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Cool Istanbul

2009-05-16T20:52:00.000Z

The largest city in Turkey, and for centuries the confluence of East and West, is now just a budget flight away. Vanessa Able, editor of Time Out Istanbul, reveals the smartest places to stay, eat and party

Stylish dining at 360, Istanbul's award-winning rooftop restaurant. Photograph: Seval Karatas

In Istanbul, history and tradition are piled layer upon layer. Stately palaces, mosques and cathedrals lie beside chaotic bazaars, steaming hamams and poky nargile (hookah) joints. Ottoman Constantinople sits easily with ancient Byzantium, but emerging on top of them is a new stratum: Istanbul the cool. .

In the past decade, development has transformed ghetto-like no-go zones into hip and vibrant neighbourhoods whose stylish clientele spill out into the streets, eating and drinking until the small hours. Clubs, bars, cafes, restaurants, shops, hotels and galleries are springing up at an explosive pace.

If you go to Istanbul expecting belly dancers, you might be surprised to find yourself watching the sunrise at a nightclub on the Bosphorus; if you imagine a diet of greasy kebabs, you'll be stunned at the range of haute cuisine options fusing traditional Turkish food with cutting-edge international styles. And if your idea of shacking up in Istanbul is a second-rate pension, you'll be amazed at the range of chic, sassy and downright sexy boutique hotels you can stay at.

Istanbul will be a European Capital of Culture in 2010 and now that the first low-cost flights there have been launched by Easyjet, hip weekenders will be flocking to soak up the excitement. Here's what they need to know:

Chic eats
If your idea of Turkish dining is tucking into slices of greasy meat carved off a cylindrical spit, ingested on a pavement after eight pints of beer, then think again: Istanbul is brimming with stylish restaurants.

The city's smart staple is the multiple award-winning 360: a glass-walled rooftop extravaganza with a popular bar and a circular view of the metropolis. The culinary influences hail from all around the world, and dishes include delicious Lebanese kibbe meatballs stuffed with walnuts, veal-and-prawn surf and turf or lamb loin confit, expertly poached in olive oil for five whole hours.

Alternatively, head up the Bosphorus to Ortakoy, one of outer Istanbul's quaintest villages and hottest nightspots, and the Banyan Ortakoy (00 90 212 259 9060). Sit on the terrace beside the tiny banyan trees if the weather's still warm enough and feast on their Oriental delights while gaping at the stunning view of the neo-Baroque waterside mosque. Another option in this part of town is Erguvan (00 90 212 327 6075) in the newly built Radisson SAS hotel, also on the waterfront and perfect if you fancy fresh seafood.

Bar life
You might be offered endless cups of cay, the local tea, from ultra-friendly locals by day, but only a concerted survey of the city's bar circuit by night will reveal what Istanbul really has to offer in terms of a good bottoms-up. For beer, try the ubiquitous native brew, Efes. Turkish wines generally have a lot to answer for in the hangover stakes; however, there is one diamond in the rough and that is the Sarafin brand, available in red and white varieties in most good restaurants and bars.

A fine place to start an evening's jaunt is at the local favourite Leb-i Derya, an effortlessly chilled establishment featuring fantastic views and an extensive cocktail list, including the notorious Balalaika, Caipirovska and Monday concoctions.

Zoe is another venue in Taksim that makes the most of the city's incredible vistas. In colder weather you can hang out in the stylish bar area, but join the crowd on the roof to party under the stars in the summer.

Also very popular with Istanbullus is the Nu Pera, an umbrella name for a constellation of joints housed in the same building. During the summer months, attention is focused on the rooftop terrace, for which you'll certainly need a reservation at weekends. But be aware of the door policy: as with many clubs and bars in the city, men are rarely granted entry if not accompanied or outnumbered by females, and smart, fashionable dress is essential. There's also been a recent rise in the number of requests to see passports at the door.

If you prefer something a little more laid back, check out Cezayir (00 90 212 245 9980; www.cezayir-istanbul.com). Housed in a 100-year-old school building, this chic cafe, bar and restaurant is composed of a number of rooms of varying levels of noise and energy, with sofas, a dancefloor and great mojitos.

Club hits
Travel before the beginning of October and you'll catch the city's infamous Bosphorus nightclubs: outdoor complexes of restaurants, bars and dancefloors right on the water, with a refined clientele who park their yachts alongside the private docks and make their entrances like royalty. The most prominent of these is the world-class Reina, for which you'll need to book ahead if you want a table, and the female-accessory rule applies to appease the stony-faced bouncers. Blackk) is just across the road, and open year-round. Excelling in sumptuous decor, it's an eating, drinking and dancing venue with a moody, dark-leather interior and an open conservatory designed in the most lavish rococo upstairs.

If serious dancing is your thing, get down and boogie in an original Seventies disco, Godet (00 90 212 243 8143). This late-night venue on top of the Surmeli Hotel rarely gets going until well after midnight and has garnered a reputation for its innovative DJs.

For live music, head to the number one concert spot, Babylon (00 90 212 292 7368; www.babylon-ist.com), an unpretentious and intimate venue which has hosted scores of international ensembles including The Fall, and Stereolab.

Classic must-sees
The morning after, you may want to tick off a few of the classic sights, and for these head to the historical district of Sultanahmet. Don't miss the Aya Sofya (00 90 212 528 4500), formerly known as the Hagia Sophia, which was the biggest cathedral in the world for 1,000 years and has a splendid vast dome, or its giant neighbour, the Blue Mosque (00 90 212 518 13 19) with its six minarets.

Within walking distance of the two is Topkapi Palace (00 90 212 512 0480). Set in the gardens of Gulhane park, the palace is a network of stunning, perfectly preserved tiled and marbled buildings that accommodated official events and the private residences of the Sultanate in the days of the Ottoman Empire.

The Basilica Cistern is an old Roman well that was used for storing water channelled into the city along an 8km system of aqueducts from nearby Belgrade forest. Don't just expect a hole in the ground: the Cistern was used as a set for From Russia With Love and is the size of a cathedral, with more than 300 supporting columns and 80,000 cubic metres of water.

The Grand Bazaar is a shopping experience par excellence. The giant covered market, the centre of which dates back to 1461, twists and turns, and can swallow you whole if you're not careful. Aside from the belly dancing outfits, ornate mirrored caps, and fake labels, it's worth checking out the selection of pashminas, jewellery, and leather jackets and handbags.

Alternative must-sees
After the rabble of touts and salesmen at the Grand Bazaar you might crave a more subdued shopping experience, so hop on the metro at Taksim Square and go a couple of stops to Istanbul's latest retail wonder: the Kanyon mall in Levent. This is not your average enclosed American-style colossus: it's a climate-controlled outdoor complex in the form of a canyon, with towers and cooling or warming breezes, depending on the season.

To escape the spending trap, flee the mainland altogether on a ferry from Eminonu, Kabata or Bostanci ports (www.ido.com.tr) to one of the four Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara. The trip takes an hour-and-a-half at most, and you can disembark at any one of the relaxing little isles. Buyukada (literally, 'the big island') has, like all the others, forsaken motorised vehicles (with the exception of the startlingly numerous emergency services) in favour of bicycles, horses and donkeys. If you have time, take a ride up the road strewn with prayer ribbons to St George's Monastery, go for a walk among the trees or just chill out in one of the cafes in the main village, like the trendy new Gr.ile (00 90 216 382 1630).

Back in the city centre, another fascinating and less frequented spot is the Galata Mevlevihanesi (00 90 212 245 4141), an old Sufi lodge converted into a museum. If you're there on a Sunday or the first or last Saturday of the month, buy a ticket for the Sema ceremony and get dizzy watching the renowned whirling dervishes, who chant and spin in meditation for up to an hour.

The Istanbul Modern (00 90 212 334 7300; www.istanbulmodern.org) is the city's first institution dedicated to contemporary art. Situated in a former shipping warehouse by the docks, it houses a permanent collection of Turkish art from the last century, as well as an upcoming exhibition of picks from the last Venice Biennale that will be showing towards the end of 2006.

To experience the best of Bosphorus village life, travel north along the strait from the museum between the two giant suspension bridges that connect Europe to Asia, to the buzzing Sunday market in Ortakoy and the fishing village of Arnavutkoy. One of the best walks in Istanbul is along the Bosphorus from Arnavutkoy to the old castle at Rumeli Hisari, past scores of fishermen and great fish restaurants, boats and yachts and a fantastic view of the tankers travelling to and from the Black Sea, with the glittering backdrop of the Asian continent just across the water.

Istanbul insider
My favourite place is also my home: Cihangir, a section of Beyoglu that's undergone a facelift. I am drawn by the fact that it is cosmopolitan, multicultural, central, and for professional reasons, since there are many actors, writers, directors and producers in the area. There's also a good number of foreigners with flats here.

The main street has a few very popular cafes including Leyla, Porte, the excellent fish restaurant Doga Balik and Miss Pizza. My favourite cafe is Smyrna, which has kooky decoration. It's the kind of place where you feel like you'll always bump into someone you know.
Devrim Nas, actor

Sunday August 27, 2006
The Observer

Ortakoy: Istanbul's Playground

2009-04-06T09:53:00.000Z

The Ciragan Palace on the Bosporus, former home of the last Ottoman sultans, is now part of a hotel.

ORTAKOY, Turkey -- By day, long red and black freighters slide by on the Bosporus. By night, well-lit touring boats send faint sounds of music and laughter to the shore. Ferries and sailboats ply this 20-mile-long channel that connects the Sea of Marmora and the Black Sea and divides Istanbul into Europe and Asia.

From a waterside cafe on the European shore, looking across at Asia, the romance of this historical waterway is inescapable. Its legends go back into time, when Jason and the Argonauts, seeking the Golden Fleece, sailed through to the Black Sea. Ulysses probably navigated its waters.

On the European side, around the base of the Bosporus Bridge linking the two continents, a warren of small streets and alleys marks the village-like Istanbul suburb of Ortakoy.

Long favored by artists, hip young Stamboulis have made Ortakoy a newly trendy spot to hang out. On weekends especially, morning isn't too early to settle in at one of the cafes that crowd the cobblestone waterfront plaza by the mosque for a traditional Turkish breakfast of bread, honey, white sheep's milk cheese, olives, yogurt and tea.

On weekends shops, galleries and a funky open air street market teem with local browsers and buyers. Artists hang their framed compositions on the sides of buildings. Street vendors stand behind tables laden with beaded necklaces, hats, scarves and leather bags. An old woman, head wrapped in a scarf, watches over dozens of colorful earrings.

Picture frames, lamp shades and candle holders made of pink, purple and amber beads crowd one table, intricately rigged sailing ships another. A rack of wigs sports long blonde, brunette and auburn tresses. Nearby, in a narrow alley, an elderly man sits at a cafe table painting the mosque and the Bosporus Bridge, even though the actual models are just a block away at the waterfront.

Filled flatbread wraps are made and served at the Ortakoy market.

Somewhere along your wanderings, you'll come across an open plaza with a variety of local street food. Try a baked potato stuffed with vegetables and yogurt at one of the outdoor counters. Watch women bake rounds of flat dough on a hot griddle, like a thin pizza crust, then fold them over your choice of fillings, perhaps spinach or ground lamb or feta cheese. It's a popular village dish called "gozleme."

Street life in the narrow, cobbled alleys and at the waterside cafes is the lure of Ortakoy. There is not much else to explore. Ortakoy's 17th-century Etz Ahayim synagogue, on the shore road, burned down in 1941; only the marble ark survived, now a monument in what is now the garden. A nearby schoolroom became the acting synagogue.

The domed, 19th-century Ortakoy Mosque, built in Ottoman Baroque style, occupies a small waterfront promontory in the shadow of the bridge. A pair of slender white stone minarets flank the entrance; large windows let light pour into the interior, illuminating its marble, mosaics and chandeliers. You can visit whenever it's open, except during prayer times.

Ortakoy is a perfect place to catch a Bosporus cruise, one of the city's great pleasures. Boats periodically leave the Ortakoy dock for an hour's sail up the Asian shore and down the European side between the two bridges that join the continents. There are longer excursions from the city center that are popular with tourists, but this route takes you past some of the same historic landmarks and is filled with jolly local families enjoying their city.

From Ortakoy the ferry crosses under the Bosporus Bridge, the first to span the strait and one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, opened in 1973 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. Next to it on the Asian side is Beylerbeyi Palace, one of the more intimate 19th-century palaces the Ottoman rulers built on the Bosporus. Its terraced gardens, pools and fountains, ornate furnishings and crystal chandeliers were more than sumptuous enough for the Sultans and their visiting royal guests.

Cruising north along the Asian shore, you pass lovely wooden and stone houses called "yalis" behind flower-decked stone walls in upscale residential areas. Sail and power boats tie up along the waterfront promenade where men tend their fishing poles. Waterside cafes look inviting.

Further north, just before the second suspension bridge, two mighty Ottoman fortresses face each other across the Bosphorus -- the vast Rumeli Fortress in Europe and a smaller counterpart, Andolu Fortress in Asia. They were built by Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II in 1452 during his conquest of Constantinople to control the strait and cut off help from reaching the city. The next year he took Constantinople in a single day, destroying the last of the Byzantine Empire. The bridge is named for Mehmet the Conqueror.

After transforming its churches into mosques, Mehmet renamed the city Istanbul, and several years later, built Topkapi Palace where the Ottoman Sultans lived for 400 years. In the mid-19th century they succumbed to the pleasures of the Bosporus and built a grand imperial palace on the European shore just south of Ortakoy. Called Dolmabahce, one facade stretches almost a quarter mile along the strait; its 285 ornate rooms, grand salons and sumptuous furnishings are an extravaganza of marble, gold and crystal. When it was finished in 1854, the Sultans abandoned Topkapi and moved into this Ottoman Versailles.

Next to Dolmabahce, and even closer to Ortakoy, is Ciragan Palace, another one-time home of the Sultans and now part of the Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski. The grand 19th-century residence was virtually destroyed by fire in 1909 and eventually restored by Kempinski Hotels, which re-created the marble hamam (Turkish bath) and marble staircases.

From the palaces of the Sultans to picturesque Ortakoy, it's not hard to see why Turks find life by the Bosporus so appealing. After you've visited Istanbul's Blue Mosque, ogled incomparable mosaics at the Hagia Sophia, checked out the harem at Topkapi Palace and haggled for a rug at the Grand Bazaar, this is the place to unwind.

SIGHTS TO SEE
Dolmabahce Palace, Dolmabahce Caddesi; Phone: 212-236-9000. Guided tour required, separate fees for the Sultan's Quarters and the Harem. Closed Monday and Thursday.

Etz Ahayim Synagogue, Muallim Naci Caddesi 38; Phone: 212-260-1896. On the shore road in Ortakoy, but has been closed for repairs.

Ciragan Palace, Ciragan Caddesi 84; Phone: 212-258-3377.

Beylerbeyi Palace, Abdullah Aga Caddesi; Phone: 216-321-9320. Closed Monday and Thursday.

Rumeli Fortress (European Fort), Yahya Kemal Caddesi; Phone: 212-263-5305. Closed Monday.

June 04, 2006
By Joan Scobey, Travel Arts Syndicate

(Joan Scobey has covered travel and food in Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, India, the Mideast, South America, Australia, the Pacific and North America. )

Copyright © PG Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In Turkey, Sailing Into the Exotic on a Blue Cruise

2009-04-03T16:45:00.000Z

There are numerous coves to explore along the coast, especially in a smaller boat. . .

DRIFTING in and out of sleep, I hear a song. Very loud, though slightly muffled, a man's monotone singsong chant is at one moment a rude wake-up call, at the next a soothing lullaby. In the waking moments, I begin to wonder where I am. I open my eyes and see a small wooden cabin; three feet above my head is an open window, from which the voice calls through an inky-blue sunrise sky.

Diners in Gumusluk on the Bodrum Peninsula. The many smaller ports along the Carian coast offer glimpses of local everyday life and are more about culture than about international second-home escapes. More Photos >

I think back: There was the 22-hour trip, from my home in Nashville to Chicago to Istanbul and on to Bodrum on the Aegean coast. There was the taxi and the public minibus and the drive through the parched, hilly countryside, past the giant Greek amphitheater, to the small port town of Turgutreis. Then there was a walk through the old town center, a warren of narrow stone streets and closely packed shops, and then, finally, a glimpse of my home for the next week: the 40-foot sailboat Adele.

It was there that I now found myself, in a disorienting dreamland, eventually realizing I was being called to prayer by the muezzin of the local mosque. It would be only the first of many times that the religious and the secular, East and West, ancient and contemporary Turkey would combine to make this a sailing trip like no other.

My sailing companions — a friend from New York, the boat's skipper and his friend — and I had varying reasons for traveling so far to go sailing last June. The skipper, Cengiz Onuk, who spends most of the year teaching futures and options at New York University, knew that the Carian coast, in southwestern Turkey roughly between Bodrum and Marmaris, is Turkey's most popular sailing area, thanks to its large, protected gulfs, secluded bays and coves, tranquil waters and wild coastlines. Not to mention ideal weather and, more often than not, wind. So he was spending his summer in his homeland skippering the Adele, one of the few American boats in these waters — "Brooklyn" was emblazoned on the stern, the Stars and Stripes waved on the port side; it had been piloted across the Atlantic from Brooklyn to Greece the summer before.

Cengiz (pronounced JENG-iz) had put out an invitation to other sailors, and eventually three of us joined him: myself, eager to learn a bit about sailing and see a Turkey removed from the traditional tourist experience; my friend Carla Murphy, who normally sails smaller J/24's in New York Harbor with the Manhattan Sailing Club; and Oytun Altasli, a Turkish businesswoman living in London (and a former student of Cengiz's), who was looking for a week away from big-city life.

We would soon learn that sailing in Turkey is very different from sailing in the United States and Europe, where port towns are often playgrounds for the world's rich and famous. The smaller ports we called on were more about local, everyday life than international, second-home escape, more about culture than consumption. And the people welcomed us more like guests than like tourists.

We set sail from Turgutreis, on the western side of the Bodrum Peninsula, and headed for the Gulf of Gokova, a national park area stretching some 45 miles east from Bodrum, where the warm, salty water ranges from brilliant turquoise to seductive sapphire. Pine-clad mountains unmarred by human development enclose every view, and few other boats spoil the fantasy that the water is all yours and only yours.

With the two novice sailors — Oytun and me —having experienced their first, and fortunately last, bout of sea queasiness, we stopped in Bodrum. When its native son Herodotus, the father of history, wrote about what was then Halicarnassus, it's doubtful he would have envisioned modern Bodrum, a beautiful old town overrun in high season by vacationing Europeans and Turks.

After midnight, the main pedestrian artery is so clogged with people it comes to a standstill. Before noon, however, while they're sleeping it off, the streets and beachside cafes are blissfully empty, revealing Bodrum's considerable charms.

The next day we stood on the bow until we lost sight of Bodrum's imposing coastal fortress and 15th-century castle (with its wonderful Museum of Underwater Archaeology) or, in other words, until civilization — the sugar-cube towns and holiday resorts — faded from view. The waves were frothy, the wind 15 to 20 knots — "a sailor's dream," Cengiz said. He stood at the helm and told Carla when to raise the main sail.

Oytun and I at first just tried to stay out of the way. But soon we got our first lessons in learning to raise the sails with the winch and how to tie, or cleat, the ropes to hold them. Soon we were zipping along at more than 5 knots, a gentle rock, a nice heel and the first taste of sea spray on our already-browning faces.

OUR plan was to go where our moods took us. After all, the advantage of sailing a small boat like ours is the freedom to check out any island, visit any village or overnight in any isolated cove, all at our own pace. We were sharing the gulf with other sailboats, some private, some chartered, and with magnificent chartered gulets — large, wooden yachts of traditional Turkish design but with all modern amenities.

"Yes, you may be jealous," Cengiz told us, given the gulets' ample room, air-conditioned cabins and full crew, but they rarely raise their sails, spend most of their time motoring and can't dock in smaller coves. "They are not for real sailors."

Hmmm. By the time we'd spent one full morning swabbing the deck and cleaning the head — which, by the way, had to be pumped for every flush — and by the time my eyes had swollen up from an overnight bug bite, Oytun's face had broken out in a rash and Carla had banged up her nose on the metal contraption that held the solar panel, we girls weren't so sure we wanted to be real sailors.

But then we got to Cokertme, a small bay fronted by three restaurants, a magical little hamlet one might miss if on a gulet, since meals are eaten onboard and there's no need to debark to stretch your legs. As we approached, two small motorboats raced out to meet us, each with a man waving wildly toward his own restaurant. We chose one — the one with the skull-and-crossbones pirate motif, the Rose Mary — and they helped us moor at a wooden jetty before ushering us into the simple, open-air restaurant.

First, we went into the kitchen to check out the array of homemade mezes — octopus salad, smoked eggplant salad, tomato-chili salad — before being led into the walk-in refrigerator to choose our fish from the fresh-caught supply. We settled on a giant sea bass, and soon the waiter approached for the voilà moment, displaying a large platter featuring the simply grilled whole fish, served with nothing but a lemon-olive oil sauce, a few French fries and a tomato-cucumber salad. It was so fresh and perfect that we fought over every last bite — including the head.

Another irresistible temptation was a mysterious cafe at the end of the quay. A seriously exotic place, apparently owned by Turkish communists (check out the bookshelves), it was literally a nomad's tent perched on the dock above the sea. "There's not many places sailors can experience desert culture," said Carla, as we removed our shoes and settled into the cushions and carpets on the floor.

Each table had its own water pipe, but our intoxicant of choice is raki, the Turkish anise liquor that's less heavy and sweet than ouzo. Even more intoxicating, a group of young men begin to play the seven-string tambur and other classical instruments and sing Ottoman court songs. Not to be outdone, husband and wife customers break out their own three-string instruments and harmonize on traditional Anatolian folk songs. As the only nonlocals in the place, the others having come down from the nearby village, we marvel at what the Adele has already shown us.

Talking with the cafe's owner, we realize it wasn't too long ago that areas like this depended on the sea for their livelihood, transportation and communications. Roads are an afterthought here. And we are even more thrilled to be traveling by boat.

The next morning, Oytun and I took the dinghy to the next cove for a swim in the pristine waters, the pebbly beach all ours save for a village family on a picnic. Covered head to toe, they were nonetheless seemingly unbothered by our bikinis.

The dinghy was our own little water taxi. At other times and places, it would whisk us across the bay where we moored by the market. Just a few local ingredients and Oytun would whip up an incredible breakfast of lightly fried Turkish eggs in a blanket of spiced feta cheese.

Some days, the wind was weak and we'd have to motor. Cengiz taught us how to read the nautical chart, map the coordinates of where we were headed and load them in the G.P.S. system. Most often, though, we navigated by sight and by the sailing bible for this area, Rod Heikell's "Turkish Waters and Cyprus Pilot."

At Degirmen Bay, quite a few gulets and yachts were crowding the dock, so we anchored in the bay and tied our lines to trees on shore. This was easier said than done for three women who had never done such a thing. Frustratingly, and embarrassingly, this comedy of errors took a couple hours and involved a fair amount of heated discussion.

"Drop the anchor now," Cengiz yelled toward the bow at Carla during each of several attempts.

"But when do I stop?" she kept yelling back.

"You'll know when."

But we didn't.

We lost track of how many times we tried to get the anchor to hold, but when it finally did, we began to feel that we were getting the hang of this sailing thing.

A week on a boat means lots of time talking to your mates and lots of time thinking. There's no better quiet than that of lapping waves, no better invitation to contemplation than miles of blue or, at night, acres of stars. As we spent one late night sipping raki out on the deck, Cengiz and Oytun talked about the adventures that come with living abroad.

"But I want to come back to Turkey some day," Oytun said. "Turkey deep down is an Eastern culture where relationships matter; in the West it is less so. This can make things very slow, and maddeningly inefficient. But to me, it is a warmer kind of existence that I started to appreciate after living away."

I thought about my own expatatriate years, and how I, too, eventually longed for home.

Cengiz said he couldn't go home again: "I'm a New Yorker."

In the gulf, we always had shore in sight, but we never knew what was around the next bend or behind the next island. A hidden cove would suddenly reveal a gaggle of anchored gulets. Floating slowly up for a closer look, there was an inescapable feeling of entering a pirates' lair.

Timelessness began to be palpable, as this place had looked and felt pretty much like this since the days when a succession of Carians, Dorians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans all sailed here. Odysseus was here, I imagine.

Cleopatra was definitely here, they say, at Cleopatra's Beach — so named because the Egyptian queen once lived on Castle Island and, legend has it, Antony imported enough sand from Africa to make a beautiful white beach for her to sunbathe on.

It is indeed the only sandy beach of its type in the area. The day-trip boats from Marmaris make regular stops, disgorging hordes of swimmers. But after a hot hike around the castle and amphitheater ruins, you won't care how many people join you for a swim. And it's still incredibly beautiful.

As we pulled into Sogut and the Gokova Sailing Club, its lovely stone clubhouse hidden among the pines, visions of a luxurious interlude with real showers danced in our heads. Decidedly upscale, though a modest intrusion on its surroundings, the club has members like the general manager of Microsoft Turkey and Sadun Boro, a national hero since he became the first Turk to circumnavigate the world in his small sailboat, the Kismet, in 1968. Cengiz was beside himself when we noticed that the Kismet was moored about five spots down from us.

The manager told us about the owners of the club, a Turkish sailor, his British wife and their children, who made the second Turkish sail around the world, in the late 1980's. The large map in the restaurant that traces their route is the stuff of dreams.

On a smaller scale, our own sailing dreams were finally fulfilled. On our last full day, the wind graced us with its 15-knot presence for hours. The novices had learned to help raise and trim the sails, and we all got to practice helming through some challenging waves.

It was so sublime, in fact, that it replaced the memory of previous days' motoring with the sound of only wind and waves, the sight of soaring sails and the feeling of empowerment that comes from harnessing nature for your own ends.

Arriving in the Yedi Adalari, or the Seven Islands, our only quandary was which of the stunning coves to call home for the night. Choosing one called Bekar, we had it all to ourselves, not a boat, dock or restaurant in sight, only a semicircle of protective pines and a vista of receding islands. By now, dropping anchor and taking a line to shore was no problem for the seaworthy women.

No provisions were available there, but we had stocked up — crusty loaves of bread, feta cheese, spicy cured beef (pastirma), melons, olives, local olive oil and quince preserves, as well as very drinkable Turkish wine and, of course, raki. As the sun went down and an appropriately Turkish crescent moon rose, we sat on the deck, having bonded in the way that only four people in a small boat could in a short amount of time, eating, drinking and talking for hours.

A heaven full of stars twinkled on the still-as-glass water, and we gazed up at the similarly sparkling lights of the Adele's mast, toasting our luck that she had brought us safely to so wondrous a place.

By TAYLOR HOLLIDAY

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/travel/02sailing.html?8td=&emc=td&pagewanted=all

Demi Moore Sails Göcek and Fethiye Turkish Delights

2007-08-01T17:13:00.000Z

Stunningly trim as she lounges about on vacation in Turkey, Demi Moore gives no hint of being just a few months shy of her 43rd birthday. Having starred as a grieving mother haunted by ghosts in her last flick Half Light the Hollywood actress took the chance to enjoy the lighter side of life in Fethiye, a resort on the country's sun-kissed Mediterranean shore.

There's little likelihood the star will be doing any of the hardcore workouts demanded by movies like Charlie's Angels and GI Jane on her break. "For a time I took on several film roles that made it absolutely necessary to be buff, but I don't kill myself anymore," comments Demi.

Turkey's southern coast is the perfect spot for anyone averse to strenuous living as it positively encourages sloth. With the luxury yacht Carmina at her disposal Demi would have been well placed to visit innumerable unspoiled crystalline coves, many inaccessible by land.

The area's star attraction is the Blue Lagoon of Oludeniz, a turquoise haven of calm waters, bounded on its eastern side by the Valley of Butterflies, where millions of the colourful creatures come to breed in summer. Other gems are the Gemiler Islands, which boast Byzantine ruins set amid a pine-dotted landscape and the ghost village of Kaya Koyu. Left deserted in the early 20th century, the picturesque town still has many fine examples of buildings in the traditional Ottoman style.

Fethiye's harbour with its romantic old town also makes a pleasant place to while away an evening. For those seeking a little more action the region provides ample opportunity for scuba diving, paragliding or trekking through shady gorges.

Hello Magazine

Delving into the Turkish coffee cup

2006-09-17T16:53:00.000Z

The grimace showed that the person drinking Turkish coffee had accidentally reached the thick grounds in the bottom of the cup. Hadn't anybody warned him or her?

Preparing and drinking Turkish coffee is an art that goes back many centuries from the initial contact between Turks and coffee. It is the Turks who introduced coffee to Vienna from where it went to Paris. .

Coffee was originally documented in Yemen in the 16th century. It was prepared and drunk black with no sugar, the better to savor the coffee flavor. Gradually it traveled north from Yemen up to southeastern Turkey where the same custom of no sugar was maintained. But over time, the Turks began to put sugar in the mixture as it cooked on the charcoal fire. Half a sugar cube for a little sweet, a whole cube for sweet and two cubes for very sweet.

By the middle of the 16th century coffee had arrived in Istanbul, brought by two merchants -- one from Aleppo and the other from Damascus. They opened a coffeehouse in Istanbul's Tahtakale district where people could spend their free time and be sure to meet friends to chat with or play backgammon or chess. Tahtakale is the area across the main thoroughfare at Eminönü on the Golden Horn where the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce offices used to be.

At the beginning well-educated and relatively high-class men met in these coffeehouses but later on they became centers for the unemployed and troublemakers who indulged in mutual grievances. During the time of Sultan Murat IV (reigned 1623 to 1640), coffeehouses were banned because they were seen as having a negative effect on young men. In fact coffee was classified along with opium, tobacco and wine as undermining morality. But under later sultans the ban was lifted.

Coffee wasn't confined to male bonding rituals in coffeehouses. It was also of importance in female bonding within the harem or at parties in the hamams. The custom of drinking coffee together would often serve as the pretext for the female members of the families to get together and gossip or discuss possible marriages between an eligible young girl and man. In early times, the bridegroom had to promise in his marriage vows that he would keep his wife in coffee. As a matter of fact guests were and still are for that matter offered coffee when they arrive and when its coming signals the beginning of more serious conversation.

Coffeehouses today are a misnomer. Turkey has never succeeded in growing coffee so it is imported. With restrictions put on foreign exchange in the latter part of the 20th century, coffee became a luxury item and you asked your foreign friends to bring some with them when they came. For a time you could only get Turkish coffee this way or if you knew the direction of a certain store in Eminönü behind the Mısır Çarşısı. There were two results. Turks turned to drinking Nescafe or a similar brand product and Turks turned to tea, which at least is produced inside the country. Actually the thought of sitting around a coffeehouse drinking demitasse cup after demitasse cup of strong Turkish coffee isn't very appealing even if you thought your stomach and nerves were up to it.

[It was amusing to see a television program recently in which coffee was described as Cuba's national nonalcoholic drink -- a small demitasse cup in which a preparation of coffee, water and sugar had been placed. You could have been in Turkey if it hadn't been for the language difference.]

Coffeehouses today mostly serve tea because of the price although coffee is available everywhere. They provide television sets, card games and backgammon. I doubt if you would see a chess game in sight. Some have now added nargiles, the so-called hubble-bubble pipe that only upon a time provided a narcotic fix for smokers. And if a recent newspaper article is correct, the nargile delivers the equivalent of 50 cigarettes.

Fortune telling:
While the Chinese and people in the western world tell tea leaves, Turks tell the future using coffee grounds that are left in the bottom of the coffee cup. You need to drink the liquid part of the coffee and avoid drinking any of the grounds that will settle on the bottom.

Before the coffee goes cold, put the saucer upside down over the top of the cup. Turn it clockwise sideways three times. Make a wish and turn it over -- holding the saucer tight on the cup -- towards your heart.

From time to time check the temperature by putting your finger on the middle of the saucer. When it is cool, carefully remove the saucer and put it aside, coffee grounds side up. Then give the cup to whoever is going to be ?reading? it. You are not allowed to read your own cup or whatever is written there won't come true.

The grounds as they cool form blobby shapes, some of which are clearly identifiable while others are subject to the interpretation of the person doing the fortune telling. Symbols close to the top of the cup are longer term than those closer to the bottom. A dolphin is good, a bird brings news and a fish means money. Plants concern fate and matters of the heart. The daisy symbolizes passion, the clover love and the rose romanticism.

There are many other signs including lines and circles, squares and so forth. Stars show a long or short journey while a square signifies a happy marriage or happy family gathering.

And when will all these marvelous things occur? That depends on the fortuneteller but also what is shown in the cup. It could be three weeks, three months, three years when you can stop hoping.

Do you believe in this? That's up to you.

Making a good cup of Turkish coffee

1 demitasse cup of cold water
1 teaspoon pulverized Turkish coffee
1 teaspoon sugar (medium sweet) or one cube of sugar

Turkish coffee is prepared in a cylindrical pot with a long handle called a cezve.

Place cold water in the cezve. Add coffee, sugar, and stir well. Place over low heat and cook to a rising boil, but do not boil. Remove from heat immediately; stir only once. Pour off froth into the special demitasse cup. Place back over the heat and bring to a boil again. Remove immediately, stir once more and fill the cup.

The cezve can actually be bigger, up to making four cups at once. Just multiple the ingredients according to the number of cups.

*From "The Art of Turkish Cooking" by Neşet Eren.

NIKI GAMM
September 17, 2006
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

Ancient city of Zeugma on the way to becoming an archaeological park

2006-09-16T21:00:00.000Z

The ancient city of Zeugma, located in the southeastern province of Gaziantep, is planned to be converted into an archaeological park through a series of restoration and landscape works, . . said Zeugma excavations head Kutalmış Görkay.

Görkay, a lecturer at Ankara University's Archaeology department and head of Zeugma excavations, told the Anatolia news agency that this year's work would start as of Aug. 1 at the ancient site.
He said scientists from France, the United States and Sweden will take part in the excavations, adding that as the team, they would be in Gaziantep on July 25 and that their works will last from Aug. 1 to Oct. 30.

?The excavations kicked off last year and we will continue our works, which focused on Dionysus and Danea villas last year, at the same sites and we plan to convert these areas into a tourist attraction, Görkay said, adding, ?We initiated a long term work. We plan to convert the ancient city of Zeugma into an archaeological park through a series of excavation, landscape and restoration works.?

Görkay said the Culture and Tourism Ministry gave great importance in preserving the ancient city, one of Turkey's most significant cultural heritages, and plans to use it for tourism.

