Turkish Forum

Category: Travel

  • A stolen moment in Istanbul

    A stolen moment in Istanbul

    * THE INCIDENTAL TOURIST

    MY travels have brought me to a huge and beautiful mosaic at Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the gentle eyes of a depiction of Jesus greeting me from across the aeons.

    My young Turkish guide, Rashid, tells me to move a few paces to the left and watch the eyes of the mosaic. Yes, they follow me. Rashid looks satisfied at my astonishment and pleasure.

    Hagia Sophia was the centre of the Byzantine Empire, the jewel of the Eastern Orthodox Church. After the fall of Constantinople, it became a place of worship for Muslims. Now it is a museum and a leading tourist attraction. The face ofthe Jesus mosaic was covered when the structure was used as a mosque but its restoration is a triumph. It really is a marvellous find.

    Mosaic is the art of decoration using closely set small pieces, usually stone, mineral, glass tile or shell. It was the Byzantine artisans of the 11th and 12th centuries who realised the full possibilities of the art form, aided by a wealth of patronage. Byzantine mosaicists were also called outside the empire to practise their art, most notably at St Mark’s in Venice and in the apse of the cathedral at Cefalu in Sicily.

    I understand only a few minor scenes were found at Hagia Sophia. What is even more special is that during my visit the mezzanine floor of this museum is under restoration and closed to the public. It is only my audacious questioning of this closure that has led Rashid to offer to take me upstairs, provided I do not advertise this privilege to the scores of tourists below.

    We keep well back from the balcony and Rashid explains that this area was reserved for Muslim women. There is a lattice screen over the end of the balcony and I imagine that at one time it would have extended for the length of the balustrade. Rashid beckons me over and I have a splendid view of the interior on my left. He leans in to whisper I should look at the dome to my right. Of course I comply, and feel a quick kiss planted on my left cheek.

    Oh no. Here I am up on the mezzanine floor at the mercy of an opportunistic young Muslim man. I cannot walk away with dignity, as there is a dark and winding stairwell to negotiate in order to return to the throngs. So I pretend nothing has happened and walk back to the mosaic, musing that the watching eyes of the mosaic may have noted the stolen kiss but, like me, given nothing away.

    Rashid looks perturbed. He motions me towards the stairwell and I follow unhurriedly. I keep a few paces behind as he leads me back to the crowd. He holds the door open and I thank him as I step into the welcoming light.

    I roam the open-air market stalls and mingle with the tourists, relishing the exceptional privilege I have been granted. In general, the younger men seem quite at ease and a number are happy to practise their English; however,

    I note lascivious looks cast upon my bare arms by some of the older Turkish men. I smile as I recall the cheeky guide, flustered by his own action or perhaps by my surprising response to his audacity.

    For the next few hours I relive a spectrum of heightened emotions, of excitement, euphoria, trepidation and gratitude. It has been a most unexpected day.

    via A stolen moment in Istanbul | The Australian.

  • Turkey is a big winner

    Turkey is a big winner

    TURKEY was among the big winners in the European leg of the 2011 World Travel Awards, the results of which were announced at an event in Antalya last week.

    291 voices 13Oludeniz on the country’s south-west coast was named the continent’s best beach destination, while the title of Europe’s leading all-inclusive resort went to the Concorde De Luxe property in Antalya.

    Istanbul triumphed in the category covering city break locations and Antalya’s Mardan Palace was voted the best luxury hotel in Europe.

    Commenting on the results, World Travel Awards founder and president Graham E Cooke said Turkey had shown its credentials as a ‘world-class tourism brand’.

    He added: “Antalya in particular represents brand Turkey at its finest.

    ”Its winning mix of heritage, sun-kissed beaches, state-of-the-art facilities and superb value has propelled it into the league of one of the world’s great destination cities.”

    Other winners at the Europe ceremony of the 2011 World Travel Awards included Lufthansa(leading airline), London (leading destination) and Hotel Le Bristol in Paris (leading hotel).

    via Voices Newspaper Altinkum Didim Turkey – Turkey is a big winner.

