A recent fact-finding trip to Antalya was inspired by the words of a close friend who once advised me that if I ever found the courage to follow my heart to Turkey, Antalya would be the area she’d recommend for me to live. I guess her rationale was that the milder, sunny weather (2,640 hours […]
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Travel
Antalya – A first glimpse
Kuzguncuk – a slice of leafy, London village
Sitting in the shade of a leafy plane tree, sipping iced coffee from a tiny sidewalk café stool and chatting with local Uni students, you could easily forget you were in Istanbul. If felt instead, like Hampstead Village, or Notting Hill, or any other trendy, bohemian, inner London café culture enclave. I’m so glad that […]
Canakkale to Istanbul (Asian side) by bus
I used Kamil Koc to make the trip from Canakkale to Istanbul. One airline, Onur Jet, offers flights to IST in certain days of the week, but I was interested to enjoy the scenery of this part of the country. There are so many centrally located bus and tour companies in Canakkale, near the Tourist […]
Şirince – a taste of Turkish village life
Şirince is a taste of Turkish village life as it was. Nestled on the slopes of the Aegean hinterland, just 8km from Selçuk, a stroll through its steep, cobbled lanes is a step back in time. Originally a Greek village, it’s famous for its production of exotic fruit wines, which can be sampled here. It’s […]
Culture
Turkish Tea – Friends for Life
To share tea and bright conversation with a Turkish friend is one of life’s great joys. The simple act of its preparation brings the sense of calm and familiarity upon which great friendships are built, stories shared, and occasions celebrated. All the elements of this familiar and reassuring ritual – the preparation, the aroma, the […]
Reality dawns on the Turkish pipe-dream?
Dream: When I’d planned my move to Turkey, I’d always dreamed of living somewhere green and rustic, close to the earth, immersed in structures of rough-hewn wood and cosy kilim furnishings. A romantic notion fuelled by memories of wide-eyed travels through amazing rural places such as Safranbolu, Sirince and Cumalikizik, amongst many others. Reality: So […]
Food & Drink
İçli Köfte – how Turkish are you?
I could see from the body language of my Turkish hosts that this meal was something special – içli köfte. Clearly, hours had been spent in the kitchen preparing this mountain of meatballs ready for my visit. I was proudly lead into the kitchen by my hosts to witness the final preparations. A boiling cauldron […]
It’s winter, and that means…hamsi days!!!
Today I fulfilled another dream here in Turkey. Buying fresh hamsi, in season (winter), here at a local fish market (balik Pazar), and preparing a plate of this legendary pan-fried delight. The last (only) time I’ve cooked (assisted actually) hamsi was many years ago in North London – not the same. Has to be experienced […]