About the ancient city of Zeugma:
Zeugma was founded in 300 B.C. by Alexander the Great under the name of Selevkaya Euphrates. In 64 B.C., Zeugma was conquered and ruled by the Roman Empire and renamed Zeugma, meaning "bridge-passage" or "bridge of boats".

During Roman rule, the city became one of the attractions in the region, due to its commercial potential originating from its geographically strategic location because the city was one of the stops on the Silk Road, which went from Antakya all the way to China.

Zeugma was invaded and totally destroyed by King Shapur I of Sassanid in A.D. 256. In addition to the invasion, a violent earthquake later hit the city and buried it beneath rubble. The city never gained the prosperity once achieved during the Roman rule.

The Gaziantep Archaeology Museum carried out the first excavations in 1987 in Zeugma while the second excavations were conducted by the museum's director Rıfat Ergeç in 1992, when some mosaics and villas were unearthed.

A number of Turkish and foreign scientists have been conducting excavation works at the site since 1993 due to the fact that a major part of the ancient city will be submerged by the waters of Birecik Dam that is being constructed as part of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP).

The famous Zuegma mosaics, considered to be the most important findings, as well as the collection of seals and wall paintings uncovered during excavations in the ancient city are still on display at the Gaziantep Archaeology Museum.

Associate Professor Kutalmış Görkay has been leading the Zeugma excavations since 2005 in line with the governmental decision.

July 22, 2006
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

Byzantine port: Kayaköy: The ghost town of lonely spirits

2006-09-16T20:57:00.000Z

In 1922, in accordance with a population exchange treaty signed by the Turkish and Greek governments, Kayaköy’s Greek residents replaced Turks living in Western Thrace. And thus started the process of . the village becoming a ghost town as Turks who came from Western Thrace to replace the residents of Kayaköy started leaving the village in 1923. Kayaköy, for some 83 years now, has been struggling to survive against the forces of nature and its human foes. Each street in the village reflects traces of its sad history .

I took a sip of my beer as I gazed at the paragliders gliding over the serene panorama of Ölüdeniz. A couple sitting right beside me was having a discussion. They had two alternatives before them: They would either enjoy a swim in the cool waters of Ölüdeniz the next day or they would visit Kayaköy, some 8 kilometers from Fethiye. Finally the young man managed to convince his fiancée: They decided to visit Kayaköy the next day. As I took another sip of my beer, I was thinking to myself that we would probably come across the couple the next day in Kayaköy. I had already made up my mind that I had had enough of idleness on this holiday and that I would go to Kayaköy, which I had liked very much during my first visit years ago.

A reddish beam of light that was covering the whole surface of Ölüdeniz was gliding into my room through the window. The sun was slowly rising. I hit the road from Ölüdeniz as the sun was starting to gradually send its warming rays. Instead of taking the 1 kilometer footpath from Hisarönü, I decided to take the route that passes through Fethiye. I reached Kayaköy following a 7-8 kilometer ride through unbelievably beautiful forests. Driving on this route has always been a great pleasure. When I arrived in Kayaköy, I was astounded by the sight of the valley that stretched out on my left and the village that lay on a hill on my right side…

Before I started wandering the streets of the empty city, I went back in history. Kayaköy was an old Greek settlement built on the remains of the ancient city of Karmilassos starting from the 14th century. The village's history is thought to date back to 3000 B.C., but only very few tombs and rock tombs from the fourth century B.C. survive. The village's former name was Levissi. In the village there were around 4,000 stone dwellings situated in locations so as not to block each other's view or sunlight, and each covering less than 50 square meters. Numerous chapels, two large churches, one school building and a customs office were scattered among the dwellings.

The story of the village turning into a ghost city dates to 1922. Kayaköy, which then had a population of 25,000, had hundreds of small establishments including a printing press, timber and iron workshops, a hospital, schools, a library, and a pharmacy, making it a commercially and socially developed village.

In 1922, in accordance with a population exchange treaty signed by the Turkish and Greek governments, Kayaköy's Greek residents replaced Turks living in Western Thrace. And thus started the process of the village becoming a ghost town as Turks who came from Western Thrace to replace the residents of Kayaköy started leaving the village in 1923. Kayaköy, for some 83 years now, has been struggling to survive against the forces of nature and its human foes. Each street in the village reflects traces of its sad history.

As I continued my visit throughout the ghost town, I continued my journey in history. I pictured a lively, colorful village with children playing on its streets. I parked my car to take a walk through those streets where the ghost town's lonely spirits stroll today. I witnessed the joys, sorrows, grief, tragedies, separations, heartbreaking love stories, fights and quarrels that once took place on these streets.

I thought to myself: “Who knows who lived in that house over there, still struggling to stay intact. Maybe a girl who used to wait for her fiancée who went fishing everyday from the harbor? Or a handsome young man in love with the long black-haired girl staring out from the opposite window? Or maybe the white-haired, white-bearded elderly wise man of the village? It could even be a furrowed-faced old woman who lost her children to the sea and whose heart is full of sorrow, waiting for death in front of the doorstep… Who knows, maybe a cheerful family with kids and their parents preparing for the weekend carnival.” All appeared before my eyes…

I felt like I was getting ready for the weekend festivities along with them. My eyes were shining with happiness. Each house, each door, each window and each room in the village reflected the past. I went in and out of rooms, seeking the fading traces of the past. I was witnessing lives, sharing laughs, going shopping on a Sunday with the residents of the village… I was there, and I was living with them… I was listening to fishermen's tales, feeling astonished by hunters' stories. I was playing with the children on the streets, dancing the sirtaki in wedding ceremonies. I was playing the sipsi (a local wind instrument) and dancing to the rhythm of the drum.

Suddenly, with the sound of the crowd loaded with remarks showing their surprise, I returned to reality. A group of tourists passed me by, following the twist of the road entering the ghost village to start a journey into history. They were not alone in their journey. The young couple I saw the day before in Ölüdeniz were among the group as well.

At noon, having started to feel the burning rays of the sun on my body, I dashed to a restaurant near the village. Accompanied by a glass of white wine, I listened to the restaurant owner. With his local accent, he was telling me that efforts were under way to restore all the structures in Kayaköy to convert it into a “Friendship and Peace Village.” Meanwhile, he didn't hesitate to complain that the number of tourists visiting the village was low. As the restaurant owner continued talking I watched tourists ride horses outside the window.

Afterwards I visited the small museum close to the village and quaffed some water from the village's perpetually running fountain. Later I took a long walk downhill to the seaside, where I found a chance to watch the matchless beauty of Ölüdeniz for a while.

Later I returned to where I parked my car and drove towards Gemini Beach. Right across the shore is St. Nicholas Island, but locals call it Gemini Island. The shoreline and the island looked fascinating. And I jumped into the cool water…

Meanwhile the day was gradually turning into night on the Fethiye coast. I didn't want to leave until the sky darkened. Returning to the past with feelings somewhere in between sorrow and joy, I first bid farewell to Gemini Island, and then to Kayaköy…

I left the ghost town to the lonely souls, as it has been for decades, and headed home…

GÖKSEL BOZKURT
July 30, 2006
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

The tragic history of the black mulberry in the Aegean village of Cambazlı

2006-09-16T20:44:00.000Z

According to legend the fruit of the white mulberry tree turned black as result of a tragic, Shakespearean end to a love story between Thisbe and Pyramus. You can taste the best and most delicious black mulberries . . in the Aegean village of Cambazlı, where you can observe almost all villagers, female and male, old and young, picking fruit among the branches of black mulberry trees .

Italian poet Naso Ovidius didn't probably know that a poem he wrote after a journey he made to Mesopotamia around 2,000 years ago, passing through Anatolia, would inspire lines in not one, but two of Shakespeare's famous plays, “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night's Dream”!

Inspired by one of the stories of Ksenofon, Greek philosopher and author, a précis of Ovidius' poem follows:

“O weeping mulberry! The most beautiful girl of the neighborhood, Thisbe, and its most handsome boy, Pyramus, were neighbors. They were united in their love even though separated by a mud brick wall between their houses. Their families opposed their union. However, there was a hole in the wall. Pyramus and Thisbe didn't only talk to each other but they also whispered words of love and sent kisses to each other through that hole. One night, they planned to elope and meet under a mulberry tree. Thisbe came first and was startled suddenly with the roar of a lion while she was waiting for Pyramus. She then saw a lion which was just returning from a successful hunt, his jaws and mouth still covered with blood. Frightened, she dropped her cape and she ran away. The lion tore the cape, leaving blood stains over it but then he too left.

“Arriving at their meeting spot, Pyramus saw the torn cape and the footsteps of the lion. And, thinking that a lion had eaten his lover, he took the cape in his hand, weeping inwardly and said: ‘You died because of me. I tempted you forth to a place of such peril, but was not at the meeting place to guard you.' He leant on the tree.

“‘My blood also shall stain you!' he shouted at the mulberry tree, and drawing his sword, plunged it deep into his heart. The blood spurting from the wound sank into the earth and reached the tree's roots. Then the red color traveled through the trunk to the fruit and turned all the white mulberries on the tree red.

“By this time, Thisbe, still trembling with fear, yet not wishing to disappoint her lover, stepped cautiously forth from where she was hiding. She looked anxiously for her beloved, eager to tell him of the danger she had escaped. However, when she came to the tree, she saw the changed color of the mulberries and recognized her lover lying in a pool of blood, with her reddened cape in his hand. She understood the truth.

“She screamed and embraced his lifeless form, just as Juliet embraced Romeo when she awoke, pouring tears into his wounds. She kissed the cold lips of her beloved just as Juliet did. ‘Oh, Pyramus,' she cried, ‘What have you done? Answer me, Pyramus; it is your own Thisbe. Hear me, dearest, and lift that swooning head!' At Thisbe's name, Pyramus opened his eyes, looked at her hopelessly and then closed them forever.

“‘I too can be brave for once, and my love is as strong as yours. I will follow you in death, for I have been the cause; and death, which alone could tear us apart, shall not prevent me from joining you,” said Thisbe and plunged the sword into her breast. The blood that poured from her body turned the mulberries a darker color still, a deep purple. “The sorrowful families of both lovers buried the two bodies in one tomb and the tree yielded purple berries ever-after, as it does today.

“The legend is that, the gods, since then, began to grow black mulberries in Anatolia in order for the tragic story of Thisbe and Pyramus to be a lesson for those who try to separate lovers.”

This story is still retold around the Aydın Mountains, to the north of the Aegean province of Aydın, even 2,000 years later, as the hopeless love story of “the sultan's daughter and the shepherd,” embodied in the black mulberry tree.

Black mulberries of Cambazlı Village:
The white mulberry is native to China, which is also home to silk. The mulberry came to Anatolia in the 12th century. The black mulberry -- Morus Nigra -- on the other hand, is believed to be native to the area between Iran and Mesopotamia. The mulberry tree, grown to most extent in the temperate climates of the northern hemisphere, is deciduous. The best and most delicious black mulberries are grown in İzmir's Tire district, most famously in the villages of Cambazlı and Kahramanmaraş.

Cambazlı is a small village of 85 houses with a fresh mountain climate, due to its 680-meter elevation. The supplementary income source of the village population of 400 is not the white mulberry but the black. Try to pay a visit to the village between June and August. You can then witness the villagers, regardless of their age and gender, including old and young, male and female, among the branches of 10-meter-high trees, picking black mulberries.

Black mulberries don't turn purple all at once, they gradually attain their color at differing rates. They first turn yellowish pink, then pinkish red and finally reddish purple when mature. The tree is thus called “yediveren” -- a word used to define flowers and trees that bloom or bear fruit several times a year.

The changing colors of the black mulberries in the maturity process make the situation easier for those who pick the fruits. One day all the mature fruit are picked, and then a few days later new ones are ripe. The black mulberries are thus picked at intervals over a period of two or two-and-a-half months, giving the villagers a reasonable and generous time for picking.

The overhanging black mulberries at the lower branches of trees are gently picked by fingertip, while the “hanging-stretching” method is applied to pick the mulberries on the upper branches. One picker climbs into the tree and hangs a pail over the end of the branch using a rope. The branch is then bent downwards as much as possible allowing another picker on the ground to reach it. The black mulberries are gently picked one by one with diligent movements of wrist, hand and fingers without harming them, and then they are poured to the pail.

Vildan and Hüseyin Soylu can speak at length of the characteristics of black mulberries. The couple sell their products at the Tire market via the village's cooperative. “The black mulberries matured earlier [this year] as the wind blew from the sea this summer,” the couple said.

The producers in the village formerly took the mulberries right to the customers' door in İzmir, for barely more that YTL 1 per kilogram. However, a system capable of preserving 100 tons of mulberries and freezing them at minus 40 degrees Celsius was established in the village two years ago with the efforts of Esat Eryılmaz, the muhtar, or local authority, of the village, with the help of a YTL 117,000 loan from the İzmir Governorship's Fund for Promotion of Life Quality in Villages.

The customers now come to the village to buy the black mulberries for YTL 3 per kilogram, and the price is set by the producers. The income from the sale of only 70 tons of black mulberries is YTL 200,000. This income should even reach YTL 1 million in 10 years' time, when newly planted young black mulberry trees will begin to bear fruit. The village's black mulberry production will grow from 70 tons to 350 tons.

Hasan Kaya, chairman of the village's black mulberry cooperative, said their future project was a factory in which jam and black mulberry products will be produced for foreign markets. The village also produces 100 tons of walnuts and 250 tons of chestnuts each year.

The knotted wood of the black mulberry tree's branches is much sought after for use in wooden veneers, and the wood of the trunk is used in making musical instruments.

Hasan Doğan, who uses all kinds of herbs, wild and cultured, in the restaurant he opened in Tire after he retired from the post of biology teacher, is also a black mulberry specialist. Doğan stresses that a black mulberry gargle has positive effects on mouth ulcers and throat inflammation as well as on ulcers of the stomach and intestines.

According to natural remedy books, some organic acids, -- tartaric-citric acids -- found in the black mulberry are good for health. It is also written that its roots have a laxative effect and can be used to eliminate intestinal parasites.

“Female and male trees are different in white mulberries,” says Doğan, adding: “However, black mulberries show hermaphrodite characteristics. Most of the branches are female and a few male in a black mulberry tree. The black mulberry tree is thus self-fertilizing … unlike the white mulberry trees. Some villagers, who cut off the male branches, thinking that they don't produce fruit, are entirely wrong!”

Its colorful juice is used for making the natural dye-stuff, madder. It is known amongst the villagers that mulberry stains are removed by cold water, not hot. It is also believed that the reddish purple stains can be removed from the hands by rubbing them with the tree's leaves; however, the lovers Thisbe and Pyramus are further united by each attempt!

Black mulberry recipes from Tire:
Hasan Doğan offered some delicious white and black mulberry recipes for Turkish Daily News readers:

Mulberry Molasses: Mash the fruit in a large vessel and boil the juice along with pekmez toprağı (grape molasses soil – unprocessed soil containing calcite and used for making molasses) until thick.

Mulberry Fruit “Leather”: Spread mulberry molasses (see above) on a large wooden board or a sheet and let it dry under the sun.

Black Mulberry Sour: Use immature mulberries. Pound them until puréed and let this purée dry under the sun for a period of 15 days. This can then be used to flavor salads, giving a delicious taste different from that of sour pomegranate syrup (nar ekşisi).

Black Mulberry Syrup: Place the black mulberries in a large sauce pan. Boil and then sieve the fruit. Return the juice to the pan and add some sugar, continue to boil and then skim off the foam. Leave the syrup under the sun for 20 days. The longer it spends in the sunshine, the more delicious the syrup will be.

Black Mulberry Jam: Place mulberries and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Skim off any foam. Ladle the jam into clean warm bottles. Store in a cool place.

Black Mulberry Curd Desert: Take 1 kilogram of unsalted curd cheese, 100 grams of honey, a small amount of milk and some black mulberry syrup. Mix all of the ingredients together with a blender. Serve with black mulberry jam and sprinkled with walnuts.

…And from the TDN:
Mix black mulberry juice (which also goes well with rakı), with vodka or gin and put it in the refrigerator. Pour over ice and add 5-10 drops of lemon juice for a delicious summer drink. You can also add some orange juice into the mixture: perfect at sunset.

ÖZGEN ACAR
August 27, 2006
ANKARA - TDN Guest Writer

Turkish Hamams -- bathing in marble splendor

2006-09-16T20:38:00.000Z

There may be similarities between the Turkish hamam and ancient Roman baths, but as Muslims, Turks require running water and do not consider themselves clean if they have to immerse themselves in a tub . .

Going to the hamam once upon a time used to be an outing for the women and young children of the family in Turkey. Dishes such as börek (pastry with various fillings), dolma (stuffed peppers), fruit and sweets would be prepared and then it was off for a day of bathing and massage, eating, singing, dancing and gossiping.

Perhaps it was a bayram (religious holiday) or there would be a young woman just coming of marriageable age who needed to be looked over for a possible arranged marriage or a ceremony such as those held on the occasion of a new born child's 40th day or a circumcision ceremony, bathing the bride or mourning. That was for the women. Men would meet with their male friends and, while history is silent about the eating and singing part, undoubtedly the men gossiped and made business deals as well.

Large hamams could handle men and women at the same time in two sections -- women entered by a separate door. Smaller hamams that only had accommodation for men or women who would have separate days.

A hamam consists of what is known as the camekan -- a square courtyard around a marble fountain with small cubicles where one could change. The second room is the soğukluk (small, cooling off room) and the third is the hararet, a domed or square room containing a heated marble platform called the navel stone.

Some have assumed that the Turks who entered Anatolia took over the baths used by the Byzantines but this apparently is not the case. After all there were baths in Central Asia, Russia and Mongolia from which the Turks derived theirs and if these weren't sufficient as resources, then as the tribes migrated through the Middle East to Anatolia, they would have picked up Persian and other Middle Eastern practices.

The difference for Muslims lies in how the Koran viewed cleansing and this could only be done by using running water -- a bathtub or swimming pool did not count towards cleanliness. Muslims were enjoined to pray five times a day and before each prayer service, he had to clean himself by washing his hands and forearms up to the elbow, the face, a quarter of the head and the feet. Hence there are fountains with spigots and troughs to catch the water in the courtyards of mosques. Since thermal baths involved pools, anyone going in these had to be thoroughly clean before entering.

Entering a hamam, one finds a large reception room, perhaps with interconnecting rooms. There would be rather broad raised platforms (marble) that ran around the sides of the room where people could recline on mats or carpets. Inside there are no lights usually. These were provided by ?glass eyes? inserted in the lead-covered dome. These were transparent and nipple-shaped with part of them sticking above the dome and the remainder going all the way through the dome structure to illuminate the interior.

If the hamam were large enough there would be wooden galleries forming an upper story where there were cubicles in which people could change out of their street clothes into one of the towels especially woven for the hamam, usually red or black stripes on white cotton that was used as wraparounds.

The second room is called the tepidarium, a room in which one could get used to the heat to some extent before going into the main hot room. Here one would find toilets and rooms in which attendants would remove any undesired hairs.

And then the piece-de-resistance, the hot room! This was also covered with a dome and had recessed niches in the walls that held basins of water. There would also be benches along the sides of the walls. In the middle was the so-called navel stone on which customers were pummeled and pulled, sanded and bullied into having one of the greatest cleansing experiences of their lives.

How was the place heated? There was something like a boiler room at the very end of the building or just below the hot room itself. There a fireplace, lower than the other floors, would be heated and the water in an enormous kettle would give off steam that would be taken by various pipes to the other rooms. The temperature in the hot room is supposed to be between 30 and 40 C.

The interesting aspects of hamams are that they weren't particularly decorated on the outside and weren't very large. One has only to examine the Haseki Hürrem Hamam, located between the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and the St. Sophia Museum. Today it has been restored and is being used to exhibit carpets and other cultural items under the management of Dösim, a creation of Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry. Here you can see almost all of the normal aspects of a hamam with the exception that this is a unique hamam where you can see the entire length of the double building. In other such hamams, you cannot see the remaining rooms in the building from the reception room. But at least you can get an idea of what a hamam looks like without having to be pummeled and sweated into a lump of flesh.

Today there are more than 200 hamams in Istanbul although many are in ruins or have been adapted for other purposes such as restaurants, tavernas or even hotels. In the 17th century, the travel writer Evliya Çelebi wrote how hamams were built and distributed throughout the old city after the conquest so that the people would have a place to wash themselves as Islam required. And the expense of repairing them were undertaken by Fatih Sultan Mehmed.

Today's hamams:

Some of the adaptations are quite inventive. The Tahtakale hamam that dates back to the time of Fatih Sultan Mehmed in the 15th century was eventually turned into a coffeehouse, unfortunately minus the navel stone. The 16th century Hüsrev Kethuda Hamamı in Ortaköy is an upscale restaurant. The old hamam near the Four Seasons Hotel at Sultan Ahmet has been made into a hotel named appropriately perhaps the Empress Zoe. The rooms are quite small but interestingly designed. Other hamams serve as depots or workplaces for auto repairs and the like.

Most likely hamams will continue to exist for tourists and in some special places such as Cağaloğlu and Galatasaray but they are no longer of real importance except for tourists or as some kind of novel experience. The residents of Istanbul today have bathrooms with showers or baths inside their own homes. The need has passed but once upon a time these were institutions, part of everybody's life.

Niki Gamm
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

The Blues Brothers to Arrive in Istanbul

2006-08-13T16:00:00.000Z

The musical stars of 80’s cinema, The Blues Brothers, popular throughout the world for more that 27 years, will take the stage at Parkorman, Saturday, 9 September on the Istanbul-leg of their world tour. . .

The eight hour concert, will include many well know Turkish groups supporting the famous Blues Brothers band.

The Blues Brothers, best known for the films, ‘The Blues Brothers’ and ‘Blues Brothers 2000’ released by Universal Pictures, won three awards for their release, ‘Briefcase Full of Blues’ available through Atlantic Records.

August 13, 2006
zaman.com

Two weeks in Turkey change author's sense of direction - Where east isn't necessarily east

2006-07-26T15:21:00.000Z

Referring to the two weeks I'd spend in Turkey as the "turkey leg " of my trip never got old. Hearing about how Turkey is navigating the cultural gauntlet "between East and West" (capital E, capital W) did.

Even before I arrived in Istanbul's shiny new airport, I was sick of E vs. W: Surely there's more to say about a nation of 69 million people than merely that it occupies an ever-shifting divide between two indeterminate cultural origins?

But alas, like any ubiquitous stereotype worth its salt, it's true. And much of this vibrant nation's contemporary charm is born from the ways in which its youth is learning to thrive somewhere between Istanbul's swinging discos and all six minarets of the great Blue Mosque. . . .

An easy illustration of these two cultural extremes is tied up in the relative stages of undress on display in the streets.

On the west side of the country, especially along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, Turks and tourists alike bare all — for better or (in the case of the elderly and inevitably warbly German population) for worse. Out here, it's almost as if 98 percent of the nation was not Muslim, as women (in general; naturally, there are exceptions) wear faux-Armani skin-tight jeans and their mid-riff-baring mini-Ts proclaim nonsensical phrases in English. A girl walks by with "Baby kisses love wildness!" emblazoned on her chest. I wonder if she knows what the words mean.

For my part, I do as the locals do, and head for the shore with my bathing suit. My guiding local is a 70-year-old Turkish woman wearing a yellow string bikini that reveals just a little too much of her tanned hide. She reminds me first of a fried chicken breast and second of the neighbor from Something About Mary.

I'm under 13.

I shudder and begin applying a second coat of SPF 45 when four men approach my towel. They stand awkwardly, their hands in the pockets of their swim trunks, nudging each other like sixth grade boys mustering the courage to ask for a dance.

After a moment, I learn that they're Iranian professors, visiting Turkey for a week-long conference. This is the first time that three of the four of them have ever left their country and you can see the shell-shock in their eyes. I assure them they can ask me what they like, and they begin to talk at once:

"In America, do people have families? Do they love each other?" The first one blurts.

"Do you kiss boys who you won't marry? Does your father know?" The second chimes in.

"What do you think of the Iranian nuclear program? What about George Bush?" The third asks, reading off a napkin he'd evidently prepared ahead of time.

"What do Christians think of Muslims?" Asks the fourth, shifting from foot to foot.

I begin to answer, but find myself laughing aloud. Do American families love each other? Do I kiss boys? The Iranian nuclear program? For heaven's sake, what have I gotten myself into?

I'm initially appalled by their brazenness and horrified by the information they must be receiving about Americans. Their questions intimate a staggering level of anti-American propaganda. But ultimately, I'm utterly won over by their earnestness. These men — four highly educated Iranian scientists — have never in their lives met an American woman, and what they lack in tact they make up for in a sense of awe.

I begin again to answer the men in turn, doing my best to speak for all Americans — to explain, in the most simplistic English I can, such cultural mysteries as dating, step families, divorce, fear of nuclear proliferation, Christianity, the religious aftermath of September 11th, and how, of course, I never kiss boys I won't marry. Right, Dad?

It's a rocky conversation. Especially conducted in a bikini. But all in all, it goes well. At one point, I manage to squeeze a question in edgewise.

"What do you think of Turkey as a Muslim nation?" I ask, gesturing at the rows of Pepsi-Cola chaise lounges inhabited by skimpily clad girls.

The one with the best English responds. "The money is good," he says, "but this? It's too much. No good for Iran."

Bikinis aside, any part of the western boardwalk scene — the uncovered heads! the bared arms! — would be enough to send the average Iranian, much less the average Turkish man east of Cappadocia into a fit of frothing conniptions.

Before the professors leave, we all take a picture together — pink bikini, swim trunks, and all — and exchange emails. I'm left to contemplate Turkey as the embodiment of "too much," from a Middle Eastern perspective. The rebellious sister who has strayed from the fold.

Eastward ho! The land of full-length clothing

The next day, I pry myself from the sun-soaked Mediterranean and head east, piling on the clothes as I go. In the eastern side of the nation, women wear, at the very least, ankle-length skirts, long-sleeved frocks, and headscarves; at the most, they don head-to-toe black burkas, complete with netting over the eyes. The burlap sack of sun-dresses.

Read "My Semester Abroad, " a collection of dispatches from local college students — from the Puget Sound area or studying at a Puget Sound university — traveling the world as part of their studies. The writers welcome your comments and questions.

I walk from the bus station wearing long pants, a long-sleeved shirt buttoned to my chin, and a headscarf. I still feel like a street walker. And, owing largely to the rather depraved portrayal of Western women on TV, I'm treated like one. Taxi drivers and waiters alike assume I will not be providing compensation for their services in, ahem, cash.

Which is great, because I got to save some money. (I'm so kidding, Dad).

But out here, no matter where I go and regardless of the fact that I'm showing literally no skin, I'm the center of attention. Men and women alike stop on the street to stare at me. I duck into a cheese shop and when I emerge, a crowd of nearly 20 people are waiting, evidently to catch a glimpse of this unaccompanied blond. Aware that I represent the entirety of America to these people, I do my best to navigate the gauntlet with grace. I wrap my headscarf tight, lower my eyes, and, taking two steps into the muddy street, I trip over a scrap of corrugated metal and fall directly on my face.

I'm horribly embarrassed and, struggling to my feet, I occupy myself picking up the quarter-kilo of now-filthy cheese I'd intended for dinner. Everyone is staring at me, mouths open, unsure if they should help me or laugh. I look around and, rubbing the mud off my cheek, decide to curtsy grandly. If you can't do it right, you might as well do it with flourish, right? (If that's not American, I don't know what is). The crowd laughs uproariously. A man comes over and claps me on the back; a woman in an abaya holds her hand to her veiled mouth and doubles over; the clerk from the cheese shop giggles and hands me a fresh quarter-kilo of cheese.

So I guess I'm not ready for the UN, but at least I got my dinner.

The cultural contradictions

In all seriousness, this dramatic disparity between the stages of undress — and beyond that, the social expectations symbolized by the shedding of clothing — between the coasts and the poorer, rural town in the eastern side of the country is incredible. And highly problematic. For example, many of the southeastern towns of Turkey report very high female suicide rates, as women out here — one of 10 of whom are in (illegal) polygamous marriages — live nothing like the women on primetime, much less like their sisters on the Mediterranean shore.

But to say simply that women in the East are Middle Eastern and women in the West are European is to fall victim to the East-West simplification that so annoyed me before arriving here. While Turkey does seem to be "East" in some parts and "West" in others, it's often both at once. And that's sometimes when the contemporary culture is the most fascinating of all.

In the northeast, (northwest of Mt. Ararat where legend claims Noah's ark finally touched ground), a university town called Erzurum perfectly occupies this state of cultural contradiction. Up here, a woman in a full-length tarp shuffles past groups of gossiping college co-eds in mini-skirts; a 20-year-old in a tube top chats with an elderly lady in a burka over the ripeness of the eggplants on display; a mother and daughter — the daughter in headscarf, the mother not — share a cup of tea in the shade. It all makes me wonder how these women judge each other. I have a feeling it's more complicated than we think.

And, considering the recent political squabble in Ankara, it is. In 2004, the government declared that Turkish universities could refuse admission to women wearing headscarves, on the grounds that they symbolized a backward-looking conservative mindset inappropriate in a progressive educational environment. Some women celebrated the decision; others protested.

Turkey, finding itself on this extraordinary modern precipice is quite understandably blundering and confused. Just recently, the Turkish government — perhaps slightly too eager to appear as Western as possible during its candidacy for the European Union (and therefore sensitive about its international press) — imprisoned a Turkish man for essentially claiming that his government was not as Western as it pretended to be. Oops.

It's as if Turkey has just enrolled in the state-building equivalent of Middle School: As a nation, it's awkwardly attempting to inhabit two worlds; battling the dual evils of self-consciousness and growing pains; and it's got the infrastructural counterpart of braces and acne.

My grade-school analogy

And so long as I'm nursing this analogy, here goes: The western coast of Turkey is, from a distance, the really popular girl in the 8th grade. Sinuous coastal roads overlook enclaves of turquoise surf; small fishing villages boast picturesque lighthouses, gray-sand beaches, and balmy evenings; white terracotta houses built on the verdant slopes are freckled with sundecks and aquamarine swimming pools. And let's not forget those skimpily-clad women. It's almost the paradise reserved for glossy travel magazines. Almost.

Up close, the shoreline, like the 8th grade girl, is not quite done growing up. Those enormous structures in Oren (along the Aegean Coast) that appear from a distance to imitate the 5-star hotels of Monaco are actually in a state of suspended development, their cement structures abandoned long before windows and roofs were installed. That shimmering neon water park complete with gaudy billboards proclaiming its grandeur on the road to Pamchuk does not appear to be open; its great yellow slides have been left to fade in the Mediterranean sun. And the glamorous apartment buildings are, rather than summer homes of the urban elite, year-round multi-family flats. Satellite dishes are jerry-rigged to the cookie-cutter balconies and laundry flaps against the pastel paint jobs .

But if the west coast is the popular girl, then the east is the chubby kid in the back of class who, with her Clearasil-ridden face and buck teeth, is clearly suffering the brunt of puberty. In Dogubayazit (nestled between the Iranian and Armenian borders), narrow, muddy streets strung with laundry and starving dogs recall scenes out of Dickens, except sadder. Corrugated metal and crumbling cement make up the general architectural motif and dilapidated flat-roofed store fronts-cum-homes dominate the skyline. Dolmuses (rickety vans, converted into buses), adorned with rainbow painted "Allah is great" signs, barely make their way through the pot-holed, dirt streets. Periodic Kurdish uprisings (and concurrent civil war) throughout the 80s and 90s have claimed about 30,000 lives in this region and left its mark in the form of endemic poverty.

So sure, middle school is tough and the nation still has a lot of growing up to do. It is stumbling between two dichotomous cultural extremes and it certainly has made a few embarrassing political decisions lately.

But then again, when stumbling and embarrassment are concerned, I'm not exactly in a position to throw stones, am I? Sometimes the best we can do is pick ourselves up, face the crowd, and navigate the gauntlet just the best we can.

Haley Edwards, 23, lives in Seattle and is a senior writer for Internationalist Magazine, published in the city. She is on a solo, four-month, round-the-world journey and will be filing occasional reports for us from the road.

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company

My Twenty-something Adventure

By Haley Edwards
Special to the Seattle Times

Watch The Gorgeous Belly Dancers Videos Here

2006-07-01T15:54:00.000Z

Istanbul, the European Capital of Culture in 2010

2006-07-01T14:38:00.000Z

A seven-member jury panel recommended on Tuesday that the 2010 European Capitals of Culture be awarded to Istanbul along with the cities of Essen in Germany and Pecs in Hungary.

A seven-member jury panel recommended on Tuesday that the 2010 European Capitals of Culture (ECOC) be awarded to Istanbul along with the cities of Essen in Germany and Pecs in Hungary. After the European Parliament's decision, culture ministers from the 25 member countries will have the final say in November.

It's a nice coincidence that those three cities were named as cultural capitals. Pecs is a city of many solid Ottoman vestiges as well as the birthplace of chronicler İbrahim Peçevi. Essen is a city populated by many Turks in the Ruhr region. The Germans and the Hungarians both have a long and deep relationship with Istanbul.

A civilian initiative:

The achievement was as significant in method as it was in substance. The sentence that was included in the jury's decision -- ?the bottom-up process, as well as the active role of the civil society, were considered as crucial assets of the proposal? -- refers to one of the most significant deeds the steering committee has accomplished. We managed to put in place, despite the administrative culture of the country, a structure where the civil society, local government and the central government work and have and equal say. If that can be instrumental in transforming the classical local government into good governance this will be one of the most valuable benefits of the ECOC project.

Being an ECOC, just like becoming an EU member, has a different meaning for each person as well as for different segments of society. As EU membership creates different expectations, being an ECOC also projects different expectations, sometimes contrasting ones. For example demolishing and rebuilding a neighborhood would mean aesthetic and commercial added value to one person; whereas to another it would mean an outdated practice in urban transformation plus being harmful to human texture. One of the most challenging tasks awaiting the future committees would probably be achieving constructive results from different approaches and from opposing interests.

If regaining the living urban structures through an ambitious cultural policy without damaging them can become the common objective then most existing and future problems will be eliminated. The route to this lies in the co-working culture created during the five-year long preparation period.

Fresh blood for the EU process:

In terms of our accession process to the European Union, Istanbul's being selected as an ECOC in 2010 may have a boosting effect on our rather lagging EU affairs. Correspondingly, if accession to the EU continues without interruption, 2010 is halfway to our possible full membership date of 2014. Even if 2014 is not officially pronounced for our accession, 2010 stands as a precise date for Istanbul to be ready. This will require a practice of ?forward thinking and getting prepared,? something we are not really accustomed to.

In terms of informing and educating the European and Turkish publics, the ECOC project will be a very functional workshop whereby the clichés on both sides will be revisited.

