ESCAPE

CONS TO BE AWARE OF IN TURKEY

Here are the cons you need to be aware of while on Holiday in Turkey, depending on where you are in a sun and sea type resorts or more prominent cities.

Especially in markets, you will notice that lemony smelling stuff in bottles sold as an insect repelling or after bite for itches. You must avoid this stuff as you would avoid plaque, this stuff is ordinary cologne, and instead of resisting the mozzies it will attract them. If you are looking for mosquito repelling material, then the best thing to do is visiting a pharmacy.

Stalls on the streets or in markets, in particular, are selling perfumes with almost in original looking packaging and do usually have exceptionally very good salesman behind the counter who is very good in making you believe that is genuine. You will be paying for pure water, or god knows what's in it. You would be better of purchasing your perfumes in duty-free shops at the airport or visiting a proper perfume shop.

SERIOUS CONS IN CITIES

Especially in Istanbul, one needs to be extra cautious, a busy cosmopolitan city.

In the area of Sultanahmet, probably the central neighbourhood of the tourists, crooks are frequently operating. You will be approached by an ordinary, usually well-dressed man, who will possess a reasonable average level of English. He will start to chat with you, he will sound and look absolute genuine and with a friendly personality.

During the conversation, he will mention a place where something nice going on or invite you to have just one drink with him. At this stage, you should say no to his invitation and be firm or say something that you are waiting for your friends, and you can make a decision only by consulting them. His duty is to manage to take you eventually to a private club. To gain your trust, he might take you to a place nearby in a public area where he will buy the drinks then he will offer you to take you to this lovely club.

Once you are in there, you will be greeted and seated in the most friendly way. A bottle of expensive drink will arrive, if you are bloke, women will be seated next to you, these women are part of the scam, every glass will be billed to you.

Eventually, you would like to leave so that the bill will arrive, and your eyes will pop out of your skull. This is the moment where everything turns nasty.

Very likely, you will have an objection to the bill; therefore, you will be taken to the managers' office to discuss and solve the matter. Once you are at the back in his office, you will be forced to pay the bill no matter how big it is. If you do not have enough cash on you, then you will be taken to a Cash Machine nearby again by force.

Don't think for a moment that you can get your way out of this. These are dangerous man, pay it and walk away.

If you are thinking of reporting to the police and maybe getting your money back with the help of police, please let me know the result so I can say "hurray it works".

The other common serious crime to the tourist is the assaults in Dolmushes operating to the rural parts of Istanbul by several men at the same time.

Imagine you are standing in a Dolmush in Istanbul, everything is fine, then few men getting into the dolmush on one of the stops. They look around and pick you, as you are the tourist, and they will squash you in front of people and pull your wallet and everything you got on you just as the dolmush stops.

It will happen very quickly; if you fight back, they will pull you out on the next stop and beat you up. Police did manage to crack down on these, however, still happening from time to time.

Advice is don't go on rural areas without a tour guide.

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