wtm003, thank you very much for voicing your appreciation. It definitely motivates me to continue.

Of'course, I also just enjoy writing, but my style on these threads is very different from the pretentious and apophenic stuff I spill out sometimes on my blog, sometimes on my Amazon reviews and mostly on some of my tweets hoping that some of it will achieve Koan status.

We are at the end of a five day stint in Iznik, to return to a colder and wetter istanbul from an also cool and wet Iznik tomorrow.
Eser set her GSM to wake at 3 AM so that she could get up and photograph the blood moon. Well.....she did wake up...... But does not remember if she even dreamt of shooting the eclipse or the red moon. I told her that it would have been useless because the sky was overcast anyway.

There are possible problems with the upcoming elections, especially in Kurdish provinces where the HDP won by a landslide on June 7. AKP is attempting some tricks to interfere with the voting.

Turkey is starting to make an about face in relation to Syria after possibly some serious admonishment from Putin and Obama. So, hopefully, war drums are quiet.

The number of Syrian refugees in Turkey estimated at close to two and a half million. Some Southeastern cities have a bigger Syrian population than Turkish. About forty thousand Syrian kids have started regular schools established for them and possibly a similar number are getting unofficial education or training. They are also getting some preferential treatment for entry to free university education at public universities.

The melancholy of shorter and darker days descended on us rather suddenly, but Istanbul especially has a special feel to it during these days, if in nothing else but the brightness of the Bosphorus, visible from many different vantage points and the lively music and good food and drinks of interestingly lit restaurants, cafes and bars with the always busy but possibly depressing streets.

No safety issues for the traveler in addition to those mentioned earlier.

Tourism income down only 3.8% from last year.

Turkish Lira still on the down swing, so shopping is a good deal for most things and not only spices, Iznik tiles, pashminas, Pasabahce glass, carpets, towels and local musical instruments.

OC, just saw this thread. Thanks for continuing it. I definitely plan on following along!

OC - a friend of mine here in Cornwall stayed up with her family to see the blood red moon, but we didn't manage it - the thought of staying up until about 3am and then having to get up for 6.30 was too much for me to contemplate.

You remind us OC that there is a large gap between the number of Syrian refugees that Turkey is having to deal with and the numbers that we are contemplating taking, and making more fuss about. I cannot imagine what the drain on resources must be like to have to cope with all those extra people. As you say, schools, training, universities, plus housing,roads, doctors - one you start thinking about it the list is endless.

Thank you so much for continuing to keep us updated - it is so important to understand what is happening from the perspective of those who live in a place. You are greatly appreciated OC

Thanks so much for posting, OC. Your insights and hospitality have made a difference to many.

lauramsgarden, I follow most threads on Turkey and try to respond to specific questions on each thread but do not like to make recommendations or give my own preferences unless I can tell for certain the wishes and tastes of the OP. So, I hope that you can make use of the many trip reports by the previous travelers who were gracious enough to write them and, check some of my own and make your decisions on your own, based on your own tastes and preferences.

This general thread is mainly on safety and security but gives the economic, political, social psychological and cultural background to a small extent, because they are all interconnected.

Turkey, like many other countries has a great deal to offer for many different types of travelers and different budgets and in terms of variety of adventures, historic and natural sights and mountain and beach resorts in at least four climactic regions can only be surpassed by countries many times its size.

Just recently excavations at another Roman city, Anavarza, ( http://www.39fss.com/docs/odr/Anavarza-Castle.pdf ) expected to possibly be the largest in Turkey, have reached a point where visitors may see a great deal more than the ruined walls, near Adana. A totally new destination except for hardy hikers, not yet on any tour path.

All violent government and civil protest action still in the Southeast, except for illegal "legal" prosecution against AKP opposers and critics including media and business.

There may be some additional provoked violence close to the election date on November 1. Then, there should be a lull in any action for all the sides to withdraw and regroup, although there will be loud taunts and beating on shields in all directions.

TL slightly up with the USD just below three TL.

Weather warmer, around 75-80 F in Istanbul, somewhat overcast. Quite pleasant for sightseeing.

Daylight savings time to start some days after the elections. So, you get longer daylight hours for sightseeing until November 7 or 8.

Thanks also PegS and Kleeblat who has now become an old friend with her unique group of Swiss bürgers.

Annhig, I have been fighting to solve my personal refugee crisis with myriad friends of my wife and daughters and their friends, ad infinitum for so long now that I have little sympathy for municipalities and governments faced with similar prublems.

That is how and why I learned what I call "fusion cooking". It is actually the cheapest and tastiest way of feeding large groups of people from very different cultural backgrounds with little change in the main ingredients but playing around with spices and herbs.

Hey OC - how are you? just wondering why your thoughts are on this rather dire article in the Atlantic. Always appreciate your viewpoint.
http://www.theatlantic.com/internati...ia-pkk/408988/

Re that Atlantic article - I don't get the relevance of the main photo when there's no mention of the MHP.

not to worry OC - I do quite appreciate all the good advice you give so freely - and we shall have to ultimately figure this out our own unique way.

and as a mother of five boys with very different tastes and eating preferences I totally appreciate the art of fusion cooking!

Re Anavarza - there's an article today in Hürriyet, it looks like they've almost dug up the whole field there:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/bat...&NewsCatID=375

I like the comment on Wikipedia - "it is worthwhile to trace the three fine aqueducts to their sources".