The ECOC project is powerful enough to alter the ?us and them? approach, dominant in both sides. Because you become the cultural capital of those you name ?them? and vice versa, a city inhabited by those who are considered as ?others? by Europeans becomes their capital of culture. Is there a better means of understanding each other?

Remembering that the Turkey debate in Europe is mostly based on cultural differences, the possible contribution of the ECOC project is clear -- it's not necessarily only to prove that Istanbul or Turkey is culturally European, but also to explain that it is both European and more.

The prime minister answered the question of ?what will we gain?? during the press conference on Wednesday, not in terms of financial figures, but said, ?We will gain Istanbul and we will make Europe gain Istanbul.? In a broader approach, this bid does look like a gain for everybody. Because ?culture? may exceed its limited and classical scope to brighten up other fields from administrative culture to culture of coexistence, from culture of peace to political culture.

For more information
www.istanbul2010.org

For the selection panel's report
www.europa.eu.int/comm/culture/eac/other_actions/
cap_europe/pdf_word/report_cap2010.pdf

April 14, 2006
Cengiz Aktar
© 2004 Dogan Daily News Inc.
turkishdailynews.com.tr

The train ride from Istanbul to Ankara

2006-06-18T10:40:00.000Z

The train ride from Istanbul to Ankara begins on the Asian side of the Bosphorus at an astonishing station. But with the terminal under threat from urban planners, you should book your trip now, says Barnaby Rogerson.

Hurry. One of the last great railway journeys into Asia will soon be no more. In three years' time the magnificence of Istanbul's Haydarpasha station will be severed forever from the tracks that lead south and east.

If you put a spoon in a small tulip-shaped glass, rattle it vigorously and call out, "tchay-kahve, tchay-kahve, tchay-kahve" while advancing down a corridor, you will have some idea of how the traveller is woken at dawn, as the night train from Anatolia returns safely to Istanbul.

When there is no more tchay or kahve to serve, the conductor will set off on another tour of the sleeper cars, rattling his spoon and glass but this time crying out, "Stamboul, Stamboul".

There can be no more romantic sound to the ear of the traveller. Nor can there be a better station to arrive at. Haydarpasha is one of the last temples of rail travel - a vast Saxe-Coburg-Gotha schloss that should, by rights, stand above the Rhine or above a firth in Sutherland, but is instead perched on the banks of the Bosphorus.

It is one of the great buildings of Istanbul's Asian shore. The ticket hall, enthroned within massive Renaissance-style vaults, would have impressed a Borgia.

Haydarpasha has always been about first impressions. It was built by German engineers as a symbol of the Kaiser's alliance with the Ottoman Empire. A very visible fruit of this partnership was the great Berlin-to-Baghdad rail route.

Every adventurer, explorer, archaeologist and filibuster who sought fame and fortune in the Middle East has passed through the station arches, not to mention the greater numbers of the pious: Orthodox pilgrims heading for Jerusalem and Muslims on their way to Damascus to connect with the Haj line to Medina.

It is a place tangibly brushed with the romance of the great days of travel: of piles of trunks, of porters, of romantic separations and of chance encounters; a still-living backdrop to an adventure story by Graham Greene or Agatha Christie.

It was targeted by British agents during the Great War, who achieved the spectacular success of September 6, 1917, when they detonated a device in the ammunition depot behind the station. The resulting inferno destroyed a great chunk of strategic rail track, most of the roof and one or two of the station's towers.

A year later it was at the Haydarpasha landing station that the British and French chiefs of staff met at the conclusion of the war, having sailed up through the Dardanelles past the now silent guns and entrenched Turkish infantry that had defeated them during the Gallipoli campaign.

On a hill behind the station stands the wooded-garden of the Crimean War cemetery (perhaps the most moody, romantic and secretive of all the British burial grounds abroad), for Florence Nightingale's original hospital is also close by, housed within a corner of the vast Selimye barracks.

These were built for the reformed Ottoman army after the unruly Jannissaries had been massacred in 1826. The very name Haydarpasha commemorates Selim III's reforming general, who had attempted to suppress the Janissaries a generation before but had perished in the attempt.

Despite being surrounded in every direction by such poignant markers of history, Haydarpasha still remains a working station, and has not suffered from the tourist-creep that is slowly transforming Sirkeci, the railway station on the European shore, into an Orient-Express theme park.

But a cabal of developers and architect-engineers has produced a plan to redevelop the docklands on Istanbul's Asian shore. Never mind that their glass and steel towers will literally cast a shadow over the Topkapi palace, Ayia Sophia and the Blue Mosque and obliterate a beautiful urban backdrop.

The money the project will generate is on a scale, and of an order, that will prove irresistible. There is also talk of a yacht marina to replace the dignified - and still busy waterfront, used by the Black Sea ferries and cruise ships.

So I finally hurried into a journey that I had been idly contemplating for some 10 years - to the extent that I have twice rehearsed catching the night train from Haydarpasha.

These practise sessions involved a ferry journey across the dark Bosphorus, with long evenings in the station's Lokanta restaurant-bar. One door of the station bar opens on to the platform, where the blue sleeper carriages await their passengers, while from a lower door you can look directly out over the waters of the Bosphorus.

On my last visit one table was filled with moustachioed dock-workers drinking raki while a fur-coated traveller of great age, hennaed hair and indeterminate sex studied a table of mop-haired youths watching football.

The local brew is drawn with Guinness-like respect, the waiters are unflappably soigné and the kebabs are properly spiced. Above the drinkers is a high plaster ceiling, painted lilac, pink and gold, while Moorish geometric tiles are hung on the lower walls. It was such a perfect scene of raw unpackaged travel that I half expected to find Jan Morris or Colin Thubron lurking behind a cast-iron column.

On our actual journey we took our seats on the train after supper, avoiding the last-minute rush that my wife normally insists upon as a vital element of true travel. We were both concerned about one of our daughters, who looked very ill, dehydrated and had lost her appetite. She travelled with her mother while I cared for the seven-year-old in the next compartment.

Although small, the seven-year-old has become a remarkably assertive traveller. A crushed thumb at a village well-head in the Deccan, falling in love with every sort of serpent and rat in Goa this January - not to mention the incident when she had to pick me up from the road after I had been knocked down by a motorcycle rickshaw: all seem to have toughened her up no end.

While I like the window open, the curtains undrawn and the lights off (all the better to experience the chance noises of a night train, the shuntings, grindings and unexpected stops at deserted railway platforms) she likes to turn a "sleepy train" into a cosy bedroom.

We waged war against each other's preferences, but as she had made an early claim to the bottom bunk, I fear she maintained a slight advantage all night. The window must have clonked itself open and shut at least a dozen times before the "tchay-kahve" wake-up call signalled a close of play.

During a Turkish breakfast - served in the dining car on the fetching blue and red State Railway porcelain - of olives, tomatoes, cucumber, toasted bread, white cheese and a boiled egg, we rattled across the steppes.

Ankara is not on the itinerary of the romantic traveller. As a destination it was more of an excuse for a night train journey than anything else, yet I had been longing to see three things here. I soon added a fourth, for the station is magnificent, a stern essay in national monolithic, all clean marble and polished efficiency.

I shed tears for the fallen at the Ataturk Mausoleum and felt misty-eyed at the relics of the wizened old temple of Augustus, where the Res Gestae inscription can still be traced in a neglected, locked-up compound beside the Haci Bayram mosque. As schoolboys we loved the Res Gestae for Augustus's swanky opening line - "At eighteen I raised an army and saved the republic" - but now it seemed as poignant as the neglected tomb of Cyrus.

I took turns at child-care with my wife so we both could take our time sketching the mother goddesses in the citadel museum. Illness excused our daughters from drawing the Hittite carvings at Carchemish.

Instead we let our children play havoc in the Ankara Hilton, living a life as close to their cartoon heroine Eloise of Manhattan's Plaza Hotel, as they have ever dreamed. So it was room service, TV in bed and lots of journeys in the palatial lifts to the spa. Fortunately it was Ramadan, so there were no high-powered guests to complain of the children shrieking with joy in the Jacuzzi.

We loved rediscovering our beds on the sleeper again the following night, and the waiters in the dining car treated us like long-lost friends as we opened up a pack of cards and ordered a late-night meze supper.

Next morning I was awoken by the "tchay-khave" call as we rattled along the shore of the Sea of Marmara and looked out of the window over merchant ships lit up at anchor. During breakfast we passed an ancient ivy-clad fortress that did not appear in any of the guidebooks and then we listened for the waiters' magical cry of "Stamboul" as we approached Haydarpasha.

After a coffee in the magnificence of the station's vaults, we walked down a flight of stone steps straight to the station quay and listened to the resonant cries as the landing stations of the European shore of Istanbul were called out, "Eminonu! Karakoy! Beskitas!"

As we chugged across the Bosphorus we passed a school of ferries criss-crossing the straits in their livery of yellow and white. Standing by the railings, the wind gusting down from the Black Sea, woke us up to the core. It was just then that the morning sun lit up the domes of the Ayia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

I looked at my wife and daughters shivering in the wind. I asked them if we should do it again before the urban planners banish all this hectic colour into history and replace it with underpasses and gleaming towers of glass and steel. There was a silence, before my wife said, "Did you notice that there is a direct train from Haydarpasha to Tehran?"

14/06/2006)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2006/06/14/etturkey14.xml&sSheet=/travel/2006/06/14/ixtrvhome.html

Explore Istanbul, a city of contrasts

2006-06-06T15:19:00.000Z

The Turkish city of Istanbul is a bustling, exotic place, full of stunning architecture and fascinating sights and sounds.

Situated on the Bosphorus River and the dividing line between the East and West, Istanbul is Turkey's largest city and it spans the edges of Europe and Asia.

With a population of 12 million people, Istanbul is busy and vibrant, with old traditions rubbing shoulders with the ancient world and a breathtaking skyline.

Budget airline EasyJet has just announced that it has been granted permission to fly to Istanbul from London's Luton airport. The new service is due to being in late July, with daily flights during the daytime, and the start date will be announced shortly.

Istanbul, originally Byzantium, has played a central role in world history and was established by a man named Byzas following a conversation with the oracle at Delphi in 657BC. The capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, as Constantinople, and the heart of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul flourished.

The Turkish Republic was established in 1923 and Ankara became the capital, but Istanbul has witnessed a revival in recent years as a popular destination for tourists.

Istanbul has a wealth of excellent museums, galleries and grand buildings, with some of the best including the Archaeological Museum, the Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans, the Dolmabahce Palace, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Ibrahim Pasa Palace and the Hippodrome (Atmeydani).

The vast and stunning Hagia Sophia, or Church of the Divine Wisdom, built in AD 532 by Emperor Justinian has been both a cathedral and a mosque and bears the marks of both religions under its huge dome. Blue Mosque (Mosque of Sultan Ahmet) is a beautiful building, stunningly decorated inside with traditional Iznik tiles and still a working, busy mosque.

No visit to Istanbul is complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar, with its thousands of stalls selling all manner of brightly coloured goods, glittering jewellery and rich textiles. The ancient market has around 4,000 shops selling carpets, textiles, copper, brass, jewellery, leather goods, and other items.

At night, Istanbul offers a range of fashionable bars and clubs, shows with folk dancers, circus performers, belly dancers, whirling dervishes and singers, and an International Theatre Festival in May.

Istanbul enjoys pleasant spring and winter months, with temperatures and humidity soaring during the height of summer.

Tales from the Expat Harem

2006-06-05T14:57:00.000Z

Tales of the Expat Harem offers 29 stories about American women in Turkey
Bazaars, exquisite carpet shops reminiscent of exotic folklore, lamb roasting in tiny restaurant windows, the omnipresence of mosques dimmed by the setting sun, ushering in the long Arabian night familiar to every child's imagination - are you burning for a chance to travel?

Have you indulged in fantasies about prolonged flights from your life, shedding your skin and being reborn in the East?

The 2005 book "Tales from the Expat Harem: Foreign Women in Modern Turkey" by Jennifer E. Gökmen and Anastasia M. Ashman offers 29 stories of American women who, for very different reasons, rediscover themselves in the country of Turkey.

A country with a remarkably rich Middle Eastern history and a modern Western flair, Turkey is a harbor for many Westerners traveling or settling for pleasure or business.

The authors of "Tales from the Expat Harem" have offered the Eastern Echo their time to share their experiences and discuss their book.

Eastern Echo: Would you tell us a little about "Tales from the Expat Harem?"

Anatasia Ashman: Ours is a collection of expatriate adventures in Turkey. These women (like us) show how Turkish culture has affected their lives in real-life stories that span the entire country and the last four decades.

Jennifer Gokmen: Our contributors are not tourists. This is expatriate literature, meaning that all the writers have established lives there and have lived at least one year in Turkey - some even for 30 years.

Some of the women came for work, like the archaeologist at Troy and the clothing designer in Selcuk. Others came for a belief, like the Peace Corps volunteer in Erzurum and the Christian missionary in Istanbul... some have yet to figure out what drew them here!

The title "Expat Harem" is purposefully anachronistic. We realize the prevalent and erroneous Western stereotypes about Asia Minor and the entire Muslim world. Our title ironically mirrors that inaccuracy, while also recognizing the fact that the harem was the female base of power in the days of the sultans.

We feel our writers are akin to foreign brides of the Ottoman Seraglio, wedded to the culture of the land, yet forever alien.

Ashman: The use of harem in the title also makes sense on a deeper level. We believe that if a harem was once a confined community of women, then this newly coined community of expatriate women in modern Turkey follows its tradition.

Foreign women can lead confined lives in Turkey, especially when they have just arrived, have not yet learned the language, and when they still haven't overcome their own ethnocentricity, for example.

Gokmen: On the other hand, we also see our "Expat Harem" as a network of peers, and a source of foreign female wisdom about the country and the culture.

Eastern Echo: What success has the book enjoyed, both in the U.S. and in Turkey?

Gokmen: The book was released in Turkey in September 2005 in both Turkish and English by Turkey's largest publisher. The English edition went to the bestseller list and has remained there for over 7 months now.

"Expat Harem" was a No. 1 bestseller in Turkey in January. Even Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called after reading the book to say how much he liked it and thought it was important for the country. That's like having Condoleeza Rice calling you up at home to say "good job!"

Ashman: In Turkey, consulates and embassies have begun giving the book to their incoming personnel as an orientation to the culture.

Turks who live in America tell us that they're using "Expat Harem" to teach their American-born children about their home culture, which is the best validation we can receive. Many say the book will be an instant classic in terms of explaining Turkish culture through foreigners' eyes.

Gokmen: In America, "Expat Harem" went into a second printing in April 2006, only one month after its release, so that hopefully bodes well for the book's success here.

May 25th we will complete a 6-week long American book tour during which we have traveled 9,000 miles across 26 states, which has put us in touch with readers across the country. They like what they have read, so soon the word will start to spread.

We've blogged the whole trip to record the people we've met and each of the events. [http://expat-harem.blogspot.com].

Eastern Echo: What makes Turkey different from other neighboring Middle Eastern countries?

Gokmen: Turkey differs from its Middle Eastern neighbors primarily in that its foundation was based on the secular idea of separation of mosque and state as well as an active strategy of Westernization.

Turkey's republic was established as a secular nation in 1923 when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk abolished the Ottoman sultanate and caliphate and introduced democratic rule, modeling Turkey's civil code after Switzerland's laws.

Along with outlawing the wearing of the fez for men and the veil for women, the alphabet was changed to Latin script rather than Arabic, and by 1934 women were given the right to vote and hold office. From the earliest years of Turkey's parliament, there were elected female representatives.

Ashman: Americans may not realize that women are legally forbidden to wear headscarves if they work for the Turkish government or for government-sponsored entities like schools and universities.

Turkey has a fierce tradition of secularism such that president Sezer will not attend any state function if Prime Minister Erdogan's headscarved wife is present, nor will the heads of the military. This is how contentious the headscarf issue is between Turkish secularists and religious conservatives.

Eastern Echo: The Middle East and Islam are topics with a great deal of news coverage and evoke a certain degree of discomfort for many Americans. How well is the average American informed about the culture and attitudes of the Muslim world?

Gokmen: It's a pity that these days news coverage in general tends to favor stories of scandal, tragedy, and atrocity... It is much more difficult to find positive human interest stories of any kind from any country.

You know, our international press correspondent friends in Istanbul can't sell a good story about Turkey to their editors because Turkey's negative image is so deeply ingrained.

If they submit a positive story, their editors assume the correspondents have "gone native" and often boot them off to their next country assignment.

Ashman: We hope this book will show that Turkey and its people have another side, one of innate gentility and generosity. Educated women from many different nations, time periods, and characters show that the country has a lot to offer.

Gokmen: I would encourage Americans to keep in mind the difference between the people of any nation and their policymakers. Vilifying entire cultures based on what leaders do is akin to accusing every German of the Holocaust or accusing every American of the crimes committed in the name of US foreign policy.

I'm quite thankful that Turks don't blame me for Bush's actions just because I'm American. In 12 years no one in Turkey has ever acted negatively toward me because of my nationality

Eastern Echo: The first concern for anyone considering travel is safety. To what degree does Turkey offer security for foreigners?

Gokmen: I'm not sure what specific security options are on offer for foreigners.

I can say that I have lived in Turkey for the past 12 years and have traveled the country extensively by myself, with other foreign females, and in mixed groups and I've never felt I was ever in any kind of danger or was taking any risk. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Turkish culture tends to be much more hospitable than we're used to. It has been my experience that total strangers will go out of their way to make sure I'm taken care of, comfortable, and even entertained. And most expats and tourists we know have had similar experiences.

I've even had a random taxi driver in Istanbul escort me inside the telecom headquarters to help me sort out my incorrect phone bill when my Turkish skills were not quite enough! That kind of good Samaritan behavior is everywhere in Turkey.

Ashmen: Security is provided by the nature of the society. Armed escorts are hardly necessary when the instinct and upbringing of Turks makes them concerned for the wellbeing of the people around them, including foreigners and visitors.

Eastern Echo: Can you offer any advice for individuals looking to travel or live abroad, Turkey and otherwise?

Gokmen: Seek out context wherever you go. The sooner you can identify context, the more you will enjoy your surroundings. How people behave and react to you is based on their cultural background, not yours, so words and actions may have very different meanings than what you might assume.

And once you can correctly interpret or intuit what's going on around you, the more you can participate.

Ashman: For instance, the limp finger handshake of Malaysia followed by the quick retraction of the arm is not a sign of rejection as I had first assumed when I arrived there.

When this first happened to me, I thought the person was signaling her displeasure in meeting me. What I didn't realize was that she drew her hand back in order to touch it to her heart, in a delicate gesture of honoring the person being greeted.

I now wonder what she must have thought of my bone-squeezing American handshake. If I had learned about greetings before moving there, it would have made my first impressions of the country much different.

Eastern Echo: What advice can you offer young writers who want to pursue the life of an author or editor?

Gokmen: Aside from honing your craft and writing as much and as often as possible, prepare yourself for the marketing of your product.

The reality is that the time and resources publishers can devote to a title is often limited (especially for first time authors), so it behooves writers to do what they can to support the publishers' efforts. There are some excellent books on the market offering ideas and marketing strategies.

Ashman: In fact, developing a detailed marketing plan helped us to sell the "Expat Harem" manuscript by identifying our many different types of audiences and how we could target them. We detailed the steps we would take to help further the success of the project.

For our future projects, we certainly plan to submit a marketing plan to publishers along with the manuscript.

By Bryan Smith
JUNE 6, 2006

Unspoilt Turkey -The Observer : June 4, 2006

2006-06-05T14:50:00.000Z

Only a few miles from resorts heaving with huge hotels and apartment blocks, there are sleepy coves, tranquil forests and untouched hamlets. Here Annabelle Thorpe picks the low-key highlights

For those of us who fell in love with Turkey's rough-edged exoticism years ago, the creeping urbanisation of the country's gorgeous coastline can be depressing. Traditional fishing villages are increasingly being swallowed up by identikit hotels and apartment blocks but, if you know where to look, there are still unspoilt beaches and sleepy hamlets to be discovered. Best of all, just a few minutes' drive inland from the coast, Turkish life continues pretty much unchanged: a hazily sunlit world of ramshackle farms and disarmingly shabby villages. Below are four regions where the real Turkey can still be found.

Just 10 minutes' drive behind the well-known resorts of Olu Deniz and Fethiye lie agricultural plateaus and lush green mountains barely touched by tourism. Scattered between the villages lie the ruins of ancient Lycian civilisations that flourished from the 6th century BC until falling into Roman hands. The resorts in Lycia are a mixed bag: mainstream Olu Deniz, ramshackle Patara with its blissful 22km beach, and chic Kalkan with its increasingly Hampstead-on-Sea feel, due to its burgeoning ex-pat population. Dip into the coastal resorts but stay inland, even just a little, for a glimpse of Turkey at its rural, peaceful, best.

The Kaya Valley, tucked away in the mountains behind Olu Deniz beach, used only to be known for the eerily atmospheric, deserted Greek village of Kaya that looks out across the fields. Over recent years, however, farm buildings and cottages have been renovated to offer comfortable accommodation and the Karmylassos Cottages combine rural pleasures with all the comforts of home - fully-fitted kitchens, satellite TV and barbecues on the individual terraces. A week costs from £672pp.

The Black Tree Cottages, a clutch of stone-built houses with restaurant and pool, are set 1,000 metres above the Lycian coastline in the agricultural hamlet of Karaagac. At Black Tree it's all about getting back to nature; exploring the countryside on horseback, following walking trails around the plateau, or helping the kids collect eggs and get to know the resident geese and goats. Patara beach is 40 minutes' drive. A week costs from £465pp, including flights.
To really experience rural Turkish life, go to the village of Bezirgan, 20 minutes beyond Kalkan, and stay with Pauline (who's Scottish) and her husband, Erol, in their delightfully traditional B&B Owlsland . It is a 150-year-old farmhouse, surrounded by almond and fig trees. Accommodation is simple but comfortable and the breakfasts are fab. Doubles from £22.50 per night, B&B.

The Lycian Way is a newly waymarked walking route that stretches some 509km from Fethiye to Antalya, and takes in spectacular walks over Baba Dagi, the mountain that towers over Olu Deniz, the castle and ruins at Ucagiz and the beach at Patara. For more information, check out www.lycianway.com, or Headwater offers a 'Highlights of the Lycian Coast' independent walking week, which costs from £788pp including flights. The plateaus and valleys are also excellent riding country. The Perma Ranch in Kaya offers treks for all levels.

Car hire is essential to explore Lycia properly; start off with the stunning Saklikent Gorge, an 18km canyon with soaring limestone walls, 16 caves and gentle waterfalls. If you're feeling feisty, river rafting is on offer; alternatively, just indulge in a beer or two at the river bar. There is treehouse accommodation, but it's a pretty backpacker-heavy crowd.

The White Dolphin on the road to Faralya with glorious views over Olu Deniz beach, is arguably the best restaurant in the region, serving traditional Ottoman cooking and luscious meze - though you might want to avoid the raw whole octopus.

Bozburun Peninsula

Beyond the bright lights and bling of Marmaris and Icmeler lies the Bozburun peninsula, a tranquil mix of pine forests, beachside hamlets and yachts drifting in and out of sleepy coves. Along the eastern side is Turunc - dwarfed by the mountains, backed by fields, beachfront edged with restaurants - followed by the picturesque cove of Amos, then Kumlubuk and Ciftlik. On the western side, snoozing by the sea is the order of the day in Sogut and Bozburun, and a scattering of villas lie in the mountains and plateaus in between.

If you just want to bliss out by the pool, the Dionysos hotel is a great bet, built into the mountainside above the tiny hamlet of Kumlubuk (a couple of restaurants and a stretch of beach). It's well-nigh impossible to tear yourself away from the stunning views that stretch beyond the infinity pool - unless it's for a lazy day-trip on Ahmet's (the Dionysos's owner) gulet. A week costs from £500, including flights and a gulet trip.

On the other side of the peninsula, Sogut consists of two sandy bays, a mosque, a couple of rather fine fish restaurants and a minimarket or two. Stay at the Villas Askim, and you are virtually staying in the sea; the three villas are right on the shorefront, with terraces that look to the Greek island of Symi. The villas have fully fitted kitchens, or a local restaurant will serve supper to your own terrace. Best of all, the villas have their own jetties and a rowing boat. A week from £500 including flights through Exclusive Escapes (as before).

Nature lovers should book the Chalet Vista, in the rural village of Bayir - a villa built from local wood and stone and a real part of village life. Sleeping eight, with a good-sized pool, stunning views from the terraces, and surrounded by fig trees and vines, it's the perfect place to rest weary feet after a day's hiking up to Gok Dag (Sky Mountain). A week from £495pp including flights, based on six sharing.

An authentic Turkish market (one where they don't shout 'cheaper than M&S' at every passing tourist) is well worth a visit, and the market at Mugla, capital of Mugla province and some 50km inland from Marmaris, is the best in the region. Held on a Thursday morning, the best buys are wrought ironwork and ceramics, alongside fruit and veg straight from the fields.

On the way to Mugla, it's worth stopping off in Akyaka, a small village-cum-resort that spreads along the coast and the River Azmak. The river is part of a conservation area that's home to otters, tortoises, kingfishers and deer - perfect for a gentle stroll before a lazy lunch at one of the fish restaurants that border the river. A must-do while in Turkey is a Turkish bath, but going to a public bath can be a little intimidating. The baths in Armutalan, a suburb of Marmaris, are the best in the region; no dimly lit rooms or wandering hands. A full hammam costs about £10.

Turunc beach is littered with restaurants, a legacy from the days before the road from Icmeler was built and yachts used to drop anchor for lunch. The Dionysos Sea Club is the best bet for a really memorable supper - fresh fish and modern Turkish cuisine a speciality.

Datca Peninsula

For many years the Datca peninsula, peppered with impressive archaeological sites and picture-book villages, has remained the preserve of the yachting community and Turkish tourists. The road from Marmaris was too poor for most tour operators to include the region, allowing it to remain unspoilt - Datca still has the feel of a Greek fishing village 20 years ago. A new road means the area is finally opening up to tourism, revealing a clutch of unusual hotels and elegant villas. Go now, before the hordes descend.

Stay at the Mehmet Ali Aga Mansion, a former private mansion belonging to an Ottoman sea captain, dating back to the early 19th century. Recently restored, the house has been filled with period touches - carved wooden panels, brass beds, antique furniture - alongside 21st-century must-haves such as swanky bathrooms and internet access. A week costs from £500 including flights through Exclusive Escapes (as before).

A short stroll from the centre of Datca lies the elegant Villa Kangotan, which mixes modern architecture with traditional antique pieces. Kilims and wall hangings, Iznik tiles and an outdoor terrace covered in bougainvillaea give the house a really authentic feel. Sleeps up to six, from £575pp .

A few minutes up the road from Datca lies Eski Datca, the picture-book inland village which has long been a haunt of Turkish artists and intellectuals. Crooked stone houses line the cobbled streets and traffic restrictions mean it's always quiet and peaceful. Stay at the Dede Pension, six small stone-clad apartments in pretty gardens with a courtyard pool and bar, from £570pp including flights.

If you feel the need for a bit of hustle and bustle, don't opt for Marmaris (an hour's drive away) but catch the ferry to Bodrum, two hours away. The town, dominated by the 15th-century castle, is far more attractive and worth a day trip. The ferry costs around £12 return. Book in advance for a free transfer to the ferry port through Aegean Travel.

Datca is probably most famous for the nearby ruins at Knidos, once a large Greek city split between the mainland and a small island, joined by an isthmus. Parts of the Temple of Aphrodite, theatre, houses and tombs all remain and are well worth exploring. Even if you're not staying at the Mehmet Ali Aga Mansion, it's an ideal spot for a romantic dinner a deux; the Elaki restaurant is in a beautiful courtyard facing the gardens.

Gocek And The Mountains

The drive from Dalaman airport over the mountains and through to Fethiye has to be one of the most stunning in the whole of Europe; hairpin bends, breathtaking drops and pine-clad mountains stretching to vanishing point.

The sailing resort of Gocek lies in the heart of this area, surrounded by farms and woodlands and backed by the dramatic Taurus mountains. Gocek is a full-service resort (it even has a swanky Swissotel), but the villages that surround it are reassuringly unchanged - and these are the best places to stay.

What makes Turkey so special is that it somehow combines an air of slightly manic exoticism with moments of utter tranquillity.

Huzur Vadisi in the mountains behind Gocek, specialises in tranquillity - a farm converted into a retreat for yoga and spiritual holidays. Guests stay in yurts and take part in courses that normally last three to four hours per day. A week costs from £425 including meals but not flights.

Garden-lovers will adore Dalya Life, a simple country property 5km from Gocek. Five small studios have been built in the lush gardens of what was originally a private house, and the 100-year-old fruit trees, mountain stream and rose-lined pool area create an idyllic hideaway. The owner's wife, Gul, serves lunch and dinner which can be taken anywhere in the gardens, with drinks before and after in a pergola by the stream. A week costs from £510pp, including flights through Simply Travel (as before).

If your idea of bliss is holing up with your partner for a week of snoozing in hammocks, gazing at views and gently pottering around in complete privacy, then the idyllic Kucuk Ev, 15 minutes drive from Gocek in the small hamlet of Gokceovacik, is just the place. The natural stone cottage is tucked away up a secluded country lane with breathtaking views, its own pool and all mod cons. A week from £725pp including flights, through Simpson Travel (as before).

About 20 minutes' drive from Gocek lies the resort of Dalyan, a town built around the river delta that leads down to the protected Iztuzu beach. Avoid the crowded trips to the rock tombs and mud baths and instead soar above the whole area in a microlight. Flights cost £35 and last 15 spectacular minutes.

Adrenaline enthusiasts are well catered for with 14km of serious rapids along the Dalaman river: one- and two-day whitewater rafting courses are available from Ecoraft (www.ecoraft.com), with a full safety briefing and the chance to kick back with a beer and watch footage of your exploits at basecamp. One-day courses cost from £27 and kayaking is also available. If the rafting whets your appetite, then the area around Koycegiz lake, a protected nature reserve which feeds the Dalyan delta, offers plenty of other white-knuckle activities.

Sunday June 4, 2006
The Observer

Turkish Carpet Shopping: Insider’s Tips for the Discerning Traveler

2006-06-02T15:17:00.000Z

“My friend, my friend, please come into my carpet shop…”

Such classic lines are among the first that visitors to Istanbul get when visiting the historic neighborhoods of Turkey’s cultural capital. Typically, the introduction will come from a sharp-dressed, slick-haired and suave young gentleman and inevitably there is a cup of Turkish tea or six involved. Yet though the acquisition of the fabled Turkish carpet is high on the list of many visitors to Istanbul, it is all too easy to be led astray, and be sold on an inferior item.

With the help of some expert input from Turks with long involvement in the business, the aspiring carpetbagger can be sure of success when it comes time to buy. The following list of what to look for and what to look out for will get you on the right track. We then mention some special shops for avid rug-hunters to visit, while explicating the differences that make different carpet styles unique. But first, some words of wisdom…

What To Do (and Not Do) When Searching for a Rug
Travelers to Istanbul will be rewarded by looking for established stores with a long tradition in the business. It might take a little more time and asking around, but working with such businesses always pays off in the end. Unlike the many fly-by-night operations out there, they are both very knowledgeable about their carpets, and keen on preserving their good reputation as well.

Many of these tradition-based enterprises are also, naturally, shops with repeat customers and outside recognition; customer loyalty and the stamp of approval from international media that cover the industry are good reassurances that the carpets are quality.

Another key point is to insist on Turkish products only. In the last few years, the market has been flooded with mass-produced carpets from Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is a simple story of supply and demand; even in remote eastern Turkey, the chances of finding the odd masterpiece in grandma’s attic are rare nowadays. Carpets have become such a big business that prices have gone up in light of the dearth of new discoveries. For 20 years, the salesman have been up and down Anatolia a million times, seeking out the best material- and the undiscovered pieces are few and far between.

Because of the paucity of antique Turkish carpets, the market has opened to subterfuge. Unscrupulous dealers try to pass off the Afghani or Pakistani carpets as the real thing. Don’t be fooled- ask for certification first.

At the same time, wary shoppers should also determine the dealer’s return policy and get shipping guarantees, if the rug in question is too big to be carried home with you. Most shops concerned with keeping their good reputations are not about to take your money and not send the carpet; however, as it has been known for items to end up ‘lost in the mail,’ an up-front guarantee can help.

Finally, it is a good idea to spend a little time before setting out to read up on the industry. Know the market- and what you want to get. Before you buy, compare carpets in different shops. This ensures you will get the best one. And remember, a rug might be beautiful, but if it doesn’t match your room décor or measurements, it’s not the right one.

The carpet gurus of Istanbul advise shoppers against going to “factory tours,” or stores that stress their “discounted” rates; these are usually gimmicky and offer substandard products. And despite the apparent charm of some of the Turkish touts you will meet in front of the Blue Mosque or Saint Sofia, don’t get drawn in to their carpeted lairs. Avoid these “middlemen”- go directly to the most respected shops.

Finally, travelers should know that in most cases, it is okay to bargain! This time-honored practice is great fun and, provided it’s done with moderation, tact and cleverness, helps one get the best value for money- and makes for memorable interaction with the locals, too.

Where to Shop?
Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar has terrific ambience and choice – some 4,000 or so shops – offering a mind-boggling range of goods. For most visitors, making at least one foray into its cavernous confines is a key part of the Istanbul experience. Pillowcases, coffee pots, carpets and ceramics are only a very few of the many iconic Turkish items available here.

The Grand Bazaar hosts several superior carpet dealers. Two places that stand out are Meha (Kapalicarsi Takkeciler Sokak No 58-60) and the adjacent Ethnicon. The former offers fine silk carpets and replicas of Ottoman Oushak designs that can now only be found in museums and palaces. The latter offers unique “fusion” rugs and wall hangings, which combine intriguing modern designs with pieces from antique wool kilims- perfect for urban contemporary interiors where a classical oriental carpet might not quite fit in.

Prices are given per square meter; be prepared to pay $220/m2 for new concept patchworks, and $140/m2 for woven kilims. Since whole-piece antique carpets are becoming increasingly difficult to find, Ethnicon, whose innovative products have been featured in scores of international magazines, uses partially preserved rugs, portions of nomad tent coverings and other antique weaves, thus pleasing modern ethno tastes while preserving a link with the past.

For example, the colorful strands of fabric hanging from some kilims represent the secret desires of some unknown soul: in the traditions of rural Turkey, from where the fabrics originally came, teenaged girls would fasten these strands onto trees and then silently make their deepest wish. Says Ethnicon representative Ismail Aksahin, “all of our kilims thus have something original and unknown about them, a long history of desires and secrets.” Since every Ethnicon kilim has such a magical story behind it, buying one allows the visitor to take home not just a rug- but a little piece of Turkey too.

