A look at the Turkish public health system Back in 2000 my husband and I worked at an English college on Bağdat Street, run by a money hungry former military man with good connections but bad intentions. Thanks to him we had the dubious pleasure of visiting a Turkish pubic hospital as part of the…
“… Each day certain sounds can be heard echoing down my street. Early in the morning I hear the eskici come through. These buyers of old wares and junk roam the streets dragging or pushing two-wheeled, flat barrow carts, calling out “eskici, eskici”, buying old books, lamps, bric-a-brac and knickknacks. The items they collect vary…
Istanbul is a densely populated city sprawling over both banks of the Bosphorus Strait. It is a metropolis full of highrise apartments and office blocks. Nonetheless, Istanbullu (people who live in Istanbul) value their green spaces and make good use of them. In the event of an earthquake, these open spaces would be the only…
Imagine the time – almost 25 years ago. Imagine the place – Istanbul, Eminönü and the old Galata Bridge over the Golden Horn. Fishermen in Karaköy, the new Galata bridge in the background “Up on the terrace of the hostel, the six of us ploughed our way through three bottles of reasonable red wine and…
Despite the heat of summer I decided to prowl the less popular backstreets of Rasimpasa Kadikoy. These are just a few of the hidden gems I found. I want to know how the artist got up there! Living proof of one of the many minority groups that would have lived in Rasimpasa Kadikoy in the…
Riding an Istanbul ferry as it slowly crosses the Bosphorus is like being suspended in time. While the journey is short, I am instantly taken back to my childhood, to endless days, freedom and adventure. I feel sadly nostalgic for the past but excited too because I feel I am travelling with early explorers to…
There are many things I love about my life in Istanbul, in particular the way the locals prepare for traditional Turkish celebrations. Whether the special event is a wedding, Christmas, New Year’s Eve or Ramazan, they approach it in their own truly unique style. Here are some photos I’ve taken over the years that give…