  • 10 of the best markets in Istanbul

    10 of the best markets in Istanbul

    From backstreet haggling pits crammed with elbowing aunties to the best Louis Vuitton knockoffs in the city, Latifa Akay rounds up the best markets in town

    • Latifa Akay
    • guardian.co.uk

      • Çarşamba

      A sprawling weekly affair in an ultra-conservative area, the enormous Fatih Çarşamba (Wednesday) market – flogging fruit and veg, eggs and cured meats, outrageous stilettos, gadgets, branded clothing and, well, everything at rock-bottom prices – is not a place for the faint-hearted. Disorganised and wholly unruly, relentless sellers on table-tops wade among overflowing wares, bellowing prices and bagging goods at the slightest sign of interest. Favoured by locals, tourists are refreshingly absent, so keep the cameras under wraps, adopt a steely visage and don’t hold back from joining swarms of angry mothers raking through mountains of clothing, as these will, no matter how unlikely it seems, produce the occasional gem. Bags and loved ones should be kept close at all times.
      • Kirmasti Mahellesi, 34083 Fatih

      Inebolu

      A genuine Istanbul “foodie” can be defined by their affinity with the Inebolu Sunday market, an Anatolian culinary carnival located in the downtown grime of Beyoğlu’s Kasimpaşa district. Tobacco-chewing sellers from the Inebolu Black Sea region of Turkey set off in their lorries on Saturday night to arrive in Istanbul at the crack of dawn, laden with the finest organic produce; chunky slabs of corn bread, bushels of fragrant herbs, thick pastes and purees, crates of eggs, bright flowers, splitting sacks of grain, walnuts and hazelnuts and bins of glistening olives. With beady-eyed punters beginning their forage as early as 6am, shalwar-clad damsels and their moustached counterparts police topsy-turvy stalls in a chorus of discordant bellows. A trip to Anatolia and back again – and all before breakfast. Shuts up shop early, at 4pm.
      • Toprak Tabya Sokak, 34440 Küçük Piyale

      Spice bazaar

      A short walk from the Grand Bazaar, the 17th-century Eminönü Egyptian Spice Bazaar, open seven days a week, is another favourite of the camera-wielding, souvenir-seeking tourist. A bustling gastronomic paradise since 1664, this is the best place to pick up dried fruits and nuts, spices, olives, Turkish delight, oils and essences of the finest order. Bronze curios glint in the sun, torpedo-sized dates are stacked to the rafters, and the decadent scent of freshly ground Mehmet Efendi coffee merges with the aroma of fresh fish, with surprisingly non-toxic consequences. Marriage proposals should only be entertained if they involve free Turkish delight.
      • Sururi Mahellesi, 34120 Fatih

      Yeşilköy

      Living up to its tranquil title, Yeşilköy (green village) market is the perfect stop-off for those in search of a less frantic market experience. Abundant in greenery, the vast Wednesday weekly has a reputation for high-quality products (including excellent fake silk scarves) and even provides toilet facilities. Two thousand stalls (organised into designated areas), vibrant floral displays and scattered tea cafes combine to create something unheard of in Turkey – a relaxing market browse. Gems include makeup from Mac to Maybelline, available at up to 50% discount, and the best fake Louis Vuitton in the city.
      • Yeşilköy Halkali Caddesi, Bakirköy, 34149

      Sahaflar

      One thing you will not find in abundance at Turkish street markets is books. But the old booksellers’ market in Beyazit is a haven of old volumes. A leafy city oasis located between the Grand Bazaar and Beyazit Mosque, under a canopy of chestnut and acacia trees, the 15th-century market and its associated tea garden was a hotspot for prominent poets, academics and authors in the mid-20th century, and now hosts 23 bookstores. Stationery, calligraphy materials, textbooks, novels and foreign and holy literature, Sahaflar has it all. Huddles of elderly, tobacco-chewing gents peddle watches, badges, old coins and trinkets, , although it’s never entirely clear who is working and who is just hanging around for a chat.
      • Çadircilar Caddesi, Beyazit Mahallesi, 34126

