And I thought that Seoul traffic was mind boggling, jam-packed, frustrating, and basically organized chaos? True, but then again, I had never been to Istanbul.
Locals tell us the traffic can “be problematic” (minor understatement), but even the traffic witnessed over the last week was very unusual. Apparently, the Mayor of Istanbul is in the process of creating “60 traffic solutions”, including new tram lines, tram stations, road repair, highways, etc. Suffice to say, there are no traffic solutions at present, only traffic problems.
To make matters worse, there is no “queue concept” and pedestrians cross streets anywhere, regardless of whether there is a crosswalk, traffic signs telling the pedestrian to cross the street, and or crossing single lane roads or multi-lane highways. I closed my eyes shot on numerous occasions as our “taksi” raced down roads, coming within inches of people crossing the streets. I just knew we were going to take somebody out.
And then, there is the “dreaded” taksi driver negotiation feat. One of two issues await foreigners attempting to hail a taksi on the streets of Istanbul: (1) drivers who don’t want to use the meter, but instead try to charge you a flat (but higher) fee to take you to your hotel, and (2) drivers who change meters on you enroute. I am proud to say that the eagle eye of the Budman resulted in no taksi drivers taking advantage of this duo!
Don’t mistake the tone of this post. If you EVER get the chance to go to Istanbul…grab it and go. These are just some of the fabulous (and mostly fun) memories you will take away from your trip. You’ll never complain about a few potholes in the road ever again.
More turkey anecdotes and photos to come….
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