Hey, /trv/ I'm planning on visiting Istanbul in a few months.

>>1279272
Turkey relies on tourism for a huge amount of their GDP. Keeping tourists happy is very important, especially in a major tourist destination like Istanbul, so you'll be fine. The Turks will love you for speaking Turkish, as most of them have only mediocre English. They might overcharge you for certain things, especially at smaller shops, but you probably already know about that. You will have to actively search for a Turk in Istanbul who will give a shit about you being American beyond you being a tourist, so don't worry about hostility.

>>1279272
Just curious, what happend to your fiance?

>>1279272
Istanbul taxi drivers are one of the scummiest people on the planet. Take the public transport whenever you can.

>>1279328
Got married but then it didn't work out so well. Kinda part of the reason why I'm going in a few months.
>>1279347
They didn't seem like the best of people when I was there last time. Are bus routes publicly posted somewhere that I can check? I'm fine with the metro but that's a little more limited in getting me places.
>>1279292
How about pharmacies and whatnot? I'm not planning on buying too many touristy things but I may need to get things like Tylenol or something for my stomach. I know of the big markets and stuff but to my knowledge I'm not sure if there's a reliable pharmacy chain there or if it's mostly individually owned ones.

But overall thanks, I'll take all of this into consideration.

>>1279528
I went with an old lady who required painkillers for her back due to surgery, and she found it easy enough to get some Tylenol or whatever from a small pharmacy. In my experience you'll be looking at mostly independently owned pharmacies. Figure out where you're staying, and the first day you get there figure out where the pharmacies are, and don't be too shy to ask the owners/manager/employees what time they close and open. If you can't find anything just ask the hotel staff and they will know at least one place for sure.

>>1279272

I don't know why other Americans are so touchy about traveling overseas. Unless you're going to Afghanistan or another country wherein Islamic terrorism is incredibly prevalent, you're not likely to run into any issues. Most people in most parts of the world are quite capable of differentiating between a people and their government.

I've visited Turkey several times and never had any particularly bad experiences with the locals. They're always pleased when foreigners make an honest attempt to speak Turkish. Folks are very accommodating and hospitable, especially outside the larger cities.

I was there during the Gezi Park protests in 2013 and never felt endangered, despite staying less than three minutes walking from Taksim Square. The police were cunts, but the local people were quite kind.

You're golden if you can communicate in Turkish, as English is next to nonexistent in Turkey.

>>1279607
I suppose its because I visited last year right after the coup attempt so shit was a little heated. Wanted to make sure it won't always be like that.