I'm sitting here wearing my Levi's I picked up for what the shop guy called "very small price" in Kusadasi a few weeks ago.

I'd already planned on buying jeans there, so when I saw a display obviously intended to bait passersby into the shop promising "10 Calvin Klein boxer briefs for 10 Euro (the Euro symbol is not on this keyboard)"... I took the lure.

I bought my 10 pair, and instantly they began to hard-sell me on everything else in the shop. I told them I wanted some jeans, and they offered me several designer pair... for far more than I'd pay in the US. I told them this, and they asked how much I would pay. Of course, as we all know, even the best pair of jeans in the USA would never sell for more than $20.

Right?

Anyway, we tried clothes on and they brought us hot apple tea, which was amazing.

I discussed Elvis with the old Turkish man who apparently owned the place. He'd been to the USA only once, 20 years ago, but he'd seen Graceland.

"You go to Elvis palace?"

Yes, I have been to Elvis palace.

When a pair of jeans didn't fit, they took them to be tailored - no charge. More tea.

You don't get that kind of treatment at the mall. Not for what I paid in Turkey, at least.