In Turkey I am beautiful by Brendan Shanahan

This book is from Chris’ collection from his pre-me era. The times when he was an adventurous traveller in search of his soul mate through the countries of the world until exotic Manchester brought us together. We were running from the rain and we bumped into each other in bus shelter and we didn’t stop talking for days and days. This is how the movie version of our lives will go. The reality is just as exciting but a bit less cinematographic.

The book would have resonated a lot more if I would have waited to read it before traveling to Turkey. As a result of not reading it in tandem with an upcoming travel plan, the story line I enjoyed the most was the time the author spent in the carpet shop in Istanbul. One peculiar thing that stuck with me was the annoying traveller who said ‘fair enough’ and as a result I feel like using ‘fair enough’ all the time.

Chris got the book and read it before his travels around Turkey. This book led him to get ‘Snow’ by Orhan Pamuk. Consequently I read ‘Snow’ and now ‘Istanbul’ is on my shelf waiting for it’s turn. I enjoyed picturing Chris hoping around from city to city and I was trying to match what was I doing at that time. Probably tapping my foot to the ground waiting for him. I got all curious when I found a postcard in the book addressed to Chris. I was imagining secrets revealing themselves in this hidden postcard. As soon as I saw Épicerie on the front I knew it was family related and my detective work was quickly done. On his trip Chris acquired a beautiful carpet. When we were living in the student residence and Chris and I were flatmates, the first time I saw his room, I was a bit surprised by the carpet. I remember thinking: ‘Hmmm How funny that Australians have similar carpets to Romanians’. Well now this pretty Turkish carpet greets us every day at home. It is not the most representative photo of it but here is.