Carpet versus Kilim: What’s the Difference?
Laymen speak of the famed “Oriental rug” with reverence, but without understanding the difference between the various kinds of carpets. The term, for most, conjures up exotic images of what is known as a pile carpet (in contrast to the flat-woven kilim). The distinction is in the weaving method; whereas the latter is crafted by interweaving different colored warps and wefts, the former is created by knotting short colored strands of wool onto the warps, which are then pulled and held tight into place by pressing the wefts against each other. Historically, the Turkish style of weaving also differs from the Persian in that it uses symmetrical knotting, whereas the latter does not.

A particularly famous kind of Turkish carpet is that named after the city of Usak, which from the 16th century on became the center of rug-making in Turkey, producing lavish carpets for mosques and palaces. While the antique Oushak carpets are now mostly found in museums and special collections, Meha Rug produces perfect replicas, using natural colors, genuine wool, and always wool on wool (unlike cheap synthetic copies, made with chemical colors and wool-on-cotton combination).

Turkey also boasts the finest hand-woven silk carpets in the world. They come from the town of Hereke, located near Istanbul, which has a 115-year tradition. Set up originally to satisfy the aesthetic desires of Ottoman sultans and visiting heads of state, the Hereke carpet works are still producing exquisite silk-on-silk carpets feature an astounding number of knots per square meter (1 million- 1.2 million) and utilize traditional ornate floral designs set in elegant deep blues, creams, crimsons and yellows. Meha Rugs offers many beautiful examples of silk Hereke rugs.

And then there are the kilims- a more affordable and modern option for the urban-based traveler. Although they have a more rustic, durable feel, kilims too have become collector’s items in recent years. They often feature vibrant and geometrical tribal designs; the motifs originated in the deepest symbolic myths of ancient Anatolian culture. Ethnicon’s pure wool kilims use recycled pieces from old or damaged kilims (once used for nomad tent curtains, sacks, trunk covers and rugs), recombining them in new ways to match modern interiors, while still retaining the authenticity of the original.

7/6/2006 (Balkanalysis.com)
By Christopher Deliso

Taking the steamer out of Istanbul -Princes Islands

2006-06-01T16:54:00.000Z

The Princes Islands used to be a place of exile. Now they provide a balmy escape from the rush an overheated city, says Kevin Gould

Princes charming ... there's an air of faded grandeur about the islands, which were once the summer party grounds of Istanbul socialites.

Someone's grandma is sitting with friends, their tea in tulip-shaped glasses, an open tin of pastries. They are playing bezique and she's holding forth, not in Turkish, but in medieval Spanish. You are an hour by steamer from the centre of Istanbul, and it is 500 years since her ancestors fled here following the Inquisition, at the invitation of Sultan Beyazid III. Welcome to the Princes Islands, an archipelago splattered in the Sea of Marmara like inkspots on the page. Around us, lapis water and Istanbul's Asian shore, impossibly overbuilt, its outlines softened by hazy smog.

Where Istanbul is absurdly crowded, mad, grand and melancholic, its islands are balmy, light with birdsong, stress-free and car-free. They are also a living museum of a city that was. While Constantinople was the capital of three of the greatest empires the world ever saw, its inhabitants were drawn from all over the known world. The New York of the Near East, Constantinople was cosmopolitan, prestigious, polyglot. Life and business were transacted in Greek and Armenian, tongues from all over the Caucasus, Kurdistan and the Turkic lands, Arabic and Albanian, French and Genoese and Ladino - a rich dish of medieval Spanish seasoned with Arabic and Hebrew, the language of Sefardi Jews. Since 1923, Ataturk's "turkification" policy has replaced what came before, in scant consolation for empires lost. Gone, too, are many of the minorities, sent, left or converted to Republic ways. Those that remain choose island life each summer.

The four main Princes Islands, or "Adalar", are the last resort of Istanbul's minorities. Though inhabited all year round, they bloom into delighted life between May and September, when summer houses are opened and apartments rented.

There is a modern hydrofoil service to the islands, but real travellers join the steamer at Sirkeci, under the Topkapi Palace. These ferries are like those on Windermere, but salted and seasoned by sea, strait and cigarettes. Inside, the fug of a bookies and PVC seats the colour of tripe. Out on deck, you find students reading; chums clutching fishing rods and shooting the breeze; couples kissing; day trippers in headscarves or hotpants; waiters pouring tea; peripatetic sellers of embroidered linen and never-win lotto tickets. There's time to space out while you breathe the blessing of clean salt air. As the minarets of the Blue Mosque recede, Asia shades the horizon, a badly drawn line, mauve against the ruffled sea.

The Princes Islands were always a place of internal exile. Power shifts in palaces meant that inconvenient heirs were either strangled (the job of the chief eunuch), imprisoned or exiled. Three hours by oar-powered caique, the islands were home to fishermen, farmers and priests devoted to quiet contemplation, but to a prince they were a social Siberia. Thus, for centuries the islands were synonymous with huzun, the tristesse to which Turks are so attached. Were huzun music, it would sound like Portuguese fado, but in 1849, following the introduction of a steam ferry, the Princes Islands resounded instead to dance music, and became magnets for Istanbul's socialites.

On your ferry today, the first of the inhabited islands hoves into view, shaped like a badly risen cake. White houses are sprinkled around the shore, radio antennae crowd its modest green peak. This is Kinaliada, where Orthodox Armenians feel most at home. Turn your head and there's a jam of coasters and tankers riding at anchor, waiting for the pilot to take them through the Bosphorus and on to the Black Sea. The sea in front of Kinaliada is, if not exactly turquoise, then certainly a lively green. The mood on the boat lifts even higher. Holiday time! Hugs and shouts on the quay. Old folk with old suitcases step slowly ashore. A few hardy kids splash about in the shallows and the boat is flooded with island hoppers. Lads play chicken with the gangplank as you thrum off towards Burgazada.

Burgazada is gorgeous. Cruising towards it, beauty unfolds and seagulls swoon in the ferry's wake. Here and there, an old round church. Wooden villas, some newly painted, others mesmerising ruins, cluster under mossy wooded fields and a tonsured summit that hosts the Metamorfosis monastery. Step off at Burgazada for tost and tea and to meander its steep empty streets till the houses and the bougainvillea peter out and you're in open country. The monastery is a place of pilgrimage for barren women of all religions who come to take its sacred waters. In unkempt gardens, a mule chews and there's a hammock under the fig trees. Back at sea level, there's a smart 1960s lido, which looks a fine place to while away a summer eating blackcurrant ices. You tear yourself from Burgazada to take the boat to Heybeliada.

The face Heybeliada shows first is hairy with pine growing over low cliffs. The island looks like a big bite has been taken out of one side. In this depression nestle smart houses, the odd hotel, a pleasure marina. Watching over all of this, the Monastery of St George, an essay in stern splendour. On Heybeliada, you get about on foot, by bicycle, or by horse-drawn fayton. These queue near the ferry stop, the nags with manure-catching tarps under their hinds, the carriages made of painted wicker under buttoned plush and fringed canopies, their drivers famously sly. You ask for a ride and pay over the odds for a tour that takes in empty bays, public beaches, hot scrubby fields that smell of wild oregano, and a glamorous abandoned sanatorium. The tour ends outside the whitewashed iskele ferry station.

Buyuk means "big" and Buyukada lives up to its name, though in the Princes Islands, big is a relative term. Some of its 14 churches, its mosque and synagogues poke above the palaces that proclaim Buyukada's sense of self-importance, as does a grand twin-domed edifice, built as a hospital for the Crimean wounded, now the Splendid Hotel. As each boat arrives, there's loud emotion as hawkers, touts, lovers, families and friends converge on the main square, around the clock that doesn't work.

The notion of time stood still persists as you stroll Buyukada's avenues. Splendid wooden gingerbread mansions built in Adams Family orientalised art nouveau vie for magnificence. Some are lovingly restored while many have suffered over the years, the victims of family squabbles, economic reverses and cheap internal air travel to the seaside south.

In the modern era, as well as pashas and potentates, Buyukada attracted poets, painters and philosophers, not to mention Trotsky, who lived here in some splendour from 1929 to 1933, while Istanbul was home to 34,000 White Russians escaping his Red Army. Trotsky contented himself with fishing, discovering a new type of rockfish, which he named for Lenin. Russian is no longer heard here, but there remains a sizeable Jewish population who have held fast to their Iberian roots.

As well as retaining their language, Buyukada's Jews still cook the food of their fathers. The oily pastries on Grandma's bezique table are the progenitors of today's Spanish buñuleos, the "Izmir Lokma" advertised near the ferry iskele, an import still seen in Spain as churros, brought here via Izmir, the Smyrna of old. Stroll along Buyukada's tree-lined avenues any evening and you smell leek and lamb albondigas and milk budims cooking, their recipes hardly changed since the 15th century. As with the other islands, you find minorities of minorities, tiny sects of Armenian Catholics, Assyrians and followers from Antioch, and the remnants of a Salonikan church, the congregation's dwindling presence evinced by strains of rebetika music spilling though ancient lace curtains.

Days on Buyukada start slowly. You are wakened by the clop of horses or the ferry's rude parp. The view from your balcony at the Splendid Hotel is splendid indeed, so you watch a boat carve a sedate wake on its way to Heybeliada before tearing yourself away for breakfast. Today, instead of taking breakfast in the hilarious dining room, a short stroll to the Buyukada Pastanesi is in order. You buy a bag of warm, sugary, creamy pastries and take a low chair at the tea house opposite, where the punters will interrupt their gossip for a nice "Good Morning", and you will take tea with your pastries. The world on Recep Koc Street drifts by. A man in a baggy suit wheels his grand-daughter on her Barbie bike. Bales of straw are being delivered to some stables, and fresh cherries and peaches have arrived at the fruiterers.

That's it - a picnic. Bread, fruit, olives, cheeses, a bottle of Sarafin Gallipoli wine and you're off. The bicycle ride along Cankaya Caddesi drifts you past the island's grandest mansions, as well as the beautifully restored Kultur Ev, a museum of fin de siecle island life with the sweetest tea garden. At number 85, a man has turned his front garden into a neat organic nursery. You buy lettuce and tomatoes and puff uphill. Fifteen more minutes and the cool pine forest surrounds you. Day-trippers chatter by in their faytons, so you head off the beaten track. Lunapark, whose funfair departed in the 1960s, is where their tours terminate, and your adventure begins.

Leaving the bikes with the friendly cafe owner, you follow random tracks, jumping over marble boulders and dodging crispy bushes. The forest is big enough to lose yourself in, but the sounds of the sea surround you. Your picnic spot is utterly secluded and commands a view over the Marmara past the other islands, and as far as Istanbul.

After your shady lunch, the sea calls. On this side of the island, there is very little water traffic, so Yoruk Ali (literally, Strong Lumberjack Ali) has built a bathing platform. You clamber down hundreds of steep steps and pay 10YTL for towel space on the concrete. There's a good old-fashioned party going on - families cavorting, kids dive-bombing, heavy petting, all to the amplified sounds of Turkish chart music. Great unforced fun, lubricated by cold beers and warm sun. When the sun dips, fellow bathers are picked up in top-heavy day boats and you climb back up top for the freewheel back into town.

That evening, sundowners on your balcony stretch until Istanbul sparkles, lit like endless strings of pearls against a cocktail dress. Fish dinner at Milto is a pantomime. Tray after tray of hot and cold mezze are brought by Buttons as Cinderella smiles from the kitchen, and the ugly sisters on the table next to you demolish a massive sea bass. You choose turbot and raki, the local firewater, then a movie at the open-air cinema. This is moviegoing as it should be - warm air, cold drinks, kids shouting abuse at Tom Cruise.

The next morning, you cruise back to Istanbul on a sea of washed silk, and a clutch of sunburnt music students congregate at the stern and hum an old love song for a long dead Sultana. The sun blushes bright and at every island more commuters get on, newspapers and pastries in hand. As the rhythmic architecture of the Blue Mosque tumbles slowly into view, the song's chorus is taken up by all out on deck. Loving their huzun, members of Istanbul's minorities smile softly and return to their day's exile in the city.

Getting there
IDO Ferries (ido.com.tr) run up to hourly from Sirkeci and Kabatas in European Istanbul, Kadikoy and Bostanci on the Asian shore. Timetables are impenetrable, but sailings are posted above the ticket booths. A jeton in any direction costs 2YTL.

Where to eat
Buyukada has a slew of fish restaurants but agree the price of any fish before you buy it!

Getting around
Hire dodgy bicycles on any island from the many bisiklet shops for around 20YTL a day. Haggle with the faytons and demand to see the printed price tariffs (fiyatler). A tour on any island costs around 25YTL.

Further information
Country code: 00 90.
Flight time London-Istanbul: 3½-4hrs.
£1 = 2.85 New Turkish lira.

Saturday July 1, 2006
The Guardian
http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/story/0,,1810061,00.html?gusrc=rss

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Burgaz: A secret revealed

Burgazada, a little piece of heaven, is only tiny, about 2 kilometers wide, but bursting with life in a way that makes you want to shout from its hilltops

When my editor asked me if I could do a piece on where I'm living, I felt strangely protective about revealing my secret: an enchanted island, where life lays itself upon you.

That place is called Burgazada, a little piece of heaven, floating its way through history in the Marmara Sea. The island is only tiny, about two kilometers wide, but bursting with life in a way that makes you want to shout from its hilltops. I bet that's exactly what our ancestors were doing in pre-historic times, but I suppose you would expect pre-historic ancestors to do nothing less. Putting them aside, though, if you were a tiny little bit open to soaking up what this island has to offer, the “shouting” bit might seem far less strange because Burgaz gets under your skin and stays there.

So what does this island have to offer, then? Not much, really. And that's exactly the point. Not in the traditionally materialistic sense, anyway. The man-made roads and buildings give the impression of having lost their battle against the forces of nature, and even though Burgaz is only a half-hour ferry ride from the chaos that epitomizes Istanbul, time has a different quality here, it certainly runs slower. Yet the seagulls always seem to be in hurry of some sort, their urgent screams filling the air, the crows crow as if they are up to something and the street dogs howling along to the ezan almost sound as if they are praying. The emerging cacophony, though, quiets the mind rather than disturbs it, especially when you're taking in mesmerizing views of the Marmara Sea. If you are lucky, you may witness aquatic fireworks when fish come up for air with the sun sparkling off their silver backs or spot an occasional dolphin family diving for their next meal. A stray horse having its breakfast alongside the road is not such a strange sight, either. There are no cars on the island; horse carriages and bicycles are the only modes of transport.

Driving a car seems highly inappropriate when surrounded by such beauty, not that you could do anything with a car here. Burgaz is only 120 hectares, most of it covered by an ancient pine forest until the tragic fire of 2003 when three-quarters of it burnt down. The jury is still out on the cause: Some say it was arson, other say a garbage heap caught fire. Despite the devastating loss of the precious trees, the island's magical quality remains. Life seems so persistent here, taking its losses and moving on.

One of the only spots of forest left standing surrounds the ancient ruins of a once-grand monastery, initially built in the first millennium by the Macedonian Emperor Vasil. Now a little chapel stands re-erected among the ruins as homage to its past where I got my coffee cup read, sprawled beneath the shade of a tree while sipping on lily tea and shooing away the church-keeper's overzealous donkey, Mercedes. It is an enchanted place, located at the top of the island's only hill, surrounded by a protective circle of trees that refused to burn down when the flames took all the rest away. The church-keeper tells me St. Mina, a knight to whom the monastery was dedicated, protects this ancient spot. This hilltop sanctuary could not have had a more fitting name: Metamorphosis. The name exemplifies not only life on the island but also the transformative quality of the Marmara region, where continents bump into one another and opposing cultures negotiate their differences. Metamorphosis stands for hope, adaptation, the birth of something new and the will to move on.

Hearing Ladino, Greek and Turkish bouncing off the tables at the seaside cafes, I am reminded of this metamorphic process. Burgazada is a microcosm of an Ottoman past, its mish-mash of cultural heritage reflected in the island folk, but the sad faces of abandoned Greek houses point to a wounded history. Yet there is a silent hope in the air. The wind blows past the churches in the same loving way it goes through the island's only mosque and the leaves in the synagogue garden quiver with the same breeze. A simple act of nature brings us closer to our humanity. Maybe it is this hope that makes the island so special.

BIKE BASAKLAR
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=46949

A Day in Istanbul - Eurasian Cruise Ship Port of Call

2006-06-01T10:48:00.000Z

Istanbul is one of the highlights of a cruise of the eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. Many cruise ships use Istanbul as an embarkation or disembarkation point for cruises of the Greek Isles and Turkey. My first visit to Istanbul came at the end of our wonderful cruise on the Silversea Silver Shadow. Leaving the Aegean Sea, the Silver Shadow spent a day at sea sailing through the historic Dardanelles into the Sea of Marmara south of Istanbul. The captain timed our sail up the Bosphorus perfectly, arriving in Istanbul at dawn. Seeing the magnificent Blue Mosque, Haggia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace and watching the bustling channel from the deck of the ship in the early morning are sights I will remember forever. As always, the Silver Shadow staff anticipated this special moment and brought champagne, mimosas, or juice to those of us on deck who were enjoying the spectacle.

Istanbul is spread over two continents, divided by the Bosphorus. Most of the more famous sites are on the European side of the channel. Cruise ships dock on the European side of Istanbul between the Dolmabahçe Palace and the Golden Horn, which serves as Istanbul's harbor. It is actually a flooded river valley that flows southwest into the Bosphorus. Turkish legend says that the Golden Horn got its name from all the valuables the Byzantines threw into it during the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Supposedly, the waters of the harbor took on a golden color. Several of the "must see" sites in Istanbul lie on the south side of the Golden Horn, and are a short distance from the cruise ship port. Many passengers on our cruise disembarked in Istanbul and flew home the same day. Others spent an extra day or two in the city or took a side trip to Cappadocia, and a few lucky ones stayed on the Silver Shadow as she took on more passengers and sailed on through the Bosphorus to the Black Sea.

After disembarking the Silver Shadow, we spent a night in Istanbul at the beautiful Swissôtel near the Dolmabahçe Palace. This high-rise hotel with 600 rooms has a wonderful hilltop setting that gives guests an amazing view of the city. The Swissôtel has modern, nicely-decorated rooms and several highly-rated restaurants of various cuisines. It also has a delightful open-air rooftop bar and restaurant where we enjoyed counting the minarets all over the city and watching the sunset over the channel. Dinner at the rooftop restaurant also gave us an excellent view of the Silver Shadow at the dock below. We couldn't help but wish we could sneak back on board for another voyage and jealously wondered who was enjoying "our" suite!

Extending our cruise vacation an extra day in Istanbul was a great idea, but we came away from Istanbul wishing we had stayed longer in this fascinating city. We had an exceptional guide, Ebru Ilker who met us at the ship and escorted us to as many of the sites she could squeeze into a day. Her English was excellent, and her knowledge of the history of Istanbul and the places we visited was impressive. Unfortunately, our one day in Istanbul was a Sunday, and the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market were both closed. Needless to say, as dedicated "super shoppers", we were disappointed! Fortunately, several of the "must sees" are in the central city of Istanbul, and within easy walking distance of one another. We disembarked the Silver Shadow in mid-morning and had plenty of time to visit some of the highlights of the city before checking into the Swissôtel in the late afternoon. We also had a delightful, leisurely lunch at the Four Seasons Hotel, which was once a prison and is now a luxury boutique hotel. Let's take at these popular sites located south of the Golden Horn in Sultanahmet or Seraglio Point.

The Blue Mosque and Hippodrome of Istanbul
The Blue Mosque of Istanbul with its six minarets towering over the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus is one of the first things a cruise ship passenger will see when sailing into Istanbul from the Mediterranean Sea. The Blue Mosque is perched on a hill overlooking the Marmara, and the magnificent exterior domes and minarets greeting incoming visitors to Istanbul will make you even more eager to explore the city. The exterior is not blue; the mosque's nickname comes from the spectacular interior wall-covering of over 20,000 blue tiles from Iznik. The Hippodrome, which was once the center of Byzantine Constantinople, is adjacent to the Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I in the early 1600's, and it has a classic Ottoman design. He charged Mehmet Aga, the imperial architect, with building a mosque that would rival the nearby Aya Sofya (also called Hagia Sophia or the Church of the Divine Wisdom) built by Justinian a thousand years before. Most visitors to Istanbul today believe that Aga met his charge, but the mosque caused quite a sensation in the 17th century among the more pious Muslims. They thought the six minarets were somewhat sacrilegious, because until that time, only the Great Mosque in Mecca had that many. In addition to the six minarets surrounding the mosque, the exterior of the Blue Mosque is highlighted by a series of domes that are designed to bring the visitors' eyes towards the heavens. The whole view is really quite awesome.

The Blue Mosque is located in the European Sultanahmet District of Istanbul just a short ride across the bridge over the Golden Horn from the cruise ship pier. Our guide Ebru had the driver let us out of the van at the Hippodrome, which was a great place to start our understanding of Istanbul.

The Hippodrome was built by the Romans in about 200 AD. It was originally used for chariot racing and other public events, and the stadium surrounding the track held over 100,000 people. The Hippodrome was the center of life in Byzantine Constantinople for over 1,000 years and of Ottoman life in Istanbul for over 400 years. It was also the center of numerous political and civil battles, some brutal. The bloodiest brawl occurred in 532 AD when two rival chariot racing teams ignited a riot that resulted in most of the city being burned. The revolt ended when an army of Justinian's mercenaries massacred about 30,000 people who were trapped in the Hippodrome.

Very little of the Hippodrome survives today, and the area is now a large park adjacent to the Blue Mosque. The floor of the Hippodrome lies buried under 16 feet of soil and the track is now a paved road. Emperor Constantine once lined the Hippodrome with large columns, but only three survive in the park. Some of the rest were taken by the Crusaders, and can be found in European locations outside of Istanbul such as Venice. The oldest remaining column is called the Egyptian Obelisk, which was built in Egypt in 1500 BC, and once stood in Luxor before Constantine brought it to his city. Experts believe the beautifully carved column is only about 1/3 its original height, the rest being broken while it was being shipped to Constantinople. Next to the Egyptian Obelisk is the spiral Serpentine Column, dating back to 479 BC. It was brought to Istanbul from Delphi, and originally consisted of three intertwined serpents supporting a large cauldron. The cauldron and snakes' heads were broken off the column in the 18th century. The third remaining column stands over 100 feet high and is called the Column of Constantine Porphyrogenitus. Not much is known about this unadorned column other than that it was once covered in bronze before being looted by the Crusaders.

Let's leave the Hippodrome and move into the Blue Mosque.

Things to See and Do in Istanbul
Leaving the Hippodrome, visitors to Istanbul enter the courtyard of Sultan Ahmet Camii, or the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque is probably Istanbul's most famous landmark, and was built by some of the same stone masons who helped construct the Taj Mahal in India. The architect used classical Ottoman design in the mosque, and the numerous domes and half-domes used throughout the mosque continually draw the eyes of the visitors skyward to heaven. Most of these domes and semidomes are best seen from the courtyard.

The inside of the Blue Mosque is flooded with light due to the over 250 windows that were formerly filled with 17th century Venetian stained glass. The Venetian glass is gone, but the effect is still quite light and airy. One note of caution--you will need to remove your shoes at the entrance of the mosque, and women will need to cover their heads. Men should remove their hats. If the attendants think you are dressed inappropriately for local standards (i.e. bare shoulders or knees), they will lend you a robe to wear.

The 20,000 magnificent blue ceramic tiles covering much of the interior of the Blue Mosque and giving the mosque its nickname are the first things noticed when entering. These tiles are quite splendid and were produced in Iznik, which was once known as Nicaea in early Christian times. Workers in Isnik, about 55 miles from Istanbul, used local deposits of fine clay to create their pottery, which is similar to porcelain. Sultan Ahmet banned others from ordering tiles from Isnik while the Blue Mosque was under construction, which may have contributed to the industry's subsequent decline in the 17th century.

Looking around the inside of the mosque, there's a lot to absorb. Anyone who has never visited a mosque will first notice that there are no images of living things inside (either human or animal), as these are forbidden by Islam. The geometric and abstract artwork is quite impressive, however. Four large 16-foot diameter columns dominate the interior of the Blue Mosque, supporting the huge dome above. The doors and shutters on the windows were intricately carved with latticework, as was the imperial loge where the sultan and his entourage could pray safely behind screens away from would-be assassins. Flowering arabesque designs are painted on the inside of the domes and semidomes. The mihrab, which is an ornate niche in the wall marking the direction of Mecca, has a piece of the sacred Black Stone from the Kaaba in Mecca. Muslims always kneel and face the Kaaba in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia when praying. Next to the mihrab is the minbar, the high pulpit where the imam delivers his Friday sermon. The mosque has separate prayer areas for women and men. Unfortunately, the prayer carpets covering the floor are no longer hand-woven because people kept stealing them for their value. Muslims are called to pray five times each day, and so all mosques have a clock. The one in the Blue Mosque is a grandfather clock. The exact time to pray is set by the sunrise and sunset each day, so it changes with the seasons. The muezzin used to call the faithful to prayer from the balcony of the minaret, but nowadays loudspeakers broadcast the call across the city.

Tourists exit the Blue Mosque through a side door. We next walked the short distance to the Basilica Cistern, which many consider the most unusual tourist attraction in Istanbul, and then on to the Haghia Sophia (Aya Sofya or Church of the Divine Wisdom).

Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern of Istanbul
The Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia) of Istanbul and the Basilica Cistern are both within easy walking distance of the Blue Mosque. The Basilica Cistern was built by Justinian in 532 AD, and it is the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in Istanbul. This huge underground cistern, which measures 70 meters by 140 meters, once held over 80,000 cubic meters of water. The vaulted brick roof is supported by 336 columns, each over 30 feet tall, and water was pumped through over 40 miles of aqueducts from a reservoir near the Black Sea. Although the extra water was needed by the city during long sieges, Justinian originally built it to correct water shortages at his nearby Great Palace. Visitors to the cistern today descend underground via stairway and use walkways over the remaining water to explore the mysterious cavern. The columns vary in design and intricacy with different capitals and bases. It is very interesting, and well worth a short visit. It is also cool inside and is a welcome respite from the heat outside if you are visiting Istanbul in the summer.

The Haghia Sophia (or Aya Sofya or Church of the Divine Wisdom) is among the world's greatest architectural achievements. Built by Justinian, the church was completed in 537 AD. Its size and grandeur demonstrates the sophistication of the architects in the 6th century Byzantine capital, and influenced building for centuries after. Unlike many early Christian churches, this church was not named for a saint, but was called Sancta Sophia in Latin, Hagia (or Haghia) Sophia in Greek, Aya Sofya in Turkish, and the Church of the Divine Wisdom in English. The Hagia Sophia was the world's greatest Christian church until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The Ottomans converted the church into a mosque, and added minarets and fountains. The Ottomans also plastered over some of the original Christian mosaics of the holy family since the Muslim religion forbids images in their mosques. Aya Sofya was used as a mosque until 1935, when it became a museum. Today many of the Christian mosaics have been uncovered and stand next to the Ottoman modifications added in the 15th century. Pictures of Jesus and Mary are intermingled with the muezzin mahfili and mihrab added by the Muslims. This gives the Aya Sofya a very distinct look, much different from the Blue Mosque.

When you enter Sancta Sophia, the vastness of the 105-foot dome towering 184 feet overhead is astounding, especially given that the building was constructed 1500 years ago! Through the centuries, earthquakes have damaged the building, and it has been fortified numerous times. Since this was Christendom's largest early church, it was decorated with the finest materials and supposedly housed an array of Christian relics, including the True Cross, Jesus' swaddling clothes, and the table used in the Last Supper. These relics were collected in the Holy Land by the Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, and sent to Constantinople. The walls are covered in a variety of the finest marbles, but the mosaics are the most impressive part of the interior. Originally, all of the interior not faced with marble were covered in gold, green, blue, or red mosaics. These simple geometric designs covered over 200,000 square feet of the interior, and figurative mosaics were added later.

Unfortunately, much of the original church's Byzantine furnishings were either destroyed by the crusading Christians in June 1204 or by the Ottomans in May 1453. Some of the Ottoman decorative pieces were preserved, including two large alabaster urns and four large gold medallions with Arabic script.

After touring Aya Sofya, we decided to break for lunch at the nearby Four Seasons Hotel before touring the Topkapi Palace.

Istanbul - Port of Call - Things to See and Do
Sultan Mehmet the Ottoman Conqueror built the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul shortly after he conquered the city in the 15th century. The palace was expanded by successive sultans, and remained the sultan's residence for the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years. It has opulent rooms, fine art collections, and peaceful courtyards, and is one of the highlights of the city. When looking at a map of Topkapi, the palace complex looks immense. The palace has been a museum since 1924. Like many national museums, visitors can easily spend at least a day exploring all of the buildings and grounds. Visitors with less time will have to do what we did--choose a few exhibits to tour and hope to return someday for more.

The palace has four courtyards, each of which is more private than the first. The Imperial Gate leads to the first courtyard, and the twin towers of the Gate of Salutations serve as the entry to the second courtyard of Topkapi Palace. Each of the buildings inside harbors a different type of treasure. For example, the old kitchen houses a wonderful collection of priceless Chinese porcelain and some huge ancient kitchen utensils. The Treasury has exquisite jewels, many of which are embedded in daggars, chainmail, or other weapons of war. The Treasury also has golden thrones encrusted with precious stones and the 86-carat Spoonmaker's Diamond, the 5th largest in the world, which once adorned the turban of Mehmet IV.

Some of the relics in the Topkapi Palace are harder to authenticate. Among them is a cabinet containing bones from the skull and hands of John the Baptist. The Pavilion of the Holy Mantle has some of the holiest relics of Islam, most of which found their way to Istanbul during the reign of Selim the Grim who conquered both Egypt and Arabia. The most sacred treasure is the mantle once worn by the Prophet Mohammed. A holy man continually chants passages from the Koran night and day over a gold chest containing the mantle. In the same room are hairs from Mohammed, two of his swords, a letter written by him and an impression of his footprint.

We didn't have time to tour the harem, but it sounds very intriguing. Just the idea of over 1,000 wives and concubines living together in a lush area guarded by black slave eunuchs and frequented by sultans and their sons probably sounds more exotic and interesting than it actually was. The concubines were foreign slaves and all hoped to become a sultan's favorite or provide him a son. Since Islam forbid enslaving Muslims, Christians, and Jews, the girls were often brought from far away, many from Russia. The concubines were educated and schooled in the ways of Islam life and culture. Many were eventually granted their freedom to marry powerful men in the empire, thus securing loyalty to the sultan. If you visit Topkapi, be sure to sign up early for the guided tour of the harem. You can't enter otherwise, and the tours fill up early in the day.

After a long day of sightseeing, we were glad to see the van and our driver. Ebru had taught us much about Istanbul and our heads were spinning. We checked in at the Swissôtel and had a leisurely dinner at the hotel's rooftop restaurant while we watched the sunset over the city. We had missed seeing some of the "must sees" in the city and didn't get to the bazaar. But our cruise on the Silversea Silver Shadow and our day in Istanbul had been wonderful -- just not long enough. As we looked out over the Bosphorus and the Silver Shadow and the city below, we toasted the ship, its crew, our guide, and this fascinating city, promising to return one day in the future.
From Linda Garrison,Your Guide to Cruises.
http://cruises.about.com/cs/europe/a/istanbul_p.htm

The Church of Holy Wisdom : Hagia Sophia - Istanbul

2006-06-01T10:46:00.000Z

From Greg Cruey,Your Guide to Asia for Visitors:

Hagia Sophia: the Church of Holy Wisdom. It stands today as one of the great monuments to the history and art of Christianity and was the Cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople for more than one thousand years.

Today the city which holds Hagia Sophia is called Istanbul. Until 1453 it was Constantinople. Before that, Byzantium. The city is over 2500 years old and has seem conquerors come and go - from the Persian King Darius, to Alexander the Great, to Crusaders in 1204 AD and the Ottomans in 1453 AD.

For 60 years (330 AD to 395 AD) the city was the capital of a Roman Empire which took in almost the entire Mediterranian basin. It stayed the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire after the West fell in 476 AD. The Ottomans made it their capital after 1453 AD; that empire stretched at one point from the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf in the East to at least Algiers in the West; from north to south, the Ottoman Empire stretched from Yemen to the edge of Poland.

Isanbul stradles two continents, with the old city (and the church) in Europe and newer portions of the city in Asia.

Hagia Sophia was originally referred to simply as "The Great Church" because of its size. The construction work on Hagia Sophia lasted five years [532-537] and on December 27, 537, Patriarch Menas consecrated the church. The church's most remarkable feature is its huge dome, supported by four massive pillars each measuring about 100 square meters at the base. The dome contains 40 windows which allow streams of light to illuminate the hall.

It is filled with art - with paintings and mosaic tiles. And the structure of the church itself is probably the single most significant piece of remaining Byzantine architecture .

History
Hagia Sophia is thought to have been founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Its first strudtures were erected over top of the ruins of an ancient temple to Apollo, on a hill overlooking the Sea of Marmara.

Constantine's son, Constanitius II (337-361) completed this first structure. Its roof was made of timbers. On June 20, 404 AD, the church was burned down in a riot that followed the banishment of John Chrysostom.

The church was rebuilt in 415 AD. It then burnt to the ground again in 532 AD as part of a the Nika Revolt against Justinian; Constantinople was almost completely destroyed by fire.

It is ironic that Justinian's repressive rule caused the revolt which led to the fire which destroyed the church -- presenting the repressive Justinian with the opportunity to build perhaps the greatest church structure in the history of Christianity.

Twenty years after the completion of Justinian's church, an earthquake severely damaged the dome and the structure partially collapsed. It was replaced with a steeper, lighter dome and the supporting base was reinforced. The church was re-dedicated on December 23, 563.

Earthquakes were to damage the church again, most notably in 1346 and 1999 (when an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale created chaos and damge across the city). But the biggest threat to the church can from the Crusades. Latin crusaders pillaged the churhc in 1204 and left it impoverished.

Istanbul is at its best from April to June and in September and Octobers. Temperatures are more moderate, the humidity lower and the crowds smaller than in summer.

Hagia Sophia is open to the public daily (except on Monday) from 9am-4pm. Admission is about US$5, with students getting in for half price.

Hagia Sophia ceased to be a church on May 29, 1453. On that day, Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror entered the city, and late that afternoon rode to the church. He was so impressed by its beauty that he decided turn the structure into his imperial mosque.