      Beşiktaş

      A district of Istanbul best known for its black-and-white clad football team and fanatical supporters, Beşiktaş hosts a weekly Saturday bazaar that is anything but two-tone. Refreshingly lacking in tourist tat, this multi-storey car park turned two-storey treasure trove is fronted by an extravaganza of fresh foods – pyramids of rosy tomatoes and mountains of cucumbers – winding a path to the second floor, where you’ll find heaped factory seconds, dubiously patterned underwear sold by even more dubious vendors, and unusual jewels at irresistible prices. Look out for dazzling knuckleduster rings and every manner of tasselled, multicoloured bohemian headgear. A small makeshift cafe offers some welcome respite out the back – recuperate and return.
      • Nüzhetiye Caddesi, Beşiktaş

      Bakirköy

      Attracting a mixture of locals and tourists alike, this vast Saturday fixture – a white mass stretching up the Marmara coast – pulls in the bargain-hunters with its range and quality of wares, flogged by international sellers from the Turkic-speaking nations and beyond. Designer shoes, quirky costume jewellery, unusual homeware, pyramids of exquisite organic produce… seek and you shall find. Among the chaos, women with beet-red faces, dressed in starchy white attire, roll dough with disconcerting vigour, slapping it on to sizzling pans with goat’s cheese and parsley to produce mouth-watering traditional Gözleme. The market rises and sets with the sun.
      • Osmaniye Mahellesi, 34144 Istanbul Province (beside the Metro station)

      Kadiköy

      The novelty of being able to say “Just popping over to Asia” is not the only reason to cross to the “other side” of Istanbul. A 25-minute boat journey from the piers at Beşiktaş, Kabataş and Eminönü, this down-and-out haggling pit for those seeking the perfect peach or ultimate bed sheet is located in Hasanpaşa, a 10-minute walk from the ferry terminal. Traditionally a Tuesday fixture, the authentic trading hub (with not an inch of vertical space left yawning) is now also open on Fridays, but only to sell clothing. Beware “Abercrombie and Twitch”.
      • Hasanpaşa Mahellesi, 34722 Kadiköy

      Tarlabaşi

      A short stroll from the bright lights of Taksim’s Istiklal Street, the hard-knock residential area of Tarlabaşi – an area associated with unemployment, crime and prostitution – is not the first destination that comes to mind when directing earnest travellers. Yet surprisingly, the rough-and-readyTarlabaşi Sunday food market – a rabbit warren of dusty, uneven streets – boasts a loyal following from all corners of Istanbul society, from penny-pinching Erasmus students to muttering old villagers craving a taste of home. Stall-holders arrive in laden trucks at the crack of dawn, to unload oozing figs with the texture of honey, dazzling fruits, glowing jams of rosehip, apricot and raspberry, and pickled… everything. Economical street shopping at its most authentic.
      • Sakiz Ağaci Sokak, Beyoğlu Mahellesi

      Grand Bazaar

      Constructed in 1461, the Grand Bazaar, boasting 5,000 shops, is one of the largest covered markets in the world. Once a vibrant hub of international and local trade, recent decades have seen this labyrinth of glittering delights win the hearts, minds and wallets of wide-eyed tourists in search of the ultimate oriental shopping experience. With beckoning sellers peddling exquisite textiles, pottery, spices, jewellery, lanterns and souvenirs, bartering is an absolute must. However, resist the urge to entertain small boys wielding spinning tops on strings, who will address you as “mother”, regardless of age – and, occasionally, gender. At the end of the day, if it gets a bit too bizarre, 22 historical gateways offer ample escape routes.
      • The Bazaar is closed Sundays; Divanyolu Caddesi 42, Sultanahmet, 34010

      • All markets open at dawn and close at dusk, unless otherwise stated

  • Turkey moved out of Europe – by Post Office travel insurance

    Turkey moved out of Europe – by Post Office travel insurance

    Turkey moved out of Europe – by Post Office travel insurance

    By Simon Calder, Travel Editor at Large

    Wednesday, 31 August 2011

    pg 12 turkey afp ge 641691t AFP/GETTY IMAGES

    Last year, 2.7 million British citizens visited Turkey

    As Turkey moves closer to the EU, the Post Office in Britain has deemed that the nation lies entirely beyond Europe. Last month, at the start of the school summer holidays, the Post Office moved the boundaries used for its travel insurance policies to exclude Turkey from European cover. Even the European part of Turkey, including Istanbul, is deemed as lying outside the Continent for insurance purposes.

