Magic Carpet Ride
We began our day at the Grand Bazaar in a carpet store. Hasan, a veteran in the carpet industry, explained to us the significance of carpets in Turkish history. His experiences with the carpet industry were very intriguing. He told us the numerous variations in carpets and rugs, including colors, patterns, and even knotting. The textiles industry is such a large part of Turkey that it was very interesting to hear, first hand, how the whole process works. It was also nice to know the humanity Hasan had. When we asked him how much the actual producers of these beautiful pieces of art pocketed he answered, in a very sincere manner, that they made very little compared to the middle men and carpet vendors.One needs more than one life to learn the art of calligraphy. Before this very informative calligraphy session, I had no idea that calligraphy was such an esteemed art. Being Chinese, I understood that it was extremely important to have beautiful handwriting; however, the extent of practice and dedication to Turkish calligraphy is amazing! Perhaps, a Chinese calligrapher is also as diligent as a Turkish calligrapher, but that is of no consequence. The beauty that is produced from simple tools made out of reeds and bamboo is jaw-dropping. I even got my name (Wen-How) transcribed for me:
Later that night we met up with up with our friend, Marat and Suhrat to go experience Turkish night life. Wow! What an experience. We started off at a local bar, Darkness, where I had 70 cl of Efes (name of a beer), a shot of findik vodka (hazelnut vodka--which turned out to taste like hazelnut water) and the one and only, Darkness (a mix of bizarre liquors). My tab turned out to be 22 ytl (lyras)--WHAT ?!?! It was extremely expensive. Then we decided to go to a techno club, of which I do not remember seeing a name. The club was not very exciting so we left and went to another club.
This is where the fun began! This club had no name and only appeared to be a black garage door. However, to my surprise, behind the door was an underground club with strobe lights, LED lights on the ceiling, and numerous alternative Turks. We had hit the jackpot as far as alternative nightlife goes. Watching the Turks dance was a spectacle. The Turks we saw, whatever representation they may have been, danced without much rhythm and with a lot of arm motions. They also did not grind, but that may have been due more to the music than the dance culture. After dancing to ear-bursting music for a couple of hours, a gay couple entered. We were all completely thrown off as they began to passionately kiss each other at a public place. Being in a predominately Muslim country, I did not expect such overt acts of homosexuality to be displayed. After more dancing, we decided to return to our flat. The night ended around 3:30 AM. The whole night was an experience that I will not forget!
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