Istanbul offers a great deal to visitors - history and culture, the scenic Bosphorus, and fabulous Tuskish culinary delicacies. But no trip to Istanbul is complete without a trip to the Church of Divine Wisdom.

Hagia Sophia is not only Constantinople's most famous landmarks, it is arguably one of the most famous buildings in the entire world. For over 900 years the current Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) was the seat of the Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople. When the Ottomans captured the city they turned the building into a mosque. Minarets were added and the rich frescos were covered over (because of Islamic prohibitions against depicting human figures). Thus it remained for over 500 years until the Turkish government decided to turn it into a museum and tourist attraction in 1935.

Looking at the plan of Hagia Sophia above, one of the most immediate features is the fact that this is not a cruciform church, the standard design in much of the Christian West. This is, instead, a basilica based upon a centralized plan and which evolved from rectangular Roman architectural forms. The central floor measures 220 feet by 250 feet and the four arches around the nave are 70 feet high. Everything about the various elements is designed to draw the eye higher and higher, up to the dome and, presumably, heaven itself.

Aside from drawing upon Roman heritage, this particular plan is also dictated by the format of Greek Orthodox liturgy. For the sake of both dramatic and sacred effect, a wide open nave creates a stage where the patriarch and his priests can perform a public Mass for a congregation collected along the aisles. In Western churches, by contrast, the nave is where the congregation is gathered to watch the proceedings up front.

©2006 About, Inc

The adventure of rakı, or lion's milk, the national drink of Turkey

2006-06-01T10:34:00.000Z

Rakı an indispensible part of Turkish culture
The adventure of rakı, or lion's milk, the national drink of Turkey, dates back to the 17th century

Rakı is the national drink of the Turks just like brandy is of the French, vodka the Russians and whiskey the Scots. It is drunk when a man falls in love... Or at the time of separation from a loved one... It is also the indispensable drink for holiday nights and hours of conversation.

Rakı has been called “lion's milk” for many centuries. The reason for the name is that rakı was offered in glasses featuring an embossed lion design in Ottoman taverns, and also because it color when mixed with water resembles milk. There is a general belief among people that rakı gives encouragement to people when they drink it. Although this courage sometimes becomes “extreme,” rakı is Turkey's traditional drink.

The adventure of rakı dates to the 17th century. Rakı is made from grapes and aniseed. Drinking rakı has its own traditional rituals. First of all, the rakı glass is thin and long, and rakı is served cold. Since it is not drunk straight, cold water and ice are present on the rakı table, but the ice is not added before the water because it results in giving the drink an unpleasant taste.

Rakı is served with meze:

Rakı is served with meze, a kind of Turkish hors d'oeuvres. It is considered rude to eat all the meze on the table. They must be offered to other people sitting at the table. The types of meze on the rakı table demonstrate the variety of Turkey's food culture. For example, cheese and melon are indispensable meze.

Even conversations held while drinking rakı have a special style and rules. Topics of conversation are carefully chosen, generally by the oldest person at the table. If the topic is politics, the conversation ends with a good joke. If it is sports, the conversation is cut short without insulting the rival team. Conversations proceed pleasantly. Also, rakı does not go down well if a pleasant ambience is lacking, and those who drink rakı must be sure to keep in mind just how many glasses of rakı they can drink.

Today there are different rakı brands in Turkey. It is clear that the increase in exports, especially after the privatization of companies owned by the government, made great contributions to the country's economy and the promotion of rakı. Turkish rakı will continue to shine like a star in Turkey and around the world.

June 17, 2006
ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News

Ortaköy and Kuruçeşme in Istanbul lights up with stupendous nightclubs

2006-06-01T10:30:00.000Z

A thin slice of Istanbulites and others around the world
Come summer, the coastline between Ortaköy and Kuruçeşme in Istanbul lights up with stupendous nightclubs filled every evening by the rich and the powerful.

Four years ago or so, one evening I asked my husband and daughter whether they would accompany me to one of these spots, and so we went. The owner came up and kissed my hand and asked me what type of food we would like. I asked him what he meant. He pointed to the upper balconies surrounding the half-a-football-field-sized nightclub and indicated that we could have Chinese, fish, kebap, French, Italian or whatever kind of cuisine we wanted. I told him I preferred to be close to the waterfront and so we were seated at the edge of an upper-level restaurant.

When the waiter handed us the menus I asked him what he would suggest. He insisted that the chef's surprise was full of delicacies and so we gave in and ordered as he suggested. As the place began filling up I noticed that everyone was beautifully dressed and mostly preferred to form a ring around the bar, take a drink in their hand and stare. That's right. Only a few people were conversing, and the rest were mostly checking out who was there and what they were wearing. (I'll get to this shortly.) As it turned out, our chef's surprise was nothing more than a series of Turkish coffee cups, first filled with pickles, then one full of grated carrots and another with finely chopped rokka salad. And so it went. One cup followed by another. The final mighty cup landed at the end when we received the bill.

Anyway, there is a group of Istanbulites who must get a power kick out of appearing at these spots. You must, first and foremost, arrive in a 4 x 4 Range Rover that has got to cost over $125,000. Then you have to hand your car keys over to a lad who may have arrived from his village a few weeks ago and ask him to park your car, which, in short, is called valet parking.

You have to be dressed well. All your outer gear must have a designer label. The girls should have been at the hairdresser for over two hours and dressed in as low-cut a top and as short a mini-skirt as possible. Any lady over size six and with dark hair is simply not allowed in. Thank God I went there before this rule was passed through our Parliament. I could have passed the size limit bit, but it is the lack of blonde hair that would have caused me concern.

The men have to pass through the scrutiny of the “entrance bodyguards” who are more strict than British customs officials at Heathrow, who I am told are as powerful, if not more, as the British prime minister. One wrong glance at those bodyguards and they have the power to cut you to pieces, pack you tightly in saran wrap and spit you out towards the paparazzi cameramen who are waiting to record such a scene.

Dropping in at one of these nightclubs on a Saturday night is a power trip of the first degree. It says so many things.

1. I am rich.
2. I have a fancy car
3. I am available
4. I am “looking”
5. How did I earn my money? Never you mind. It's in my pocket, isn't it? Are you here to eat the grape or to beat the vineyard owner?
6. All my clothes are expensive
7. I am powerful, powerful, powerful…

Reading the above you'd think I'm objecting. No, no, no. I'm just showing a slice of Istanbulites from my perspective, albeit a very, very thin slice.

This slice of life is not peculiar only to Istanbul. It is the same in New York, Paris and London.

This is becoming a materialistic, status-symbol-conditioned, power-searching world.

June 17, 2006
AYŞE ÖZGÜN
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=46472

‘Da Vinci’ plot crumbles from the Turkish vantage

2006-05-23T13:22:00.000Z

Wow! For the first time in my life, I happen to live in a locale that figures prominently in a major best-selling novel and blockbuster movie.

Istanbul, Turkey is not exactly Waynedale, God bless it. This is the city of kings and empires. Constantine ruled here, when it was known as Constantinople, and declared Christianity the religion of the Byzantine Empire.

In A.D. 537, Emperor Justinian commissioned the building of the massive church called St. Sofia that still stands; we see it every Sunday when we drive across the Bosphorus on the way to an international church service. Just to the south of Istanbul stands the town of Nicea on Lake Nicea. We visited it a couple of years back. My family ate kebobs and looked out the window at the ancient, weathered brick walls of the church where the church fathers composed the Nicean Creed. Back in Istanbul, I regularly go shopping in Kadikoy, formally Chalcedon, the site of another major meeting where church leaders wrote out what they believed was true about the Christian faith.

Asia Minor isn’t only about Christian history. A while back, I toured a museum here, where I saw a statue of Artemis, the fertility goddess of the ancient Greeks. It’s hard to forget seeing Artemis, because she has an excess number of – how can I say this in polite company? – breasts. Honestly, I can’t remember how many extra because I didn’t count. The Greeks worshipped her fanatically; you never know where the next Artemis statue will be unearthed.

An interesting thing in St. Sofia are all the mosaics, dating back to the time that Dan Brown claims the church started to oppress women and conceal the alleged marriage of Jesus. But the mosaics convey a different story. Of course there is Mary, the mother of Jesus, who gets a lot of “screen time.” But there are other women illustrated in the mosaics as well, like the Empress Irene and the Empress Zoe. Women weren’t exactly oppressed; maybe “celebrated” would be a better description.

But what with the early church facing competition from the worship of the multi-breasted Artemis, wildly popular across Asia Minor, replete with all its temple sexual rites and rituals, should we be surprised that they took extra care to avoid the appearance of licentiousness? It’s ironic that Dan Brown’s “revelation” of Christianity sounds like the accusations about the church the Communists used to make in Russia and persecutors of the church in the Middle East still make. They speculate that the faithful gather in small groups, turn off the lights, undress and engage in immorality. If you are going to sling mud, might as well be juicy, right?

The mud doesn’t stick. The Mediterranean has seen more than its share of oversexed religions. Christianity apparently was so successful because it offered something different from the outset, a radically new community of Jews, non-Jews, men, women, slaves, even barbarians experiencing equality and dignity. This new community took hold and grew like wildfire in contrast to the sexually indulgent Greek and Roman religions, at least partly because it held up a new morality, one based on genuine love and respect of one’s neighbor, whether male or female, rich or poor.

I’ve found that the evidence available in such a historically rich place gives a lot more credibility to Christianity and a lot less to fanciful notions like Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code.”

Ron Coody, formerly of Waynedale, lives and works in Istanbul, Turkey.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/editorial/14639972.htm

Don't Miss The Bosphorous -Istanbul Has The Lot -History, Culture, Food And Nightlife

2006-05-20T07:08:00.000Z

I am standing in the middle of the Bosphorus. That is to say, I am at the top of the Maiden's Tower - Kiz Kulesi - which, at various stages in its centuries-old career, has been a lighthouse, a fortress, a customs house and the hideout of evil Elektra in the Bond movie The World Is Not Enough.

It's like being stranded on a busy roundabout. Small yellow-funnelled ferries criss-cross the strait, scurrying under the bows of tankers and container ships as they thump up the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea ports.

On my left is the continent of Europe, once buttressed by the ancient walls of Byzantium against any threat from the land mass on my right. And that, not 300 yards away, is Asia.

Of all the cities you might visit for a long weekend break, Istanbul deserves a bit of homework before you go. A brush-up on the city's history will give you a far better insight into its sights, smells, culture and confusing identity.

For 1,000 years and more, Istanbul was at the centre of the known world. The Byzantines, the Romans (the Emperor Constantine called it Constantinople and it became the new capital of the crumbling Roman Empire), the Crusaders and finally the Ottomans in turn sacked, burned, looted and then rebuilt the place.

In the 15th century, when London was just a small town of barely more than 50,000 people, Constantinople - by then capital of an Ottoman Empire which stretched from Austria to Egypt - had a population of more than a million, the Western world's largest city.

And the beauty of it all is that a tour around Istanbul, skipping happily between Europe and Asia in a matter of a few minutes, will reveal much of its past.

It's a modern city too, with more than 12 million now packed into suburbs each side of the Bosphorus and along the banks of the Golden Horn, the five-mile-long inlet which divides the western side of the city.

Flash new hotels have sprung up in the business districts. You'll find shopping malls selling everything from Armani to Hugo Boss, Gucci to Mango and even a Marks & Spencer.

There's a new metro to relieve the city's chronic traffic congestion and the days are over when the international airport - now refurbished - looked like a back-street bazaar.

Homes along the banks of the Bosphorus are fetching millions of dollars and every other car parked outside the nightclubs and restaurants around Taksim Square is a BMW or a Merc.

This lurch towards EU membership (everyone is busily fingering their prayer beads for Brussels to say yes) hasn't always been easy.

When Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, outlawed the fez - a red, tassled, flower-pot hat - in 1925 he was trying to drag his people into a more Westernised 20th century.

There were riots and not a few people killed (in one bizarre incident a muezzin climbed a minaret in Istanbul and called the faithful to prayer in a bowler hat).

But despite the rapid modernisation there is still magic and mystery to Istanbul. Stroll the tiny streets of Ortakoy or along the Ottoman battlements of Rumeli Hisari and you are walking with the ghosts of sultans and vizirs, crusaders and Byzantine princes.

Istanbul is just a four-hour flight from the UK and perfect for a weekend break. British Airways currently has daily flights from Heathrow, while easyJet is due to start a budget service from Luton at the end of June. Here's a guide to this extraordinary city...

WHAT TO SEE

SULTANAHMET, on a headland where the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn meet, is the obvious starting point. All its sights - the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace (the name means Cannongate), the Hippodrome, Cistern Basilica, Haghia Sofia and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts - are within a short stroll of each other.

The area is a kaleidoscope of the city's history. The Hippodrome, now fringed by coffee shops and souvenir stalls, was the focal point of Roman and Byzantine Istanbul. Where tour buses now park, they held chariot races, coronations and parades.

Its centrepiece is an Egyptian obelisk carved in 1500BC and looted from the Karnak Temple in Luxor. Nearby is the bronze Serpentine Column, taken from the Temple of Apollo in Delphi in 480BC. The 17th-century Blue Mosque (admission free), with its colossal dome and six minarets, is probably the most photographed building in Istanbul.

Inside it is almost entirely covered in blue mosaics (hence the name) and if it wasn't for hordes of cruise passengers clicking away with their cameras and the predatory hawkers on the steps outside it would be a magical place.

More than any other building, the Topkapi Palace epitomises the louche, omnipotent world of three centuries of Ottoman rule.

Built in 1453, it rivals Granada's Alhambra in its opulence and it will take you at least half a day to marvel at its architecture, treasures and works of art (admission £5). Don't miss the palace kitchens, which were used to feed more than 5,000 staff, or the harem (an extra £4), 300 tiled chambers and fountained courtyards which once housed the sultan's women, most of whom were never allowed to leave their quarters.

Head uphill and take a trip underground to the Yerebatan Sarnici or Basilica Cistern (admission £4 - there are currently 2.5m Turkish Lira to the pound).

It's an enormous, eerie underground reservoir, brainchild of Emperor Justinian in 532AD. At 70 metres wide and 140 metres long with more than 300 columns it once housed 80,000 cubic metres of water and is now used for concerts. There's a cafe down here too, which is ideal for escaping the heat of the streets in summer.

In the shadow of the Galata Bridge, hopeful fishermen jostle for position and the air is thick with the aroma of barbecued fish - sold by the shoal from boatmen to hungry locals and tourists.

Once over the bridge, which replaced a 19th-century pontoon effort in 1992, you're in the heart of modern European Istanbul. Whether you are walking, in a taxi or on the bus, you'll soon find yourself in Taksim Square.

There's gridlock here to give the M25 a run for its money. Slightly easier on the eye, at the eastern end of the square is the Ataturk Cultural Centre or the Opera House, which hosts an international music festival in summer.

Just east of Taksim is the mighty Dolmabahce Sarayi, a palace built between 1843 and 1856 by Sultan Abdul Mecit, who was keen to dispel Turkey's image as the sick man of Europe.

The palace is divided into two sections - the Selamlik (ceremonial suites) and Harem-Cariyeler (harem and concubines' quarters). A ticket to both is about £10, but they only allow 1,500 visitors in either every day so it's worth booking for one of the official tours.

Take a tourist ferry from the Eminonu Ferry Terminal up the Bosphorus to Kavaklar (only £3 return). Stop off at the village of Ortakoy, with its cafes and craft stalls or head over to the Asian side and the film-star houses of Beylerbey and Vanikoy. Round that off with an Efes beer and kebab in bustling Besiktas at sunset and you'll have a day to remember.

WHERE TO EAT

FOR lunch try the open-air restaurant at the Istanbul modern art gallery on the banks of the Bosphorus near the cruise terminal (www.istanbulmodern.org). Fabulous views and reasonable prices, followed by a quick whizz around some interesting local paintings.

There are plenty of restaurants in the warren of streets each side of the Galata Bridge, but for a buzzing night out take a taxi further south to Kumkapi, which is packed with fish restaurants and live music at weekends.

WHERE TO SHOP

HEAD straight for the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi), which is in walking distance from the Blue Mosque. Here you can duck into more than 4,000 shops selling everything from gold to carpets, football shirts to leather bags.

It can all get a bit much after an hour or so when you'll be frazzled and a lot poorer. Don't miss the Spice Bazaar near the Galata Bridge for real bargains in spices and the inevitable Turkish Delight. For designer gear, head for Metro City, a mall in the Levent district.

THE NIGHTLIFE

ISTANBUL is cosmopolitan and this is reflected in its nightlife. In summer clubs tend to up sticks and head for the Med resorts, but places like Laila in Kurucesme and Babylon in Beyoglu are good value, upmarket venues. The dives around Taksim Square can be dodgy in the early hours and are best avoided.

GETTING THERE..
Turkish Tourist Office on 020 7629 7771 England

20 May 2006
TRAVEL: DON'T MISS THE BOS
ISTANBUL HAS THE LOT -HISTORY, CULTURE, FOOD AND NIGHTLIFE
Iain Mayhew

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17105987&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=travel--don-t-miss-the-bos--name_page.html

Summer Fun - Touring Turkey

2006-05-16T09:15:00.000Z

While most people might view a trip to Turkey as just a site-seeing expedition, Mark Siprut, associate professor in the School of Art, Design and Art History, wants the trip to represent something more.

"I feel like this is the little bit I can do to promote the global cause of peace" he said. "I think that there are too many misunderstandings in this world and it really has to do with not understanding other cultures and realizing they are real people."

And that's exactly what 14 San Diego State students will be doing this summer. The program - Study Art and Design in Turkey - is the first of its kind at SDSU. Siprut said the travel-study course isn't only offered to art students. Participants can enroll in Art 502, which is for art students, or Art 357, which is open to all students because it can be applied to SDSU's humanities general education requirements.

Siprut said he chose Turkey for a number of reasons. He said that he has spent a number of years establishing contacts and fostering relationships with universities in Turkey. Through those relationships, Siprut said that he has been able to organize exchange programs between Turkey and SDSU. However, he said that many students, for whatever reason, choose not to visit Turkey - or anywhere in the Middle East - as part of the SDSU semester Study Abroad program. He said this trip is a way of getting students involved.

On a personal level, Siprut admitted that he has a Turkish background and has visited the country on numerous occasions.

Siprut said Turkey is an ideal location for study because it is at "a crossroad between the East and West." While 95 percent of the population is Muslim, he said Turkey has a mixed society.

"Traditional Middle Eastern flavor permeates culture in terms of music, dance, architecture, food," Siprut said

And, according to Siprut, culture is a big part of this 21-day trip to Turkey.

It isn't necessarily about looking at and studying art, it's about experiencing culture," Siprut said. "I want there to be some sort of creative, interpretive aspect where they are commenting on the culture experience in some creative way."

He said that this trip is unique because the students will not spend most of their time getting on and off buses at different sites. Instead, Siprut said he planned a lot of time for the students to really explore the art and culture of Turkey. He said there will also be ample time for the students to interact with Turkish students and experience Middle Eastern culture.

"I want (the students) to come away with an understanding of the Middle East," Siprut said. "And it's more about understanding the culture - breaking down myths about different cultures."

While experiencing the Turkish culture, the group will also be visiting a variety of artistic and architectural locations.

From an artistic point of view, Turkey was a prime choice because all major movements of people can be traced there, Siprut said.

"We'll see this when we go to the (Museum of Anatolian Civilizations), which goes back to prehistoric times," he said.

Siprut said the group will spend the first four days of the trip in Istanbul, Turkey. While there, they will visit a number of museums and palaces such as the Topkapi Palace, which was the home of the Ottoman sultans for four centuries, according to www.virtualistanbul.com.

From Istanbul, the group will travel via train to Anadolu University, which is also where they will stay in a guesthouse on the grounds. The first day on campus, the SDSU students will view presentations by Turkish art students and mingle over lunch.

From the university, the group will travel on a number of fieldtrips to architectural sites, restaurants, bazaars, mausoleums and villages. One such trip will be to Sorkun, which is a ceramic village where the students will visit studios and learn about silver workmanship.

Another village the group will explore is Safranbolu, a historic musical town that has been preserved by the inhabitants for centuries. Some of the houses are more than 300 years old, Siprut said.

Siprut stressed that neither of the classes are art history courses. Students will not only learn about the museums, mosques, architecture, paintings and other forms of art and the history behind them, but will also engage in social activities with Turkish students, visit a marketplace and attend lectures at Anadolu University.

Siprut said the trip to Turkey is more about experiencing the culture than anything else.

He said that he wants the students to learn using their own creativity.

Still, the trip won't be all "fun and games;" students will be required to keep a journal and the art students will make a sketchbook. As part of their sketchbook, the art students will either take pictures or produce drawings as a visual commentary on the trip. The projects will include documentation of experiences, analyses of the monuments, galleries, architectural sites and performances, while also including what they've learned from lectures, readings and Internet research.

Regardless, Heather Carter, an interior design and art history senior, said that she is excited about the trip. She said that her sister has traveled to Turkey but never thought she'd get the chance herself. So, when the summer trip was made available, she jumped on it.

"I'm excited because it's studying culture and art," Carter said. "Seeing it in a book versus experiencing it in real life causes a new respect for those places."

By: Raven S. Tyson, Editor in Chief
Issue date: 5/15/06

http://www.thedailyaztec.com/media/storage/paper741/news/2006/05/15/SummerFun/Touring.Turkey-1996647.shtml?norewrite200605160506&sourcedomain=www.thedailyaztec.com

Gallipoli, Selçuk and Ephesus, The Eternal Flame by Wendy

2006-05-09T08:34:00.000Z

Gallipoli

A few days into my Turkey jaunt, and I've sort of gotten my head around the Turkish keyboard. Unfortunately the people at this guesthouse have "considerately" put this one in English mode.. I feel sorry for the non-touch typists that pass through here as there are quite a few important keys that are different (like brackets, comma, full stop, @ etc). It also means I can't put the names of the towns in correctly. But I shall persevere, and the names have been corrected in this edit.

I left Istanbul after reuniting with some old friends and also meeting some more SoulClipse festival-goers. We took a last minute afternoon bus down to Çannakale, near Gallipoli (Gelibolu in Turkish). The Ystanbul bus station is completely insane, a huge ring of independent bus service providers all vying to take your money. In the end we took the next available bus, which led us on a 6 hour journey by land and sea (we were unaware the bus was going on a ferry so we were very confused for a while). The luggage boy took something of a shining towards me and if I so chose I could have had a new boyfriend by the end of the bus ride. However cute he was, he spoke no English and acted quite a few years younger than his supposed 25 (poking, punching, laughing, showing me words he recognised from my guide book and showing me video clips on his mobile phone). My friend didn't discourage him either. On the plus side, he got us tea and also introduced us to the whole family (dad and brother were drivers and I think the waiter was a cousin). It was pretty comedic all round.

When we got to Çanakale, we checked into ANZAC House (not to be confused with the ANZAC Hotel), where the boys were extremely helpful and friendly. We ended up booking a tour of the Gallipoli peninsula for the next morning, after some mix-ups about whether a tour would run or not. There were five Aussies plus we two kiwis on the tour, and our Turkish tour guide was fantastic. He imparted so much knowledge about the campaign, and from both sides. I can't describe what it was like to set foot on the sand and clay that the soldiers were walking, living, fighting and dying on in 1915. The cemeteries are beautiful and the landscape serene, and it was so hard to imagine what it looked like during the war. We visited the major memorials and cemeteries, as well as Anzac Cove and the new dawn service site, which was being set up for the imminent hordes arriving on April 25. We had unknowingly arrived on March 18, celebrated as Victory Day or Çanakale Day in Turkey, the day that the Turks turned the British armada back from the Dardanelles. There were thousands of Turks in tour buses all over the peninsula. It was somewhat profound to see the syte with people celebrating from that side of the campaign, and I have the utmost respect for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who led the Turkish soldiers to victory all those years ago. He was a great leader and a phenomenal speechmaker, and his actions have affected many facets of modern Turkish life.

We were given some souvenirs that our driver had found during the day (!) - I got some shrapnel that looked surprisingly like a ball bearing, but got bullets (one of which was still live!), shell fragments and other random pieces of metal (one was possibly a cupboard door hinge I'm not sure how genuine that specimen was). That night I watched Gallipoli (starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee) for the first time. I'm still thinking about it all and can't believe the war rested on such small chances ...

Selçuk and Ephesus

We took an overnight bus to Selçuk from Çanakale and arrived after a surprise transfer in the wee hours and a supposed misunderstanding where the second bus tried to leave us at a stop 3km away from the Otogar (bus station).

Selçuk seems to be a town full of both full and part-time carpet salesmen. It can put a damper on your guesthouse stay to have constant hassle from carpet vendors, so my tip is to try and find one that doesn't have a showroom out the back (I don't know of any!).

We met up with some other friends and rode bikes out to see the ruins of Efes (Ephesus). The only time I've ridden a bike since I was 10 was on Prince Edward Island in 2004, so you can imagine that things could have gone better. However, I didn't fall over like the Koh Phanang moped incident, so I can't really complain (except for the vague pain which I don't like to talk about).

The ruins were fantastic, so much of the city plan is still visible, and the acoustics in the Great Theatre were amazing. The sun came out as well, which is lovely as it had been freezing since I arrived! To see the ruin of a once great city was fascinating. It was abandoned and never resettled due to changes in the landscape and consequent malaria epidemic, and it is always humbling to see places that once bustled with life reduced to shells.

The temple of Artemis is also near the centre of Selçuk, and whilst it is almost entirely ruined, it is still possible to see the scale of the structure. Asides from the typical post card touts, the site is quite serene, completed by the sounds of the multitudes of frogs and turtles in the pond.

Butterfly Valley and Ölüdeniz

We arrived at the top of Butterfly Valley, near Faralya, after a 7 hour journey via two coaches and a dolmuş (minibus) which carried us up a precarious cliff road with more hairpin turns than I could count or look over. The people at George House (ignore the prices, they're very old!) are fantastic, and the food is to die for. Dinner was traditional Turkish food with homemade flatbread, organic vegetables and local honey and yoghurt. There is spring water aplenty, endless tea and coffee and a wonderful central stove for those chilly nights.

Our team of three managed to brave the 400m-almost-vertical cliff walk down to the waterfall and beach yn Butterfly Valley itself. The track includes several well-placed ropes to help with the rockfaces, and at quite a few points I wondered how we had gotten down (and then up on the way back). (The guidebooks describe it as dangerous, and possibly life-endangering, but I think this is more as a disclaimer.

I know of people who have done it at night, which is obviously going to increase the risk factor exponentially.) The beach was beautiful, and despite the slight chill, I couldn't resist having the quickest of dips in a new sea. The way back up was sweat-pouringly challenging, but I'm proud of myself for managing it (not that I had a choice, I don't think the boats were running!).

After a bit of mountain goat watching at the top of the cliff (those little guys are amazing), a hot shower, another wonderful dinner and a quick game of He Said, She Said, I helped dissect and translate an article on ethnopsychiatry for the only other guest, a Belgian guy doing his homework on the way to SoulClipse. I forget how nice it is to use my brain every now and again, and especially since it was in an area of my own personal interest. The Belgian was fascinating in his own right, and to repay me for my assistance, he made me tea and we watched a DVD called Ibogaine - Rite of Passage. Even my vague memory of pharmacology lectures knows I've never heard of this one before - a hallucinogenic drug derived from an African plant root that can reverse addiction after one dose. A well-conceived documentary which I would recommend to anyone who is affected by drug addiction or has an interest in traditional medicine or US drug laws.

The next day finds us in Ölüdeniz, another daring dolmuş ride and a few bays west. Ölüdeniz is something of a tourist resort town, but as we were a few weeks before the season started, it was nicely deserted. We walked two hours over a hill (mountain more like) to the town of Kayaköy, home of a 17th and 18th century deserted settlement. We were accompanied all the way by a couple of dogs that took a liking to us. They seemed to be showing us the way and generally keeping an eye out for us. The "ghost village" is made of about 2000 stone houses that were abandoned when Turkey did a population swap with Greece. The roofs were removed and used for another town, and the houses and churches were never used again. It was eerie but amazing!

The Eternal Flame

We spent two nights in Olympos on the south coast, a relaxed little tourist town near the slopes where the Chimaera (naturally occurring fire from the earth) resides. After a fantastic buffet dinner, my friend and I took a shuttle to see the flames at night. The shuttle was late, the guide a bit mad and the walk up the mountain a little bit strenuous, but it was entirely worth it to see fire spouting from bare rock.

According to the guidebooks, the mountainside has been leaking since before ancient Greek times - gas that combusts on contact with air. Apparently nobody knows what the composition of the gas is (which I am skeptical about) and the flames were much bigger a couple of millenia ago (easier to believe, and I can see why the locals thought there were gods involved).

It was impressive to turn the corner and see flames dancing on the hillside, and especially haunting when some fellow sightseers began playing melodic flutes and drums.

Photos and the article kindly provided by Wendy Wong

Thoughts of an Australian

2006-04-11T15:42:00.000Z

It was my great delight to be able to spend 3 years in Turkey and I have come home leaving a little of my heart there with the wonderful friends I made.

As an Australian I had mostly heard about Turkey because of our link with Gallipoli (Gelibolu). Every year here on the 25th April, in all our towns and cities, we celebrate ANZAC day. That stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. That was the day our soldiers landed on Turkish soil in 1915, the aim being to finally take Istanbul. However the conflict was a disaster for us but a victory for Turkey.
So why do we remember it as a National day? In 1901 Australia had become a federation or union of seven States but still did not think as one nation. The Gallipoli campaign was the first time Australians came together as one, so even though the campaign itself was a failure, it fired the Australian spirit of mateship and togetherness.

It was only after being in Turkey that I also came to know that it was an important time in the life of your great leader Kemal Ataturk, who was to be so important after the war to bring Turkey to a Republic and prevent it being divided and later as its President to make many sweeping changes.

Now I knew why Ataturk's photograph was in my classroom and his statues so prominent everywhere in Turkey!

I was very pleased to visit Galipoli and was amazed at the small area where so many men lost their lives.To stand with feet in the calm pebble and look back up at the escarpments and gullies. To stand high on Chunuk Bar and look out to sea helped me realise what a hopeless task our men faced, much due to leadership bungles and how important for Turkey to save.

It seemed peaceful to me now, yet somehow special, as if the land itself knows that many brave men died there, and it is special.It was interesting to see how close the lines were and easy to imagine soldiers tossing food, and sometimes grenades, to each other!

I was especially aware of how well the whole area was cared for by Turkey. The day I went workmen were busily repairing damage done to the lawns by many visitors on Anzac day. All the memorials were tidy and great respect shown. Similar words were on all graves. War is sad in any language isnt it?

The monument which really moved me, was the sandstone wall where Ataturk's words were written to Australian mothers, who had gone there in 1934, to see where their sons had died. They were beautiful words and brought tears to my eyes and must have been great comfort to those women. I have copied them, and when I give my talks to groups about Turkey I always read them, and they evoke deep emotion.

Because of those words I changed my idea about one of the stories we had always been told here in Australia.

When it became obvious that no headway was being made to capture the area and it was decided to evacuate, our soldiers set up guns in such a way, with water and string that every now and then a gun would fire. This was supposed to make the Turks think soldiers were still there. They also put bags on the wharves to keep down noise. And so they left without losing any men.

However, my Turkish guide said that of course they knew the enemy was going but they had orders from their leaders to let the brave and courageous men leave! The war had been won and they had no further fight with them.

Having read Ataturk's words,I now believe that is the more likely version of how it really was. The war had been won and to fight further was unnecessary. So thank you!! It showed enormous strength of character to think in such a way.

I do hope that arrangements and changes will be made so that ANZAC days in the future do not result in the area being harmed by so many people at the one time.

Most Turks knew about Gelibolu and it opened many doors of friendship for me. In shops when I said I was Australian they would exclaim 'Gelibolu" and immediately show warm hospitality, which meant big smiles and a wonderful hot drink of cay!

It is good to know ,that out of loss and pain, friendships can be forged and I am proud to be able to call Turkish people my friends.

Jean Ison
NSW Sydney Australia

Source: http://turkishculture.blogspot.com/2005/06/thoughts-of-australian-about-turkish.html

Living Lycia -- Mediterranean Reality Project first visits Antalya

2006-04-05T09:26:00.000Z

A photography, painting and slide exhibition on Lycia, an ancient region located in what is today the southern province of Antalya, will open on May 2 at the Antalya Museum as part of the �Living Lycia -- Mediterranean Reality� project.

Jointly organized by the Topkap� Palace Museum, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, the �zmir Painting and Sculpture Museum, the Antalya Museum and the municipality of Ka�, the exhibit will start its journey in Antalya.

The aim of the project, which was launched by Topkap� Palace Museum Director Nurullah �ak�r, is to promote and highlight Turkey in terms of its culture and art both at home and abroad.

The exhibition includes photographs and paintings featuring 45 areas of Lycian settlement as well as commentary by Professor Havva ��kan, a lecturer at Akdeniz University.

A 64-piece exhibition by painter Ayd�n �ukurova, titled �Echoes� will be accompanied by explanatory notes from Recai Tekeo�lu, an expert on Lycia.

A slide show titled �Living Lycia� will also be shown at the exhibit.

The exhibition, which will run through May 15 in Antalya, will later be on display in Finike, Demre and Ka� as well as in Istanbul, �zmir and Ankara until Dec. 15.

The project will then move on to Greece, France, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and England from Feb. 5, 2007, the Anatolia news agency reported.

April 28, 2006
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=41773

Light My Fire ; Yasmin Alibhai-Brown Had Read of a Mythical Place in Turkey Where Flames Burst From Stones

2006-04-01T14:00:00.000Z

But Nothing Could Prepare Her for the Astonishing Reality of Chimaera..

Last June, we booked a holiday in a popular spot in Turkey, only to find that the dates clashed with sessions I was doing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Busy and overtired, I hadn't realised this until way into the summer and it proved impossible to get another booking in the same place. Then I recalled an obscure book on Turkey in which I had read about Chimaera, a place along a mountain track where stones spontaneously break into blue and gold flames. Amazing, I thought, that is where we will go.

"It must be a volcano," said my husband.

"But I remember, the book said that it wasn't a volcano."

"Stones don't burn. They can't. Simple science. It's probably some superstition and you have fallen for it, some romantic idea, as ever." He smiled indulgently. In truth, scientists have come up with no clear explanation.

I had to, then, didn't I? To prove him wrong, show him that I am no credulous dupe, and to win this battle of the sexes.

