Turkey for the Experience
Jan 2nd, 2019, 07:15 PM
#41
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Welcome back, OC, and thank you for the update. New York Times had a piece on brain drain from Turkey: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/w...gtype=Homepage
Jan 7th, 2019, 06:18 AM
#42
Something new in Istanbul
#şerefiyesarnıcı , recently restored #Byzantine #cistern in #Istanbul #AllAboutTurkey.com https://www.instagram.com/p/BsTQ-9RHoLA/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=16kcobhyzfp2l …
Jan 14th, 2019, 02:26 AM
#43
Took a short one hour trip to C(h)andarli village, North of Iznik, at an altitude of possibly 800-1000 meters. The warming weather had melted all snow at lower elevations but the village roads and the surrounding area still had snow. We did not dare enter the village because our car does not have snow tyres, but walked a bit, took a few photohraphs and saw that a B&B made with EU participation was actually operating and had some guests. We could not tell if they were overnighters or day visitors.
The route was well paved except for half a kilometre or so through anothet village, which would be Bursa or Iznik municipality responsibility while the roads in between villages are subject to state highway department care.
If we had a 4WD or AWD we would have been able to expand our trip to cover pther villages higher up and would have enjoyed more snow.
small slow creek partially frozen
Inviting peaks and snowy regions further North and Northeast
The route was well paved except for half a kilometre or so through anothet village, which would be Bursa or Iznik municipality responsibility while the roads in between villages are subject to state highway department care.
If we had a 4WD or AWD we would have been able to expand our trip to cover pther villages higher up and would have enjoyed more snow.
small slow creek partially frozen
Inviting peaks and snowy regions further North and Northeast
Jan 15th, 2019, 09:03 AM
#44
Sivas Eastern Central city has a Mars-like area near Egriucak village newly making its way in to the media.
The city is already a tourist destination with its Seljuki and islamic structures; Inns, Islamic schools and mosques and its fame as a stop on the Silk Road
as well as the King's Road.
A further site of interest is the fish spa which is visited by those seeking treatment for psoriasis, because the toothless fish which live in 37 C water are known to nibble the affected skin with their lips and clear it away.
https://www.google.com/search?q=siva...ZbeU8KL32v3JM:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...ca-Kangal.html
Sivas is also famous for the sheep dogs bred at Kangal region 90 K North of Sivas near the spa with fish.
Finally, the municipality built some hobbit houses in a park.
The city is already a tourist destination with its Seljuki and islamic structures; Inns, Islamic schools and mosques and its fame as a stop on the Silk Road
as well as the King's Road.
A further site of interest is the fish spa which is visited by those seeking treatment for psoriasis, because the toothless fish which live in 37 C water are known to nibble the affected skin with their lips and clear it away.
https://www.google.com/search?q=siva...ZbeU8KL32v3JM:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...ca-Kangal.html
Sivas is also famous for the sheep dogs bred at Kangal region 90 K North of Sivas near the spa with fish.
Finally, the municipality built some hobbit houses in a park.
Jan 17th, 2019, 11:23 AM
#45
This may be a good time to give some links on safety.
The US State Department Travel Advisories are always useful but rather too cautious.
Basically, I fully agree with their Level 4 warnings for Southeaster border areas.
Yet, the level 3 warnings for other areas makes me think that either they have some current information they are not sharing with the reader or that they do not wish to be held responsible if something happens.
https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...-advisory.html
The following, published almost a year ago is a good summary. Just concentrate on the positive remarks:
https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentRe...aspx?cid=24401
The US State Department Travel Advisories are always useful but rather too cautious.
Basically, I fully agree with their Level 4 warnings for Southeaster border areas.
Yet, the level 3 warnings for other areas makes me think that either they have some current information they are not sharing with the reader or that they do not wish to be held responsible if something happens.
https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...-advisory.html
The following, published almost a year ago is a good summary. Just concentrate on the positive remarks:
https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentRe...aspx?cid=24401
Jan 17th, 2019, 10:29 PM
#47
Some good information about the over forty million tourists who visited Turkey last year, despite travel advisories. (Note the high figures coming from UK)
Also, good photographs.
https://www.quora.com/Is-Turkey-worth-visiting
Also, good photographs.
https://www.quora.com/Is-Turkey-worth-visiting
Feb 6th, 2019, 08:03 AM
#48
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To confirm New York Times, I'll be joining the flock out of here very soon too. Turkey's nice to visit but you don't have many advantages in the ease of visiting compared to any foreigner anyway.
