Travel Tales from Exotic Places like Salford

The following conversation took place in Istanbul and is an extract from my book ‘Travel Tales from Exotic Places like Salford‘.

I had dinner in a restaurant that’s located in a mosque complex. It’s so atmospheric having a huge salad, pistachio kebab, and a pitta the size and shape of a small tortoise when seated on a Turkish couch that’s purple in colour with pink cushions and cyan throws cast lazily over it. The restaurant is in what used to be the courtyard of the baths. The weather was warm, really warm, but not humid and there were some
clouds in the blue sky. I saw that Turnip juice was on the menu so I ordered a Turnip juice.

The waiter looked at me and said,

“Where are you from?”

“England.”

“You won’t like it, you won’t like the juice.”

“Why?”

“The taste – it is very strong.”

“I don’t mind that – I won’t mind that at all.”

“You would prefer Raspberry juice – it is sweeter.”

“It says Raspberry sorbet though – I want a drink – can I try the Turnip juice please?”

“I bring you Raspberry cold drink and a test of the Turnip juice just to see.”

So he brings me both – I taste the Turnip juice.

“That is good I like it.”

“It is too strong for you – the Raspberry is better for you.”

“Well I like the Turnip juice.”

“OK, but English people don’t like the Turnip – too strong they say, not sweet.”

We left it at that but the Turnip juice is good although it does leave a lingering afterburn long after the food has gone down.