Random Travel Moment #5: Encounter with a Turkish Van Cat and a Carpet Casanova

What would you do if you spotted a mysterious Turkish Van cat, with two different colored eyes, while exploring a town? You’d take its photo, right?

Turkish Van Cat

That’s what I did. And then, as a result, I got drawn into something totally unexpected. Here’s the story…

Where: Seljuk, Turkey

I was wandering around Seljuk–recuperating after a very hot day over at Ephesus–trying to walk away from a Kurdish store owner who was trying to sell me something–anything, that is.

He had scarves, jewelry and pretty much everything, except Turkish rugs/carpets. And that was a relief because I was tired of looking at them.

What: Strolling, Not Shopping

I told him I was just strolling through town, not actually shopping. So he got me some tea and then, I did start to browse.

Eventually, I bought a cheap watch and figured I could finally break away from him. It was the watch, however, that broke. I bought a second one. Then, I said goodbye to Ali.

Who: Marvesh, the Van Cat

But then, I spotted Marvesh, the Van cat. Its lovely white coat and mysterious eyes caught my attention.

And that’s when the trouble began. The cat was sitting under a chair and near some large carpets that had been folded and piled up nearby.

Unexpected Challenge: Ali, the cat owner, was a ‘Carpet Casanova’ in disguise

I made the mistake of saying, “Nice carpets.” Minutes later, I was pulled  into Ali’s other shop, the one I hadn’t noticed, where he began the sales pitch–and the flirting.

Because of that combo, I gave him the name: “Carpet Casanova.” (Sorry I don’t have a photo, but if you can, imagine a Kurdish man with beady eyes who resembles Woody Allen.) I didn’t call him that to his face, of course.

Anyway, I suspect that the cat was not just his pet, but perhaps a ploy to get people to stay and shop even longer. What do you think?

Did I Buy a Carpet?

Well, I’d like to tell you, but this is part of one of the stories in my book (which I’m hoping to publish in April or May). I’d hate to spoil it (a lot more happens after meeting Marvesh–including an encounter with another Carpet Casanova whose skills were even more honed).

If you’d like to read a free chapter at some point and learn about future discounts and giveaways, please sign up for my monthly newsletter. You may also want to follow me on Facebook and to subscribe to this site’s RSS feed.

Your thoughts?

What do you think about these Van cats and their mysterious eyes? Would you have stopped to take the photo?

Would like to own a cat like this or would the eyes bother you? Or are you more of a dog person?

Have you ever been sidetracked by something in a store and then end up staying longer as a result? If so, where was it and what happened? Do you think it (whatever it was) was there intentionally to keep you there longer?

Can’t get enough?

If you’ve enjoyed this, then you’ll love the other Random Travel Moments. In one of them, I met an “Arnold S” look-alike. In another, I “got scarfed” in Eastern Turkey. Fun stuff!

Link Love

Like Turkish Van cats? Then check out these links:

The Turkish Van Site

Cats 101: Turkish Van (video from Animal Planet)

PS: They are some truly fascinating cats. They actually like to swim!

Photo credit: Thanks to Jess and Peter over on Flickr for use of this photo.