So I went in search of Chimaera and then located a resort, Cirali (pronounced Cheralay), near enough to the magical fires. It was described as a conservation site on the beach, two hours from Antalya. All the hotels in Cirali are small and discreet. There is virtually no expansion permitted, because it is where a species of turtles lays its eggs. (More of turtles later.) Only three hotels were advertised, two with bungalows that slept four and were air- conditioned. The tour operator, Anatolian Sky, didn't push the place, perhaps because there are no five-star temptations to draw the tourist in need of pampering. Hotel Azur appealed most because it boasted mature gardens and orchards. The beach seemed near enough and there were pictures of simple eating joints selling fresh fish caught that day. Sounded fine to me, so I booked without consulting the kitchen cabinet.

The response? Tepid when I announced that we were off to an obscure Turkish spot, to a hotel with no pool and a pebbly beach a 10-minute walk away. They acquiesced and kept a lid on grumbles until what felt like an interminable drive from Antalya airport, when tempers blew and complaints flew. A German woman was in the front seat. She spoke English and had come to meet us. We thought she was the rep from Anatolian Sky and she got cross after we asked a few touristy questions. "Why are you asking me this? I am a friend of the owner. Please, no more questions. You must wait" (these words sounded terrifying in a German accent). When we finally arrived at the bottom of a steep crag, the place looked dark and broody. Desultory dogs were barking, breaking the heavy silence.

I felt dread rising. Two weeks lay ahead to be filled by regrets and spats with my loved ones. By the time we left, my husband and daughter were both anticipating a return trip very soon. Cirali stole our hearts with its beauty and concealed charms.

Azur's gardens had green lawns, chickens and cockerels in manic chases, and trees laden with pomegranates and lemons. Dozens of hammocks, some with sleeping babies, swayed in the shady orchard. Every afternoon, a young couple lay down head to feet, softly singing Turkish songs. Owned by a local man, Ahmet Altintas, and his German wife, Ilse, Azur was better than it promised: peaceful, beautiful, intimate and artless.

Breakfast was served by Hassan No 1, who was unfailingly bright and smiling, even though he worked until past midnight every evening. (Hassan No 2 looked after all our other needs.) Reading the menu made you feel that you would live forever. Yoghurt, fresh eggs, melon, figs, plums, olives (the best I have ever eaten, preserved in olive oil that had a light floral scent), hand-collected honey, smooth feta cheese (the taste not over-salty, more like subtle mozzarella), bread, and, every day, a different jam made by Ilse with orange cinnamon, pomegranate, berries.

Soon the owners had me helping to write a brochure in English, which I did, but with misgivings. This treasure needs to be kept under wraps. The ecological balance between man and beast and nature is right at present, and sustainable' 10 per cent more visitors and Cirali would feel crushed. And yet they need the business.

We were worried that Leila, now 12, would be lonely and ill- humoured without a mate. There were no English-speaking tourists at the Azur. One hotel, which did have a small pool (the only one in town), was popular with young German families. Leila fast linked up with two families, one from the old East Germany and another from Hamburg. We realised how little she knew of modern Germany. Her school is good, but she was full of the prejudices of a girl for whom that country only means Nazism. Her new friends, aged from eight to 15, gently tutored her about their reunified land, while she taught them new words in English.

Visitors from Istanbul are drawn to Cirali, too. One day, the columnist Maureen Freely ran into us on the beach. She has lived in Istanbul and recently translated Istanbul, an evocative memoir by the Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk. She told us to visit the treehouse people inside the cliff at the far end and to eat at the waterfall restaurant.

So we did, the first by walking as the sun set along the pebbles towards the ancient site of Olimpos, which is steeped in history but doesn't impose or claim great solemnity. You feel the folly of civilisations that refuse to believe they will pass away and be replaced by living things. Preservers of things ancient might be upset to witness its informal decay. There are no forbidding notices, no enclosures, no signs of archaeological activity. Here the past feels more present and yet part of the cycle of life, because it hasn't been ordered and protected and distanced. In Istanbul, Pamuk sees this as a national pessimism, sights that inflict "heartache on all who live amongst them. They are nothing like the remains of the great empires seen in Western cities, preserved like museums of history and proudly displayed. The people of Istanbul simply carry on their lives in the ruins". I was intensely reassured by the detritus of empires.

Olimpos was a hub in the second century BC, when Lycians had established themselves in these parts. It was supposed once to have housed Zeus. The Romans came and left proud, though crumbling, temples. Genoese and Venetian sailors also dropped by. Sarcophagi appear as you turn a corner. We walked into the rock face and splashed through half-dry rivers and sparkling freshwater creeks' bright oleander bushes were on all sides and wild grapevines curled around arches and gravestones.

As we wandered further in, we heard Eric Clapton and the babble of people and then saw the tree houses, small shacks built on stilts strewn with cushions and hookah pipes and dopey hippies with beards, sandals, beads and joints that we told Leila were special Turkish cigarettes. Cheap bars were selling pancakes, usually topped with feta and herbs, made by women in balloon trousers and floral scarves. A German couple told us they had had an interesting night in a tree house that they had rented. Aman quietly tucked himself in with them at midnight. It's what happens in Olimpos, he cheerily informed them.

The sea was bath-warm and azure and the beach was not blemished by too many humans. At night, the full moon rose, orange-red. At the restaurants, they bring you grilled lemony fish, borek (cheese pastries), aubergine cooked in a dozen ways, breads bigger than a tray, pomegranate juice. People shared their dishes across the tables' some played backgammon. We drifted back to the "town", one small lane with shops that are never locked. In a den, we laid back on cushions, listened to music, had Turkish coffee and wine. The waterfall restaurant was incredible. We sat at little tables in the middle of the cascades, eating trout and mushrooms and fragrant rice. Waiters begged us to help them to move to England. It would break their hearts and hopes, I told them, especially after Cirali.

One morning, we went to the beach at 5am to witness the hatching of the turtles. As the sun rises, they emerge, frail and determined, the size of a small hand, and then have to scuttle to the sea to survive. One day, the females will return to their birthplace to lay eggs. The dawn of life, it felt momentous.

We took a boat trip for a day. Ours was owned by a man whose wife runs a boat for hijabi women. The two vessels took us to lovely coves and enclaves. Hijabi swimmers now have special all-body costumes, bright green and purple. Nilgun, a teacher from Istanbul, complained that these "ninjas" were destroying her secular nation. But the hijabi women were kinder, waving happily, expressing no disapproval as women strutted around in bikinis. We talked about the future of Turkey. Nilgun and the others felt humiliated by the European Union, but they were afraid that, with out membership, Turkey would become another Iran.

We sailed to Phaselis, an exquisite shore with three natural harbours surrounded by mountains. Again, the Lycians, the Greeks and the Egyptians all came here and laid claim to it, until fate and time moved them on. Alexander the Great is said to have spent a happy sojourn here, and the ruins all attest to these narratives. An hour or so from Cirali, we drove along a glorious coastal road to another equally rich historical site, Myra, with rock tombs and an almost intact amphitheatre. It is popular with nouveau riche Russians, who visit the old Church of St Nicholas. Turkish rugs with Santa Claus are a local speciality.

Finally, Chimaera. An old man in a tractor drove us there as night fell. We had to walk up a perilous track in the dark. At one point, I thought my asthma would kill me. We had forgotten to bring a torch. Thank God for Dieter, the careful German who shared his light with us. Suddenly we came upon the astonishing sight: dozens of fires bursting out of stone. Myths abound. Bellerophon rode on Pegasus to slay a firebreathing monster. He got too arrogant. Zeus punished him, and here is the warning. In this miraculous, mystical place, I imagined the great messengers who have had their trysts with angels and God. My husband was more stunned: he offered no scientific explanation, he didn't see divinity, but he did become teary and poetic with wonder. Romantic even.

2006-04-22
Independent, The; London (UK)
By Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

Download Free Turkish Travel Video Clips

2006-04-01T11:14:00.000Z

The films have been zipped by DivX Pro 5.0.2 codec

General Advertising Film of Turkey - 1

Duration of the Clip:00:00:22
Size: 3,75 MB
Video Codec: Mpeg1 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)
Resolution: 300 X 205

General Advertising Film of Turkey - 2

Duration of the Clip: 00:00:33
Size: 5,53 MB Resolution: 300 X 205
Video Codec: Mpeg1 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

General Advertising Film of Turkey - 3

Duration of the Clip: 00:00:43
Size: 7,20 MB Resolution: 300 X 205
Video Codec: Mpeg1 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

General Advertising Film of Turkey - 4

Duration of the Clip: 00:00:22
Size:8,22 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

General Advertising Film of Turkey - 5

Duration of the Clip:00:00:43
Size: 16,1 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

General Advertising Film of Turkey

Duration of the Clip: 00:10:13
Size: 235 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Advertising Film of İstanbul

Duration of the Clip: 00:00:41
Size: 17,3 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of Cappadocia

Duration of the Clip: 00:05:25
Size: 97,7 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of the Mediterranean

Duration of the Clip: 00:07:29
Size: 151 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of the Aegean

Duration of the Clip: 00:06:41
Size: 129 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of the İstanbul & Marmara

Duration of the Clip: 00:08:50
Size: 129 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of Pamukkale

Duration of the Clip: 00:06:09
Size: 126 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of the East & Southeast Anatolia

Duration of the Clip: 00:08:27
Size: 156 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of Black Sea

Duration of the Clip: 00:04:59
Size: 161 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of Blue Voyage

Duration of the Clip: 00:05:05
Size: 99,1 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of golf Tourism

Duration of the Clip: 00:05:05
Size: 97,4 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Intoduction Film of Rafting

Duration of the Clip: 00:05:13
Size: 125 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of Congress Tourism

Duration of the Clip: 00:05:39
Size: 114 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Introduction Film of Winter Sports

Duration of the Clip: 00:04:54
Size: 138 MB Resolution: 720 X 448
Video Codec: DivX Pro 5.0.2 Audio Codec: Microsoft PCM (1)

Source: Turkish Ministry of Tourism and Culture

Solar Eclipse Benefits Turkish Tourism & Sama Show

2006-03-31T06:22:00.000Z

After NASA (US National Aeronautics and Space Administration) announced that the eclipse would best be viewed in Turkey, tourists rushed to the country days before the event and had the opportunity to see Turkey's cultural wealth first hand. Live broadcasts of the eclipse via TV channels were also an advertisement for Turkey's tourist areas...
The clear view of the century's first total solar eclipse from Turkey has made an enormous contribution to the country's promotion and economy.

Tourist groups mostly visited Side, Antalya, a southern Turkish city, Cappadocia, Konya, a central Anatolian city, all cities rich in historical and natural beauties, and brought a needed infusion of foreign currency. Tradesmen were thrilled as Turkey warmly hosted nearly 300,000 tourists.

News agencies such as APTN, Reuters, Cihan and AFP offered the total solar eclipse to their subscribers. CNN International and BBC WORLD used the footage in their live broadcasts.

Tourists were hosted in historical provinces such as Antalya, Konya, Nevsehir, Kirsehir, Aksaray, Tokat, Yozgat, Kayseri, Giresun, Sivas, and Ordu from where the total eclipse could be watched.

Activities promoting Turkish culture were highlighted in the festivities. Tour leaders accompanied tourists to places with historical value and natural beauty.

Antalya was the province where those who came to watch the solar eclipse gathered most. Antalya Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Ibrahim Acar said these foreign tourists included scientists, photography buffs and journalists.

The eclipse in Konya was broadcast live by CNN Turk, TRT and TV8 channels.

Konya Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Abdussettar Yarar pointed out that area hotels were 100 percent full for three days.

Those watching the eclipse in the Nevsehir province of Turkey preferred Capadoccia.

Nevsehir Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Velettin Birsoz said the Capadoccia region is a favorite spot of tourists. Birsoz said nearly 30,000 tourists came to the city in order to watch the eclipse, and in those four minutes Turkey experienced a fantastic promotion.

Ordu Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Muzaffer Gunay stated around 5,000 domestic and foreign tourists came to Ordu for the cosmic celebration, and added in the history of the Republic Ordu has never seen such a crowd.

Kirsehir Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Mustafa Gokgul said "Foreign mission chiefs who came to Kirsehir to watch the solar eclipse said they will spend their weekends in our city from now on. People who have never seen Kirsehir before rushed to the city, a hopeful thought for the future."
By Unal Livaneli
March 31, 2006
zaman.com

***********************************************

Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism is making considerable arrangements for Solar Eclipse to take place on March 29. Tourists who will witness the eclipse in Turkey will be presented special certificates by the Ministry as mementos

The names of the Solar Eclipse observers will be written individually on the certificates on which it says “Witnessed to Total Solar Eclipse in Turkey on 29 March 2006”. Ministry will also print T-shirts to distribute among tourists as souvenir.

In hotels in Konya, one of the best place to observe the eclipse, occupancy rate has reached up to 80 percent.

Posters, “The longest Cosmic Dance,” written on are prepared.

Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism organized a Sama ritual which they focused to highlight the resemblance of the whirls to the system formed by the Sun and planets around it. Besides, the garden of Rumi Museum will be open on 29 March so that tourists can follow the eclipse there. Observation from the garden and Sama show is free as well.

Turkey having faced with difficulties due to Bird flu and Cartoon Crisis will try to take advantage of this opportunity to wipe out the adverse affects of the hard days. So, there will be some surprises for the tourists who will watch Solar Eclipse in Turkey.

Ministry of Culture and Tourism first prepared untitled certificates. Every tourist to witness this important natural event in Turkey will give in their names on the untitled certificates. Certificate is decorated by tulip, which Turkey uses as an emblem for tourism, Rumi, Fairy Chimney and Ephesus figures.

In line with the preparations, Turkey took its place in reference book published by the US National Aeuronautical and Space Administration (NASA) as the best place to witness Total Solar Eclipse.

Eclipse will be easily observed in Antalya, Konya, Aksaray, Nevsehir, Karaman, Kayseri, Kirsehir, Yozgat, Sivas, Tokat, Amasya, Ordu, Giresun, making up a line of 190 km. width.

The longest eclipse duration, two and half minutes, will be observed in Konya. Provincial directorates of the mentioned cities are in contact with meteorology and hope to have a clear sky at this date. Ministry has sent the certificates and T-shirts to provincial directorates.

By Aslihan Aydin, Ankara
March 15, 2006
zaman.com

A flying carpet ride of memories

2006-03-25T08:52:00.000Z

When we told friends and family of our plans to travel with our baby to Turkey, they were amazed.

We had been in Istanbul, Turkey, for only a few days and already knew that we stood out. When the carpet sellers who lined the streets of the Sultanahmet, the city's ancient historic district, saw us from the back, they took note of my husband's close-cropped hair and yelled out, "Soldier! Soldierman! Mr. Army, Mr. Navy! Come inside and see a carpet. Maybe your pretty wife will like one, you buy it for her! Maybe not. You don't like, you need not buy, but come look!"

By Kayt Sukel

But when they got a good look at our fronts, with the small, wriggling bundle strapped to my husband's chest, they changed tactics. As soon as they saw our infant son held fast in his baby carrier - his eyes open wide and bright, taking in the extraordinary and beautiful city surrounding him - they took a slightly less aggressive approach.

KAYT SUKEL

One man walked toward us with his arms open wide and asked, "Please, excuse me, may I kiss your baby?" Others pulled photos of children and grandchildren from their wallets and invited us into the shop to see still more. Yet another seller asked us to come into his shop to see some carpets that he was sure our son would adore.

"Your son," the man said, giving us his best sales pitch, "he may not remember Turkey. I don't think so. But you will help him remember. Maybe the carpet will help him remember. I think, maybe yes."

Memory. This was a small point of contention with us. When we told friends and family of our plans to travel with our son to Turkey, our announcement was sometimes met with disapproval - and always with many questions: What will he eat? Where will he sleep? Won't the plane bother his ears? And the most-asked question: Why go through the hassle of taking the baby at all, when he won't remember the trip?

It was only this last question that we had some difficulty answering, wondering a bit about the answer ourselves.

On our last full day in the city, we went to explore the Ayasofya basilica. The baby had thus far been fascinated by Istanbul and, on this day, was just as intrigued with the immense interior of this building. It was considered the most beautiful Christian church in the world when it was completed in 537. Then, after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it was converted into a mosque. In 1934 it was proclaimed a museum.

Enchanted by the history and majesty of the building, none of us saw the schoolchildren approach. But all of a sudden, there they were - 20 or more - swarming around my husband and son, reaching for my son's hands and kissing his face.

At first, I was a little worried that the baby would be unable to handle the onslaught. As a typical 8-month-old, he is fairly accustomed to being adored. But not like this. Still, when I looked over at him, to see if I needed to intervene, he was laughing so hard his whole body shook. He reached out his hands to touch as many of the children as he could reach. His delight in seeing so many smiling faces looking up at him was palpable.

All of a sudden, a young boy in the crowd noticed me and asked in heavily accented English, "You are mother? Excuse me, thank you, what is the baby name?"

"His name is Chet." I replied.

"Chet." He repeated the name a few times, working it around his mouth as if trying a new, intense flavor. "My name is Kerem. Hello, Chet Mother."

The other children took note of the introduction and followed suit. I soon heard shouts of other names.

"I am Nazim!"

"My name is Berol."

"Hello, my name is Alev, thank you, goodbye."

"Kadifah, hello, how are you?"

And then a little girl with gorgeous dark eyes looked up at me and mischievously said, "My name is ... my name is Jennifer Lopez!" The children laughed wholeheartedly at the joke, and my son laughed with them, the echoes joyfully reverberating in the great dome of the building. I couldn't help but smile, knowing that my son's first trip to Istanbul had offered him more than many - and even we - had thought possible.

True, he may not remember the specifics of the mosaics in theAyasofya orthe grounds of the Topkapi Palace. But I believe that the most important aspects of any journey like this stay with you whether you are 8 months or 80 years old.

This trip included children's laughter, the same as at home and yet still able to make a powerful impression no matter where you happen to hear it. Add the sublime mystery of ancient buildings, full of colors and echoes that stir the heart and mind. And, most importantly, the spirit of adventure that wells up inside as you stare out on a new and fascinating landscape - perhaps even better when held aloft in a baby carrier - and anticipating the magic of whatever comes next.

No carpet is needed to remind my son of that.

March 24, 2006
FATIH SARIBA

Istanbul is both sensual and sensational

2006-03-18T09:13:00.000Z

Built at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and a key stopping-point on the Silk Road, Istanbul is both sensual and sensational, an unforgettable city where cultures collide and the variety never ends.

The only city in the world built on two continents, it stands on both shores of the Istanbul Bogazi (Bosphorus), where the waters of the Black Sea mingle with those of the Sea of Marmara.

Its museums, ancient churches and grand palaces are astonishing in their splendour, and the grand bazaars make for a unique shopping experience.

Infinitely adaptable, Istanbul, then known as Byzantium, fell into the Roman Empire in the second century BC.

When Barbarians overran the western part of the Roman Empire, the city, renamed Constantinople, became capital of the Byzantine Roman Empire.

But the same attributes that made it a prosperous trade location exposed it to attack for hundreds of years.

In 1453 it was conquered by Turks, and became Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman empire.

The city's contrasting cultural influences reflect its changing historical fortunes, and it features many world heritage sites.

One cannot fail to be impressed by the city's walls and the area they enclose. Stretching over four miles from the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn, the walls were built in the 5th century by Theodosius II, the Eastern Roman Emperor.

The many towers and bastions of the structure, most of which has been recently restored, made it the mightiest fortifications in Europe.

We arrived into Ataturk airport, which gained notoreity for its wall of flags proclaiming "Welcome to Hell" to the Swiss football team when they arrived for a World Cup play-off match.

Thankfully, we got a much more friendly greeting and were impressed by the modern facilities.

As we travelled from the airport, we enjoyed the cooling sea breeze and were immediately overwhelmed by the beauty of the city.

The Ottomans over-wrote Constaninople's Christian tradition. Istanbul is now dotted with mosques, some built on a grand scale, some smaller, designed to serve local neighbourhoods, but each, in its own way, an architectural masterpiece.

The Sultanahet, Rustern Pasa, Faith, Eyup, Yeni, Sokulla Mehmet Pasa and Mikirimah Sultan mosques are all popular with visitors.

An ideal way to see the city is to take a boat trip along the Bosphorus, the winding strait separating Europe and Asia.

That allows you to pass the Dolmabahce Palace, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace and to pass under the magnificent Bosphorus Bridge, one of the bridges linking the two continents.

Another famous sight is the stunning Hagia Sophia Ayasofya, also known as St Sophia Museum, which stands at the end of the Hippodrome Square.

Its immense dome rises nearly 70 metres above the ground and more than 30 metres in diameter.

Built by Constantine, Rome's first Christian emperor, in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in 537AD, this was for a millennium the greatest church in Christendom.

It faces Sultan Ahmet Camii, better known as the Blue Mosque, the only mosque in the world with six minarets (most have two or four).

Built between 1609 and 1616 during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I, the Blue Mosque was designed by imperial architect Mehmet Aga.

Its immense interior, flooded with sunlight streaming through more than 250 windows is decorated with more than 20,000 Iznik tiles detailing traditional flowers of Ottoman design.

The deep blue glow of the tiles in sunlight gives the building its name. Its vast central dome, which stands 43 metres high, is staggeringly beautiful. With its slender flanking minarets, it is the single most recognisable monument on the Istanbul skyline.

A contrasting sight is nearby - the curious Yerebatan Cistern, a vast underground water storage tank built by Constantine. An amazing 336 columns support the ceiling of this sunken cistern, which reputedly once held a trillion gallons of water.

Next door is the covered bazaar, reputedly the world's oldest and largest shopping mall, with more than 4,000 tiny shops under one roof.

Taksim Square, a huge open plaza with many department stores, is the hub of modern Istanbul and the location for many fine hotels, including ours, the Hyatt Regency.

This elegant hotel has 360 rooms and suites, a wide choice of restaurants and leisure facilities including the splendidly well equipped fitness centre Club Olympus, an outdoor swimming pool and a tennis court.

Istanbul is now dotted with mosques, some built on a grand scale, some smaller, but each an architectural masterpiece

Copyright 2006 Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) - All rights reserved

Ditch the kebab, bring on Istanbul's French quarter

2006-03-17T08:25:00.000Z

Jill Hartley finds designer boutiques and rooftop bars all the rage, while Jeremy Seal provides the basics on where to eat, sleep, drink and how to plan a trip to Istanbul

If Tony Blair feels he is sinking too low in the polls at home, I suggest an ego-boosting trip to Turkey, where he is almost as revered as David Beckham. We wondered why the Turks were being so friendly on our final day in Istanbul (the restaurant where we had lunch even reduced the bill), until we saw Jack Straw’s mugshot staring back at us from the morning front pages.

It was the day after the marathon session where he finally persuaded all 25 EU nations to begin membership talks with Turkey, a country of 70 million, 98 per cent of them Muslim. They’ve been waiting for this for 42 years, but if our taxi driver — lane hopping like a kangaroo on speed — is anything to go by, the Turks are a nation in a hurry.

Visit Istiklal Caddesi, the Oxford Street of Istanbul, on a Saturday night and everyone seems to be going somewhere at once. Still, if you can stand crowds and the world’s maddest drivers — yes, worse than Athens or Cairo — Istanbul is the place to be. The buzz on the streets feels like Prague ten years ago.

On our first morning in the old town of Sultanahmet, we met up with our guide Hande, a strong-willed woman in her 30s, who elbowed us through the tour parties into the Blue Mosque and neighbouring Hagia Sofia. Winding up her spiel, she told us: “Women may be segregated in the mosque, but not in our society. Women work here for equal pay, yet most work harder than men. We are the modern dervishes.”

So saying she whirled us through 1,000 years of history in a flash of marble, gold mosaics and Ottoman splendours before marching us off to the commercial treasures of the Grand Bazaar with its graceful arches and domes. “You tell me what you want — antiques, carpets, textiles, gold, silver, ceramics — and we go there now,” she said.

Isn’t this always the tricky bit? We praised the workmanship and quality of the artefacts, but pleaded poverty and the desire to get beyond the tourist honeytraps. It didn’t take long. Just past the grand shops we found a bazaar where young men were haggling over cheap fake designer jeans and buying polyester soccer shirts next to a stall selling nargile, the local water pipes.

:Farther downhill we were led by a smorgasbord of smells into the Spice Market, where you can fill a big shopping bag with olives, seasonings, shiny chestnut-coloured dates and powdery Turkish delight in pretty pastels, all for a couple of pounds. They also do a good line in fake Le Creuset in baby blue and pink.

Take a cab to Nisantasi, a Knightsbridge in microcosm with Harvey Nicks on its way, where over-made-up matrons pick at salads in street cafés, while paunchy men badly park their Porsches and Harleys. The young and truly beautiful lunch to be seen on thin-crust pizza at Mezzaluna.

Stella McCartney’s new shop is there, alongside Sisley, Vuitton, Valentino, Tod’s and Marella. Why be surprised? Turkey has already given us fashion designers Rifat Ozbek and Hussein Chalayan.

For extra proof that Istanbul has ditched the kebab, head for Fransiz Sokagi, a cobbled French quarter with Edith Piaf and the whiff of Gitanes on the air. Restaurants with names such as Le Caprice, Ooh La La and Coup de Foudre serve up moules and coq au vin to eager locals. It’s kitsch, yet compelling. On the roof terrace at the Café Eclipse we sat next to two teenage girls in school uniform enjoying beer and chips.

But to truly feel the vibe of the new Istanbul, visit the centre of Beyoglu and neighbouring Taksim Square. At first it could be any other European city, but look closer and those blokes on mobile phones are drinking tea, not lager. Among the young girls with bare midriffs twittering in groups in Oxxo, equivalent to Top Shop, a handful still wear headscarves and traditional Muslim dress.

Another difference is the friendliness. We jumped out of a cab one evening almost into the arms of a craggy old man, dressed like a Left Bank existentialist. “Ah, you are English.You must come to my new exhibition,” he declared, thrusting invitations at us. It wouldn’t happen in Paris.

Brazenly poking our noses one morning into 360, a new rooftop club on Istiklal Caddesi, the barman left the washing-up to show us round. “I love your Queen so much,” he said. Only after some faltering starts at tiaras and corgis did we realise that he meant the band led by the late Freddie Mercury. We also met dancers who used to be au pairs in Bedford — no wonder they prefer Istanbul — an artist who insisted on showing us her studio, and a restaurant owner who offered us a partnership deal as soon as he realised we were British.

On our last day we enjoyed a cold beer in Leb-i derya, another stylish new rooftop bar. Admiring the Bosphorus views, I toppled off my stool and almost tipped into the street seven storeys below. There were only a few centimetres of plastic screen protecting me from oblivion.

So, Turkey may want to join the EU, but could such buildings, and there are scores of them, pass stringent EU regulations? Another reason to visit Istanbul now, while it’s still swimming joyfully against the tide of bureaucracy.

March 11, 2006

Copyright 2006 Times Newspapers Ltd.

Historic Polonezköy as an example for promoting multi-ethnic culture and tourism

2006-03-16T18:12:00.000Z

The Polish Embassy in Ankara has an eminent Turkish scholar in the person of Ambassador Grzegorz Michalski. He is more than a diplomatic emissary, a real ambassador of culture like his illustrious predecessor, Turkish scholar Ambassador Andrzej Ananicz...

He has recently drafted, produced and published no less than three sizeable books, one to promote his country Poland, its people and culture, another on Istanbul's Polonezköy, until 1937 Adampol, and its phenomenal history since 1832 as the oldest and only Polish village outside Poland. The third book is a biography of the great Polish romantic composer Frederic Chopin, whose music is synonymous with Poland. Ambassador Michalski must be congratulated on his valuable efforts to promote Poland and Polish culture in Turkey.

Michalski is also unique for promoting Turkey's cultural heritage to Turks in Ankara, which has no precedence. He organized a one day exhibition in the palatial Polish Embassy on Feb. 23 in cooperation with Dr. Nurettin Erbil, a distinguished forestry scholar with the Ministry of Agriculture, on the local cultures of Turkey's mountain villages, their traditions and economic life. The exhibition was held under the patronage of the 9th President of Turkey, Süleyman Demirel, who made an excellent and informative speech full of lively reminiscences.

According to Dr. Erbil: "In nearly 70,000 villages of Turkey about 8 million people live in 20,000 mountain villages. They are populated by Muslim Turkic migrants mostly from the Balkans, the Caucasus and elsewhere who fled from the ravages and destruction of a century of wars in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. These villages have kept their ethnic cultures and traditions intact, while the rural culture all over Turkey is fast disappearing."

As the Polish Embassy booklet published for the occasion mentions, "following the events and war of 1831, the 1848 Hungarian revolt, the Crimean War and the 1863 rebellion, Polish army soldiers who were left without a country found refuge and welcome in the Ottoman Empire, accorded to them by the sultan. Moreover, as President Demirel reminded his audience, the Ottoman Empire did not recognize the partition of Poland by its enemies like Austria, Russia and Prussia, and these acts of friendship were never forgotten by the Polish people.

The first Poles who fled to the Ottoman Empire were the Crimean Tartars in 1831 after having fought with the Russians in the Crimea. The Ottoman Empire and Poland were geographic neighbors, and as the erudite Mr. Demirel recalled, the sultan refused Austrian pressure to return the rebellious Poles to Austria, the sultan categorically retorting, "It is either the Poles who have taken refuge in our midst or my throne."

They were settled in a barren and hilly site called Adampol, as a tribute to Prince Adam, near Istanbul, which later came to be called Polonezköy. For the past 160 years these Poles have tilled the land and made a living through agriculture and husbandry but freely maintained their Polish culture and traditions.

Ambassador Michalski, as the proud host, made the audience laugh when he said that Poland once sided with Austria against the Ottoman Turks at the Siege of Vienna, "a mistake we will never repeat again." When Demirel visited Poland as the guest of Lech Walesa he included in his delegation the Muhtar of Polonezköy. During the visit the Poles claimed him as their own, to which Demirel retorted, "No, he is my Muhtar, a Turkish national of Polish origin," a pleasant wrangle that continued in an amiable way, as Demirel recounted to the invited audience. Alas, none of the invitations to the ruling AKP or the Ministry of Culture and Tourism were accepted, and there was no representative of the government or the opposition either present despite the written invitations sent to them.

The registered population of Polonezköy is now about 250, but only 50 of those are the true descendants, or third-generation Poles. Polonezköy is bleeding to death with the emigration of its Polish-origin villagers to Europe, the U.S. or even Australia. In another generation there will be no Poles left in Adampol of the past as the young leave to study in Istanbul and never return.

Polonezköy was a showcase of ethnic and racial harmony in Turkey. The Beykoz mayor was the first and only mayor to participate in the religious festivities of the Catholic Poles in the village. The mayor of Beykoz proposed the founding of a Chopin School to teach the Polish language.

As recently as the 60s and 70s their numbers dwindled, Turks moved in and their main source of income changed and turned into tourism. Dr. Erbil and Ambassador Michalski are the initiators of the brilliant idea that the Polonezköy experience can be an example to be emulated in some earmarked mountain villages, probably starting from the Black Sea region mountain villages. For European and local Turkish visitors it will be an experience of historic and cultural interest, propagating Turkey's cultural diversity and its dormant propensity.

The Polish Embassy, in a colorful brochure in Turkish, while sharing all the information briefly mentioned here, is proposing a new vista for Turkish tourism hitherto unknown, unexplored, unchartered virgin area which is well worth getting to know.

Sunday, March 12, 2006
YÜKSEL SÖYLEMEZ tdn.com.tr

American woman finds Istanbul a true Turkish delight

2006-03-16T12:18:00.000Z

What's it like to live in a far-off place most of us see only on a vacation? Foreign Correspondence is an interview with someone who lives in a spot you may want to visit. . .

Anastasia Ashman, 41, is a writer and editor in Istanbul, Turkey, where she has lived for three years. She and Jennifer Gokmen are co-editors of "Tales from the Expat Harem," a travel anthology by foreign women in Turkey ($15.95, Seal Press), to be released this month. Between AD 330 and 1918, Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Turk empires. Ashman is a native of California.

Q. You're in quite an illustrious and ancient metropolis. Are residents there aware of living amid the past?

A. The average person living her life, doing her errands, doesn't notice the things around him, such as the Ottoman fountain on the corner. There are traces of the past embedded in everyone's neighborhood. I live in a building built in the 1970s, but it's in an area established in the 13th century. When I go to the newsstand, I pass a mosque that Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent built in the 15th century.

The average person lives his life.

Q. Do people who are digging ever come across ancient things?

A. Sure. All the time. I have a degree in archaeology and joke to my husband that I'd love to go out some night with a trowel and start digging in a vacant lot.

Q. Tell some more about your neighborhood.

A. Beyoglu, considered the cultural heart of modern Istanbul, was originally a suburb. It's just across the Golden Horn (estuary) from the Old City. Later, an emperor gave it to the Genoese as a trading concession. The city was the last stop for the caravans on the Silk Road before all those silks and spices went by water to Europe. Later, the Europeans had embassies there. In the 19th century, Beyoglu was the most modernized area and also a very bohemian one, with bars, clubs, restaurants and theaters.

I live in an apartment on a cliff overlooking the Bosphorus (the strait separating Europe and Asia). Most people in Istanbul live in apartments due to population density.

Q. Your book is about Western women in Turkey. What's it like being a woman there?

A. One thing I really like about Istanbul, and much of Turkey, is a level of civility you often don't find in other Mediterranean countries. If you behave respectfully, you get respect. The men are gallant in an old-fashioned way, and it's part of Turkish culture to be helpful and neighborly. As a woman, I feel safer than I've felt in any other large city.

Istanbul is a sprawling place with 12 million inhabitants, and more arriving every day. Many come from the outskirts of Turkey, looking for economic opportunity. They bring with them their more rural and conservative traditions. In such communities, visiting women don't have to cover their hair, for example, but "fitting in" by dressing and behaving appropriately is wise.

Rural folk don't represent all Turks, though. There's quite a range of society. Americans come here and don't expect Turks to be so worldly, chic and sophisticated. Travelers often feel dowdy when they go out, so when you come, pack an assortment of things. On the streets and in the markets in conservative areas of town, wear a long-sleeve shirt and long skirt or pants. If you're going out to a nightclub or restaurant, or hip waterside bar, you'll probably feel more comfortable in the most painfully fashionable thing you own.

Newsweek called Istanbul "the coolest city on Earth," and I think they're right about that. It has a high level of fabulousness.

Q. Anybody still wear a fez?

A. No. They were outlawed by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish republic, who modernized the country in 1923. He secularized Turkey by decree and outlawed the fez and the wearing of veils.

Q. Of all the attractions, what's the best?

A. I do like the Topkapi palace, especially the harem.

But if you only do one thing, get out on the water - on the Bosphorus. There are many commuter ferries, very cheap, the equivalent of 75 cents. Just get off one and get on another. The views are priceless. Crowded, narrow streets are fun to walk on, but you can't see Istanbul for all the buildings. You need to be on the water to appreciate this hilly city. Plus, since the strait was the main thoroughfare for centuries, all the ornate, wooden mansions and marble palaces edge the water. You can't see them from the road.

