What has changed in Turkey after I left?

1. Now, almost all banks in Turkey has a foreign partner or owner.


2. Children are more spoiled.


3. Almost everyone is smoking, now.


4. Everything is more expensive now, especially in small towns like Mudanya.


5. Women celebrities are dating with, or marrying to younger men, at least 10 year younger.
   
   
6. There are many new traffic regulations, rules, ways and passageways to relieve traffic.
   


7. Yet, traffic is worse in Istanbul now. (Some interpret this as wealthiness of the country. But, not me because there is still no effective resolution for public transportation, so more cars are in the traffic.)


8. Starbucks is on every corner in Istanbul as in New York.


9. You cannot pay with cash at The Bosphorus Bridge anymore; toll booths accept only KGS-special magnetic cards- and OGS -are unmanned and equipped only with a remote payment system-. Cash payments are accepted only at the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, about five kilometers to the north.
   
   
10. There are several Raki manufacturers, various brands and tastes for Raki. It used to be only Tekel -literally meaning 'monopoly'- as a company, Yeni Raki and Tekirdag Rakisi as a brand.
    
    

A line, but a beautiful one:

"Look up at the milky way if it is a clear moonlit night, and if it rains,
you know why." - The Night of Sevens -
"Formosa Musings" by Lilian, writing from Japan at
Tarkan Deluxe.