If there are a million rug stores in Istanbul, there are five million rug salesmen, not just standing in front of their shops, but deployed in every city square and park frequented by potential customers. "Are you American? My cousin lives in Chicago. Are you going to the Blue Mosque today? Don't worry, I'm not a tour guide" This invitation to converse is encountered in all the popular sightseeing locales in Istanbul. After a day or so, one learns how to politely deflect it. My slant was to immediately acknowledge that I knew they were rug salesmen but to plead poverty, my wife having spent all of our money on four rugs purchased just yesterday.