Shopping is super here especially if you like leather goods. There are numerous leather stores and competition is healthy which makes bargain hunting easy. I purchased a full length lambskin coat for $65. Be careful though some of the leather is tanned using animal urine and will not be allowed out of the country by customs. Unless you have a very bad cold you'll be able to tell anyway. I collect meershaum and this area is renowned for the artisans who carve this precious mineral. Meershaum is german for "sea foam" and is carved primarily into pipes, figurines and trinkets. I paid a fraction of what you'd pay in the states.
We stayed at the Talya Hotel and were rather amazed at the opulance of the resort. The food there was fantastic. I had a smoked fish appetizer that could feed four and the veal steak (I wasn't a vegan then) was so tender I never used the knife. It was covered in a white pepper sauce that I've been trying to duplicate without success. Anyway the food is great with lamb, fish and yogurt being high on my list.
The Turk's are a fiercely proud and nationalistic people. You'll see statues of Attaturk, their G. Washington, in most town squares. One tourist had a few too many beers and relieved himself on one of these statues. He nearly caused a riot and spent a few nights as a guest of the local Turkish prison. I don't know about you but I saw the movie, not a smart move. One word of caution, do not wear any apparel emblazened with any greek icons. Greece and Turkey seem to have a slight problem with each other.
Bottom line...beautiful country, seriously look into spending your vacation here. (after the war that is)
You will also notice from my photos that the El Alamein battlefield memorial and surrounding are was another favorite. This is a heck of a long trek from Cairo but well worth it, bring plenty of bottled water. The local nomads, bedoins or villagers have been digging up battlefield souvenirs for years and will try to sell them to you. These include belt buckles, rings, uniform buttons, coins with swastikas etc. My personal feelings are that type of artifact should remain buried with the people that wore them. The locals are just trying to put food on the table for their families (this isn't exactly a high rent district) but regardless I don't feel right about it.
Most Arab and muslim countries do not subscribe to western entertainment per se, but do have certain hotels which cater to our lifestyle. You just have to ask and can usually get what you're looking for. Egypt isn't exactly a hotbed of western nightlife, although it can be found, so it's a good idea to just walk through the bazar's at night and snack on the local fare. Shopping bargains abound. As far as street food...don't ask, you may not want to know although I never got sick once and we made a point of eating from the vendors.
