Indeed, the memories of Istanbul that left the deepest imprint on our minds came from mingling with the locals in the modern district, especially at its daily market. The first step into the market transported my friends and I back to a scene in the Silk Road. Nearly four thousand stalls piled high with fruit and silks charmed our eyes with mountains of colour. Every shopkeeper implored us to try their goods. Even though we could barely communicate in Turkish, they yelled “China! China!” and offered us handfuls of their wares, from nuts rich with flavour to mulberries that stained our fingers purple. Whenever our faces lit up at the taste, the shopkeepers would smile with an eyebrow raised as if to say “I told you so.” In a fit of mouth-watering hunger, my friends and I purchased an entire watermelon and decided to slice it up right there. The watermelon had echoed when we tapped it, so we had a hunch that this would be juicy and sweet. The shopkeeper stabbed his knife into the rind and pushed down with a resounding crack. He peeled away one slice and cheered “ooooohhh!” He showed us the ruby red flesh and the juice that sloshed off his knife. He and I shared the same grin that stretched from ear to ear. “Oooohhhhh!” We cheered with him this time as he made seven more cuts, each emitting a louder crack than the last. As we crammed our faces with watermelon, the shopkeeper simply watched us with a smile. The joy dancing in his eyes reflected his happiness at how he had an opportunity to show off the best of his city. We were graced with the best example of this hospitality by meeting up with a local university student who had attended Georgetown as an exchange student. Although we had never met before, our conversation over dinner quickly became an endless stream of jokes and laughter, not to mention praises of Istanbul. Not only did she show us some of the most authentic Turkish cuisine, but she also took us to one of the best ice cream shops, and then led us on a scenic walk along the coast to a trendy bar. By the time we hugged each other goodbye, it was already 2:30 in the morning. Her dedication to showing off the best of her city to guests represents the best of Turkish hospitality. Her gift to us was her city.
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