German Turkish English Land
of Dreams A
holiday with a difference comments
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FAQ
Now it’s your turn to have your say!
Do you have any useful advice for fellow travellers, a story, hot
tip or other recommendation?
Perhaps you have some comments on the home
page itself (like the length of time it takes to load) and can give me some
helpful hints.
Or
you might have questions, comments, or constructive criticism…
I look forward to hearing from you!
Sorry,
but there are no prizes for contributions.
P.S.
Under Subj. please mark your message clearly “Guestbook”, “Homepage”,
“Cappadocia” or similar. I routinely delete messages without a specific subject
from people I don’t know without reading them.
Mail to: hubert.canal@utanet.at
Some time has gone by without here being
any entry in the Guest Book, so I thought I would start the ball rolling (so to
speak) and put in an item myself.
Of course, it goes without saying that it would be great to get
“genuine” contributions – it is supposed to be a Guest Book, after all!
In my “Land of Dreams” text I said
that incorrect information may be given for commercial reasons. I should
perhaps elaborate on this to explain that sometimes an erroneous answer is
given through politeness. Turkish people (like other Orientals) do not like to
disappoint their guests by denying any of their requests, even if it
simply cannot be fulfilled. This can
result in incorrect information and arrangements, which are not kept.
Personally, I don’t find this type of “friendliness” amusing.
In fact, I find it unreliable and
lacking in honesty. Generally speaking, it is not helpful when a visitor is put
on the wrong bus or sent off in the opposite direction to the one desired. This
is why I prefer to ask directions two or three times.
Information about
how to get somewhere and how long it will take should always be accepted with
caution.
It has been my
experience that misguided courtesy means that you may be given incorrect
information rather than none at all.
However, this
cannot be said of bus company employees in Istanbul trying to drum up business.
Their tactics are motivated purely and simply by unadulterated commercial
interest, which assures the traveller that a particular
bus will take him
“straight” to Cappadocia. Currently the
only bus companies to Göreme are Kent, Nevtur, Göreme and Kapadokiya. Whatever
you do, do NOT get on any other company’s bus in Istanbul, even if you have
been told repeatedly and emphatically that it will take you to Cappadocia. At
best your “Cappadocia” will be Aksaray, which is not pleasant before daybreak
and probably not exactly what you planned. 
Accepting
invitations should be treated with equal caution. It is best to decline the
invitation with thanks at first. If the offer is genuine, it will certainly be
repeated. This primarily concerns things like food and accommodation. There is
less scope for error when you are being invited for a cup of tea!
Bear this in mind
when you are the one giving an invitation. Don’t take the first “No thank you”
totally to heart.
P.S. For humorous
and entertaining reports and comments, written by a native of Luxembourg
resident in Turkey for several years, click here. There are also plenty of good links and a
lot of valuable information on this site (one of my personal favourites).
Well, this
“introduction” to the Guest Book has grown somewhat longer.
H. C.
Dear
Hubert
Just
had a look at your website.
It’s
really exceptional and the pictures are magnificent.
I
suppose you were the photographer?
We
definitely want to add it to our “Other Sites of Interest” page.
OK?
J
& P
August
06, 2002
Dear
Hubert,
… I
regret that matters seem so complicated and wished this text were more easily available.
I am currently working on an introductory Turkish textbook, that one day,
hopefully, will be published as a real book.
Ich könnte eigentlich auch auf
deutsch weiterschreiben, da dies meine „Muttersprache“ ist und türkisch meine
„Vatersprache“. (Ich habe eine deutsche Mutter, einen türkischen Vater, habe in
beiden Ländern gelebt bevor ich 1986 in die USA zum Studieren kam und blieb)
Ich hatte endlich Gelegenheit, mir
Ihre Webseite anzusehen und war sehr angetan: wunderschöne Bilder mit
Beschreibungen, die einen zum Reisen einladen und dazu noch dreisprachig! Elinize, dilinize saglik! Auch wünsche ich Ihnen viel Spaß mit dem kappadokischen Haus.
Alles Gute und selamlarimla, Suzan
I thought you might be able to help me
regarding a walking tour that is will be taking place this spring and being
organized by some walking club at the University at Innsbruck.
I
heard it mentioned on Oe Eins (radio) about 2 weeks ago and did not get the
email address. It sounded so good and as you have gone to all the trouble
to design a homepage, I thought you might have heard about it.
Apparently it is a club with the philosophy that unless you have
walked through a place you can not possibly know it - you have a lovely
web-page
Sharon Scherzer, November 11, 2002
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