Fans have issued a warning to Ana Navarro, political commentator and co-host of The View, after making an Instagram post about her trip to Turkey.
Navarro and her husband, Al Cárdenas, went on a vacation in Turkey where they spent all of Wednesday (16 August) getting the full tourist experience in Istanbul. In the Instagram post, she shared two photos of herself inside a mosque in Galataport.
In the first photo, she was pictured wearing a white straw hat and a patterned, off-the-shoulder maxi dress with a couple of bangles to accessorise. She replaced the straw hat in the second photo with an olive green-coloured scarf, which covered her hair and shoulders.
“I did touristy stuff today,” the caption began. “Don’t ask me why I look like I only have one foot and that one foot looks ginormous. I’m a very decent size eight.”
Navarro noted in the post’s caption that she was not happy about needing to remove her shoes to enter the mosque because she said its carpet was “yuck”.
“I wish I’d worn socks,” her caption read. “Walking barefoot on a carpet where millions walk is a little yuck to me.”
The View co-host also used her caption to share tips for followers who decide to visit the same location. “When going into a Mosque, like Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque, you need to remove your shoes and cover your hair and shoulders and you can’t wear shorts/mini-skirts, etc,” she wrote. “You should wear clothes that meet the requirements because the alternative is wearing some poncho thing you buy there or a musty, drab, olive scarf they lend you to cover your hair.”
Under Navarro’s post, one person left a reminder that as nice as traveling can be, it’s important to still show respect to other cultures. “Get out of the USA, but be respectful! Remember you’re a guest in others’ homes... act accordingly,” the comment read.
However, Navarro acknowledged the importance of respecting different cultures towards the end of her caption. “They are opening their doors. It’s their country. Their norms. Their beliefs. We are guests here and need to be respectful and comply,” she continued. “That being said, the architectural, historical, cultural, and religious significance are worth going there. You can’t really come to Istanbul and not visit these sites.”
More than 400 people ended up leaving comments on the post, with some still questioning why she had traveled to Turkey at all. “Stop posting in Turkey,” one comment began. “Do you not know what is happening there? Wondering where your outrage is about Erdogan and Turkey. Better spots to spend your vacation. Unfollowing. Educate yourself better next time.”
Other commenters thought she made good points in her post’s caption. “I love your dress!!! And I agree on being respectful of the local cultural norms. When I was visiting the Vatican, I covered up. It’s just what you do,” one person wrote.
Another person commented: “I never wear shoes in my house either and I keep booties at the door for anyone coming in. If you knew what you picked up on the bottom of your shoes you would never wear shoes in the house! You are looking very appropriate to be in a mosque!”
The Independent has contacted representatives for Ana Navarro for comment.
