Would you step onto this rusty-looking catwalk?I said in my last post that Istanbul feels very European. Istanbul truly is where East crashes into West, and the differences go beyond the call of the muzzins from the mosques.
For instance, the catwalk in the picture is inside the turret of a 15th Century Ottoman fortification. There's a 20-metre drop to the bottom and I got to it by climbing a narrow stone staircase on the outside wall that was open on one side and didn't even have a railing. In Britain, tourist attractions like this that charge admission have barriers and warnings all over the place, as well as security guards to make sure no one jumps over them. But nobody stops you here.
Another difference between East and West is how entrepreneurs here string up balloons and charge people money to burst them with pellet guns. They set them up at parks and along the seawall, and one even strung balloons up the side of the ruins of a Roman aqueduct. Try doing something like that in Brighton and see what the police do.
It all means you have to be a bit more careful here. The Ottoman fortress was actually a whole lot of fun and was wonderfully quiet. I suspect it's because tour companies are afraid of being sued if they bring anyone there. And the culture crash produces some incredible sights. A few days ago I saw a young woman dressed in a full chador making out with her boyfriend outside a Shell staion. Really.
So did I step onto the catwalk? Place your bets and I'll reveal my answer in my next post, which should be from the Cappidocia region of Turkey.
Well Robert! I would think that being very agile as well as not too heavy as some people you know,you might just get away with it but as I have said before "BE CAREFUL".
ReplyDeleteI'm betting no. Judging from the photo, the catwalk looks really high. Judging from your reaction whenever climbing is mentioned I think you didn't go on the catwalk. My vote is no. Do I get the cupie doll?
ReplyDeleteAbout the safety standards - it reminds me of seeing the trash around highways in Costa Richa. There were signs everywhere requesting that people don't littler and amusing and varied cartoon graphics near garbage cans - really large and obvious ones. Telling people about that garnered reactions of total disgust that people would throw rubbish everywhere and ruin the landscape for all.
It's interesting to look at where our notions of standards come from. In the early to mid '70s the highways around Edmonton had similar signs. Perhaps it was a National campaign - little eyes don't discern these things. Now few remember that we have cleaner streets parks and highways because of a government program and the work of thousands of volunteers, of course. Now many just see it as 'what we do'.
So, was it an ancient program or something else that make Germans so clean and tidy? My friend Rhinhildt agrees that German standards are way higher. She just thinks it's in their blood.
l
oh, yes, I forgot to add the proper nudge-nudge wink-wink imodicon at the end of that comment about Germans. I assure you all that Rhinhidt and I use imodicons in such conversations, or visual gestures where appropriate.
ReplyDeleteOk Rob you do not know mw but.... I have been following your blog. I admire what you are doing, i probably am as old as your Mother. The reason she became ill was she saw her son NAKED in another country!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am too afraid to do anything like that. Keep going. I will keep reading. Please be careful and your mother probably said this-do not go with strangers.....you do that too much!
Nancy
Robert is afraid of heights...so I'll say no.
ReplyDeleteAnd I should mention that he always has cold feet ;)
ReplyDelete