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4953. bhelpuri - 8/28/2013 7:24:21 AM "Turkey, as Westernized as it is, still has Islam pervasive in its culture and government.
The food was delicious, and so was the wine."
Get the contradiction here, Jen? For "Islam pervasive" you should check out Jeddah, or even Abu Dhabi. Turkey may have provided your first (clearly thrilling!) view of Muslim conservatism, but in fact it is a rigidly non-Islamic state. 4954. bhelpuri - 8/28/2013 7:25:37 AM Dear Webbie,
You should have walked. I have climbed la Tour so many times, including with my older boys. It gives a sense of conquering and accomplishment!
4955. judithathome - 8/28/2013 4:59:07 PM Arks & Wabbit...obviously, I made it back in! ;-) 4956. iiibbb - 8/28/2013 6:08:07 PM I was at a goodbye picnic for a friend of my wife's. Her husband is a Finn, and my grandmother is a Finn... my father and uncle kept alive the stories of Finn relatives from the Upper Peninsula MI.
so I identify strongly with the country, and I display a lot of the traits of people from that country. One thing they're known for is being ... terse and somewhat stoic... friendly enough.
I confuse a lot of people, including my wife, because of these traits.
Anyhow... the Finn at that picnic told that joke, but I'd heard it before.
Anyhow, it's funny to me. 4957. judithathome - 8/28/2013 6:14:13 PM I thought so, too, and even more so since your telling of background.
We've got houseguests staying for a few days and the guy is Irish...straight from....been here (in this country) about 6 months. He has a wicked sense of humor...and is quite amused by what passes for one in America. 4958. Jenerator - 8/28/2013 11:05:32 PM Webbie!
I need to tell you about MY encounter with Mephistos - heheheheh! 4959. Jenerator - 8/28/2013 11:09:35 PM Bhelpuri,
I absolutely agree with you that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are more Islamic than Turkey; BUT, let's not pretend that the culture there (in Turkey) is anything but Islamic. I mean, after all, the country stops what it's doing and prays collectively five times a day, and the government pays for the shrouds that the vistors must wear within the Blue Mosque.
It was fun, and yes I had wine. Granted my waiter was staring longingly at my hummus since it was 7:30 PM and not dark, but still fun.
I will be going to Abu Dhabi later this year. :) 4960. Wombat - 8/28/2013 11:20:13 PM Also the current Turkish government is nibbling away at the Ataturk tradition of a secular society. 4961. webfeet - 8/28/2013 11:21:27 PM More pressing on my mind, Jen, was how you survived as a blonde in Italy and Turkey, but Id love to hear about Mephistos (are we talking about the shoes? Probably not!) 4962. Wombat - 8/28/2013 11:22:20 PM Kind of what some Christians in the US would like to do. 4963. webfeet - 8/28/2013 11:26:51 PM Bhelpuri, No thanks. Im not into torture. But Im sure if I had been as zealous as you, I would have hit the champagne bar at the top. 4964. Trillium - 8/30/2013 7:44:13 AM Iiibbb, yes it's a funny Finnish story. Thanks for the details! 4965. Jenerator - 8/30/2013 8:12:36 PM Wombat,
You're right. We were worried a little bit because of the protests that were happening just before got there. We didn't know if Ramadan would heighten tensions, or what. We booked on Turkish Air and then this piece of news came out That Turkish Air does not allow its flight attendants to wear red lipstick, nail polish or have platinum blonde hair.
From the story: Atilay Aycin, president of Hava-Is, told Reuters. ”No one can deny that Turkey has become a more conservative, religious country.”
4966. judithathome - 8/30/2013 8:29:42 PM But pink polish and lipstick and ash blonde was okay? Sorry, this is hysterical....I guess all Scandinavians are banned from flying on Turkish Air.
Maybe it's not as funny to you, Jen, but this sort of policy reeks of all sorts of ridiculous. Seriously.
Crazy world we live in...what next? All blondes have to wear little badges of shame on their clothing? 4967. Jenerator - 8/30/2013 8:34:58 PM Webbie,
I packed what I thought would be appropriately stylish clothes, and I packed what I thought would get me through miles and miles of cobblestone streets and hills. I was wrong.
