Travel Jokes

Istanbul, 2006—a time when GPS was not as commonly used as it is today. On the weekend, I asked the hotel reception, “Is there a place where I can see tulip flowers?” The answer was, “Yes, a park is just a 15-minute walk from here.”  I started walking, and after some time, I came across a sign that read  ‘ Oto Park >>’ . Assuming it was the park I was looking for, I followed the directions and eventually arrived at an enclosed area filled with parked cars. Confused, I asked someone nearby, “Where is the Oto Park?” He replied, “This is ‘Oto Park.’”  It was then I learned that in Turkish, Oto Park’ means a car park or parking lot, not a park with flowers!

The incident happened during my trip to Madrid, just a few months after the Football World Cup. I’m not a vegetarian but very selective about non-vegetarian food. We had a team dinner in Madrid, and just before the meal, they served cocktails along with snacks like olives and onion rings. I enjoyed the onion rings, even though they were harder inside than the ones I was used to. When the plates were cleared, I overheard someone mention the word “Calamari.” Curious, I asked the person next to me what calamari was, and he explained that what I thought were onion rings was actually calamari. In that moment, I couldn’t help but visualize squids and ‘Paul the Octopus,’ the World Cup’s famous prediction star.

Whenever I travel to a new place, I first look for an Indian or Lebanese restaurant. If I cannot find one, I go to a familiar fast-food chain. I try local food only after a day or two, once I feel comfortable. In a Middle Eastern country, I was searching for Indian food when I saw a restaurant called “Nando’s.” Back home, I have friends with the name Nandu, we used to call them “Nandoo,” so I thought it was Indian. But when I stepped inside, I realized it was a South African brand. Even though it was not what I expected,  I really enjoyed the experience.