Or, you can experience boating the way the sultans did, in a caique ("kah-EEK") - a long, low boat with huge oars. You can take a tour at sunset, with a musician strumming a traditional guitar called an oud.

Q. What about shopping? Can you buy ancient things?

A. If you buy an antique from a reputable dealer, you should get a certificate. If something's over 100 years old, it becomes an antiquity - illegal to transport out of the country.

There's plenty of fun stuff to purchase. Roman-era reproduction jewelry, lots of gold with semi-precious stones. Ceramics here are very delicate, with designs favored by the sultans. Turkish kilim, flat-woven carpets made by village women, are affordable; a nice one is about $300. Hand-crocheted lace, silver mirrors. The Grand Bazaar has 4,000 shops and 15,000 workers - the 15th-century mother of all shopping malls.

Q. What's the dining situation?

A. Turkish food is not confined to kebabs. Besides the wonderful fresh fish, there's a subtle and refined Ottoman cuisine. Try to find it. Vegetables slow-stewed in olive oil, and smoked eggplant mixed with cheese; braised lamb shanks. These recipes have been passed down in Turkish families. They're the region's comfort food.

Near Istikal Caddesi (the main avenue in Beyoglu), one Ottoman restaurant I really love is Haci Abdullah. It claims to be the oldest restaurant in town.

By John Bordsen
Charlotte (N.C.) Observer
Mar. 06, 2006
© 2006 RealCities.com and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.charlotte.com

Istanbul steps up campaign to be selected culture capital of Europe in 2010

2006-03-16T08:45:00.000Z

European Council to decide in March
Candidacy comes at sensitive time in East-West relations...
When the last Ottoman ruler, Sultan Mehmet VI, slipped out of Istanbul on Nov. 17, 1922, the city had already lost its status as an imperial capital, for the empire was dead. Indeed, the sultan also had lost his title, for the Grand National Assembly on the first of the month had voted unanimously to abolish the monarchy.

Abandoned by both the old and new rulers of Turkey, Istanbul began a long slump into neglect and decay. Istanbul lost its imperial glory and also much of its buzz as a thriving center of government, trade and finance.

Episodes of civil unrest and economic turmoil punctuated and accelerated the decline.

Poor people from all over Anatolia flooded into the city during the second half of the 20th century, swelling its population from two million in 1960 to over 12 million today.

The good old days:

Some long time residents complained that these ignorant and uncultured villagers were ruining Istanbul; indeed, one can occasionally run into a taxi driver who will recall when his clientele in Beyoglu consisted of ladies and gentlemen, theatergoers and other people of manners and style.

The city only gradually asserted its powers of regeneration. People made new fortunes and helped the city develop new civic organizations, such as the Istanbul Arts and Culture Foundation. The 1990s may have been in many ways a lost decade in terms of national economic development, but the city did not sleep. A lull in immigration from rural areas gave city administrators a chance to catch up on infrastructure, to pipe water, gas and electricity to districts that had grown up from shantytowns.

The economic reform program following the 2001 crisis has brought macroeconomic stability, with inflation falling to single digits, a new currency, interest rates dropping and consumer culture taking off. Turkey also enjoys the prospect of joining the European Union, with the lead-up to negotiations that begun last October spurring a wave of investment and foreign interest.

New museums, new hotels, new construction, new energy all around: Istanbul is booming today, as it has not done for centuries.

Capital of the world:

Now Istanbul aims to be chosen as the culture capital of Europe for the year 2010.

Egemen Bagis, chairman of the advisory board of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture (ECOC) Initiative, likes to quote Napoleon, "If the whole world was a single country, Istanbul would be the capital."

Bagis is a deputy for Istanbul's 2nd District and the prime minister's special advisor on foreign policy. Other members of the Istanbul ECOC Committee include Chairman Nuri �olakoglu, Vice President of the Dogan Media Group and CEO of the Turkish Daily News and Ambassador Sule Soysal, the Foreign Ministry's specialist on international promotion and cultural affairs.

Istanbul Governor Muammer G�ler and Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas are also helping to push the city in Europe. Topbas said that Istanbul's success in hosting the NATO summit, Eurovision Song Contest, Champion's League Final and most recently a Formula One race, has proven that the city belongs in the same league as New York, Paris and Tokyo.

Meeting of civilizations:

Istanbul's candidacy for the culture capital comes at a sensitive time in East-West relations, with Muslims staging protests across the world last month against caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed first published in a Danish newspaper last September.

The Istanbul ECOC committee went to Brussels last week to promote the city, accompanied by several Turkish journalists to meet EU officials and discuss other issues.

As Vatan columnist, Cengiz Aktar said after going to both the European Parliament and to a regional policy seminar in Algiers, "No one knew Ankara was involved in efforts to solve the problems in the region; however, most were excited at the prospect that Istanbul could become Europe's capital of culture in 2010."

The EU Council of Ministers in 1985 launched the European City of Culture project, designed to "contribute to bringing the peoples of Europe together." It has become ever more popular with the citizens of Europe and its cultural and socio-economic influence has never been timelier than in these times of heightened tension between predominantly Christian European and the Muslim world.

Turkey is the most European of any Muslim country on earth, and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has joined together with his Spanish counterpart pushing an initiative for an "Alliance of Civilizations." The EU supports the initiative and focuses on improving relations with Muslim governments, but also underlines the need for better contacts between the two sides' media, youth groups and nongovernmental organizations. An EU statement underlined the EU's desire to "actively promote dialogue, mutual understanding and respect" with Muslim countries.

Center of gravity:

Istanbul faces competition from the Hungarian city of Pecs and the German cities of Essen and Gorlitz as the EU member state candidates for 2010, while Kiev is also running for 2010 as another non-member state candidate. The European Council is expected to announce its choice by the end of March.

Ba�� hopes that Istanbul, with its geographical location and its thousands of years of cultural heritage, enjoys a boost from its "privileged position" compared to other global metropolises.

"Istanbul is also a mirror that reflects the entirety of Turkey," he said at the campaign's launch. “Cultural consciousness in Istanbul, which has particularly improved in the last decade, is reflected in the cultural life of the city. This makes Istanbul a center of gravity and a center of culture and arts, not only for the people of Istanbul, but also for the entire world.

Napoleon could not have said it better.

BOX 1:

The Turkish city of Istanbul has officially submitted its application to be designated European Capital of Culture in 2010 under Article 4 of Decision 1419/1999.

Article 4

European non-member countries may participate in this action. Any such country may nominate one city as a European Capital of Culture and should notify its nomination to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Committee of the Regions. The Council, acting unanimously on a recommendation from the Commission, shall officially designate one of these nominated cities as a European Capital of Culture for each year, bearing in mind the desirability of four years' preparation time. (1) OJ C 305, 7.10.1997, p. 1.

MICHAEL KUSER

ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

CNN's Istanbul City Guide

2006-03-16T08:39:00.000Z

SEE: As the only city in the world to have been the capital of two empires, Istanbul is rich with relics from both... Mosques and churches vie for attention with museums and traditional bazaars, while ships ply the busy waters of the Bosphorus, bound for the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and beyond. Top of the must-see list is the sprawling Topkapi Palace, once the center of the vast Ottoman empire as the home of the Istanbul's sultans for almost four centuries.

Arrive early to beat the crowds to the harem and don't miss the glittering prizes of the treasury, which houses one of the world's biggest diamonds. Almost next door to Topkapi is the Ayasofya church. An audacious feat of engineering when it was constructed in the sixth century, Ayasofya's wide, flat dome, houses 30 million gold tiles. The building was hailed as the greatest church in Christendom until St Peter's Basilica was build 1,000 years later in Rome. Nearby, the Blue Mosque, isn't really blue, but is nevertheless a 17th century spectacle, boasting six minarets and a landscape of domes. The Hippodrome is a glimpse into Istanbul's Byzantian past where adrenaline-charged chariot races often changed the empire's fate. More history is on display in Istanbul's well-kept Archaeological Museum and the subterranean cisterns that once supplied the city's water. The sunken palace cistern, or Yerebatan Saray Sarnici, once held 21 million gallons between its 336 marble columns, but now attracts tourists with its atmospheric lighting and a starring role in the James Bond film "From Russia With Love." If there's still time, haggle for carpets and ceramics the Grand Bazaar or check out the pungent aroma of the Egyptian Spice Market and sample a piece of lokum, or Turkish delight. As evening approaches goes down head for the floating bustle of the Galata Bridge, which links Europe and Asia, hang out in the cafes of the vibrant Beyoglu area or watch the sun set from the Golden Horn peninsula.

BE SEEN: Daytime Istanbul is alive with sidewalk cafes, where the world is set to rights over glasses of strong Turkish tea and coffee, but the city's nightlife is often a revelation to visitors who think the final Islamic call to prayer signals bedtime. If you know where to look among ancient narrow streets, it's easy to find bars and clubs the envy of Europe's hippest hotspots. The city's Beyoglu district is the epicenter of evening entertainment, with crowds pouring into Taksim Square's tourist-friendly discos and rock clubs. Istanbul's venue du jour is Reina, on Muallim Naci Caddesi, a vast entertainment complex that can hold more than 2,500 people, including Turkish celebrities and models. A close second is nearby Laila, particularly in warm summer months when Istanbul's glamour set cram the open-air club to take in great views of the Bosphorus. For equally impressive panoramas, but more relaxed surroundings, try the Fifth Floor, on Siraselviler Caddesi, or the ultra-chic Lebi Derya, on Kumbaraci Yokusu.

EAT: Turkish delight and kebabs are, rather unjustly, the country's best-known contributions to the culinary world, but Istanbul boasts a dining scene as rich and varied as the city's cultures. Typical meal times see tables groan with mezes, or appetizers, including stuffed mussels, humus and stuffed vine leaves, while main courses vary from casseroles to fresh fish, preferably washed down with a fiery glass of raki. A good meal, topped off with a desert of baklava or halva, will seldom cost in excess of $20. Hala, on Curkurlu Cesme Solak, is a great place to tuck into hearty Turkish ravioli with yoghurt sauce, made on the premises by women brandishing rolling pins. More traditional fare -- but no booze -- is on offer at the lively Haci Abdullah off Istiklal Caddesi. Thirstier diners satisfy their appetites al-fresco in the tavernas of Nevizade Sokak near the Cicek Pasaji, although the language barrier could prove a problem. For good seafood, try the Hussein Chalayan-recommended Sebahattin restaurant at Seyit Hasan Koyu Sokak. Turkish breakfasts are another dining highlight, particularly the freshly baked bread, normally accompanied by salty cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, butter, honey and jam. If you're up in time, head for Kale on Rumeli Hisari.

The Urartians in Eastern Anatolia failed to overcome harsh winter conditions

2006-03-16T06:42:00.000Z

The Urartians established a kingdom around Lake Van in eastern Anatolia but failed to deal with severe winter conditions, especially snow, in an effective way, said Professor Veli Sevin on Wednesday, according to archaeological findings.

Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, Sevin said he conducted comprehensive archaeological studies on the ancient Urartian civilization. He said this civilization was an important regional power in the early 1st millennium B.C., surviving for around 300 years, and that they were highly developed.

Noting that the Urartians were renowned for their architectural abilities in their design and construction of temples, dams, palaces, castles and water channels, he said the Urartians were not a social state and were governed by a feudal system that made their kings the ultimate authority.

Therefore, according to archaeological documents, preparations were made for winter with utmost care in the palaces or castles where the king and his court lived. The food was stored in the castles, for instance, while the common people were left to a state of need during the harsh winters.

"Yet, in general, it seems that even the ruling Urartians couldn't manage to overcome the harsh conditions of winter effectively in spite of their preparations as well as their endeavors to regulate nature by constructing dams and water channels," Sevin said.

Stating that failure was not merely at the royal level but also at the public level, he said, "We know from archaeological findings that communication between settlements was entirely non-existent in winter."

He also said, although they had some indications about the Urartians from some prior archaeological findings, they still didn't exactly know about what the Urartians did to cope with winter because they didn't record any information on winter conditions. "It seems that they only recorded their successes," he added.

About Urartian civilization:

Urartu was an ancient kingdom in eastern Anatolia centered in the mountainous region around Lake Van that existed from about 1,000 B.C. until 585 B.C. It stretched from northern Mesopotamia through the southern Caucasus, including parts of present-day Armenia up to Lake Sevan.

The name Urartu is actually Assyrian, a dialect of Akkadian, and was given to the kingdom by its chief rivals to the south. It may have simply meant "mountain country." The capital city of the Urartu kingdom was Tu�pa, near Lake Van.

The Urartians, who had to adjust to harsh natural conditions, were successful in agriculture and animal husbandry.

Their temples and palaces, with multicolored reception halls, mark the contribution of Urartu to the history of architecture. Another important feature of Urartian art is their wall paintings, which combine bright-colored geometric and plant motifs with various animal scenes. Decorated bronze panels, belts, helmets, shields and cauldrons also held an important place in Urartian art.

ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

Lee's Picturesque Turkey -1- of -4-

2006-03-15T18:46:00.000Z

View from our hotel room window . . . We arrived in Istanbul after a long flight with a short transit at Doha airport around late afternoon. Qatar Airlines : Good service and the food is not bad. Başak and her husband Ismail met us at the airport. They drove all the way from Ankara to Istanbul to pick us up. Thanks you guys! So the five of us, Başak and Ismail, my two Japanese friends and I, were about to start the first leg of our long journey through West Turkey.

Our first destination was our hotel, Istanbul Best Western Sokullu Pasa Hotel, located in Sultanahmet area. Sultanahmet is "old Istanbul", rich in history and culture and home to the famous Aya Sofya (St Sofia or Hagia Sophia), Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, Basilica Cistern, Istanbul Archeological Museum and Grand Bazaar to name a few. Our hotel is in a prime location because it is just within walking distance to the Aya Sofya and Blue Mosque. Even our hotel has its own history as it was formerly home to the Ottoman Grand Veziir, Sokhollu Pasha and now converted into a hotel.

Oyabu-san buying kumpir or baked potato with stuffings. Those colourful dishes are the stuffings or toppings which you choose to put on your baked potato

Since we arrived quite late and we were tired, we decided to take things easy on the first day. We went to Ortaköy Camii or mosque (Büyük Mecidiye Camii), built by NikoÄŸos Balyan who was one of the architects who built the famous Dolmabahçe Palace. Situated at the Bosphorus Straits edge, it has an excellent view of the Bosphorus bridge and has plenty of restaurants and cafes.

Kumpir!

We bought kumpir which is baked potato with toppings like cheese, mayo, pickles, olives, salad etc. Delicious! And the potato is huge! I had to share with Oyabu san.

View of the Bosphorus Straits

The place was packed with people, tourists and locals alike. Everyone was there to enjoy the scenic view and just to relax, eat and have fun. Then, after relaxing, we went to Mado cafe, a famous ice cream cafe chain in Turkey. I ordered a plate of four Turkish deserts, one of which was baklava, another was made out of pure pistachio paste and two more names I had forgotten. All were delicious and very sweet! Topped with pistachio ice cream.

Pistachio ice cream, which was rock hard and had to be eaten with knife and fork

We relaxed around the place for a while and before we knew it, it was sunset. Excellent time to take pictures of the Bosphorus Straits and Ortaköy Camii. The Bosphorus straits, which connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara separates the European and the asian side of Turkey. The two sides are connected by two bridges and there are frequent ferry passages to and fro. It is a very busy place with many cargo vessels, tankers (huge!) etc passing through the narrow strait every day.

Bosphorus straits, sunset

Bosphorus straits, Bosphorus bridge at the background and Ortaköy Camii during sunset

After that, we went back to the hotel and rest for next day.

Basak at the hotel garden eating breakfast

Weather was perfect on Day 2. We started off with breakfast at our hotel's garden. Beautiful little place with resident cats everywhere waiting for a kind soul to give him his breakfast. They were so pampered that bread wasn't good enough.

Resident cats

Breakfast

It was a breakfast buffet, with white cheese, breads, butter and jams, youghurt, salami, olives, eggs, tomatoes, fresh fruits, juices and coffee or tea as their offerings.

Galata Tower and Galata Bridge

Then off we went for our Bosphorus straits tour. We boarded the ferry from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavağı. We could see Galata Tower (if we could not, what would be the point of the tower?) and in the picture is also the Galata bridge where underneath it, there are restaurants and cafes. It links Beyoğlu and Eminönü and this present bridge had replaced two previous structures. It is filled everyday with people selling things, strolling, fishing, drinking etc. More on Galata Tower on another posting.

In the ferry

The ferry was jam packed with tourists and also locals who use it to commute daily because it is cheap. You can buy cay (tea) or nescafe (coffee) while you are in the ferry itself.

Ottoman era wooden houses along the straits

We passed by many beautifully restored Ottoman era wooden houses. Some function still as houses and others were converted into fancy cafes or restaurants.

Rumeli Hisarı

Rumeli Hisarı was built by Mehmet the Conqueror when he wanted to seize Byzantine Constantinople. This fortress is located at the narrowest point of the straits and gave him the advantage of controlling the traffic along the Bosphorus. With this disadvantage, Constantinople could not rely on aid or supply by sea and thus, Mehmet was able to achieve success. Now it serves mainly as an open air theater for pop stars.

Fatih Bridge

There are two bridges linking the both sides of Istanbul. One is the Bosphorus Bridge and the other is the Fatih Bridge. Bosphorus means cow crossing, Bous is cow in Greek and poros is crossing. This is based on the story concerning Zeus, Io and Hera. In short, Zeus had an affair with Io. Hera finds out, Zeus turned Io into a cow, Hera used a horsefly to sting Io in the rump and off she went over the straits. Bosphorus bridge is the fourth longest suspension bridge in the world. Fatih Bridge was named after Mehmet the Conqueror. Now a third bridge is in the works.

View of the Black Sea

Finally we reached Anadolu Kavağı which is the last stop. Perched at the top of a hill overlooking the Black Sea are the ruins of Ceneviz Castle which was first built by the Byzantines. We walked up to the castle (tiring), passing by the navy housing area and eating berries along the way. But once we reached there, the view of the Black sea and the Bosphorus straits was just magnificent! Gorgeous! Awesome! Anymore adjectives??

Wide view, same couple

Bosphorus flows from the Sea of Marmara into the Black Sea. This is the part where the Bosphorus straits meets the Black Sea. Black Sea is an inland sea, connected to the Meditteranean through the Bosphorus straits and the Sea of Marmara. I wished my house was right up here, eating breakfast here everyday, enjoying the view. Would be a bit hard to read the paper though, since I would end up running after all the pieces that had flown away. It is very windy but, since it was a hot day, I welcomed it.

View of the Bosphorus from the castle

The view of both sides was spectacular. A lot of people were up there. You can walk up or take a taxi. On your way down, there is a cafe where you can stop to rest and drink and enjoy the view.

View of the straits from the restaurant

We walked down into town for lunch. Famous for fishes, every restaurant had fish on their menu. We chose the restaurant next to the water's edge. Nice view mah. We chose anchovies, cooked over fire while Ismail chose meatballs.

Turkish bread is served at nearly every restaurant and is free and delicious!

Since I was hungry, I ate the bread first. It is delicious even without any jam, butter etc. For those of you who are vegetarian, it may be a bit hard to find vegetarian restaurants in Turkey but you can always rely on the trusty Turkish bread or simit (sesame seed bread). Cheap and tasty.

Meatballs with salad

Anchovies!

It finally arrived and it was yummy. Squeeze lemon on top of it and eat alone or with the onion or tomato. After lunch, we hopped back onto the ferry, back to Eminönü to visit the Yeni Cami and the Egyptian or Spice Bazaar.

Yeni Cami

Yeni Cami is 400 years old, ordered to be built by the Valide Sultan Safiye (mother of Sultan Mehmet III). When he died, she lost her power and the mosque was only completed in 1633 by the mother of Sultan Mehmet IV. It looks like a very mini version of the Blue Mosque, with the courtyard and dome structures. Yeni Cami is also called the 'new' mosque.

Decoration and carved marble

In the courtyard

The place is also filled with pigeons on the outside as you can see in the picture. The courtyard is impressive. I have yet to see the Blue Mosque and so, this was like a prelude of things to come for me.

Egyptian or Spice Bazaar

Right next to Yeni Cami is the Spice Bazaar, also known by its other name, Egyptian Bazaar back when it was famous for selling goods from Cairo. When it was first built, the rents from the shops went to the upkeep of Yeni Cami. Now it is filled with shops selling various spices, tea, dried fruits and Turkish sweets (lokum).

Lokum!

For those of you who have tasted turkish delights or lokum before, you know how heavenly they are. And I was surrounded by so many shops selling these sinful delights! Didn't buy any though. Planned to buy when I was coming back.

Spice and sweets shop

Spices and tea

One thing though. If you are Japanese or know how to speak Jap, then, you won't face any problem here. The shop keepers can converse with you in Japanese. Everytime we walked passed a shop, we would be greeted in Japanese. Or in Korean. Or in Chinese. Take your pick.

Başak bought for us to try this lovely turkish sweet made out of grape molasses and walnuts (?). I bought one and the name written on it is Pekmezli Cevizli Bandirma although I know Başak said another name. Must ask her again.

On our way back to the hotel to get ready for dinner, we stopped by this jewelry store which was having an İznik tile exhibition. It is too long to explain what are İznik tiles. On our way out of the exhibition, we passed by this girl weaving a Turkish carpet. As you can see, the design is complicated. I wonder how long will it take her to finish weaving that one piece? Turkish carpets are so beautiful...too bad I had no money to buy them.

Dinner at Istanbul University's restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus straits

Then, after freshening up at the hotel, we headed over to the Istanbul University restaurant, quite a fancy place for dinner. We met up with a Japanese prof who was there for work. The restaurant is situated along the water's edge and we had such a lovely view. It was a buffet dinner.

Dinner!

Buffet style so you get to pick and chose. But this is not my plate. I didn't eat dinner that day cause I was sick! Could not eat. Sigh...the food looked good.

White cheese

So many dishes to choose from, so many deserts and fresh fruits. Also wine and beer....and the lovely view.

Night view of the Bosphorus Straits

Taken from the restaurant. Lovely huh? And since it was a national holiday at that time, they had fireworks display which we could see from where we were seated. Then after dinner, we drove past Taksim (night life...clubs, fancy restaurants etc) and then back to the hotel to rest for the third day.

Enjoying the beautiful day, Hippodrome

This was a packed day. As a result, there are too many photos - to better show you the places - and so, I had to split the post into half. This first part will cover the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofya. The second half will consist of the Basilica Cistern, Lunch, Topkapi Palace and the Nargileh cafe.

Simit seller, Hippodrome

Don't expect to see the ruins of a Hippodrome here. The space had been converted into a nice park and is just next to the Blue Mosque which in turn is just opposite of the Aya Sofya. The Hippodrome was the center of life during the Byzantine and Ottoman times with chariot races and political riots decorating its history.

The Obelisk of Theodosius is situated here and was brought here by Emperor Theodosius I from Egypt. The original height was 27 meters but now it stands at a mere 17 meters. Whatever happened to the missing lower part is a mystery. It was built to celebrate the victories of Pharaoh Thutmose III.

Another column is the Constantine Column, the first column we saw when we approach the Hippodrome from our hotel. It stands at 32 meters and was erected by its namesake, Constantine the Great. It was covered in bronze plates which were ripped off later during the Fourth crusade. There is another strange column, the Spiral or Serpentine Column. It once had three serpents' heads at the top and was built to commemorate the victory of the Greek cities over Persia. Two of the serpents head were found, one housed in Istanbul Archeological Museum and the other in the British Museum.

The Kaiser Wilhelm's Fountain

Towards the northend of the Hippodrome, there is a beautiful fountain which was a present from the German emperor to Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II.

Cay sellers in front of the Aya Sofya

We walked towards the main entrance of the Blue Mosque or also known as the Sultan Ahmet Camii. Bear in mind though that the entrance fee to any touristic place in Turkey is not cheap. The Blue Mosque faces the Aya Sofya. Two excellent buildings within sight.

Blue Mosque

Sultan Ahmet wanted to build a monument that would outrival the grand Aya Sofya and commissioned Mehmet Ağa to build the Blue Mosque. It is certainly impressive at first sight and more so when lighted up at night. It has six minarets and is beautiful in its proportions.

Dondurma sellers outside the Blue Mosque

It is an active mosque where worshippers will enter through the main door whereas the tourists can enter through the north door. Shoes must be taken off and proper attire is a must. However, if your clothes are deemed improper, you will be given a cloth to cover yourself.

In the courtyard

The decorative fountain in the middle of the marble courtyard

The courtyard was beautiful. Remember Yeni Cami? This was much grander and the symmetry was just perfect. The courtyard is made of marble (from the Isle of Marmara) and has the same size as the interior of the mosque.

The interior of the Blue Mosque

Interior, wide view

And then you enter the interior of the mosque. Gorgeous. The İZNİK tiles are the ones that give the Blue Mosque its name and they fill the interior of the mosque. The floor is carpeted for prayers and a section is closed off for the worshippers.

The dome

You hardly know where to look as every side of the hall shouts for your attention. And then you look up and see the beautifully decorated dome with the sunlight shining through.

The chandeliers and glass stained windows

Chandelier close-up

Another impressive sight are the chandeliers and the glass stained windows. The mosque has 260 windows which were originally from Venice but was then later replaced.

The column

The mosque is held by four huge columns, each 5m in diameter. The tomb of Sultan Ahmet is situated in a separate building on the north side. He died a year after the mosque was completed at age 27.

The Aya Sofya

We left the Blue Mosque and headed opposite to the Aya Sofya. For me, the Aya Sofya was simply majestic. Blue Mosque may have the exterior advantage but the interior of Aya Sofya was simply breath taking. A tip to remember : No tripods are allowed inside the grounds. I had to leave mine with the officers.

Doors inside the Aya Sofya

Aya Sofya is also known as Haghia Sophia in Greek, Sancta Sophia (St Sophia) in Latin and the Church of the Divine Wisdom. Aya Sofya was built first during Emperor Theodosius time but then it was burnt down during the Nika Revolt. Emperor Justinian later ordered a new basilica to be built (architects were Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus) and it became the greatest church of its time until Mehmet the Conqueror overtook it and converted it into a mosque in 1453.

The Inner Narthex hallway and the Imperial Door

Atatürk proclaimed it a museum in 1935 and currently, restoration work is going on. During the Turkish period, several reconstruction work had been carried out and as a result, this World Heritage building is a stunning legacy from both religions. A bit distracting to see the scaffoldings in the middle of the great dome hall but still...superb!

The side pillars in the great dome hall

The dome was partially obstructed by the scaffoldings and so I could not take any good pictures of it. It was slightly darker inside when compared to the Blue Mosque and without the tripod, taking pictures of the interior proved to be a little bit difficult.

<br />The side pillars

The current dome is not the original dome, the previous two domes had collapsed. It is supported by 40 frame timbers and 107 pillars.

West wall where the library of Mahmut I is situated

First floor. View of one of the medallions

Another medallion

Looking around, you will see four large medallions written in Arabic by calligrapher Mustafa İzzet Efendi representing the names of Allah, Mohammed and caliphs Ali and Abu Bakr.

First floor gallery

The decoration on the ceiling

View from the upper floor

Upper floor

The upper floor houses the gallery of the excellent mosaics that are found throughout the interior of Aya Sofya. While we were there, there was also an exhibition on İZNİK tiles.

Mosaic of Mary with Christ the child, Emperor John Comnenus II and Empress Eirene

Another mosaic of Empress ZoÃ« with her third husband, Constantine IX Monomachus and Christ in the middle

Mosaic of Mary with Christ Child, Constantine the Great offering her the city of Constantinople and Emperor Justinian offering the Aya Sofya

The magnificent Deesis Mosaic (The Last Judgement). Christ with Mary and St John the Baptist. Early 14th century

The mosaics were/are beautiful. Remember to look up or you might miss some of the mosaics. The mosaics were plastered over by Süleyman I, who deemed them inappropriate for a mosque but which were later restored by archaeologists.

The view of the Blue Mosque from Aya Sofya

After gawking at Aya Sofya, we left the building and headed towards the Basilica Cistern which is also situated nearby. And that will be in Part 2.

Basilica Cistern

So, continuing from where I left off, we went to visit the Basilica Cistern which is also around the same area. It is amazing to know that while we were walking above on the streets, an underground chamber exists below us and has been there since the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian. This cistern was also immortalised in a James Bond film.

Sorry, slightly crooked. Too lazy to assemble the tripod so in the end, balanced the camera on the handrail

We missed the entrance at first and then realised we had walked around it. Paid the entrance fee and entered the chamber. It was cool and for about half an hour, we escaped the summer heat. Basilica Cistern or also known as Yerebatan Sarayi or Yerebatan Sarnıcı, was built during the Byzantine era and can hold up to 80 000 cubic meters of water.

Another view

Named Basilica Cistern because it once lay near the Illius Basilica. It is 65m wide and 143m long with 336 columns. Platforms were erected for visitors to walk around and water drips from the ceiling above. The place is nicely lit with soft orange lights and you can see fishes swimming about in the water. I didn't though.

Teardrop design column

There are two interesting columns in this cistern. One is the curious teardrop design column. According to legend, the teardrop design is in memory of the slaves who died while building the cistern.

The Medusa head column

Another column or rather two columns of interest are the Medusa head columns. The Medusa head sculptures were placed at the base of the two columns : one is upside down and the other is tilted to the side. It is believed that these positions are deliberate. For more fascinating info on the Medusa heads and the cistern please visit the Yerebatan Sarnici site.

Turkish Backgammon

After the cistern, we headed back out to the sunlight and for lunch. At first we wanted to just buy fruits and simits to eat in a park but then we decided on a kebab restaurant, Konak restaurant which incidently has a branch in Osaka. Basak met one of the owners there in Osaka and as a result we had a pretty nice lunch! As we were waiting for our kebabs to arrive, we saw many Turkish men playing backgammon which is sort of like their national board game, while sipping cay.

Konak restaurant

Bread and appetizers

Really long bread!

As usual, while waiting for the main dishes, we had bread and appetizers which were delicious! I think we had brinjals, beans, tomato based dishes as our appetizers.

Adana Kebab

Beyti Kebab

I ordered the Adana kebab which is lamb meat with spices served with lavaş (bread) and pilaf. The Beyti kebab is made out of beef and wrapped with lavaş, topped with youghurt and tomato sauce. Delicious!

Cay

Then after lunch, we had cay. We had so many cay during our trip to Turkey. I love the cay glasses. They are so curvy! Wanted to buy but was thinking it will be a bit hard to bring it back home since it is glass.

Topkapi Palace, Main entrance

After filling our stomachs, we headed towards the Topkapi Palace, also around the same area. So, if you are in Sultanahmet area, you would have already covered so many of the historical places in Istanbul. The whole place is a designated World Heritage site. As usual, there was a crowd. And since we came there quite late, we missed the Harem. The tickets were sold out. So, bear this in mind, you may want to visit Topkapi first in order to get into the Harem. First built by Mehmet the Conqueror, subsequent sultans lived here until 1853, when they moved to the European style Dolmabahçe Palace.

Silverware Exhibits

We could only go to two places, the courts and the Treasury display room. The Byzantine Haghia Eirene (church) is situated in the grounds of Topkapi. However, to my disappointment, it is not open to the public and nowadays is used as a site for music recitals. We walked around the first court. I can't remember now, where exactly the exhibits in the picture above were displayed. Too busy gawking at the whole place, I didn't take notes. Then we entered the second court where the palace kitchens and harems were situated. In the palace kitchens is the porcelain gallery. The glassware and silverware galleries are also nearby. The Harem should not be missed. Guess I should use this as an excuse to visit Istanbul again!

Copyright of all the images that appear in this article belongs to Lee Ai Ling. Images may not be downloaded, copied or used in any way without the permission of the photographer.

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Two Americans find warmth in Muslim Istanbul

2006-03-15T09:15:00.000Z

An announcement crackles through the packed tram, and we follow hundreds of people -- nearly all men -- off the tram and back onto the transit platform.

We crane our necks toward a cluster of people near what looks to be police tape. It is our first day in a Muslim country, and this, we think, is our introduction.

A man speaks to me in Turkish, then nods. I don't understand a word. I turn and ask a man, in English, "What is it?"

"Bom-buh," he says, his hands rising in a mushroom cloud. "Bom-buh."

Then he smiles.

The crowd dissipates, and we file back onto the tram, where several women in headscarves sit. In a few minutes, the tram glides away.

Given recent world history, I was not sure how two obvious outsiders would be received in Turkey, whose population is overwhelmingly Muslim. But my travel companion, Cliff, and I found during a four-day visit that Istanbul is one of the most beautiful, gracious and -- for Americans -- unspoiled big cities in Europe.

The total of our preparation for Istanbul was a quick flip through a Lonely Planet guide. But there were early hints that visiting Istanbul would be different from staying in Paris, Berlin or Madrid, where our trip began.

A card tucked into our Turkish Airlines meal read: "This meal does not contain pork," with a small pig crossed out in red ink. When we arrived at our hotel room, a sign in the bathroom warned that the tap water was "undrinkable." And Cliff, 6-foot-3, and I, 5-foot-8, towered over most people in Istanbul, a city of 10 million to 20 million, Lonely Planet tells us, depending on how many of the nation's many migrant workers happen to be there.

Everywhere we looked, we saw the collision of the traditional and the new, the handmade and the mass-produced, the religious and the secular.

Slick coffeehouses stocked with art magazines overlooked the occasional old woman begging on the street. Smooth-talking salesmen of fine rugs worked alongside street vendors offering passersby the use of a bathroom scale for pennies. A modern music store played Pink Martini's "Sympathique," followed by the wail of evening prayers from a nearby mosque's loudspeaker.

The food combined fresh-baked taste with Old World prices. My favorites: orange juice that shopkeepers squeezed in front of us, and doughy snacks layered with spinach or sprinkled with powdered sugar, each for $1.50 or less.

Few people in Istanbul spoke fluent English, and many spoke almost none at all. But the locals were warm and curious about us.

Most places we went, people stared or at least glanced at Cliff and me. In Turkey we were curiosities: he a dark-skinned African American, I a fair-skinned blonde, both of us nearly a head taller than our Turkish counterparts.

A city on two continents

Nowhere did we stick out more than when we ferried to Asian Istanbul, a 15-minute trip across the Bosporus. Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia, the world's only city on two continents.

As we boarded the boat, a man sprinted toward us, begging us to pose for a picture with him. We smiled as his companion snapped a photo, and I wondered how he would explain the shot to his friends.

