April in Turkey sees the start of spring, and nothing says life is for living better than displays of colourful flowers. The Istanbul Tulip Festival delivers this and more, with tulips growing in a former private garden belonging to the Ottoman Sultans or cascading down the banks of the Bosphorus in a public park in…
Now that you’ve booked your trip to Istanbul in winter, you’ll want to learn where to have a drink in Istanbul to enjoy some festive cheer, alcoholic of course, accompanied by some tasty Turkish delights. Luckily for us, Turkish wine expert Andrea Lemieux aka The Quirky Cork took some time out of her busy schedule…
You’d think the chances of crossing paths with someone who only lives a few blocks away from you in real life in Istanbul (pop 16 million and counting) via a Facebook group started by American writers would be pretty slim. Especially when you’re me, a woman from Australia and the other person is Pinar Tarhan,…
Some of my best days in İstanbul aren’t when I visit a famous tourist site but when I’m out and about trying to get things repaired. Like the time I had to find someone to reattach the handle of our cezve (Turkish coffee pot). My husband Kim has the habit of banging pots on the…
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 living Istanbul say how they wish there were libraries here where they could go and hang out , somewhere to do some writing or just seek inspiration. Here are four easy to get to libraries anyone can enter without having to be a student, a paying member or by prior arrangement….
I’m an Australian living in Istanbul and like many people here in Coronavirus Turkey, I haven’t been out other than to buy food since March 14. Every day I read the contradictory medical reports about the Coronavirus on the news, see the rise in infections and deaths and like everyone, wonder when this will end….
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 Istanbul is well stocked. There are pasajlar (passages) on both sides of…
Anyone who’s ever visited Istanbul, even for the shortest time, will have seen a kedi (Turkish for cat) or two (hundred). It’s no surprise really, as love for cats in Turkey goes all the way back to the life and times of the Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him. Muhammed was raised by his uncle…
I’m a Leo and I love celebrating my birthday. It’s never the presents I remember but the people I was with and what we did. For one of my teenage birthday parties my Dad took me and about six friends to lunch at the revolving restaurant in Australia Square in Sydney. It was pretty expensive…