the scams. Like in Spain, someone falls down and pretends theyre hurt. Pickpockets are everywhere too. When I was in Bratislava, the city guide said loudly those two girls are pickpockets and they quickly walked away. Travel is fun 😅

[@Paul-yd6rr]

Or just don't go to crappy places

[@hikingviking859]

@@Paul-yd6rr these aren’t crappy places, Genius.

[@daveed4475]

I was astonished, in Spain, at how quickly the pickpockets operate. It's impressive and scary. They didn't get us, but I can see where they can easily exploit 2 seconds of distraction. After a while, it becomes easier to spot them at a distance.

[@hikingviking859]

@@daveed4475 in Barcelona, I watched them lay out blankets with cheap souvenirs on top. The police started walking in their direction and they wrapped up the blankets and took off.

[@njoynature123]

In Rome, we saw Gypsies pic pocketing on the escalator. They work in twos and look like tourists but communicate with earbuds and have flat tennies for running fast and backpacks. It’s amazing how stupid and easy targets some travelers are.

[@kitty_s23456]

If you ever go to Thailand (you mentioned it was in your bucket list), be aware of the "tuktuk scam". The tuktuk driver will bring you to several shops - clothes/ tailor, jewelry, souvenirs, etc. The sellers won't force you to buy but they'll do their sales talk. The drivers get a commission if you buy something from the shop - usually in the form of gas/ petrol vouchers. There are some variations of it in other countries. I've seen another vlogger get scammed by the shoe cleaning guys. The vlogger really stopped to have his sneakers cleaned & they agreed on an initial price. After his shoes were cleaned, the cleaner said that the initial price was just for the gluing of the sole & not for the cleaning. Vlogger ended up paying 5 or 10x the agreed amount. This was in India.

[@feldhdleh]

Yup 1993 - right outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok. My introduction to Thailand, a country I really love. Fell hard for the little scam. Got a great "tour" of the city. Laughed about it many times over the years.

[@COOKINGFROMTHELOFT]

This is the second vlog I've watched recently where the observation was made about the pricing increases in Turkey. I'd be curious to know how it is going outside of Istanbul. I really feel for those folks living there with the unfortunate inflation situation. Very informative as always!!!

[@Cats_and_Tats]

I lived in Istanbul 2004-2006. Galata is a very touristy and expensive area. My tips for Istanbul are: mind your own business, don't make too much eye contact with people. If you really want to consider living there, visit in the fall and winter, as the weather is horrible in the winter. Stay away from the touristy places for residing in. Check out the Asian side. Real life in Istanbul exists outside of the touristy areas.

[@latebloomerabroad]

I visited Istanbul in 2022 and enjoyed it for a short stay, but I also wouldn't enjoy living there. I walked everywhere. I also didn't feel like the locals were very friendly, not even the people in the restaurants and shops. That could just be because it's a big, stressful city.

[@Maria-js9ou]

You're right, I don't understand why people say they're nice. Very indifferent.

[@raw-earth-exploits]

In Islamic writing, muslims do not greet and ignore non muslims. Turkey is an Islamic state.

[@Maria-js9ou]

@@raw-earth-exploits I have always heard that hospitality is a Muslim duty. Perhaps the secularization of Türkiye has weakened this duty

[@mogain9258]

I went to Turkey in 2022 as a solo woman and had a great time. In Istanbul I really enjoyed walking and taking the public ferries around. Loved eating at the local Lokantasi lunch places. There are guys around the Aya Sofia trying to be friendly and suck you into their family rug shops, but I quickly learned to avoid those.

[@Icelinemd]

Thank you both for amazing and helpful information, I’m attending an international congress in Istanbul few days ahead. Hope it’ll be safe staying there soon!! 🙏🏻❤

[@hotSdude]

The shoeshine scam is also common in Shanghai China. We almost fell for it but our tour guide saved us

[@rickhiggins]

LOL! the ole shoeshine. That's why I wear Crocs. 🙂 We're currently here in Istanbul, staying in Taksim. And for every dozen extremely helpful and wonderful people, there does seem to be one who is just out to get ya. Usually the taxi guys but unfortunately also the restaurant folks. Hidden upsells. Adding service fees to the ticket. Even when you're on your toes, they can get ya. Still, it's a beautiful city. We're going to miss it when we leave next week. (But we still get to stay in Turkey so let's see if Antalya has the same issues).

[@Kerim9991]

Something to keep in mind, private beaches are expensive. Even by Western standards. Beach fronts owned by the province are good, they still have cafes and stuff. Considerable amount of Russians and Chinese, so at least you won't be the only foreigner there which might feel isolating.

[@robbydad4321]

If you watched any of the other youtubes dealing with Istanbul scams, this shoe shine is pretty common. Many cats and I didn’t see any pigeons.

[@LaVidaLocaHomie]

You made a great point. Before traveling to a new area just simply type in the name of the city and add scams. For example: Hong Kong scams.

