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 […]
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Travel
Reality dawns on the Turkish pipe-dream?
Kadıköy to Sabiha Gökçen Airport
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get to the Sabiha Gökçen Airport (Asian side) from the Kadıköy area is by Havataş Airport bus. Costing only 10TL the buses run regularly from the bus station at the Kadıköy waterfront area (P2 zone). Targeting a weekday 9:00am airport arrival, I took the 7:15am departure from […]
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 […]
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
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 […]
Turkish Ebru – Let yourself be silently drawn
The Turkish art of Ebru (paper marbling) is the art of creating colourful patterns by sprinkling and brushing colour pigments on a pan of oily water and then transforming this pattern to paper. Whilst there are many variations of the Ebru art form, the traditional floral designs are instantly recognisable and evocative of the golden […]
Food & Drink
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 […]
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 […]
