This post is an updated post of one on Facebook when in Istanbul about my experience of street shoe shiners
Coming to Turkey the 1st thing I noticed was how big smoking still is here in Turkey. From the guys on the bus from Georgia asking me to take cigarettes for them across the border, to all restaurants and bars still having smoking allowed on the premises. Also walking to my Hotel one evening I walked past a policewoman who was taking a cigarette break. Interesting how this impacts your thinking when you are not used to it anymore.
But the main post was my experience of street shoeshine guys in Istanbul. After posting this post on Facebook it was confirmed by a fellow traveler and the manager at the Ararat Hotel that indeed this was a "sales technique" and you do get pressured to paying for the shoe cleaning.
"Right .. now that got the "no taxi" post out of the way ... here a quick share of my day. HEADS-UP BE AWARE OF THE SHOESHINE GUYS... and clearly ... I DO LOOK LIKE A TOURIST! 🙂
Yesterday a shoeshine guy dropped his brush in front of me and I noticed it .. picked it up .. and being grateful offered me a free shoe clean. I politely refused. Well it happened again today. The second time .. 3 guys walking past me... one dropped his brush right in front of me ... I could not miss it. Again I picked it up ... and yip... I was a real gentleman and he offers me a free shine. After a good handshake and tussle I was able to free myself. Walking away ... I was like ... "wow .. this is Brilliant" and thinking what shall I do when this happens again. Shall I see what happens when he gives me a free shine? Anyway ... I had just just crossed the Galata bridge (pictures here) and bought myself a boiled corn on the cob (80cents US BTW) .. .and would you believe it ... it happened again!!!! This time I notice 2 shoeshine guys sitting ahead of me .. one gets up really quickly and walks away from me .. and yip .. his brush falls down! However I pretend not to notice .. with too much focus on eating my corn. Stepping past the brush his mate shouted to him that he had dropped the brush. Clearly folks I look like a tourist and they can see me a mile off. Not sure what the deal is. was thinking of testing it out. But if it happens again .. I will just smile and shake him by the hand... but a heads-up and maybe someone knows what the deal is!"