Bursa: A Too Repetative Turkish Experience

  Bursa, Bursa, Turkey
Monday, June 9, 2008

There are many, many things I love about Turkey. I have talked about the "Turkish Travel Pixies," mythical sprites of my imagination that can, seeminly more often than not, make travel uncannily fluid.

In contradistinction to the Travel Pixies are what . . . . well, I'll have to come up with a name. But, it is the phenomenon that whenever I go to a location to sit in isolation and pursue my activity--reading, writing, whatever--shortly there upon one or more persons very soon locate themselves close by . . . . and start smoking cigarettes! Much to my aggrieved annoyance.

As a case in point, see the accompanying photos of this restaurant/tea house, where I have come this morning to study my Turkish and do internet work. These young lovers have come into a tea house all but deserted--except for me. And then they have chosen to sit at a table next to me! and blow smoke into each other's young face.  And share their secondhand smoke with this greatly perturbed writer of your glimpse into life in Turkey.





I'm telling you, this is NOT an isolated experience!