[@sibelerim7997]

@@robbydad4321 pigeons and crows are everywhere we even have green parrots in Istanbul. Cats eat catfood and don’t mess with birds.

[@robbydad4321]

@@sibelerim7997 Ok. I just didn’t see any of them in the video. That’s all.

[@davidconte-zu1ki]

I just googled “Turkish shoe shine scam“ and quite a long list came up!

[@exportrus1]

Excellent job as usual JP & Amelia.

[@malcolmnicoll1165]

Hope you'll make it to Georgia (the country, NOT the state).

[@dennisspackman7147]

Couple of years ago I did a trip to Turkey. Had a few days in Istanbul before travelling around the country and saw some of these same scams. Especially the friendly local that offers information then tries to redirect you to a carpet shop is prevalent.

[@Mrbynby]

As a former scammee, i had to laugh a little. You two are so nice, and they think all Americans who travel are loaded. When I was 18 and in Vancouver, BC, some nice young guys wanted to save us money for a hotel and offered us to stay in their apartment. Gullible, we woke up to find them gone and also all the money in our wallets.

[@mkoschara]

There's a particular face that I put on when I go into San Jose (Costa Rica) or the airport that says "Leave me alone" and it seems to work.

[@M2025live]

Funny, I was just talking to somebody at work about the Istanbul shoe shine scam. I saw him drop the brush as you did and ran to give it back to him. Then, he started shining my TENNIS SHOES and I knew to get the heck out.... Even funnier is I was walking in the same area the next day and saw him drop his brush once again, but no one noticed. I'm glad I was lucky enough to see the scam before he got me.

[@OrygunGuyOne]

My wife spent time in Ecuador, Peru (E-P contested area) and Mexico back in the 1980s. She said that they learned to "waggle their index finger" to say "NO" the people that bothered them on the streets.

[@daveed4475]

Very fond memories of Istanbul, where we spent a few days of our honeymoon several decades ago.

[@nukhetyavuz]

Sad about the negative things that happened…we used to be really hospitable to tourists without any materialistic thoughts…

[@threadzz]

Taxis are a scam. The driver doesn't use their meter or argue about the pre-negotiated price once you get to your destination. I don't recommend taking a taxi anywhere. Use public transport!

[@1970chevelle396]

They tried that same shoe shine scam on me many times in Istanbul. I just walked by them and never said you dropped your brush. Another scam is the taxis. You hand them the money as soon as you turn to get out of the car. They stick part of the money up there sleeve and say hey you didn’t give me the correct amount of money.

[@virginiatom144]

Yes, we almost got scammed in Istanbul by the shoe shine guy, same trick but when they insisted on shining my husband's tennis shoes and telling us about how many kids he had to feed and asked for $20 we said no thank you on the way down the street we saw another shoe shine guy trying to do the same scam Another one is when you go to public bathroom bring exact change because they will give you the wrong change

[@missflix919]

This one got me in Kathmandu. A woman with a baby approached me asking if we could buy some milk for her baby. I thought this sounded reasonable and we were in front of a shop, first clue lol, so it was easy to do for her and really didn't cost us much. But what we found out later is that she most probably would have taken the milk back to the shop and the owner would have given her a commision on the overpiced milk we bought and so the scam then continues reslling it over and over again at an inflated price and the woman and the shopkeeper pocketing the money with no goods actually sold.

[@joeuwest489]

Thank you , very informative

[@Meatbalzz]

so happy for you both that you are able to travel the world and explore things abroad. My wife and I are traveling to Manta Ecuador in the middle of November for 12 days. I looked back at an old video you posted from about 3 yrs ago and we are staying in the same hotel you did- Oro Verde! Glad to see you gave it a rave review. Any other suggestions or older videos you can point out that might help? Continued success and good health to you both, my wife and I (who is Ecuadorian) have been following you since shortly after you started the channel.

[@2ndSprings]

Check out Cappadocia for a centrally located, expat friendly place to stay for an extended period of time in the future. I lived in Ankara for 7 wonderful years. You guys did a good job presenting İstanbul.

[@g.t.8304]

Alcohol is heavily taxed in Turkey. The economy is in trouble and inflation is almost 150%, so it is no longer cheap for tourists.

[@franciscovegagonzalez9564]

The same thing happened to me in Bogota, Colombia.Its a classic

[@notmyname8527]

The most difficult scam to avoid is when someone asks you to take their photo and drop the phone when you are returning it. Its so difficult to refuse to take someone's photo. If they are not scammers they will think you are the rudest person they ever met. 🙂

[@johnwhitney6736]

Love Istanbul!! Great food and sites to see!

[@christenrodgers6012]

Awesome video! YES! The affordability in Istanbul has changed DRAMATICALLY over the past 4 years. I've been 5 times, and in 2020 it was common to spend no more than $10 for breakfast/lunch/or dinner. My friend David and I experienced the shoe shine scam as well more than once! It was one of the most common. It was easy to find a studio or 1bdrm apartment in a good location for $400-$800. I went again in 2023 and was blown away by the inflation. I'm in Argentina now -and it too has had about 3-5x inflation for food and accommodations.