Feb 10th, 2019, 01:14 PM
#49
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First, thanks so much @otherchelebi for all this info. It is very helpful as I'm a single woman planning to travel to Istanbul in mid-Oct. I will have been coming from the U.S. after a 2 week business trip in London and a 2 week trip through Romania and Bulgaria, so my plan is for 3 days in Istanbul. Do you have any recommendations for a small tour company/guide that could give me a 2-day tour of the sights?
Again thanks for help sorting out the travel advisories!
Again thanks for help sorting out the travel advisories!
Feb 10th, 2019, 01:56 PM
#50
Dear Lisa, thanks for the thanks.
I really have no experience with tour guides or tour companies except for :
- one we retained for a couple of days when daughter's in-laws arrived from Michigan for the Turkish wedding almost a decade ago ( Burak Sansal - Tour Guide in Turkey )
- and one which is supposed to be brilliant from what I hear of Turkish friends who have taken their tours. This is not a very small company but the founder is still very active. ( FESTTRAVEL )
Neither is inexpensive.
I am never sure of Trip Adviser reviews because I know of at least one person who writes favorable reviews and gives thousands of responses to supplement his finances.
I really have no experience with tour guides or tour companies except for :
- one we retained for a couple of days when daughter's in-laws arrived from Michigan for the Turkish wedding almost a decade ago ( Burak Sansal - Tour Guide in Turkey )
- and one which is supposed to be brilliant from what I hear of Turkish friends who have taken their tours. This is not a very small company but the founder is still very active. ( FESTTRAVEL )
Neither is inexpensive.
I am never sure of Trip Adviser reviews because I know of at least one person who writes favorable reviews and gives thousands of responses to supplement his finances.
Mar 4th, 2019, 03:49 PM
#52
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Thank you for all of these updates, otherchelebi. I've wanted to visit Istanbul for many years, and am planning on making a solo trip (as a young US woman, first time visiting Turkey but I've traveled widely in Europe, often alone) at the end of April/beginning of May for five or six days. I am very excited. I was wondering -- online there is mixed information, some say it's closed or you can't see anything due to renovation, some say as of January 2019 it is open -- do you know if the Rüstem Pasha Mosque is open? Thank you, and take care.
Mar 5th, 2019, 02:47 AM
#53
thatazuresea, I will check the news and better still will go there to see since I need to do some shopping for spices and nuts in that area. (much better priced than the Spice (Egyptian) Market)
You will miss the tulips but will catch early green plums and fresh green almonds
Things are fine here in terms of safety. Just check for my updates after March 31 local elections.
Cost of living increasing but still good value for the tourist.
You will miss the tulips but will catch early green plums and fresh green almonds
Things are fine here in terms of safety. Just check for my updates after March 31 local elections.
Cost of living increasing but still good value for the tourist.
Mar 7th, 2019, 04:32 AM
#55
allergy season
Turkey is listed as a high allergy region and Spring is possibly the worst time due to pollen.
If any travelers have history of hayfever or other type of allergy, I recommend that they load up on antihistamines before arriving in Turkey.
If you have not done so and realize that you need to, most allergy medicine like Claritin is readily available in Turkey without a prescription
and at lower prices than elsewhere in Europe and US.
If any travelers have history of hayfever or other type of allergy, I recommend that they load up on antihistamines before arriving in Turkey.
If you have not done so and realize that you need to, most allergy medicine like Claritin is readily available in Turkey without a prescription
and at lower prices than elsewhere in Europe and US.
Apr 5th, 2019, 06:11 AM
#56
We had a local election which can be the subject of text books on politics of authoritarianism and deceit. So far, five days after the elections, the opposition
appears to have won most of the major cities, including almost the whole Southern and Western coast of the country which has 60% of the total population.
However the government controlled election boards keep on accepting requests of the incumbent for recounts, especially in Istanbul. The opposition MPs and other leaders are sleeping on the sacks of votes to make it impossible for someone to slip in counterfeits.
Other than that, there is, so far, no threat of violence and no safety issues.
Spring and Summer started midday today with Istanbul temperatures rising to 68 F, from 50.
