I could have flown from Bodrum, near the place on the Turkish Aegean coast where I live part of the year, to the Black Sea coastal city of Samsun in the province of Amasya. But, for some reason the air ticket would have cost a fortune, whereas the coach (bus) cost all of 35 GBP (2.36 […]
Fabulous Mosque… Istanbul is the city on which civilizations and empires have been built. It straddles Europe and Asia and its location on the Bosporus Strait has made it one of the most coveted cities in world history. The Bosporus Strait, after all, links the Black Sea to the Sea of Miramar to the Aegean […]
I stand at the foot of the great travertine terrace pools of Pamukkale (also known as Hieropolis) and am awestruck by how out of place it is. Brilliant, snow-white calcium basins line the cliff face, eccentrically stacked one on top of the other, an extensive white ridge, a petrified pseudo-North Pole, plum in the middle of […]
Imagine postcard perfect sunsets on crystal blue waters, mountainous backdrops and romantic beaches; sleeping beneath a blanket of stars, sailing with wild abandon across the mythic Mediterranean.
Coastal paradise on the azure Aegean, or great crossroads of the ancient world? Or both? Modern day Izmir on Turkey’s west coast is one of the most popular destinations for northern European vacationers and is also the birthplace of Homer, one of the greatest poets and storytellers of all time. The city was founded by […]
If you have traveled to Europe and experienced the European music scene, you might want to listen again to the sweet, melodic rhythms that you so much enjoyed in the clubs and hot entertainment venues of Europe. Putumayo World Music has been a leader in compiling CDs that celebrate the rich and varied music of the world’s cultures. […]
Due to a strange, yet fortuitous, turn of events during a trip to Greece, I found myself in Istanbul, Turkey for two days with some of my favorite travel companions: my parents, sister, and our beloved grandmother. My father, who didn’t have many opportunities to travel in his younger years, is perhaps the most joyful […]
Flanked by lush valleys, tree house hostels and hammocks galore, there’s no better place in Turkey to light up the nargile (water pipe) and wile the hours away in an Ottoman than the cosy, coastal, hippy hamlet of Cirali (aka Olympos).
A visit to Turkey’s largest city can easily be centered on all the great foodstuffs Istanbul has to offer. Come with an appetite. Turkish cuisine combines influences from the Balkans, Middle East, and most recently the Ottoman Empire. It is incredibly fresh, simultaneously meat-centric and vegetarian friendly.
Columns rose on either side of us, fluting up into a blue sky. A worn marble walkway sloped down the hill. Throngs of people moved past each other. They pointed and murmured, Spanish and Turkish and Japanese blending into a low, awed hum. It must have been a similar scene 2,000 years ago. In ancient […]