[@fogrunr5075]

I had a $900 round trip booking for Christmas via Istanbul to the Philippines (from Dulles Airport). Booked in February. 6 months later in August, Turkish Airlines canceled my 2nd leg from Istanbul to the Philippines. When I tried to rebook, they wouldn't confirm a seat. Bad sign. I already had a 15-hour layover and they were adding 24 hours to that (next available flight). I canceled it all, and rebooked on Korean Airlines. For 2.5X the price, I'm saving 1.5 day going, and probably 1.5 day returning, likely 3-4 nights in an Istanbul hotel, with taxi fare to and from. Happy I made the switch! 😄😄😄

[@artbrutnewyork]

Yeah, I was in Istanbul and encountered the “friendly helpful” random guy that was trying to get me to go see his rugs . He was impossible to get rid of… he even tried to follow me into The Hague Sofia! By the way, variations of the shoe shine scam are popular in Mexico City.

[@TheDeadbone1961]

Sadly, scams have been going on ever since there's been tourists. Thank you for the reminder to always be wary when traveling! :)

[@AmeliaAndJP]

So true!

[@realalexmackenzie]

We met the carpet shop guy (or one of the many) when we were there last year. Very pleasant chap. He was persistent, I'll give him that. Kept popping up different places around the Hagia. Naturally we declined to follow him to his shop.

[@samspade2131]

Yep! Had the same shoe shiner scam (almost) happen to me. I forget what the guy dropped, but I pointed it out and he had some next step for me to partake in. I told him I was late for meeting a friend. and kept walking. So, yes! The shoe shiner scam is real. And, they are REAL good at making it look like an accident.

[@A_Bunch_of_Savages]

I had the same shoe shine scam attempted on me in Istanbul, but had watched a KZbin video about Istanbul scams before I went. I could live in Istanbul. In general I think much of Turkey is very livable.

[@angelawester2535]

Hi Guys! Ive been following you for a while as I love learning about the many possible places to go after Istanbul! Anyway let me know if you need any tips. I’ve been here 15 years.

[@jameshall2299]

We almost got scammed in Istanbul too. We were walking down hill from the galata tower and the gentleman in front of me dropped his shoeshine brush, I picked it up and handed it back to him and he was sooooo incredibly gracious he wanted to shine my shoes. It took a bit of no thank you’s to get away. It definitely felt like a scam. We stayed in Kadikoy and it was much cheaper than karikoy and pretty much the same as Greece. We are in Tirana now and I feel Albania is 10-20% cheaper than Greece and we absolutely love the blokku are of Tirana. We are headed to sarande next week.

[@AmeliaAndJP]

Enjoy Albania! Hopefully it’s getting cooler now!

[@jameshall2299]

@@AmeliaAndJP yes, it’s starting to cool off a bit. We are definitely rethinking our travel during the summer months as Türkiye, Greece and Albania summers are Hot!

[@kathleenkalt3852]

I loved visiting Istanbul while my husband worked there. It was very safe for me to walk around alone. The food is my favorite cuisine in all of Europe. The rug dealers are something else and of course they're at the tourist spots. If you didn't make it to the underground cistern (That's probably redundant) complex, do try to visit if you return. It's beautiful and quite a feat of engineering, now used for concerts.

[@phxminnie]

I am a solo traveler returning to Istanbul in November. I love watching videos about this great city even though this will be my 8th visit. You never know, I might see something that I missed on my last trip because there are still places I haven't seen and things I haven't done yet. Despite the prices being double, if not tripled since my last visit, I know which areas to avoid from dinning at restaurants to shopping, especially, e.g. the Grand Bazaar. But don't get me wrong, you have to go to the Grand Bazaar for the experience. I definitely don't need any souvenirs.😆 But I will be looking for oya scarves and of course baklava and lokum to take home.

[@frederickmuhlbauer9477]

I met my wife in Istanbul in 2004 and commuted from NY to visit her for 4 years living on the Asian side so I know the city Too big and busy for my taste We are living on the Med coast in Marmaris

[@ahmetonispir4015]

Unfortunately because of the inflation, Istanbul is not cheap anymore. But still a very beautiful, diverse, modern, Mediterranean influenced city. 🧿

[@markoguinn3687]

I'm an American and I've been in and out of Istanbul many times. As a traveler, I'm a huge fan of IST and Turkey as a whole ( if you haven't been....go. And definitely explore outside IST). I've experienced the shoe-shine gig on the Galata Bridge. Let's be honest, if you do something nice, like pick up or point out the fallen brush, AND THEN you accept a "re-payment" for what was a very insignificant effort on your part then you kind of deserve to pay the price for this lesson. Is it cool this happens? Of course not. But now you know.

[@missflix919]

They do the same in Mexico where not everything is priced in a menu, i have been caught out a few times when the bill came and so now make sure i ask before ordering. In Cuba they have yuma (foreigner) menus and cuban menus. The yuma menus have higher prices. Very very common