Many are drawn to Safranbolu since it is a UNESCO heritage site. Turks go there, so do the Japanese, and the Germans, and the French. Tourists of all types and nationalities seem to mingle in this lovely little town that certainly did quite well for itself even before it became such a tourist hot spot […]
Safranbolu: A Mix of Saffron and Ottoman Architecture Read More »
Hercules, Argonauts, Amazons, so on and so forth… These are just a few of those that, supposedly, appeared around the Black Sea many millennia ago. Whether any one of them actually existed is irrelevant in the greater scheme of things, given how even these mere myths surrounding them are enough to give entire communities an
Karadeniz Eregli: A Herculean City by the Black Sea Read More »
I have always been fascinated by the Black Sea. Despite its relatively humble size, Pontic coasts provide a good amount of interesting tales to those that venture over there. This is certainly helped by the fact that many polities and peoples call the region their home, but the varying natural landscapes (and what these lands
If you enjoyed Büyükada and want a similar experience, or if you think that it is a bit too crowded for your taste, Istanbul’s Prince Islands offer you an alternative! Well, to be perfectly honest with you, technically, it offers at least three alternatives that can be reached with ease, and up to five or
Heybeliada: Büyükada’s Smaller Eccentric Brother Read More »
Kebabs, doner, meat, pilaf, rice pudding, baklava, and a plethora of other dishes may come to your mind when one mentions the ever so expanding Turkish cuisine. These are nice and all, but it is difficult to find anyone think about mussels when they think about Turkish food. That is, to a degree, rightfully so.
Do you have nightmares about going to Istanbul but staying hungry because you do not eat meat? Do you see clowns armed with shish kebabs running after you if you drink a tad too much during a night out? Are you simply a vegetarian or perhaps a vegan who wants to know if they will
Kebabless Istanbul: A Small Guide to Vegetarian Food in Istanbul Read More »
There is a joke about Ankara (the capital city of Turkey) among many Turks that do not live there. They say that the best thing about visiting Ankara is leaving it! Though I do not feel like cracking a joke at the expense of the denizens of the capital at the moment, the same “logic”
Büyükada: A Much-Deserved Island Escapade in Istanbul Read More »
Istanbul had some sort of a “falafel explosion” following the Syrian refugees flocking to the city in the last few years. Sure, there were those that cooked and sold this nutty goodness before the civil war in Syria started over a decade ago, but they were obscure little places that were reserved for a handful
Little Syria: A Guide to the Crunchiest Falafels in Istanbul Read More »
Istanbul is home to an incredible number of eateries, almost half of which seem to be those that sell at least some variety of pide, a Turkish dish that is baked in oven. You will see it in all its glory in the photos below in a second. My “professional” and unwavering position on eating