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Turkey! It’s more than just a giant bird. It’s a mysterious country straddling the border between Europe and Asia. Practically everyone has heard of it, for its likeness to the popular holiday dish if nothing else, but it seems that a majority of people know very little about the region’s culture.

Recently, members of our Japanese staff took a trip to the alluring land of Turkey. While they weren’t exactly sure what to expect, they were nonetheless surprised by a number of things on their visit. Here’s a list of seven things that surprised our Japanese staff on their trip to Turkey.

1. There is a chef onboard Turkish airplanes.
If you fly with a Turkish company, you won’t be eating some microwave mush mid-flight. Turkish travelers have their in-flight meals made by an actual chef on the plane. But the service doesn’t stop there! The chef will also give his greetings, distribute the meals, and occasionally pose for commemorative photos, provided you ask nicely.

2. Turkish men love Japanese women.
Many of the men of Turkey are clamoring for the chance to get a Japanese wife, girlfriend, or even just a one-night stand. That’s good news for any Asian beauties attracted to Turkish men’s exotic features. Go get ’em ladies!

3. Japanese men have no chance with Turkish women.
Japanese men may love the idea of having a lovely Turkish lady for a wife, girlfriend, or even just a one-night stand. Unfortunately for them, Turkish women have very little interest in Japanese guys. In fact, if approached with interest, many girls would assume that the unwelcome pass is just the sweet talk of a swindler. Might be best to save yourself the trouble and give up on the idea.

4. There’s no place to get to a drink.
Drinking a large beer with your Turkish kabab may sound nice, but between the hundreds of kebab vendors scattered about, it seems not one of them sells booze! Sit-down restaurants are different, but if you’re looking for alcohol to accompany a light meal or a simple snack, then you’re simply out of luck.

5. The busses have free Wi-Fi.
According to another female reporter on travel, the long distance sight-seeing buses that tour from Istanbul to just about anywhere come equipped with Wi-Fi. It must be nice to connect to the Internet for free when stuck on a bus for hours.

6. The yogurt is salty.
The most prevalent brands of yogurt, called ayran, are actually salty. If the very thought of that poses a problem for you, you’ll want to ask a store clerk to point out any non-salty varieties on your trip to the supermarket.

7. Many Turkish people can’t tell the difference between Japanese people and Koreans.
Honestly, this is a stereotype of all Western counties, that people from the west can’t tell the difference between different kinds of Asians, but basically, upon entering a Turkish souvenir shop, the middle-aged man at the counter shouted “Anyoung haseyo,” (“hello” in Korean) and “Gangham Style!” at our decidedly Japanese batch of tourists. His tune changed immediately to “Konnichiwa!” (“hello” in Japanese) and “Nintendo!”once the group’s actual nationality came to light.

Our RocketNews24 representatives were overall charmed by the country of Turkey, even with the all of the surprises and eccentricities. Where shall we adventure to next…

Photo and video: RocketNews24

▼ Check out these videos for more details of the trip!


[ Read in Japanese ]