The Asian side of Istanbul was more conservative, with many more women wearing headscarves. We also got more unabashed stares there. Kids outside an apartment complex stopped playing soccer when we passed and asked in their best English, "Where are you from?"

I was curious, too, about the influence of Islam on Turkey. In preparation for visiting the majestic Blue Mosque, featured on many Istanbul postcards, I stopped at a shop in the fashionable Taksim Square neighborhood. I approached a young saleswoman and motioned to her headscarf, indicating I wanted to buy one. She pointed to her headscarf as if to confirm my question, and I nodded. She shook her head.

But a split second later she was pulling a scarf from a high pile and looping it under my chin. Then she flashed a shy smile.

The shopping experience was more intense at the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinthine building of rug and souvenir shops where the vendors are more than willing to bargain. I bought several ceramic bowls with whirling dervishes painted on them -- although we missed seeing the famed meditative dancers -- and asked the salesman where the shopkeepers prayed.

There is a small mosque in the bazaar, he said. But in the bazaar, as in the rest of Istanbul, most people seemed to greet the prayer announcements indifferently. They stayed at the cafe, at the bus stop, at their T-shirt stand.

Are people praying on their own time? I wondered. Are there unwritten rules about Turkish Islam? Perhaps we could find out.

We left the bazaar and ate decadent desserts (they are everywhere in Istanbul) at a sidewalk cafe. I heard the prayers again, noticing a boy across the street kicking a soccer ball throughout them.

We went back to the bazaar for a few final souvenirs, and a salesman who twice had tracked us in the huge maze spotted us again.

"God sent me here," he said. We couldn't argue with that, and ended up spending about 30 minutes in the rug shop where he worked, sipping from clear glasses the apple tea that Turks serve to friends and tourists alike. I made one lowball offer on a beautiful rug I didn't need and was relieved when the shop owner let us go gracefully.

"We can be friends," he said, smiling, "but we can't have business."

Religion and honesty

Our final tourist stop was the Blue Mosque, where I was hoping to get more than snapshots. We hired a guide for 5 euros (tourist guides accepted euros, while most shopkeepers did not), and he fed us the facts about the height of the soaring center dome and the regions in Turkey where the blue-and-white tiles that climb the interior walls were made.

Then, quietly, he seated us in the back of the mosque near the sectioned-off area where the women pray. We waited a few minutes, then realized nearly all the other tourists were gone. Afternoon prayers began, and we saw the men, far in front, and the women, just behind us, stand, kneel and bend to the ground in unison. The waves of movement were captivating.

Then, just as the prayers gathered momentum, a cell phone echoed in the great cavern -- a shrill secular intrusion. I smiled ruefully. Some problems are universal.

We stopped at yet another cafe after the Blue Mosque, and our waiter soon asked where we were from. We struck up a conversation, eventually exchanging e-mail addresses, and I asked about the lack of public reaction to prayer announcements.

"We are soft Muslims," he explained. He had not been to mosque in five years, he said, and he and many of his friends drink beer.

I began to consider that perhaps for some people in Turkey, like people in parts of so-called "Catholic" countries in Western Europe, Istanbul is less a religious city than it is a big, exciting city with as many possibilities as it has ancient, winding streets.

But our most memorable moment came as we left Cambaz, a laid-back Taksim Square night club. Our waiter charged us the equivalent of $15 for a bottle of water and a beer -- a sum we knew was inflated from our visit a few nights earlier.

Here it is, I thought, the rip-off of the Americans.

I questioned our waiter about the bill, but without Turkish, I didn't get far. So I paid it, and we headed toward the stairs. But as we reached the landing, a man called out to us. At first I thought he was another photo seeker. But he walked down and asked us how much we had paid for our drinks.

I told him, and he looked to the top of the stairs, calling our waiter down to apologize. Clearly, this man was some sort of supervisor, perhaps the manager or owner of the Cambaz. Then he counted out the equivalent of about $10 in Turkish lira, gave it to us and apologized himself.

I was dumbstruck. We were as good as gone -- for all he knew, never to return to Istanbul -- and yet he chased us down to do the right thing.

At that moment I did not feel like a rich American or a hated American. I felt like an honored guest.

Rachel Bachman: 503-221-4373; rachelbachman@news.oregonian.com

�2006 The Oregonian

Lee's Picturesque Turkey -2- of -4-

2006-03-14T21:30:00.000Z

Gate of Felicity (Babüssaade). . .
A richly decorated door

Exhibits : Kaftan with religious writings

Gate of Felicity, also known as the White Gate of the Eunuchs is the entrance to the sultan's private domains or the Third court which houses the costume gallery, the Treasury Gallery and the Holy Relics Rooms. The costume gallery was interesting but the Treasury Gallery and the Holy Relics room is a must to see. No photographs were allowed in both rooms.

Can't remember the name of this place but look at the decoration!

One of the interesting exhibits on display in the Treasury Gallery is the Spoonmaker's Diamond, the world's fifth largest diamond and the arm and skull of St John the Baptist. Many other various objects are on display and everyone of them is richly decorated with precious gems and gold.

Another decorated door

The Holy Relics room or the Sacred Safekeeping Rooms holds the holy relics of Prophet Mohammed. His footprint, a hair from his beard, his sword and tooth and many more are housed in these richly decorated İznik tiled rooms. Because these are holy relics of the revered Prophet Mohammed, an imam is always present in this room, reciting passages from the Quran.

The terrace and the Circumcision room at the far end of the picture

At the far end is the Circumcision Room

Then we entered the fourth court. The beautifully İznik decorated kiosks and the Circumcision room is housed here. However, we cannot enter the Circumcision room as it is closed off to the public. There is a lovely marble terrace and pool where everybody hung around and took pictures, including me.

Inside the Revan kiosk

The Revan kiosk was built to celebrate the victory of Sultan Murat IV capturing Yerevan (Armenia) from Persia. It is wonderfully decorated from top to bottom with İznik tiles, mother of pearls and intricate woodwork.

The marble pool at the terrace

Marble terrace, wide view

Baghdad kiosk through the terrace

The terrace is a nice place to linger around with wonderful views of the city. The circumcision room, which we cannot enter, is beautifully tiled on the outer walls.

Turkish boy, Topkapi Palace

His sister

Speaking of circumcision, on our way out, we saw this cute boy all dressed up and I was wondering why. Turns out that he would be circumcised the next day and this day was his day of fun.

Grand Bazaar

Then off we went to the Grand Bazaar for a spot of shopping. But the Bazaar closes at 7pm and we were there at around 6pm. One hour of shopping...not enough! But it is huge and you can easily get lost with all the turns and corners.

Inside the Grand Bazaar

Another view

It was built during Mehmet the Conqueror's reign and houses over 400 shops selling everything from carpets to jewelry to restaurants. There are so many things to see and so many things you wished you can buy. Because it is famous with tourists, be very careful with the prices as they are high. Bargaining is a must. I bought small kilim rugs here.

Shop selling glass lamps, Grand Bazaar

Glass lamps

I love these stained glass lamps. They are so beautiful. During the Seljuk period, these stained glass techniques were developed and during the Ottoman empire, Constantinople became the center of glasswork. Was so tempted to buy one back but the fragile state of the glass and the fact that I have no place for a hanging lamp, I didn't buy them. So the pictures are my only memories of the lamps.

Nargile cafe

For dinner, we bought fruits and sat in the Hippodrome park to eat. After that we went to a nargile cafe which was nearby our hotel. Nargile is the Turkish water pipe which was popular during the Ottoman period.

Nargile

My friend wanted to try one. She ended choosing the strawberry flavour (yes, it comes in flavours!). I tried once and all I could smell was just the strawberry flavour. As you can see, it consists of a glass bottle which is half filled with water and a metal pipe with a hose is placed in it. At the top of the pipe is a small tray for cinders and atop of that is a bowl for the tobacco.

Smoking away

A special type of tobacco is placed in the bowl and a special type of coal is placed on top of it to ignite it. Through the mouthpiece, you suck in the smoke through pipe , through the water, through the hose and into your mouth. There are small nargiles for sale though they are just for decoration. You can buy bigger ones for use but transporting it back may be a bit difficult in addition to all the carpets, textiles, presents that you might be tempted to buy.

Istanbul Archaeological Museum

We started the day with a tour of the Istanbul Archaeological Museum which is situated nearby the famous Topkapi Palace. Most people give this excellent museum a miss but it is their loss. So remember to place this museum in your itinery when you visit Istanbul as you will not be disappointed.

The park

There are three main buildings: The Archaeology Museum, The Museum of the Ancient Orient and the Tiled Kiosk. The Museum of the Ancient Orient houses pieces from the Hittite empires and pre-Islamic items from the Ottoman Empire.

The Tiled Kiosk

This kiosk was made by Sultan Mehmet in 1472 and was used as a museum between 1875 to 1891. It was open to public in 1953 and houses Islamic and Turkish works of art. The entrance is decorated with mosaic enamels and has 14 columns.

Inside the Archaeology Museum

The main building is the Archaeology Museum. There are several sections : The sarcophagus gallery, the galleries of statues, exhibition saloons and a children's museum.

Poetess Sapho

In the galleries of statues, you will be overwhelmed by the collections of statues, busts and reliefs from the Archaic Period to the Byzantium Period. Above is the bust of the Poetess Sapho made out of marble and it was huge. I stood next to it and had my picture taken as a scale for its size. There are a whole lot more of pictures of the statues but I can't put them all here, or you will still be waiting for the page to load.

Mummy of Sidonian King Tabnit

Next up is the sarcophagi gallery. In Room 1, it houses the magnificent sarcophagi from the Royal Necropolis of Sidon and has the mummy of Sidonian King Tabnit on display as well.

Alexander Sarcophagus

The most interesting exhibit in this gallery would be Alexander Sarcophagus made out of Pentelic marble. It bears the name Alexander because of its artwork depicting the famous general battling the Persian armies. However, despite its name, this sarcophagus belongs to King Abdalonymos. But there is an alternative theory that suggests that the owner could be Mazaeus, a noble Persian whom Alexander appointed to govern Babylon.

Alexander Sarcophagus

The side carvings of the Alexander Sarcophagus

This sarcophagus was constructed late in the 4th century. The long sides of the sarcophagus depicts Alexander in his battle with the Persian army while the short sides depicts the hunting of lions and panthers. The sarcophagus is protected by a glass case. Pictures can be taken in this museum but without flash. Guards are ever watchful of those with cameras.

The Sarcophagus of Mourning Women

Close up of the sarcophagus of Mourning Women

Another interesting sarcophagus on display is the Sarcophagus of Mourning Women, named so because of the carvings of women in various acts of mourning. The artist is unknown dates back to mid 4th century. It still bears traces of its original colour.

Floor Mosaic depicting Orpheus

This floor mosaic was discovered in Jerusalem and has Orpheus as its central figure. This is an example of Byzantine provincial art.

Lunch in the form of toast with cheese and meat

After touring the museum, we had a nice small lunch in the museum cafe situated at the park which is decorated with statues. Our next stop would be the Dolmabahçe Palace which we went by taxi. And that was some ride! Taxi drivers in Istanbul are really....er...interesting.

Dolmabahçe Palace, Main Gate

Main Gate up close

But when we got there, the place was CLOSED! It closes every Monday (which every other museum and places in Turkey closes) but also on Thursday. And today was Thursday. We were disappointed needless to say, since it was our last day in Istanbul. But luck was still on our side as we had time to kill on our last day in Turkey before boarding the flight back home. And so we had time to visit the palace and that will be in the last post.

View from the Galata Tower

Since our plans were thrown askew by the closing of Dolmabahçe Palace, we decided to visit the Galata Tower, which we also went by taxi. I had posted pictures of the Tower in my previous post. It was constructed in 1348 as part of the Genoese fortifications of Galata. However, now, it is the only surviving building since the demolition of the fortifications in the 19th century.

The Topkapi Palace, Aya Sofya and Blue Mosque

From this tower, you have a spectacular 360 degrees view of Istanbul city. You can also see the Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya as seen in the picture above.

Woman enjoying the view

However, there isn't much to do in Galata Tower except for the view. The area surrounding this tower, İstiklal Caddesi°, is one of the famous sites in Istanbul and houses plenty of bars, music shops, art galleries, cafes etc in its 19th century architectural buildings. We also took a ride in the world's second oldest subway, the Tünel. From here, we took a tram to Taksim Square, the heart of Istanbul's shopping district.

Taksim Square, Republic Monument

View from Taksim Square

At the square is the Republic Monument which features Kemal Atatürk, General Ismet Inönü, General Fevzi Çakmak, and other leaders of the Turkish republic.

Taksim Sütiş

As we were walking, we passed by Taksim Sütiş, a famous dessert shop and decided to stop to eat. Above from top left is tavuk göğsü (chicken breast milk pudding), kazan dibi (slightly burnt milk pudding) and Çikolatalı Sütiş Muhallebi (chocolate topping milk pudding). The tavuk göğsü is something I have never eaten before. Imagine chicken breast meat in sweet milk pudding! But it was delicious. Then we went shopping. Actually I was just window shopping but the others bought quite a few stuff.

Çiçek Pasajı

After shopping, we met up with Basak's old friend for dinner at Çiçek Pasajı or also known as the Flower Passage. It was built in 1876 and was a famous place with a shopping arcade and apartments. However, it declined and now houses several restaurants side by side along the "passage".

Stuffed clams

Fish for dinner

We had dinner at Bahar Restaurant in Çiçek Pasajı. Along with the usual appetizers, we also had liver (which I love) and rice stuffed clams which was delicious. We wanted to eat brain as well but they were out of it. Too bad. Fish was our main dish and it was okay.

Blue Mosque

Then after a long day, we went back to the hotel. On our way, realising it was our last night here, I decided to see the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofya in its nighttime glory.

Aya Sofya

Then we headed back to the hotel to rest for our next trip to Kuşadası.

Kuşadası Ephesus/Efes

Leaving Istanbul

We left Istanbul using the Bandirma ferry. It was a comfortable ferry, the floor below was where the cars were parked and the upper deck was for passenger seating. Everyone has a seat number, so no squabbling over this seat or that seat.

Delicious nuts to fill our tummies along the way

We had a slight problem when we left the ferry. The front right tyre was punctured. And we had to fix it fast cause we will be driving all the way to Kuşadası. So we crawled slowly along the road looking for an autoshop. And we found a guy who repaired the tyre for a very cheap price and off we went.

Lunch break

We had some delicious nuts to eat along the journey, some were coated with sesame-chocolate thingie and others were plain or salted (almonds! I love them!). Soon, we stopped for lunch at this place...I had forgotten its name but I know it is famous for kolonya (a blend of alcohol, cologne) and bubble ayran (yoghurt drink).

Bubble ayran (the white frothy drink in the glass mug) and sucuk ekmek

So we each had bubble ayran, served cold of course, and sucuk ekmek which is like Turkish style hot dog. Ah....just seeing it in the picture makes me hungry all over again. The place has a lovely view of the surrounding hills and has a river flowing by. Seats were strategically placed high up on the river banks so that you can sit, enjoy your meal and the view. It is very windy though, but on a hot day like that, wind is nice.

Kuşadası harbour

We reached Kuşadası in the evening. Kuşadası town faces the Aegean Sea and is filled with beach happy tourists. But other than the beach, there is really nothing else to see in Kuşadası. We stayed in a hotel further inland and used Kuşadası as a base for us to go to Ephesus and Selçuk tomorrow.

Fruit stall

We didn't do much on Day 5. We spent the evening and night walking along Kuşadası's streets and harbour. I was looking for pins and I found some pretty nice ones. The place near the harbour is filled with tourist shops (good for us since we needed to do some souveniour shopping anyway), beachwear boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

Kuşadası dessert. Name? I forgot.

We decided not to eat at a restaurant that day for dinner. Instead we went to Migros, Turkey's Jusco, to buy some food and brought it back to the hotel with us. Oh yeah, before that we had some Kuşadası dessert, or rather a dessert that is famous in Kuşadası. It looks like small fried donuts but is extremely sweet.

NEXT DAY

Selçuk/Efes view

The next day after breakfast, we went to Selçuk where Ephesus/Efes Museum (popularly known just as Ephesus) and The House of the Virgin Mary (Meryemana) are situated. Ephesus is a huge area and I will cover that in the Part 2 post.

Mother Mary's statue

We drove past Ephesus to get to Meryemana, an important site for both Christians and Muslims as Mary exists in the Bible as well as in the Quran. On the way you will see this huge statue of Mary and it is also a nice spot to take panoramic pictures of Selçuk and Epheses.

Mary's House

It is a humble house. You will pass an atrium before reaching the house. Nobody is allowed to take pictures inside of the house/chapel. After leaving the house/chapel, you will arrive at the springs. Some have claimed that this water has "curable" properties. After leaving the springs, you will reach a wall filled with tied rags/tissues/papers/cloths (anything at hand) from people who had made a wish. While we were there, mass was being celebrated for the local Christians who live nearby.

Another view

After Jesus's ascension, St John took Mary to live with him and believers believed that she came to Ephesus. In 1891, based on the visions of German nun Katharina Emmerich, Lazarist fathers from Izmir had uncovered ruins of a small house or chapel believed to be the place where Mary had stayed. Till this day there is still a debate as to whether this place is authentic or not, but for the faithful, it is a place of prayer, of quiet reflection.

Prayer/Wish wall

The Roman Catholic Church has not officially declared Meryemana as authentic but it had shown great interest in it with two popes, Pope John Paul II and Pope Paul VI, having visited the place. This is also a place of pilgrimage for Christians to pay hommage to Mother Mary. It is also a place of prayer for the Muslims, a place where they can honour and respect Mother Mary (who bore the Prophet Isa/Jesus).

Grotto of the Seven Sleepers

After we left Meryemana, we took a horse drawn carriage ride to the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers. The story goes that during Christian presecution in the 3rd century, seven Christians hid in a cave in Mt Pion. Emperor Decius, their presecutor, found the cave and ordered it sealed. During an earthquake, the sealed wall collasped, awakening the sleepers who went back to town only to discover that two centuries had passed them by. The place is actually a Byzantine necropolis.

On our way out, we passed by this cool restaurant. I just love the decorations!

Next up, Ephesus/Efes and Şirince town.

Part 2...

Harbour Street, Ephesus

After the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, we headed for Ephesus. If you typed Ephesus in Google, you will get sites which all starts off with "Ephesus, the best preserved classical city on the Mediterranean". Even Lonely Planet starts off with the same line. But it is true. It is an awesome sight to see all the preserved buildings of Roman times now, in the 21st century. We started on the other end of Ephesus, walking back towards our car. Most people (tour groups) were headed in the opposite direction (they had buses waiting for them at the other end, whereas for us, we will have to pusing balik and walk the long road back!). It was a hot, hot day. First view of the city were the remains of Harbour Street, a marble paved road which was the most celebrated street at that time. It was a grand sight during its heyday with shops, baths and streetlights along its sides and water and sewerage channels beneath.

Great Theater

Next up was the Great Theater (between 41 AD to 117 AD), at the eastern end of Harbour Street. The Great Theater is still used for performances nowadays amidst protests. It was originally a Hellenistic period building which was later restored by the Romans. It can seat up to 25 000 people.

Footprint, woman with a crown and a heart

You will see this graffitti on the marble paved road on your way from the Great Theater. There are many interpretations. One was that it was an advert for a brothel: the woman with the crown symbolizes the woman who is as beautiful as the queens, the footprint, showing the direction and position of the brothel.

The Library of Celsus (left) and the Gate of Augustus (right)

One of the most photographed buildings in Ephesus and I am sure many of you had seen it before either in pictures, mags etc is the Library of Celsus on the left. It was built by Gaius Julius Aquila to commemorate his father, Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, the proconsul of the Province of Asia during 2C AD. Celsus is buried inside the library.

Library of Celsus, lower story

The facade has two stories, with three entrances at the lower story. They are flanked by statues of Sophia (Wisdom), AretÃ© (Valor), Ennoia (Thought) and EpistÃ©mÃ© (Knowledge).

Up to the sky view

From the inside

The marble columns

The columns at the sides of the facade are shorter than those in the middle, giving the illusion that the facade is bigger than it actually is. The Gate of Augustus, seen in the first picture, is also known as the Mazaeus-Mithridates Gate. It opens into the commercial agora and was built by Mazaeus and Mithridates in honour of Augustus according in the inscriptions in Latin. Both these buildings are earthquake proof.

Temple of Hadrian

The Temple of Hadrian was built in Corinthian style and later, renovated and was dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian. There are beautiful friezes with scenes depicting the foundation of the city and a statue of Medusa.

Curetes Way

This street is between the Library of Celsus and Hercules Gate. The temple of Hadrian lies at the side of this street.

Fountain of Trajan

This is a two story building, built in the memory of Emperor Trajan. There used to be a huge statue of the Emperor Trajan but now, only a foot remains. Water will cascade from beneath the statue.

Hercules Gate

This gate is easily recognized by the two carvings of Hercules which depict him wearing a lion's skin. Constructed in 4th century AD, it was made narrow to prevent wheel vehicles from entering the city.

Odeon

This Odeon was built in the 2nd century AD and is one of the last few buildings you will pass as you head back. Looks like a mini version of the Great Theater, it was used for theatrical performances as well as a Senate House.

Lunch at Şirince

Sleeping St Bernard (I think) at the restaurant

After Ephesus, we went to a quaint town called Şirince for lunch. It is famous for its stone and stucco houses and wine. We had lunch at this restaurant which makes Gözleme which is lavas (bread) folded over potato or cheese.

Making Gözleme

Gözleme

Şirince's Red wine

It was a nice lunch, the Gözleme was tasty (I love the combination between the potato, meat and cheese) and the red wine was delicious. It was rich with the taste of grape when compared to other wines I had tasted (this is not to say that I am a wine connoisseur)

Şirince Town

Copyright of all the images that appear in this article belongs to Lee Ai Ling. Images may not be downloaded, copied or used in any way without the permission of the photographer.

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Aegean glamour - Hit the deck at Turkey's answer to St Tropez

2006-03-14T08:52:00.000Z

When Istanbul's young elite want to let their hair down they head to the exclusive resort of Göltürkbükü. Beverley Fearis joins them and discovers that you don't necessarily need a beach to have a beach party

Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against sand, but once you've tried wood there's just no going back.

At Göltürkbükü on the Bodrum peninsula, perhaps Turkey's most stylish and exclusive bay, glamorous sun-worshippers don't do beach. Instead, they drape themselves decadently over ottoman cushions scattered across the wooden pontoons that line the bay and stretch out into the cool Aegean Sea.

On wood, they don't have the irritation of getting grains of sand in the lids of their Hawaiian Tropic, or of it scratching the screens of their mobile phones. When they want to take a dip, they don't have to hotfoot clumsily across scorching sand or pebbles. They simply slide gracefully into the calm, turquoise water via the pool-style steps. When they emerge, they can rinse their sun-kissed locks and Dior bikinis under a freshwater shower. And if they doze off after a few (overpriced) cocktails, they won't wake up to find the tide has come in and washed away their designer flip-flops.

This former fishing village, a 25-minute drive north of Bodrum, is Turkey's answer to the French Riviera. It's where members of Istanbul's elite, and their sons and daughters, come for some R&R. And for this fun-loving but image-conscious crowd, it's important to be seen in the right places.

Now, however, the resort is beginning to open up to the international market, largely because of the high-profile opening of the EVTürkbükü last year. A member of the Design Hotels portfolio, this striking, all-white apartment complex sits high on the hills that form the backdrop to this pretty village, giving visitors a panoramic view of the winding, narrow streets that lead down to the water's edge.

Here, 30 or so pontoons are connected by a walkway. Each one is a sundeck by day, but by night they are transformed into bars or restaurants. Pontoons are decked out accordingly - some in a flame red theme, one or two in citrus green, but most in a sophisticated blend of wood, whites and creams. Known generally as 'beach clubs', some are clearly 'hotter' than others. The beach club at the Maçakizi hotel is regarded as one of the resort's most exclusive hangouts so, naturally, that's where we start.

At 11am, we manage to secure a prime spot on the water's edge, but by 2pm, when the club's famous buffet lunch is served, all but a few of the sumptuous, oversized cream cushions are taken. Some arrive by powerboat or jet-ski in from their gleaming million-dollar yachts - dozens of them are anchored in the bay - some are hotel guests and saunter down after a late breakfast.

Much to my boyfriend's amusement, models in G-strings strut about like peacocks. One looks uncannily like Victoria Beckham and wears the same orange, thigh-length, low-cut, burnt orange Dolce & Gabbana kaftan that the former Spice girl was pictured wearing on a recent holiday in St Tropez.

I realise that I could, in fact, be lying next to Turkey's answer to the Beckhams and would be blissfully unaware. Most of my fellow bathers certainly wouldn't look out of place on the pages of Heat or OK! Most of the women, young and old, are dressed in kaftans over skimpy bikinis. No one goes topless here. (Turkey is a Muslim country and although you can get away with it in the main package resorts, it's not the done thing among the locals.) Men wear Hawaiian shorts and spend most of the day attached to their mobiles. Everyone is tanned, beautiful - and clearly loaded.

Equally bronzed and buffed waiters, kitted out in cream shorts and T-shirts to match the furnishings, distribute thick, fluffy towels (cream of course) to new arrivals and serve ice-cold drinks on silver trays (£5 for a Coke). The Café del Mar-style music gets progressively louder and heavier as the afternoon progresses. More beautiful people arrive, the cliques of friends get bigger, the cocktails kick in, more Marlboro Golds are smoked, and the vibe goes from chill-out to party.

Further round the bay, the small Maki Beach Club pontoon looks as if it will surely sink under the weight of the crowd that has gathered for the 5pm happy hour. The sunbeds have been cleared away and it's dancing room only. Semi-clad, nubile bodies are squeezed in tight, arms waving in the air when the DJ spins a dance anthem.

This is just a warm-up, though, because most of the action won't get started until gone midnight. Before sunset, these afternoon 'beach' clubbers will head back to their hotels or weekend homes tucked away in the hills overlooking the bay, to sober up, shower, and get glammed up for the long night ahead.

Then they will head back down to the pontoons, to dine in one of the fish restaurants, then perhaps take a short stroll along the narrow wooden path that runs the length of the bay, and browse the stalls that sell kaftans and jewellery until the early hours.

By midnight the trendier bars start to fill up. By far the most popular is Ship Ahoy, whose name presumably doesn't sound quite so naff if you're Turkish.

It is nowhere near as plush as some of the neighbouring bars, but the drinks are well prepared and the staff are super-attentive, and over the years it has built up a reputation as the place to party.

There's not enough room for everyone on the pontoon itself, so the lively twentysomething crowd spills out across the promenade, dancing around the upsidedown oil drums that serve as tables.

Spirits by the glass cost 21 million Turkish lira each (around £9) but the majority of 'Shipahoyers' prefer to splash out 400 million Turkish lira (around £170) on a bottle of Absolut to share. Each bottle comes on a tray of ice, surrounded by cans of Sprite and other mixers, and with bowls of nuts, melon and grapes.

Having recovered from the shock of the price, we decide to give the bottle service a miss and order by the glass, but the energetic and amiable bar staff struggle to understand us.

Unlike the package-holiday haunts of Marmaris or Bodrum, overrun by Brits, here in Göltürkbükü we've heard nothing but Turkish voices. This is very much a locals' resort, and there's no need for waiters or bar staff to speak English.

Thanks to the steep prices, lack of mid-priced hotels and a general air of exclusivity, this bay is managing to keep the tourist hordes away, and to the seasoned traveller that's a big part of Göltürkbükü's charm.

Nearby at Halikarnas, Bodrum's famous super-sized nightclub, hundreds of sunburnt Brits are drinking and dancing alongside hundreds of other sunburnt Brits. Apart from the temperature and the sheer size of the place, a night out at Halikarnas is not too dissimilar to a night out back home.

But partying in Göltürkbükü, rubbing shoulders with the Istanbul style-set on a moonlit pontoon bar, is a far more 'foreign' experience. Still, although you're holidaying among the crème de la crème of Turkey's high society, that doesn't mean you can't let your hair down.

For most of the night, the DJ has played cool house music, but it's now 3am and a tune comes on that sends the crowd crazy. It's familiar, but it takes me a few seconds to realise what it is. It's the Flashdance theme tune, which I haven't heard since my youth club disco days. It's followed by 'Greased Lightning' and that good old cheesy singalong classic 'YMCA'.

The night is almost over, the Absolut has kicked in, and these perfectly groomed people are really going for it. It is good to know that even in Turkey's most exclusive resort, all traces of style and sophistication fall by the wayside in the blurry early hours of the morning.

Doing Göltürkbükü in style

What to wear (girls): Daytime - designer kaftans over skimpy bikinis, preferably white if you've the tan. Night-time - backless tops, tight jeans or short gypsy-style skirts, with high heels and as many sparkly accessories as possible.

What to wear (boys): Daytime - Hawaiian-print swimming shorts. Night-time - crisp, deep blue jeans, white shirts, and slip-on shoes.

March 26, 2006
The Observer
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

Archaeologists unearth 9,000-year-old settlement in Seydi�edir

2006-03-13T17:19:00.000Z

As a result of four years of painstaking excavation, a settlement dating back 9,000 years was discovered in central Anatolia. The tumulus is unique for the region as it is surrounded by walls

A settlement dating back 9,000 years was discovered during archaeological excavations in Seydi�ehir, a district of the central Anatolian province of Konya.

Following a visit to G�kh�y�k, where the settlement was unearthed, Konya's Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Abd�ssettar Yarar told the Anatolia news agency that excavations have been conducted for the past four years by a team under the supervision of archaeologist Enver Akg�n.

He said the 50-strong team worked at site every year between June and November.

�The tumulus dates to the Neolithic era,� he said. �We are putting special emphasis on similar excavations to unearth the hidden historical wealth of our region.�

Noting that the tumulus is unique in central Anatolia as it is surrounded by walls, Yarar said: �Settlements from the Neolithic period surrounded by walls are rare in Anatolia. G�kh�y�k is, therefore, very important historically.�

�Dishes, filters and millstones as well as offerings for the dead, a tradition of the day, have been found,� Yarar said. �They appear to have been a developed civilization taking into account the time in which they lived.�

He also said over 200 artifacts had been unearthed during the four years of excavation and that they are on display at various museums in Konya.

Seydi�ehir Mayor �brahim Hal�c� said Seydi�ehir was one of the oldest settlement areas in Anatolia, adding: �As the municipality we are lending support in order to unearth the area's historical wealth. We will be holding a conference on ancient Seydi�ehir during tourism week in April.�

ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
� 2005 Dogan Daily News Inc. www.turkishdailynews.com.tr

March 16, 2006

An aesthetic triumph for today's Turkey

2006-03-13T08:30:00.000Z

The timing of the opening of Istanbul Modern Art Museum just over a year ago was no accident, but it was a surprise to Rosa Mart�nez, its curator.

"We were originally planning on February 2005," says Mart�nez. "But then came the news that the prime minister wanted it to open earlier."

A few days before the historic discussions on Turkey's potentialentry into the EU family, to be precise. And when Recep Tayyip Erdogandid officially inaugurate the 8,000 square metres of space in a formerport authority building on theshores of the Bosporus, it was with ringing endorsements from Jacques Chirac, Gerhard Schr�der and Tony Blair shown on vast video screenson the museum's high white walls.

Yet what could so easily have been simply a political statement is fast becoming a tourist attraction in its own right.

And now the museum has truly made its mark: the Venice-Istanbul exhibition "Always a Little Further", put together by Mart�nez in the Arsenale at last year's Biennale (which she curated in association with Mar�a de Corral), is to go on show in Istanbul from September this year. It is the first time in the 110-year history of the Venice Biennale that the renowned art event is moving beyond the borders of Italy.

Istanbul Modern starts off with the advantage of location. Like Venice,it is built around water. Mart�nez laughs as she describes beginning a speech in New York in front of Sir Nicholas Serota, director of the Tate, with the words: "At Istanbul Modern we have a better view than Tate Modern."

With a long terrace looking straight across to the hooded domes of Topkapi palace on the other side of the Bosporus, this is a desirable spot to sit and stare, and not just at the exhibits. The coffee is better than at Tate Modern, as is the food, especially the meze or hors-d'oeuvre.

Mart�nez did not end her teasing there. One of the first exhibits that greeted the thousands who thronged the opening party was a video installation by Sener Ozmen and Erkan Ozgen, the Kurdish artists. Road to Tate Modern shows them dressed as Turkish businessmen riding a horse and a donkey across the rough territory of eastern Turkey in the style of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Every so often they stop to ask the way to Tate Modern, or to bathe their feet. As the crowds showed, it was impossible not to laugh at this representation of a search for an unreasonable objective.

Istanbul Modern shows how far Istanbul has come. A decade ago, such a bold undertaking would have been unthinkable. Talking to Oya Eczacibasi, who chairs the museum's board, it becomes clear that it has been hard work.

Working for the family's Dr Nejat F. Eczacibasi Foundation, Eczacibasispent 17 years on their vision of a contemporary art gallery in the centre of Istanbul. Initially they exhibited much of their collection of modern Turkish art in a former fez factory.

It took 11 years of discussion to reach agreement to use the warehouse, which is still owned by the finance ministry. Sadly, the plan is still to tear down the other six warehouses along the bank ofthe Bosporus to make way for a new port.

The Foundation has provided much of the core collection on the first floor, reached by a metal staircase exhibit entitled Stairway to Hell. The joke continues with the first big canvas you see when you get to the top: a colourful abstract oil painting, My Hell by Fahreinisa Zeid.

In spite of attempts at theming, such as "enchanted landscape" and "faerie form", the main collection remains something of a mishmash, but persevere and you will be rewarded by recent artistic impressions of Turkey.

Look out, for example, for Employment Agency, a striking recreation of the chaotic commerce that is still a feature of Istanbul. Or Shadows at Blue Night, a spooky image of a watchtower that is a reminder of the not-too-distant past and the feared secret police.

The intention may have been to show Turkey's artistic links to Europe, but to my eye the paintings showed the different world in which these Turkish artists live. Or, in spite of the modern epithet, lived - the permanent collection stretches back to include artists from some decades ago.

Alongside a strong group of local curators, the International Advisory Board has members from Frankfurt, Helsinki and Tokyo. They and Mart�nez continue to harbour ambitious plans.

For visitors to Istanbul sated on historical treasures and grandiose mosques, a visit to Istanbul Modern will make a refreshing change.

Just do not forget to sit on the terrace after you have been round the collections and appreciate the view of the Topkapi palace, preferably to the sound of the muezzin and certainly to the hooting of the commuter ferries. You cannot get a better contrast of modern and old in this spectacular city that has always jumbled the two together. Which is what I love about it. That goes for the city itself, not just the museum.

By Sarah Woodward
� Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2006.