Sony (Turkey)

I have been wonderful for a while now why Sony cameras are so ridiculously expensive here in Turkey. Look at the International prices for any of Sony's cameras right now..and then come to Turkey 4 years later... The cameras will still have the same price tag. I am not joking at all.. The old Nex 3... 999tl. I saw the original Nex 7 for between 2500tl and 3500tl. This camera line has been discontinued technically.. Since their siblings are now not called Nex anymore. This fact too should have made the cameras cheaper by now.

These prices are even expensive if they just came out now. Never mind 2 -  3 year old products.

I went into a Sony Service center shop today in the Kenyon shopping center at Levent. They sold me an external battery charger for my Nex 6 for 125tl. They laughed when I asked about additional batteries. I need to import that it seems. The sales person explained to me that the Sony shops in Turkey are franchises.. They do not get support from Sony. Which means... They cannot sell the products at a discounted price even if the products are old. They buy the products at a relatively high price and due to turkey's wonderful import taxes.. They end up with a small margin on profit on products that most people in Turkey cannot afford. Which also means they are unwilling to lower the prices.. Since it will lead to direct losses.

Now whether all of that is completely true.. I don't know. But it is one of the small things that add to my growing dislike of Sony. For my camera.. For example.. I cannot even buy the time lapse app... Because it's restricted for some reason in some countries. So I have very sympathy for the fact that Sony is doing so miserably these days. When you beg a company to take your money so you can download an app.. And they make it difficult for you to do.. Then.. Well.. I hope you sink.

Hospitals

Trying to get medical help can be a bit of a challenge - especially in an emergency. I highly recommend that you check with your health insurance which Hospitals are covered by your policy before you get sick. There are different policies.. And even though a hospital might be listed on your insurance's website.. They might not appreciate YOUR insurance package.

For anyone reading this.. As of the time that I post this.. Please beware that the German Hospital in taksim is closed. It's still listed on Google maps.. But it's not open. Also note that the Taksim Emergency Hospital really apparently only take emergencies (presumably that arrive via ambulance only.. There literally is no one there as far as I could see from the gate).

I tried the Amerikan Hastanesi (hospital) close to Osmanbay Metro station. You just walk in.. Ask at the reception where the department is that you are looking for {literally every type of major medical ailment has its own department}.. This compartmentalization makes the whole process a lot more streamlined... And reduces the waiting time before you see a specialist.

Unfortunately I ran into a problem here. I gave the reception lady at the medical unit my Allianz insurance card... Filled in forms.. And then received a hospital membership card. A specialist doctor came to see me and in terms of service.. This is as good as you can imagine. The doctor that helped me travels between America and Turkey every month.. He is clearly very good. The problem came after the consultation when the receptionist kindly told me that my Allianz insurance is not good enough.. And that I must pay 310tl for the consultancy. I was a bit shocked since I would have gone elsewhere if they told me this before hand. The doctor wanted to get me onto a CT scanner... But a scan like that is in the order of 750tl (according to a quote that I got at acibadem Hospital.. See below).. And after the 310 tl surprise... I wasn't so keen on more surprises.

Long story short.. I called Allianz.. And they said that the best hospital for my Type-B insurance package is a hospital down the road from the amerikan one.. Called Acibadem hastenesi. They are not as open to walkins like the Amerikan hospital. They seem to prefer that you make an appointment first.. So unlike the other hospital I had to wait at the reception area for someone to come and see me (it looks like a 5 star hotel inside.. See photos) . A wonderful lady called Ezci came to help me.. And literally ran around for 20min to various places to try and help me. She was also surprised by my experience at the Amerikan hospital. She found out that the Allianz system was down.. And that until it was up and running again they would be unable to tell me whether my policy would pay for a 750 tl scan.

So after spending nearly 400tl (I got a bag full of pills at least).. I really didn't get any help that would justify the expense.

So.. If you are reading this... And you haven't gone through the whole medical system here yet. Do your research now. When you really need help.. It's not that easy to do it then. 

PS.  Make sure that ıf you have ınsurance that ıt ıs actıvated!!   Some fellow foreıgners had an experıence somethıng sımılar to me - they went to a hospıtal and the hospıtal wasnt happy wıth theır ınsurance.  It seems ıt wasnt actıvated (dont ask me how thıs ıs possıble).  So ıt ıs hıghly recommended that you call the number on the back of the ınsurance card that they call you to make sure that everythıng ıs ın workıng order - and that you have the green lıght to be sıck. :)