Every year Muslims around the world take part in Ramadan when for thirty days they allow no food or drink to pass their lips in daylight hours. True believers are also required to abstain from sex. Doing without is a personal statement of faith and shows solidarity with those who have very little all the…
I remember when I first came to Turkey as a tourist (more than a few years ago now I’ll admit) the one thing I found hard to take and then actually annoying, was the way sales people persisted in trying to sell me things. Of course it’s their job but when you’re new to a…
In an effort to improve my Turkish and learn what’s going on in my neighbourhood, I regularly check out the Kadikoy Council website. That’s how I discovered their initiative, Dukkan Kadikoy Council Waste Free Shop. It sells products and foods that are long-lasting, ecologically sustainable, produced from indigenous seeds, non-poisonous and seasonal, sourced from local…
I often hear expats say how they wish there were libraries in Istanbul where they could go and hang out, somewhere to do some writing or just seek inspiration. Here are four easy to get to libraries in Istanbul anyone can enter without having to be a student, a paying member or by prior arrangement….
Books like The Fabulous Lost and Found and the Little Turkish Mouse are really good for people like me. I’ve struggled to acquire Turkish, my bookshelves are full of textbooks, dictionaries and grammar explanations but nonetheless I still find it hard to explain what I mean at times. One of the main problems always seems…
The Istanbul Metro system in Turkey only dates back to 1989 but Istanbul’s had a state of the art transport system since 1875, when Tünel, the second ever subway in the world, opened. On a normal day a total of 1,600,000 people a day use the Istanbul metro and rail systems (this includes the Metrobus…
When I was a child my mother gave me a choice between taking ballet classes or joining the Girl Guides. For some reason I can’t remember now I didn’t do either but I do remember the Guides motto (OK, it was the Scouts I know, but I’m allowed some poetic licence, aren’t I?) ‘be prepared’….
I’m never without a book in my hand, next to my bed or in my handbag. They’re as essential to me as breathing. Wherever I travel or live, finding the nearest bookshop is high on my list of things to do, and thankfully there are English Language Bookshops Istanbul. There are pasajlar (passages) on both…
When you move to a new country, getting involved in the same types of activities you do back home is a great way to get settled, make new friends and feel good. If you’re in Istanbul you’ll have probably already seen the way Turks look after street cats. People put out bowls of water, piles…
The internet is full of lists of top ten, eleven best or simply must buy Turkish souvenirs from your trip to Turkey. Carpets, apple tea and nazar boncuk are high on the list, but I can’t fit any more Turkish carpets in my house, apple tea is something only tourists drink and I have a…