I have to wear what?: Or How to Not be an Obnoxious Travler

All is still in the sultry night air. Suddenly, a ringing "gong" reverberates throughout the city disturbing the stillness. All is silent for a moment, and my family and I stop to stare. Everyone else, however, goes back to their business. An amplified voice rings out, chanting prayers in a language foreign to our ears.

This happens every day, five times a day, and it is one of the things I miss most about Istanbul. It's an amazing sound. All the major mosques call out their prayers on their megaphones, and it seems like they are sending the prayers back and forth to each other, as if in concert.

One thing you should definitely not do, if you don't want to be an obnoxious traveler, is make fun or mimic in any way the prayer calls that occur everyday. They are sacred and should be treated as such. Also, all demeaning or joking comments pointed towards Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Turkish flag, the Turkish customs and traditions, and the Turkish Republic are considered offensive and are also illegal.

Other topics to avoid:
The deaths of the Armenians in the last months of the Ottoman Empire (Armenians consider it a genocide, but Turkey refuses to acknowledge it and says they lost just as many lives)
Don't talk positively about the Kurds, or even bring them up at all (The Kurds are trying to break away from Turkey, but most Turkish people are fiercely nationalistic and have bad feelings toward the subject)

Gestures to avoid
The OK sign we do with our finger and thumb. It has homosexual connotations.
Thumbs up. It's considered rude.
Avoid clicking your tongue. It's a gesture of dismissal.

Etiquette in Mosques
If you are in Turkey you will inevitably visit a mosque at some time, so here are some tips.
Dress conservatively. Knee length skirt and long sleeves, or at least pants are required. Pants and long sleeves for men, although shorts are starting to be allowed in the major mosques.
Shawls or scarves for your head are often provided at the entrance, but you could also bring your own. Or bring a jacket with a hood.
Shoes should be removed before entering a mosque (or anyone's house either) so have non holey socks.
Worshippers are often in the front part of the mosque, so if they are praying don't walk in front of them, or talk in a loud voice. If prayer sessions are going on, you might be asked to leave


Asalamu Alaykum (Go in Peace)











Links:

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/Religion/mosque_etiquette.html
(Etiquette tips, as well as other tips on traveling in Turkey)

http://www.marmarisland.com/Turkey-guide/Ugly-tourist/Uglytourist.htm
(I think this must have been written by a Turkish person. There are a lot of weird grammar mistakes, but it's kind of funny. One of the sections is how to be a "beautiful tourist")

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/home/
(Turkish daily newspaper)

http://www.istanbultourist.com/
(A great website for booking and planning your trip to Turkey)