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 […]
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Travel
Canakkale to Istanbul (Asian side) by bus
Antalya – A first glimpse
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 […]
Esenyaka – the heart and soul of Turkey
Within the province of Sivas, in central Anatolia, sits the tiny rural village of Esenyaka Koyu. With a population of just 1,858 (Wikipedia 2000), the village is a short 15km drive from the nearby township of Susehri. When I came to Turkey, I came in search of this country’s heart and soul. I didn’t come […]
Western Black Sea – independent travel?
It came as something of a surprise when so many Turkish friends, mostly from Istanbul, warned me off travels to this area. “It’s not safe, you’ll end up at the bottom of the Black Sea!” Luckily, I love a challenge. And I’ve also learned (eventually!) to follow my own gut instincts in life. In this […]
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 […]
Tavla and Okey – not just for the kids
If you want to make new Turkish friends, learning to play Tavla (backgammon) and Okey is a great idea. Board games can be seen everywhere in Turkey – in cafes, tea-houses, restaurants, in the parks and gardens, at the markets. How nice to see not just kids, but also teens and adults sitting around in […]
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 […]
Turkish coffee: 40 years of friendship
My first impressions of the Turkish coffee drinking experience were not so great. Tiny cup, tinier handle, bitter coffee, thick sludge at the bottom. First adaptation was to ditch the sugar-free diet and go for the çok şeker (very sweet) version of my kahve to combat the bitterness. Second adaptation was to slow down, savour […]