    A British woman who bought a policy for her package holiday in the resort of Kusadasi discovered she was not covered only when she was hospitalised. Rebecca Thomas, 22, a retail manager from Solihull, was admitted for treatment for a stomach complaint. But when she contacted the travel insurers, she was told her she was not covered. Her father, David Thomas, is paying the bill – currently standing at £1,400 – by credit card. Yesterday he said: “The Post Office are perfectly entitled to change their geographical coverage, but Turkey is such a big destination that they should make it absolutely clear on the website.”

    For travellers buying online, such as Rebecca Thomas, the change is revealed only by clicking on a small question mark icon on the Post Office’s web page offering travel insurance quotes.

    Last year, 2.7 million British citizens visited Turkey. Travel insurance policies covering European holidays have traditionally included it, as well as other nations bordering the Mediterranean. The Post Office followed this practice until 15 July, when it decided to exclude Turkey – together with Egypt. Travellers to these two countries who choose Post Office travel insurance must buy a “Rest of the World” policy, priced at £37 for a week – more than twice as much as the price for Europe. Policies issued before 15 July this year are unaffected.

    James Eadie, a spokesman for the Post Office, said: “This change was made to reflect the increased cost in providing this cover. The price charged for the Rest of the World policy is more reflective of the costs associated with the level of claims we are experiencing for Turkey and Egypt.”

    Both countries specialise in “all-inclusive” holidays, which critics say encourages excessive drinking and thereby increases the risks to travellers. Turkey and Egypt also have very dangerous roads compared with the UK. Although the Foreign Office reports that a relatively small proportion of travellers – one in 5,000 – sought consular assistance, the Post Office move suggests that it was paying out more in claims than it was receiving for policies.

    Two of the Post Office’s leading rivals, Columbus and InsureandGo, continue to regard Turkey and Egypt as part of Europe. Bob Atkinson, of TravelSupermarket.com, said “Standard practice has always been that Europe is everything west of the Urals, and Turkey has always been considered as Europe by travel insurance companies. It is confusing for customers for them to be treating this differently to the bulk of other companies in the market place.”

    Despite moving Turkey and Egypt to the “Rest of the World”, the Post Office continues to offer “European” cover for visitors to Algeria, Israel and Morocco – all nations carrying strong Foreign Office warnings about risks to travellers.

    Case study: ‘We never thought she wasn’t covered’

    Rebecca Thomas, 22, works as a retail manager at the Bullring Centre in Birmingham. She booked a last-minute package holiday to the resort of Kusadasi on the Mediterranean coast – a favourite with many British travellers. Turkey has been the Med’s success story of the 21st century, due to its combination of reliable sun, classical heritage and sheer good value.

    Before her trip, Rebecca went online to buy travel insurance from the Post Office. “Neither she nor I thought for a second that ‘Europe’ wouldn’t include Turkey,” said her father, David.

    When Rebecca was hospitalised with a stomach complaint and learned the policy excluded Turkey, David contacted the underwriter, Ageas, who told him to take up the matter with the Post Office. He has filed an online complaint. Her bill stands at £1,400. Meanwhile, Rebecca hopes to fly home as planned tomorrow. David Thomas reports that “the private hospital in Kusadasi were very comprehensive in their treatment and extremely helpful and courteous”.

    Approved: Israel

    Israel receives 165,000 British visitors a year with one in 3,000 requiring consular assistance. While it remains under the threat of terrorist attacks, claims for more everyday problems associated with Turkey are relatively rare, keeping insurance costs low.