Plus, I made the mistake of reading Rick Steeve's website about what Italians wear/don't wear during the summer. As a result, I only brought one pair of shorts!
Well, after about 25 miles of standing and walking, my feet were really hurting. I didn't dare bring tennis shoes, because that was forbidden too! I changed my shoes, stetched, wore band aids, you name it. The bottom line was, I HAD to get a different pair of shoes. The only problem was, Italy doesn't have any size 10/10.5 (42 European) women's shoes. Honestly, I went into every shoe store I could find in Rome - over 22 different places. As the search continued, and my feet pounding, I got more deseperate. I even toyed with the idea of buying men's tennis shoes! I didn't care how much they cost, but I couldn't find any size 42 shoes.
The quest continued into Florence. I continued to walk throughout the city and throughout Tuscany, with no success. Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel do not carry size 42 in Florence. I needed something comfortable, but not hideous. The last place I tried was a shoe store I was afraid of: Mephisto.
I hate Birkenstocks. I hate shoes that look like Birkenstocks. Mephistos look like Birkenstocks.
Thankfully Italian women wear this style, but they do it better. They're shorter, petite, tan and naturally chic. They can wear ugly, behemoth sandals and look fashionable.
So it really came down to pride vs. comfort. Comfort won. I spent $150 on the ugliest shoes I have ever owned, but they got me through the rest of the trip, and I even felt a little like I was part of the group that knew why Italians wear these shoes.
Oh, and they were shorts, too!
4968. Jenerator - 8/30/2013 8:42:37 PM Btw - THESE are the accurate sandal
 4969. Jenerator - 8/30/2013 9:57:12 PM Judith,
The belief is that flight attendants are appearing 'too Westernized'.
I tell you, the most awkward I felt was in the airport in Istanbul while going through security.
I saw more women wearing the full black veil (covering one eye) and in black gloves than anywhere else I've ever been.
I saw what I believe to be Afghan tribal leaders (again, based on their style of dress) and lots of sheikhs.
In particular, there was a gentleman in a white headress, with white robes (and a tail on his headdress). His wife was fully veiled and wearing sunglasses. Absolutely no skin showing. Their son (?) was behind them. While the dad grimaced his way through the crowd, his wife scurried alongside, but their son was in pure awe. I saw him check out everything: the surroundings, the people, and even a censored Victoria's Secret billboard.
I asy it was awkward because in any given line I was standing on, if a devout Muslim was to be behind me, they wouldn't get close at all, and there were no cordial smiles.
That said, I still enjoyed what little I saw in Turkey and will be back in March. 4970. arkymalarky - 8/30/2013 11:04:41 PM Shitfire, Jen!! Seriously, those shoes are adorable! I will never get you fashionistas. SAS cost the same, and THAT'S an ugly comfortable shoe. 4971. webfeet - 8/31/2013 9:45:54 PM It's a whole other ball of wax for us tall chicks, Jen. But height has its advantageous and, I agree with Arky--those aren't so bad! There is a Mephisto here in Aix, too. It's like the senior version of Birkenstocks, but I bought them once and was so relieved.Sometimes you have to sacrifice vanity for comfort. The only reason why I wear shorts is so I won't eat pastries or baguette. I own one pair and I am wearing them now. (shorts will coup lappetite faster than you can say Miss Piggie) Who Could imagine that bread, the staff of life, could make you so fat? I should be able to eat it with abandon in this. country, but I can't!
Tell Rick Steve's that you will happily amend his Go Italy with a footnote (get it?) on shoes. Oh Im so pleased with lyself for that pun. Ive bern speaking French and don't know how to pun or be amusing in thus language. Feels ah so gooood to be ah speeking the english.
Ah, Italia!
4972. webfeet - 8/31/2013 9:50:12 PM BM ( belle mere) and I just had limincello in front of the tele...omg what a part-ay.
So xhat if I wake up to'orrow fat? Does anyone else do that, say to themselves, Tomorrow I am going to wake up fat? And if so, what is your petit peche gourmande? ( fattening little sin)
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