Fast Facts

American Express -- Amex has yet to establish a strong presence in Turkey. Türk Express is the official representative of Amex Travel Related Services in Turkey, at Cumhuriyet Cad. 91/1 Elmadag in the Hilton Hotel (tel. 0212/230-1515). American Express also provides a toll-free access number within Turkey for Global Assist (tel. 312/935-3601).

ATM Networks -- Banks on the Cirrus or PLUS network include Akbank, Garanti Bankasi, Yapi Kredi Bankasi, and Ziraat Bankasi.

Business Hours -- The reality is that if there are customers, the shops will stay open. Official hours of operation for shops are Monday through Saturday 9:30am to 1pm and 2 to 7pm, but I've yet to find a store closed at lunchtime, and increasingly, shops are opening on Sunday afternoons. Visitors to Istanbul take note that the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Spice Market are both closed on Sunday. Museums and palaces are generally open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30am to 5 or 5:30pm, while the closing day for palaces is Tuesday, Thursday, or both. Banks are open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to noon and 1:30 to 5pm. Government offices are open Monday through Friday 8:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30 to 5:30pm.

Driving Rules -- Seat belts are compulsory, and the driving age is 18. Helmets are compulsory for motorcycles; motoring offenses result in an on-the-spot fine. In case of an accident, leave the vehicle where the incident occurred and call the police (tel. 155).

Drugstores -- The sterile-looking, well-lit store with the word Eczane on the facade is a pharmacy, and will cater to most of your emergency drug needs. Pharmacists are also capable of diagnosing and addressing minor injuries and illnesses. You can even ask for a product by its brand name. (For example, Bayer Aspirin has a corner on the Turkish headache market.) Pharmacies are open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 7pm, but not to worry: There is at least one open in every district at night and on Sundays, the location of which is posted in the window of every other drugstore in the neighborhood -- in Turkish. Have your hotel send someone over to pick up whatever you need.

Electricity -- The standard is 220 volts, and outlets are compatible with the round European two-prong plug. Laptops are generally self-regulating, but check with your manufacturer before plugging in. You may be able to leave your hair dryer at home, as most hotel rooms come equipped with at least a weak one.

Emergencies -- For fire dial tel. 110; for general first-aid emergencies (ambulance included) dial tel. 112. For other health services or to call for a private ambulance in Istanbul: International Hospital Ambulance (tel. 0212/663-3000); Istanbul Health Services (European side tel. 0212/247-0781; Asian side tel. 0216/302-1515). In Ankara call Bayindir Hospital Ambulance (tel. 0312/287-9000), or call Özel Ambulans Servisi (tel. 0312/425-1565).

Holidays -- The official holidays are New Year's Day (Jan 1), Independence and Children's Day (Apr 23), Youth and Sports Day (May 19), Victory Day (Aug 30), and Republic Foundation Day (Oct 29). Banks, public offices, and schools are closed for these national holidays. Although a secular state, most Turks also celebrate Seker Bayrami, a 3-day celebration punctuating the end of the feast of Ramadan (Oct 23-25, 2006; Oct 12-14, 2007), and Kurban Bayrami (Dec 31, 2006-Jan 3, 2007; Dec 20-23, 2007), a 4-day feast honoring Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to God. All Islamic holidays follow a lunar calendar and thus fall on different dates every year: Banks, governmental offices, and most shops are closed on these days.

Internet Access -- Most hotels now provide free Internet as part of the hotel's services. ISDN lines are also becoming standard equipment in better hotels. Wireless access is even becoming quite prevalent. If you and 20 other people are relying on the hotel computer, there's still bound to be an Internet cafe nearby. They're still dirt-cheap -- a fact that almost makes up for the excruciatingly slow transfer of data. An hour of Internet use costs anywhere from 1.75YTL to 11YTL ($1.25-$8), depending on where you are. For dinosaur dial-up users, AOL's local access number in Istanbul is tel. 0212/234-6100. AT&T Business Internet Services can be accessed at tel. 0212/399-0001 and 0212/3990050. Both charge supplementary connection fees.