    Approved: Morocco

    Although 17 people were recently killed by a bomb in busy tourist square in Marrakesh, Morocco is deemed a lesser risk. Only about 1 in 3,500 of the 362,000 British visitors require assistance, but its abstinence from alcohol, among other things, means it is not thought to be the source of many minor issues resulting in insurance claims.

    Off limits: Turkey

    Despite welcoming 2.7 million British visitors a year, a relatively small number – 1 in 5,000 – require consular assistance. It is perhaps the nature of their troubles, however, behind the high cost of insurance. Traffic accidents are common, according to the Foreign Office, and “all-inclusive” trips are blamed for encouraging excessive drinking.

    Approved: Algeria

    The terrorist threat is high, but only 1 in every 800 of the 10,000 British visitors need consular help. The Foreign Office warns visitors to “exercise extreme caution”, but the country is bracketed with Europe due to the low cost of insuring visitors.

    

  • Georgian Wine Attracts Thousands of Buyers Daily at Istanbul Ataturk Airport

    Georgian Wine Attracts Thousands of Buyers Daily at Istanbul Ataturk Airport

    Georgian Wine Attracts Thousands of Buyers Daily at Istanbul Ataturk Airport

    Written by Mariam Papidze

    05/09/2011 07:37 (20:35 minutes ago)

    duty free11

     

    The FINANCIAL — Six leading Georgian wine companies: Badagoni, Tbilvino, Kvanchkara LTD, Kindzmareulis Marani, Teliani Valley and Kakheti Traditional Wine Making are offering famous Georgian wine to the millions of passengers visiting Istanbul Ataturk International Airport .

    The six-month negotiations regarding this have been successfully completed.

    As a result of cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and TAV Holding, a ‘Georgian Wine Corner’ was opened in the Duty Free in Istanbul Ataturk International Airport on August 15, 2011. “This will help not only the popularization of Georgian wine, but will also raise awareness of the national wine production and international market position to expand,” announced the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia.

    In 10 days 36,000 bottles of wine have already been sold.

    “On the first day, 120 bottles of wine were sold in one hour. Among them 50 were bought by Georgian customers,” said Tamer Cigeroglu, the manager of ATU Georgia. “Mainly Russian, Japanese and Chinese people buy Georgian Wine. The most popular Georgian Wines are dry red and white wines. The cheapest wine costs 4 EUR and the most expensive is priced at 35 EUR. The most delicious and pleasant drinking among all represented wines in Duty Free is a Georgian wine.” added Cigeroglu.

    In the Duty Free area only one flag can be seen: the Georgian one. The Georgian corner takes up 4 square metres and has 4 shelves. Georgian wine is currently competing with Spanish, Italian and French wines also represented in Ataturk International Airport . Among them are the most expensive wines costing 1400 EUR. The companies which want to sell their products in Istanbul Ataturk International Airport are expected to pay between 1 and 15 million EUR per year.

    From September 5, 2011 Georgian wine will be sold in Ankara and Izmir International Airport s as well. As well as this, Georgian wine will be represented in Tbilisi and Batumi International Airport s from September 25, 2011. As for the budget of this project, the reconstruction of a new Duty Free shop in Tbilisi International Airport will 230,000 EUR. A minimum of 70,000 EUR worth of products will be placed in the shop.

    With Tbilisi and Batumi International Airport s an annual agreement will be made. But in the case of Turkish Airport s the term isn’t restricted. “The agreement is perpetual. There will be a Georgian corner in the Duty Free zone as long as we require it,” said Cigeroglu.

    As Tea Zakaradze, Administration Manager of TAV Airport s Holding said, the new Duty Free shop is being built, where 10 Georgian wine companies can sell their wines.

    “Beforehand, we cooperated with only Teliani Valley. But as our goal is to popularize Georgian wine the network expansion was necessary. Over 823,000 passengers were registered in Tbilisi International Airport in 2010. This year, we are expecting about a million passengers. Now we are also negotiating with other Airport s operated by us. By the end of December we’ll know in which Airport s Georgian wines will be sold,” said Zakaradze.

