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 For a true Istanbul’lu snack, head down to the ferry port in Eminonu. All year long, there are four or five boats docked there with huge grills on them, and on those grills are the tastiest fish to be found in Turkey. For 4 Tl. you can get a balik (fish) sandwich from the merrily costumed [... Ode to Balik(s)!]  Istanbul, the only city in the world to span two continents- two cultures. There’s no better place to see this phenomenon than at the formidable fortress of Rumeli. It looms over one of the narrowest parts of the Bosphorus, at only 660 meters. Built by Sultan Mehmet II in order to besiege Constantinople and wrest the power from Constantine [... Climbing the Walls at Rumelihisari] Children's Day in Kizilay April 23rd was Children’s Day here in Turkey. The entire country, but especially the schools, are decorated in Turkish flags as well as photos of Ataturk. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was the first president of Turkey after he helped gain indepence from Greece. He set up the First Grand National Assembly on this [... Celebrating Children’s Day in Turkey] Bulgur When I lived in Turkey before, your main course was always accompanied by white rice with pine nuts (pilav – pronounced “pilau”). Nowadays, due to increased prices, white rice is often not available. What the Turks have done instead is substitute it with bulgur pilav, which is not rice at all, but cracked wheat. It [... Bulgur – A Tasty Side Dish] Lots of Nazar boncugular to ward off the jealous eyes! The moment you enter Turkey and start looking around, you immediately notice the “Nazar Boncugu” or Evil Eye everywhere. They are hung from car rearview mirrors, worn as jewelry, nailed to the outside of houses or in an entryway, or even woven into a prize sheep’s [... Avoiding the Evil Eye] We drove the 25 kilometers south of Sanliurfa, and very close to the Syrian border, to the town of Harran. It is well-known for its beehive houses, which have been inhabited for somewhere between 100-200 years. Made out of mud and hay, they have a conical-shaped roof that does look quite different than any other Turkish [... New Friends in Harran] One of the many kunefe cafes along the main shopping area in Sanliurfa. Kunefe is a desert that is made from shredded yufka sandwiching, a stringy cheese such as kasar, cooked in a pan over a flame, then served with a sugary water. In Ankara there are plenty of restaurants that offer this delicacy, but other than [... Ambrosia? Dessert of the Gods?]
Feeding the sacred carp at the Baliki Gol. Sanliurfa is a quaint little city in the southeastern part of the country. Being smack dab on the silk road, it has been inhabited by all the different types of peoples, with a variety of religions, that have come through Anatolia for the last ten or so thousands of years. Even [... “Carp” Eh Diem] Gone to Gaziantep everyone! When will we every learn? When will we ever learn? A mosaic of Zeus located in the Gaziantep Archeology Museum.
I’m not sure Joan Baez has been here, but Gaziantep is the place to go if you want to see mosaics, eat the best baklava in Turkey, and meet the most genuine and [... Oh Where Have All the Mosaics Gone?] *Warning- This post is not for Vegetarians. The mosque at Avanos. Last week was Kurban Bayram, which in Arabic is called the Eid-al-Adha or Eid-el-Kebir. This is a religious holiday that celebrates Abraham’s obedience to God. He was told to sacrifice his son, which he was willing to do. At the last moment, after he had proved [... Chasing Culture in Cappadocia] |
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