The Other Istanbul Part 1

This is the first part of my documentary about Istanbul. Istanbul has been chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2010, so no doubt there will be lots of other films about Istanbul representing the official view. However, this film is different, because it is from a different angle. I hope you enjoy watching it.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Istanbul
• Documentary
• Expatriates in Istanbul

[PLQENQS4]

I don't think it's the same with church bells.Church bells don't say "God is great, god is glorious" at least.Turkey is a secular state and I think it's disrespectful for people from different religions."99% popularity of Turkey is Muslim" is a big lie, it's just the thing on birth certificate.

[MrErtunc]

@PLQENQS4 Unfortunately the above comment is true... and a shame on the Turkish state. Every Turkish citizen must have an ID card and carry it on them - a similar scheme was proposed by the British Government, but it was rejected so it didn't become a law in the UK - On the ID card, it says 'Religion: Islam', which you cannot change. On the ID cards of the members of minority groups such as Armenians or Rums (Turkish Greeks) write a different religion.

[MrErtunc]

... This is very discriminatory and racist. It is a residue from the Ottoman era, which doesn't give an ordinary person a choice... I respect everyone's beliefs, but people should be given a choice and religion must be free of politics.

[jaxiusful]

... in our cities in europe there are more and more disturbing and senseless noises, but people don't care about it... so I am sure that the loudness of the noise is not the problem for these people who don't like calls to prayer, but the problem is the what they represent. I feel pleasure when in Istanbul the noise of traffic is broken by a human voice who reminds people that our life is temporary and we must be grateful to our creator, however we call him. I hope they build a mosque in my town

[MrErtunc]

@jaxiusful The loudness of prayers from the mosques make the noise problem in Istanbul worse. Not only non-muslims (Turks or foreigners), but also muslims (some of my Turkish friends, for example) get disturbed by the loudspeakers, which usually are of inferior quality and distort the sound terribly when they turn the volume up to the max level. This happens five times a day, and at night you could be waken up a number of times if your house is not far away from a mosque.

[ritareem]

This is not a documentary about istanbul. To be accurate, change the title to documentary about Bill, who loves his drink, cigarettes and having problems with paying his rent.

[MrErtunc]

@ritareem

Why do you think that Bill loves having problems with paying his rent?

[12081985]

@coolfly005 i see, well a true traveller shouldnt be bothered by such a thing...because it is a part of adventure, that prayer is a charm of turkey... ;)

[MrSarpkaya]

There is a very high probability that you may not get paid or underpaid if you are foreigner trying to survive on a tourist visa and no work & live permit.. I assume Bill did not have a work permit becoz if he had , then he could easily sue his bosses` ass and get paid in 6 to 8 weeks with the legal interest and lawyer fees on top.. In USA without a proper visa, you can not open a bank account, get a cell phone even rent an apartment unless you rent it from a rentee.So , Bill was lucky here.

[PLQENQS4]

@MrErtunc Disturbs me, too, as a citizen.

[coolfly005]

@illfixit4you i did, because of scumbags like you who have no respect or whatsoever for foreigners and other cultures. i might complain about something but that's just me stating my opinion, i'm not DEMANDING anything. know the difference. I'm back in the US, and happy.

[Dysfunctional1017]

Nice intro, Bill.

[paflagonian]

If you don't like the prayer call you can come back to your home, I'm Turkish and I live in Canada and every time when I jingle bells I never think like you especially if I'm a immigrant here, respect!

[illfixit4you]

@coolfly005 hey you too..gtfo of then, if you don't like it...they not gonna change the timing for the prays for you ass.

[illfixit4you]

Turkcem zayif oldugundan ingilizce yaziyorum..Now..Bill is having a problems paying his rent..and then his commenting that he lives in a place called slum..then his complaining that some time when he works his boss wont pay him..Bill,do you really thing that if you did live in your home country(I don't give fuck where he is from) you wouldn't have such a problems..Problems are every where,dude!So just enjoy been in the greatest city on universe... don't cry like a little bitch..