Language -- In tourist areas, English, French, and German are widespread, but that doesn't absolve you of the responsibility of learning a few much-appreciated basics such as "please," "thank you," "how much," and "where's the toilet.".

For the linguistically challenged, it may not be so unusual to encounter some minor language barrier outside of main tourist areas (including, surprisingly enough, established restaurants), but the inherent willingness of the Turks to help combined with a little sign language and a lot of laughs will almost always do the trick.

Legal Aid -- Foreigners and tourists get the benefit of the doubt in most every run-in with the law, but there are some things you just can't talk your way out of. For real trouble, contact your embassy or consulate for assistance and ask for their list of private law firms catering to English-speaking foreigners.

Liquor Laws -- For a predominantly Muslim country, it might be surprising that alcohol is even sold in Turkey. The truth is, the drinking of alcohol is not an issue: Some do, some don't. Beer, wine, and spirits are readily available in restaurants, bars, and liquor stores, and theoretically you have to be at least 18 to purchase or consume them. Bars stay open until the people go home.

Mail -- The PTT (post office), hard to miss with its black and yellow signs, offers the usual postal services, in addition to selling tokens (jeton) and phone cards for the phone booths located in and around the post office and in most public places. Postcards cost 50YKr (35¢) to Europe and 95YKr (70¢) to all other continents. The PTT also has currency exchange and traveler's check services; in major tourist areas PTT kiosks are strategically located for emergency money needs. For express deliveries or shipping packages, the PTT operates an acele posta servisi (or APS), but for your own sense of security, you'd better stick with the old reliable UPS or DHL.

Maps -- The tourist information office should be your first stop in every destination for local maps, which are detailed and free. The only difference between the free maps and the commercial ones, available in bookstores and tourist boutiques, is that the latter are usually illustrated with icons of important sites, so you don't inadvertently stroll by the Blue Mosque without realizing it.

Newspapers & Magazines -- Turkish Daily News and the Turkish Press are Turkey's only nationally published English-language papers providing local, national, and international news. Both have websites (www.turkishdailynews.com and www.turkishpress.com). The national paper, Zaman, also has an English-language website (www.zaman.com). In the larger cities, the International Herald Tribune, USA Today, and Britain's Financial Times are widely available, although they're generally light on local news. The Guide Istanbul is a good resource for events in town (free in most five-star hotels), with interesting features and essential local listings. Cornucopia is a more upscale English-language glossy featuring articles on Turkish art, history, and culture, while Turkish Airlines' Skylife and the airport's own Gate1 shouldn't be overlooked for monthly exhibits and performances as well as features on destination-related topics.

Pets -- In a country where an overwhelming percentage of the population has difficulty affording even the basic necessities, it's not surprising that domesticated animals are an anathema. Most Turks are unaccustomed to having any direct contact with household pets. Some react with fear, and others, influenced by stiff requirements of cleanliness called for by Islam, find dogs unclean and will dramatically avoid any physical contact with one. As a result, traveling with Fido can be a real challenge: Many (but not all) hotels have strict no-pet policies, passage on a passenger ferry will require your remaining in the garage (bring a portable kennel or Sherpa bag), and major bus companies prohibit dogs onboard (but offer the luggage compartment!). Both Turkish Airlines and Delta allow pets in cargo and onboard (with restrictions), and the only thing you'll need is an international certificate of health from your veterinarian. There are no specific rabies requirements for entry into Turkey but there certainly are for the return, so make sure your pet's vaccinations meet U.S. requirements.

Police -- Dial tel. 155 in the case of theft or in the event of a car accident, as you will need to fill out a police report for administrative and/or insurance purposes.

Smoking -- A local saying goes something like this: "Eat like a Turk, smoke like a Turk," which roughly translates to "don't expect anyone to comply with nonsmoking laws." In theory, smoking is prohibited on public transportation, in movie theaters, in airports, and the like. But realizing the hardships of driving a bus, bus companies allow the drivers to smoke. This is a good time to work on tolerance, and remember to pack Visine and to sit upwind at outdoor cafes.

