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 […]
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Travel
Şirince – a taste of Turkish village life
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 […]
Kdz Ereğli – pure Black Sea gold
Turkish acquaintances from Istanbul raised their eyebrows quizzically when I told them of my impending journey to Kdz. Ereğli. “Gerçekten? Why would you go there? Nothing to see, an ugly, coal-mining, steel-manufacturing town. It’s dangerous for you, they don’t like outsiders.” They were wrong. Gerçekten! Kdz. Ereğli is a beautiful, peaceful seaside town located along […]
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 […]
Culture
Registering a mobile phone in Turkey
I read a few articles on the subject of mobile phone registration in Turkey. Most of them suggested this needs to be done within 60 days or your phone gets locked. One Turkish friend advised that it’s now a 120 day limit (2018). I didn’t want to take the chance of losing my “lifeline” so […]
Building bridges – Naturally
A few years ago I was chatting with a Turkish teacher friend in London about her trip home to her family’s tiny village in central Turkey. She told me how she’d taken her parents the usual sack-load of mainstream souvenirs from her global travels. Her Mum’s response “Thanks…but please just bring me some foreign flower […]
Food & Drink
Yaprak Sarma – It’s all in the roll!
There is something particularly evocative about sharing a plate of freshly made yaprak sarma with friends. It’s as much about the preparation and the appearance as it is about the taste. If I want to “feel Turkish” I make sarma. I can recall strolling through the gardens of a National Trust property back in […]
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 […]