Basketball and burgers

The Friday before last a friend of mine took me to a Besiktas (Turkish team)/Barcelona basketball game. Having never particularly thought of Turkey as a big basketball nation, I was surprised at how many people told me that this was a 'cultural' experience not to miss. They were right; Turks, as it turns out, are almost as fanatical about basketball as they are about football, and that is extremely fanatical.

It was pouring down with rain and the roads were near torrents, but this did nothing to dampen spirits as we approached the stadium. Chants were everywhere, vendors selling Besiktas merchandise were swooping in on us from all sides, the smell of the legendary 'spit-burgers' (named thus because it is rumoured that the vendors spit on them) was hanging in the air.

As we entered the stadium we were checked over by security. What my friend failed to tell me was that you aren't allowed to take coins into the stadium because apparently there have been problems in the past with people throwing them onto the court or at players. So the security guard was manically gesticulating at my coin heavy purse and I, of course, had not the faintest clue what she was talking about, but thought she might be asking for a tip. This lead to some confusion as I grudgingly offered her some money, at which point my friend grabbed me by the arm and we beat a hasty retreat back out of the stadium. And then there I was, stuffing coins down my sock. It was painfully obvious as I clinked back into the stadium entrance five minutes later, but security waved me straight through. Silly foreign girl.

Finally inside, the atmosphere was electric, and remained so throughout the entire game. I had been to a basketball game before in Boston and I thought that the fans there were pretty enthusiastic, but Turkish fans put the Americans to shame. Sorry Americans. The entire stadium, almost without exception, was not only on their feet for the duration of the game, but standing on their chairs. Chants, claps, cheers, boos, whistles and war-like arm movements continued throughout, and increased in volume as the score gap increased in numbers, and not in Besiskas' favour. The Besiktas fans maintained admirable fervour even when hope was gone.

We left the stadium with sore throats and red hands. I bought a spit-burger and it was delicious. I think the vendor's saliva really added something.