Taxes -- The value-added tax (VAT or sales tax) in Turkey is called the KDV; it's 18% on all goods and services, unless you're in the market for a refrigerator or washing machine, in which case the VAT is 26%. (Ultraluxury goods are taxed at 40%, while the government adds 1% on things like butter and milk, and 8% on nonbasic foodstuffs.) Ask the shop in which you've purchased goods to provide you with the special VAT Refund Invoice, which must then be validated at the Customs Office at the airport prior to departure.

Telephones -- Telephones are operated with jetons or prepaid phone cards, both available at the post office (PTT). Phone cards are available in 30, 60, or 100 units, the latter costing about 6.75YTL ($5) and getting you approximately 5 minutes on the phone to the U.S. The Smart Card telephone system (50 units cost about 4YTL/$3; also available at the post office) operates using a superior system, but distribution of public telephones is still too limited to be very convenient.

The following access numbers will connect you with a U.S. operator for credit card or collect calls: AT&T (tel. 00/800-12277); MCI (tel. 00/800-11177); and Sprint (tel. 00/800-14477).

The dialing codes for calling your home country are 001 for the United States and Canada, 0044 for the United Kingdom, 0061 for Australia, and 0064 for New Zealand.

Dial local calls by using the seven-digit phone number; if dialing out of town, you must include 0 plus the city code. When calling a cellphone (identifiable by the 0531, 0532, 0533, 0534, 0535, 0536, and so on exchanges), you must include the zero. When dialing any number in Turkey from abroad, drop the zero. Istanbul has two city codes: 216 for the Asian side and 212 for the European side.

Time Zone -- Turkey is 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, so when it is noon in New York, it is 7pm in Istanbul.

Tipping -- Indispensable as a supplement to an already low wage, gratuities are a way of life in Turkey, and are often expected for even the most minor service. Try to keep small notes handy and follow these guidelines: give the bellhop 50 kurus to 1YTL (35¢-75¢) per bag; leave at least an additional 10% of the restaurant bill for your waiter; reward your tour guide with 14YTL to 27YTL ($10-$20) for a job well done; thank the captain of your gulet with about 68YTL ($50); and give your masseur/masseuse 4YTL ($3) before the rubdown. Shows of appreciation are also expected from your chambermaid, your barber or hairdresser, and an usher who has shown you to your seat.

Toilets -- There are two types of waste repositories in Turkey, the traditional toilet and the Turkish toilet, that dreaded porcelain contraption in the floor. Traditional toilet bowls are equipped at the rear with a tube for running water operated by a faucet located on the wall to the right of the tank, allowing for quick cleanups after every use. Many Turks and Europeans swear the Turkish toilet is hygienically superior; but having stepped in more unidentifiable liquids than I care to remember, I'm not convinced. In any case, you'll be thankful for those footrests and might even master the art of avoiding backsplash. The floor-level faucet and bucket are also for quick wash-ups (probably the reason the floor is wet); in both cases, toilet paper is for drying. Flushing the toilet paper is sometimes hazardous to the life of the plumbing, but generally when this is the case, there will be a sign above the tank requesting that you dispose of it in the nearby wastebasket. My advice? Lift your skirts high, hang on to the cuffs of your pants, and always carry tissues.

Water -- Water is an integral part of Turkish culture; when the French were perfecting the art of camouflaging fermenting bodily odors with perfume, the sultans were basting in spring water in a sky-lit marble chamber aided by a handful of naked members of the harem. Today, water runs freely in public fountains where local villagers come to refill empty 2-liter bottles. The hosing down of the sidewalks is a daily occurrence, as are the ritual cleansings at the architecturally wondrous ablution fountains found outside every mosque. In a word: Turks are squeaky clean. But the reality is that the water you bathe in is not necessarily the water you want to drink. Take it from someone with an iron constitution -- it will definitely slow you down. Drink bottled water and wash fruits thoroughly before eating.