Aagh- the choice of Istanbul was not a reference to pulykamell’s post! It wasn’t there when I posted, honest.
Hey, it works. Helps support the point I’ve been making all along. 
I’ve always interpreted that to mean countries where you’ve cleared immigration and customs, not just an “in-transit” airport.
Yes, and that’s part of my greater point, that context is important. In most contexts, being in transit in an airport doesn’t count as having “been to” that city or “visiting” that city.
There was a hypothetical about what you would say under oath. I don’t know if the customs declarations counts as being “under oath,” (I don’t recall a “penalty of perjury clause”) but you do sign a statement in large capital letters that all the information contained therein is truthful. So, yes, I (and, from what I can tell when helping other people fill out their customs forms, many others) leave those transit points off, and still claim to be truthful in regards to what countries I’ve visited. I don’t even feel like I’m telling a teeny tiny white lie or anything.
I don’t think you are either. But I’m stubbornly sticking to strict construction on this point, not for any good reason, I just get that way sometimes.
I think this is where you are getting hung up. There are no misunderstandings because people don’t count airports. You’re the only one arguing that being in an airport counts as having visited a city, and you said yourself you are only doing that to be pedantic.
There’s too many cases too vague to count. Once I was on a tour to the “Golden Triangle” with tour guide renting a boat and going to a point in the Mekong River he claimed was the exact 3-way intersection of Laos, Burma and Thailand. Does that count as a “visit” to Laos? I hope so – it would make my country count a round 30.
Many visitors to America have made several trips but been nowhere there but Manhattan Island and a nearby airport. Do these count? (I suppose some New Yorkers would take the opposite view: trips to U.S. don’t count unless you’ve been to Manhattan. :dubious: ) I visited about three dozen of the U.S. States when I was repairing mainframes, visiting only a computer basement and nearby hotel, restaurant and airport. (A recent thread asked about Columbus, Ohio – I thought of posting a particularly interesting computer bug from that city. :smack: )
I like the criterion I stated upthread: Don’t count a visit unless you had sex. My count of U.S. states then plummets to about a half-dozen, or, again, slightly more depending on definition of “is.”
You are really asking if people who have visited Manhattan can say they’ve been to America? Really? :dubious:
(Psst, no one calls it Manhattan Island.)
Yeah, I don’t get this one. Of course you’re in America if you’ve been to Manhattan. What kind of ambiguity is there?
I was trying to be somewhat whimsical. 
Yes, I do know few understand my humor or whimsy. That I wasn’t serious was, I’d hoped, implied by my own rebuttal (“I suppose some New Yorkers would take the opposite view: trips to U.S. don’t count unless you’ve been to Manhattan.”)
I’d explain some of the humorous nuances, but am afraid it would just leave y’all more befuddled or aghast at me. :smack:
I am of the school that to count as a visit you have to do more than hit the airport/train station/bus station or banzai through on the high speed limited access road.
I would consider at a minimum eat, sleep and hit at least one tourist trap. That is one reason that when we plan road trips we try to vary the route so we can stop and do touristy fun stuff along the way, and try interesting places to eat. [well that is also because most fast food gives me the shits which on a road trip gets perilous for keeping to a schedule.] One of our silly bucket list goals is also a list of food festivals like the Garlic Festival, the Artichoke Festival and Tater Day 
This is silly!
This is silly too! I can’t decide which one is sillier. They’re both very, very silly. Thanks for the whoosh!
