One passage of the reading that I found particularly interesting was that fezzes were banned from Turkey in 1925. We usually associate the fez with Turkish culture, but it has been almost a century since they were 'bidden' in the country. The fez is associated with the old Turkey, not the new, modern, westernized Turkey.
An example of the interaction between economics and culture is the transition from the 'authentic' Turkey to the Turkey that caters to tourism. This is evident in the mixture of Turkish, American, and German cultures described on the main street. On page 8, the author writes "...The incursions of English and German had rendered Turkish a minority language. The author describes the presence of 'handburgers', and 'doner kebap' being advertised as traditional Turkish cuisine, as well as the European pop music played on the street to block out the sounds of the nearby mosque. Economics and culture interact in two ways in this prologue; resorts in Turkey modernizing in order to attract tourists, and tourists becoming attracted to what they see as 'authentic' Turkish culture(the fez).
The leading destination is Dakar. It is the nations capital, located on the beach, and one of the biggest ports in West Africa. There is an international airport, hospitals, universities, museums, and booming nightlife, and is famous for its large markets. Another popular destination is L'ile de Gorée, or Goree Island. It is located just off the coast of Dakar. It is famous for its history in the slave trade, and is home to the popular pilgrimage site, le Maison des Eclaves(house of slaves). It is a popular destination for African-americans who with to reflect upon their ancestry. Rebta Lake (Pink Lake) is a lake in Senegal that is a shade of red due to its high salt content and unique bacteria. It is a one-of-a-kind, and is the only pink lake in the world. It is also a popular destination for the fascinating salt harvesting that takes place.
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