Aside from the crazy drivers, the busy streets are fun, alive, and full of anything that you might need. My street, 8th street, is packed with shops. 7th street has a similar feel, but even more people. I can stop at any small grocery to pick up a snack, or buy slippers from the next shop over. I could find bed sheets one door down, and cables for my TV in the next place. It really is great to have so many separate shops, instead of megastores! And by the way, my first day here I went with some teammates, and we bought my bed sheets at a grocery store!
There are two metro lines, forming a cross through the city, and go to most parts of Ankara. I have a stop right by my apartment, but have only used it once. I was surprised by how clean and bright the metro is! The walls were shiny, and the lighting was bright, unlike in some cities, where i am nervous to go down at any time of day, here i feel totally safe. That is a general feeling here for me. I feel safe at any hour of the day, as there are always people on the streets. The walk from the rink to my apartment is along a busy street, so even if I walk home after a late practice (some nights we have played until 1am!), I feel totally safe.
7th street is lined with many cafes, and it is a good place to meet friends for a coffee or tea. Turks say that they themselves are lazy. Im not sure about that, but they do seem to love sitting around with friends, drinking tea. I can imagine that the outdoor cafes are extremely busy during summer here. That is, is everyone has not gone south to the coast for vacation...
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