Sea temperature in the South is already 65 F
Tulips have already been planted for the April 13 Istanbul Tulip Festival
appears to have won most of the major cities, including almost the whole Southern and Western coast of the country which has 60% of the total population.
However the government controlled election boards keep on accepting requests of the incumbent for recounts, especially in Istanbul. The opposition MPs and other leaders are sleeping on the sacks of votes to make it impossible for someone to slip in counterfeits.
Other than that, there is, so far, no threat of violence and no safety issues.
Spring and Summer started midday today with Istanbul temperatures rising to 68 F, from 50.
Sea temperature in the South is already 65 F
Tulips have already been planted for the April 13 Istanbul Tulip Festival
Apr 8th, 2019, 07:23 AM
#58
Croesus, you read it right. He was a very successful mayor of a small district in the same state. A state populated mostly by Alevis, who have suffered under every one of the Ottoman and Turkish sultans. Racially the sate is mostly Kurdish, so HDP, the Kurdish party candidate came second.
He orgnized farmers cooperatives in his district, tarined them in organic agriculture, and how to market their products. Currently they are selling all kinds of interesting stuff, and are famous for their unadulterated natural hive bee honey from high mountains.
https://www.ovacikdogal.com/
He is the chap with one hand up in the photo.
I am sure there will be more stories about him soon.
He orgnized farmers cooperatives in his district, tarined them in organic agriculture, and how to market their products. Currently they are selling all kinds of interesting stuff, and are famous for their unadulterated natural hive bee honey from high mountains.
https://www.ovacikdogal.com/
He is the chap with one hand up in the photo.
I am sure there will be more stories about him soon.
Apr 9th, 2019, 01:29 AM
#59
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Communist honey! I must try some of that one day. Well done that man, obviously doing good work.
https://theoutline.com/post/4217/com...=1&zi=r2u2vlih
Sounds like a nice area, Tunceli, but in an "advise against all but essential travel" zone, according to the UK Foreign Office.
One of the few regions that still has ferries across the Euphrates going to it.
https://theoutline.com/post/4217/com...=1&zi=r2u2vlih
Sounds like a nice area, Tunceli, but in an "advise against all but essential travel" zone, according to the UK Foreign Office.
One of the few regions that still has ferries across the Euphrates going to it.
Jun 20th, 2019, 09:42 AM
#60
It has been a while since I posted.
There is nothing new regarding safety, touristic information, continuing good food, clothing and transport prices.
However, there is a local election for only the mayor of Istanbul on Sunday, June 23, actually a re-election because the government did not like the result of the first one on March 31, which can cause
some unrest, protests or undesired events that night, the next day or maybe even longer depending on the result.
The opposition candidate has garnered huge support and is likely to win by a large margin if the two hundred thousand observers they will have at the ballot stations manage to stop the government .from somehow interfering in the process.
The president has been announcing that he will not allow the opposition candidate to occupy the post. Since he controls the judiciary, the security forces and the Ministry of the Interior, which owns all
local government including governor, people are worried of what may happen, including a sudden large protest if the president.s candidate is declared the winner.
The weather has been wetter than usual, but the sea temperature and the sun shining after and between showers have kept the resorts almost 90% full.
Last week of July and first week of August the occupancy rate may go up to almost 100%, so do not arrive without reservations expect to find any reasonable lodging, especially with decent rates.
There is nothing new regarding safety, touristic information, continuing good food, clothing and transport prices.
However, there is a local election for only the mayor of Istanbul on Sunday, June 23, actually a re-election because the government did not like the result of the first one on March 31, which can cause
some unrest, protests or undesired events that night, the next day or maybe even longer depending on the result.
The opposition candidate has garnered huge support and is likely to win by a large margin if the two hundred thousand observers they will have at the ballot stations manage to stop the government .from somehow interfering in the process.
The president has been announcing that he will not allow the opposition candidate to occupy the post. Since he controls the judiciary, the security forces and the Ministry of the Interior, which owns all
local government including governor, people are worried of what may happen, including a sudden large protest if the president.s candidate is declared the winner.
The weather has been wetter than usual, but the sea temperature and the sun shining after and between showers have kept the resorts almost 90% full.
Last week of July and first week of August the occupancy rate may go up to almost 100%, so do not arrive without reservations expect to find any reasonable lodging, especially with decent rates.
