S5, E6: The Surprising Charm of a Turkish Barbershop

Beth Santos, the founder of the women's travel community Wanderful, is all about planning. Her husband? Not so much. In the sixth episode of Travel Tales by Dinogo, season five, she learns the magic that unfolds when you ditch the itinerary and welcome unexpected adventures.

Transcript

I came across a meme recently that truly resonated with me. It depicted a straight couple, a man and a woman, sitting in a car. The caption read: “There are two kinds of people in this world: the one who organizes flights, books hotels, and maps out the itinerary. And then there’s the one who simply BRINGS THE VIBES! Often, these two end up together.”

I had never felt more understood in my life.

My husband Marvin and I are total opposites in many ways, yet we make a fantastic travel duo. I’m the planner, handling everything from our accommodations to train schedules. I even remind him to ask for time off from work. I thrive on checklists, detailed itineraries, and diving into Yelp reviews. A lazy beach vacation isn't my style; I prefer an active itinerary filled with exploration. Marvin, on the flip side, would relish a week on the beach with a margarita in hand. He prefers a flexible approach, which often means no plan at all, and he tends to make friends easily along the way.

Most of the time, this dynamic works out well. But occasionally, we hit bumps in the road. Like those many date nights when I let him take charge, and we end up wandering a city for hours searching for a single open restaurant because he didn't book a reservation, thinking he could just “wing it” on a Saturday. Or that time we found ourselves stuck at a highway toll booth in Portugal because he was sure he could drive a stick shift after just one lesson—and spoiler alert: he couldn’t.

But here’s a standout adventure: we’re headed to a wedding in the Greek Islands. With flights being quite pricey, I stumbled upon a clever travel hack: by flying through Istanbul, Türkiye, and staying overnight before catching a local flight to Greece, we could save hundreds—even after factoring in the hotel costs. It felt like a win-win; we’d save money and explore a place neither of us had visited before.

We have just 24 hours in Istanbul, and let’s be real, at least 8 of those hours will be spent sleeping and recovering from jet lag, so our actual time to explore is limited. I crafted a list of must-dos for our brief stay, covering all the highlights from a top 10 guide: visiting the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, enjoying a hammam, trying shisha, and perhaps even squeezing in a visit to Topkapi Palace if time allows.

As the plane touches down, I'm practically ready with my list, eager to jump into our adventure.

Marvin looks at me and says, “What I really need is a haircut.”

In that instant, time seems to stand still. The plane hovers mid-air, flight attendants freeze mid-sentence, and the orange-vested marshals on the ground become statues, their lighted batons unmoving. I glance at Marvin, wide-eyed. Did he just suggest we spend our limited time in Istanbul running errands? He must be joking!

But Marvin is dead serious. He didn't manage to get a haircut before the wedding, he insists. He really wants to look good and promises it won't take long.

The catch is, Marvin has never been to Istanbul either. We have no idea where to find a barber. As a Black man, he also wonders if anyone will even know how to cut his hair. And we’re clueless about how long it might take.

Somehow, Marvin wins this debate. I can't resist his puppy dog eyes and charming smile. I suppose that’s part of the reason I married him.

A couple of hours later, we find ourselves strolling through the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, filled with stunning mosques and grand palaces, while street vendors entice us with freshly made kebabs and beautifully woven scarves.

We venture onto a narrow side street, scanning for any sign of a barbershop. If there is one, it surely won't be on the main road. We continue walking, and honestly, I don’t see anything—but then again, I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for. Marvin seems to know, though, as if some hidden barber radar has activated. Though neither of us has visited Türkiye before, Marvin served a year in Afghanistan with the Marine Corps. Perhaps barbershops there share a resemblance to those here. He glances down another side street, takes my arm, and leads me onward. Sure enough, as if he had a sixth sense, he spots it: an older gentleman standing outside a door. Marvin makes the universal “scissors” sign with his hands, and the man nods, gesturing for us to follow him inside. We’re in! Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve just discovered a barbershop.

And this isn’t just any barbershop; it’s a tiny, cozy spot in the heart of historic Istanbul. The shop is about the size of a large closet, with just two chairs. Marvin takes a seat in one, while the barber invites me to sit in the other. In the corner, a small black-and-white TV plays Turkish shows, and the walls are adorned with countless old photographs, likely of satisfied customers and visiting Turkish celebrities—some of those photos looking like they’re from 40 or 50 years ago. Clearly, this barbershop has a rich history.

We don’t speak Turkish, and the barber doesn’t know English, but he spins Marvin’s chair around and begins cutting without a moment’s hesitation. We have no idea what to expect, but the shiny, sharp scissors in his hands remind us to hold our questions. We sit quietly and watch the haircut unfold. The barber works with impressive skill, trimming closely along the bottom for a clean hairline while leaving the top slightly longer, creating a version of a high and tight. I think to myself, “Okay, he seems to know what he’s doing with Marvin’s hair!” I catch Marvin’s eye, and it’s clear he’s thinking the same thing. The barber doesn’t ask any questions or signal for our input; he cuts with the confidence of someone who has done this his entire life. Which, to be fair, he probably has.

And then it happens: have you ever seen fire used as a tool in a haircut? Nope, I hadn’t either—until now.

As the haircut nears its end, the barber turns Marvin’s chair so he’s facing away from the mirror. Then, he takes a Q-tip and sets it ablaze. He swiftly dabs it over Marvin’s ears, singeing the hair, filling the air with the smell of burnt hair. Marvin doesn’t fully grasp what’s happening until I tell him, and I’m practically giddy with excitement. This is by far the most incredible haircut I’ve ever witnessed!

Once Marvin’s haircut is complete, we settle up with the barber and step outside. I walk out in sheer disbelief, unable to wipe the astonishment off my face. As we stroll back to the hotel, the streets we initially walked down feel even more enchanting. We chat about the whole haircut experience: the tiny barbershop, how Marvin found it so easily, the vintage photos on the walls, and of course, the fire.

Even as an experienced traveler, I’ve gained a valuable insight today: magical moments occur everywhere. The best part is that sometimes, the most enchanting experiences while traveling are the ordinary, everyday ones, because they can truly catch you off guard. Daily, regular people engage in seemingly mundane activities that are completely commonplace to them. Yet everywhere in the world, these experiences differ just a bit. Traveling allows you to see these everyday moments through a new lens.

Did I make it to Topkapi Palace? No, I didn’t. Would it have been an amazing experience if I had? Absolutely. I won’t dispute that for a second.

But I wouldn’t trade our day at the Turkish barbershop for anything.

Without Marvin’s influence, I would never have stumbled into a tiny, tucked-away barbershop in Istanbul, surrounded by photos of vintage Turkish celebrities and the scent of singed ear hair from a flaming Q-tip. Talk about bringing the vibes!

That experience taught me to sometimes set aside the to-do list and embrace the ordinary moments of travel. For a traveler, these moments are anything but ordinary; they embody the essence of travel. It’s about stepping outside your comfort zone, trying something new, and shifting your perspective. Often, even the smallest experiences can ignite that spark.

So, when you explore a new destination, take this advice: visit the grocery store, ride public transit, drop by the library, or even . . . get a haircut.

Eager for more Travel Tales? Head to Dinogo.com/podcast, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and X. We’re @Dinogomedia. If you enjoyed today’s adventure, I hope you’ll return for more fantastic stories. Subscribing makes it easy! You can find Travel Tales by Dinogo on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. And please rate and review the show; it helps us secure amazing guests like today’s and allows other travelers to discover it.

This has been Travel Tales, a production of Dinogo Media. The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with music composed and produced by Strike Audio.

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