    Besides Tbilisi , Batumi and Istanbul Ataturk International Airport , TAV Airport s Holding operates another 9 Airport s all over the world. Among them are Ankara, Izmir and Antalya Airport s in Turkey, 2 international Airport s in Tunisia and 2 in Macedonia. Also, TAV Holding has Airport s in Riga and Arabia. Approximately 300 airline companies of TAV Airport s Holding completed 416,000 flights and served about 48 million passengers in 2010.

    “Those companies, who will make an agreement with Tbilisi International Airport , would sell their products in our other operating Airport s as well. By this time, only 6 wine companies have been willing to cooperate with us. TAV Holding and the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia offered to all Georgian wine companies their cooperation,” added Zakaradze.

    “This is good advertisement for Badagoni Wine and for Georgian Wine. The wines of Badagoni were awarded several medals and honourable diplomas by various national and international companies, so we’ll be representing Georgia properly,” said Liza Bagrationi, PR Manager of Badagoni.

    Those companies, who don’t participate in this project, have refrained from making any comments. Some of them say financial problems were the reason and some of them say they weren’t offered the chance to sell their wines in the Duty Free zone.

    via The FINANCIAL – Georgian Wine Attracts Thousands of Buyers Daily at Istanbul Ataturk Airport.

  • Istanbul’s al fresco diners lose their chairs

    Istanbul’s al fresco diners lose their chairs

    Outdoor tables and chairs go from many cafes in Beyoğlu tourist area after official crackdown

    Constanze Letsch in Istanbul

    guardian.co.uk

    Istanbul restaurant balcony

    Istanbul restaurant balco 007

    Bar and restaurant owners forced to remove tables and chairs can replace them with a ’70cm balcony’, the municipality says. So far the costly compromise has not proved popular. Photograph: www.radikal.com

    It is the tourism heart of Istanbul, a cosmopolitan district packed with bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants which has always been a magnet for the al fresco diner. But outdoor tables are becoming harder to find in Beyoğlu, since the authorities inexplicably ordered many of them to be removed.

    Local eateries say they are losing money and Turkish media report that the measure, brought in at the end of July, has resulted in 2,000 staff losing their jobs.

    It is not hard to see why. In the usually bustling district, a sign outside a bar advertises cheap tequila shots and beer, but the tables inside are empty.

    Mehmet Papatya, who has been working there for seven years and lives above the bar, said: “We pay 6,000 Turkish lira [£2,110] every month for the space alone, we need to have tables outside.”

    Four tables have been taken away by the municipal police – without prior warning, according to Papatya. “Nobody here pays rent at the moment. Our landlord will either grant us a rent reduction, or we will have to close shop.”

    According to the Beyoğlu municipality, there were 1,066 complaints from people not being able to pass between restaurants, and 868 formal complaints about rubbish left out on the street. Rumour has it that the “table operations” were initiated by the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose motorcade got stuck because of urban furniture before Ramadan.

    One possible solution offered by the municipality is the “70cm balcony” that can be added outside – so far only one restaurant has put the idea into practice, at a price of 20,000 lira. According to Turkish media, the official guidelines are vague: the balcony should be “chic” and not cheap-looking, but business owners could decide themselves about the final design. Most restaurant and bar owners, however, reject this costly plan.

    Mehmet Aktaş, who works in a restaurant, said: “We used to have 18 tables with room for 40 to 50 people. Now we have three tables left. Five out of eight employees are on unpaid leave.”

    Like many restaurants in Beyoğlu they have seen their revenues fall by almost 80%.

    Aktaş said the municipality’s policy would affect a broader local economy: “We buy from fishermen, butchers and greengrocers.”

    Erol, a publisher who enjoys a beer sitting on a windowsill at Kahve Pi, has been working in Beyoğlu for eight years. “About 15 years ago it must have been a little like this here, very quiet. And to be honest, the silence is quite nice. Of course from the point of view of business owners, this silence is not a good thing.”

    via Istanbul’s al fresco diners lose their chairs | World news | The Guardian.