Hi Yestravel and Croesus also. Glad that this thread is becoming one "where(ever) particular people congregate" without smoking.

The Atlantic article is rather shallow. Tries to say too much rather incoherently and unsuccessfully. Does not really lead to that "overwhelming question" poetically or politically.

Here are the disaster scenarios :

1. The AKP using its police and intelligence strength to provoke more civil strife leading to martial law and staying in power in partnership with the security forces until it is much more difficult to get back to ny semblance of democracy.

2. The AKP somehow gets the majority to gain complete control over all the bureaucracy rather than the current almost complete control, thus banning all democratic activity including freedom of expression and allowing the judiciary to act only for itself.

3. The AKP, failing in its attempts at 1 and/or 2 above, continues to escalate violence, leading to anarchy and rise of armed ultra nationalism and/or militant Islamism with or without foreign connections.

4. In light of above, Turkey becomes another playground for the new power struggle between the West and Russia or the East.


Some of the mitigating circumstances are :

1. There is a modern, intellectual tradition which has been evolving in this region since the mid 19th century.

2. There is a strong tradition of politically and intellectually active press and its new manifestation, a very active social media.

3. There is enough current and future wealth and geographical significance to attract positive interference by the West.


Some disadvantages are :

1. The educational system which has been rapidly deteriorating with AKP (The PM stating that they wish to raise a "religious and vindictive youth"), and schools being transformed to include one million junior high and high school kids studying under an Islamic curriculum.

2. I find that my graduate students are getting less and less interested in thinking and solving problems. Their main ambition seems to make a fast buck with the least amount of brain work.

3. Turks traditionally do not trust anyone including their relatives and neighbours.

4. The peoples of this region have unfortunately learned to live for the day because tomorrows have always been uncertain and fraught with terrible danger. This may be a disadvantage or an advantage. But it also means that it is very difficult to convince them to be more ethical and hard working with future rewards. They fall prey to get rich schemes and quick returns very easily even when the lure and bait come from proven felons. (after all, the Koran says that one will be forgiven if one repents on his last breath)

5. Turks, in general, are not very deep thinkers, excelling in practical solutions for the short term. For longer term problems and issues they are terrific procrastinators and may even be born with dementia or Alzheimers (never Parkinsons)

Here's a recent quotation I retweeted :

"Do not waste energy feeling miserable today because things are bad. They will get worse. You can feel miserable then."


And here are some of my recent tweets which I shared with other friends:


Yesterday a rather outspoken columnist was beaten as he was returning home at midnight, after having been warned and threatened a number of times by AKP parliamentarians and supporters.

He did not know how to cushion himself in verbosity and delusional behaviour.

The following are my incomprehensible to many comments on the current and past political scene in this glorious country of mine:


Tweets Tweets & replies :

#Turkey has a history of #apophenic political leadership and subject peoples swayed by the rythmic voices & neck movements of those leaders.

Today I found an unused room at 3rd basement of #Capa hospital #pathology building where I will soon start doctoring cognitive dissonance.

I am also planning to doctor ethical fallacies, fellatious marital disorders, adulterous disclaimers & political S&M behaviour of leaders.

5. Turks, in general, are not very deep thinkers, excelling in practical solutions for the short term. For longer term problems and issues they are terrific procrastinators and may even be born with dementia or Alzheimers (never Parkinsons)

Ha ha. I think this describes men in general (except for you, of course!)

Have a great day, OC.

"solutions for the short term" - usually involving sticky tape:
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/a558/a31...NemrutLion.jpg

Again re Anavarza - I'm glad that Hürriyet makes a point of saying there are only 3 amphitheatres in Turkey. I get annoyed when people mistake theatres for amphitheatres (although there is evidence that some theatres were temporarily converted for wild animals).

I don't know where the third one is, after Anavarza and Pergamon. Apparently the reason there are so few is that the indigenous Greeks of the time weren't really into such violent Roman bloodsports.

"Do not waste energy feeling miserable today because things are bad. They will get worse. You can feel miserable then." >>

not sure whether to laugh or cry at this.

probably both.

There were two large explosions in Ankara near the train station where groups from four leftist labour syndicates and the Kurdish party HDP were gathering for the large Peace and Democracy meeting which was being organized by the syndicates, HDP, CHP, Turkish Medical Association, Chamber of Architects and Engineers and other major democratic NGOs.

At last count, it seems that there are close to 100 dead and twice that number seriously wounded. Eye witnesses say that there was no security on the site and the few traffic cops abandoned their vehicles and ran, while their vehicles and any pavailable private cars were used to convey the wounded to hospitals because it took two hours for government security and ambulances to reach the very central Ankara location. Apparently the security forces which arrived were geared towards putting down unrest and any protest because they were equipped with tear gas, water cannon, masks and riot shields.

The government immediately clamped a ban on the media regarding news and photographs related to the explosion. However Twitter is still open and we can get all the information.

No one from the local or central government even dreams of resigning. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\I guess only those who have doubts about indirect responsibility would resign. The way they think, direct responsibility requires you to sit tight and fight the accusations while looking for scapegoats among the ones who were hurt.

Stay away from any and all large gatherings if you are in any of the large cities where we are sure to have protests in the coming days.

The weather is good on the Aegean and Med coast. The resorts have reduced their prices. The USD and Euro go a long way in dining out and shopping, so enjoy yourself if you are sightseeing and/or on the beach.

sad to hear OC,

So sorry to read about this.