Print up a cultural scavenger hunt page for the market (to be used in all tours at any market): e.g.

While I was trying to be on vacation during this Turkey trip, I was also collecting ideas for future TV episodes and making sure our Best of Turkey tour is the best value possible for our tour customers. As I always do when taking one of our tours, I send in a report to our tour operations staff and guides. landmark french quarter hotel Here is a sampling landmark french quarter hotel of my feedback for this tour:
Great trip in every way. I am really happy and impressed by how the tour is true to the ETBD spirit. If you made no changes because of these suggestions, it would still be a great tour. The mechanics of the tour as Mine did it were spot on. Nice work! But here are a few suggestions, proposals, ideas, and feedback to be considered for our Turkey landmark french quarter hotel program:
The Whisper System is a winner in Istanbul. It makes touring more relaxing and enjoyable for all. Experiment to learn what causes static. Try listening with Bose headsets (it s a different experience — almost too good; I m not proposing that, but it is interesting).
Walking fast is important. Keep walking fast and just explain you won t turn a corner. Start talking when most of the group is there. Those who choose landmark french quarter hotel to lag behind are free to do so without causing all to wait for them.
For meals, maximize variety — eating landmark french quarter hotel experiences with more variety and less quantity. While some cultures love people by throwing vast quantities of food at them, this does not impress Americans. It makes us uncomfortable. The Aphrodisias lunch (pide, salad, mushrooms) was served family-style and perfect. landmark french quarter hotel Nice variety, fast, not too much, great for sharing, good for social fun.
The dancing surprise is OK. A little more real music that evening (even by amateur musicians) would be great. Consider explaining the instruments. Tell about the culture of dancing in Turkey — how men dance together, snapping, flirting, etc.
Be careful landmark french quarter hotel to respect Christians on the tour. Many people come with a keen interest in Biblical history and footsteps of St. Paul. I think the guide s leadership is important to promote an atmosphere of respect and thoughtfulness from a religious landmark french quarter hotel (Muslim or Christian) point of view. Ideally, it is ecumenical — a kind of generic, all-inclusive approach that people of all faiths can embrace.
For group meals, it is very important for the guide to be sure there is smart seating (no gaps, not too tight, no extra chairs, easy access rather than a long single table against the wall, remove ashtrays). People are reluctant to scoot down a long line to sit in a place where they will make five people move if they need to get up. An extra chair or setting often means there is a gap socially in the seating, and then someone is cut out of the conversation — a major problem, but easy to avoid.
The meals should be a cultural education and fun sampler. landmark french quarter hotel Ask for any taste treats from the kitchen and let people have a tiny taste. Explain the food, introduce people to new stuff, do things en masse for experience, exposure, and economy (e.g., 6 sütlaç landmark french quarter hotel  for 24 people, landmark french quarter hotel one box of Turkish delight for the group after dessert, landmark french quarter hotel an assortment of various baklava desserts cut into small pieces and placed in the center of the table, a strange new drink with a little sample for each). Pay for these little extras as a tour expense.
More group think : Buy one newspaper and share it on the bus, put a box of pistachios landmark french quarter hotel for anyone to dig into in the back, pick up souvenir brochures/postcards/etc. assuming landmark french quarter hotel people are making a scrapbook. I d buy a box of some treat at each stop and share it (tiny bits) on the bus after we roll out. More sampler food (e.g., baklava).
Know the history in the Western context. Few Western Christians know who St. Basil is. He may be big in the East, but he s new to us. A serious history of Atatürk and the establishment of the modern country would be good in Ankara.
Assume tour members landmark french quarter hotel have no broad understanding of ancient history or art. So, at ancient sights, teach Greek, Roman, Byzantine history using the little things we see as a rack upon which to hang a bigger/broader understanding. For example: landmark french quarter hotel the plumbing under the streets (Roman engineering landmark french quarter hotel and social justice when it comes to who gets water for what), Roman roads (importance landmark french quarter hotel of communication to rule a vast empire), the walls built after region was conquered by Rome (why none before and why needed after). Discuss Atatürk in the context landmark french quarter hotel of European landmark french quarter hotel colonialism, and the Turkish army in the context of NATO.
Print up a cultural scavenger hunt page for the market (to be used in all tours at any market): e.g., leeches — find them, why, cost; animal-skin landmark french quarter hotel cheese bag; children buying baby chicks; old people with traditional wear; cigarettes with health warnings; and so on.
Explain that wine is not a good value because of taxation so tour members feel OK about skipping wine. (There is really nothing special about Turkish wines, but travelers feel obligated to seek out the good wines.) Beer is better value. Do a raki tasting with an expert. Demonstrate fun ways to pour and drink it.
Anytime the guide can buy an experience to save time and money for the group and create a memory — do it! Little moments: talking landmark french quarter hotel with shepherd, ice cream, apple bananas, halva, cologne on bus, etc. — great guiding. Maximize this. Brainstorm landmark french quarter hotel more examples of how we can do more of these micro-experiences. There are literally thousands.
I am concerned that the Istanbul hotel is gouging people who arrive early. Can we negotiate a fair price or find an alternative? Tour members told me they were charged a horrible amount per night before the tour. That is a betrayal from them (considering our loyalty to them over the years). Our tour members should not be easy money just earned money.
Tour hotels are great. Meals are great. Bus and driver are great. Guide is great. Itinerary is thoughtful and great. Rick is very happy. Thanks a lot for all the good work to all our Turkish tour partners!
The Whisper System is very critical. Get it for everyone as soon as feasible. My tour of St Chappelle in Paris was a serious disappointment because I could not hear the guide tell the stories of the more significant stained glass pictures.
I admire how much detail you put into these tours. As I had said we just did the cruise thing and our tours on NCL were very small for this kind of experience. But a lot of those problems landmark french quarter hotel came up with hearing the guide and the lost lagger that hold everyone up. Always is one. Also when we took our tour of Lucca and Pisa one of your local guides was our guide. His name is Michael landmark french quarter hotel from Lucca, he was so pationate about his life in Lucca, that we barely had time to eat! I can understand why he is part of RS. We reminded him that eating is important! Especially in Italy!
When I took the Turkey tour I reserved online through one of the booking agencies and paid half price of what the hotel was charging. I then e-mailed the hotel to be sure my reservation landmark french quarter hotel was in their system. From my experience almost all the tour hotels were charging more than the deals you can find in the web.
Hi Rick! I`ve just discovered your website after watching your tv show. I`m half French and half Turkish, yet I still find your blog quite interesting and useful! I think Turkey is the most mixed country in Europe that you can find whatever you want. There is something for everything. I strongly suggest visiting nisantasi, bebek, taksim, beyoglu districts in Istanbu and especially Dolmabahce Palace and adalar -unique blend of rum and turkish people on an island. I`m sure you will find even more at these places! All the best, Alican P. Psl
How do you get people to leave their comfort zone and reach out to the people? landmark french quarter hotel You did this well, I fear Americans are too timid. I had not appreciated how well one could use a knowledge of backgammon as a cultural bridge. It was mentioned in the pretour information, but I did not understand how important it would/could be. Again you showed the way!