Istanbul 50 Unsung Places – my alternative guidebook to the city
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Istanbul 50 Unsung Places – my alternative guidebook to the city

I’m a Sydney, Australia born sociologist, author and travel writer who’s lived on the Asian side of Istanbul for many years. I’m fascinated by the history, social life, religious customs and personal stories to be found in less famous sites around the city and set out to document the places that resonated most. Istanbul 50…

Turkish National Public Holidays 2024

Turkish National Public Holidays 2024

On Turkish national public holidays, banks, post offices, schools, government departments and many private businesses are closed. If the weather’s good it feels like everyone is on the road, headed somewhere, and waterfront walks and breakfast places are jampacked with mums, dads and kids plus all their relatives. During two of the longest breaks in…

The devastating 2023 Turkey earthquakes – how to help in 2024

The devastating 2023 Turkey earthquakes – how to help in 2024

Even though the Turkey earthquakes of 2023 have largely moved off the front page of the news, that doesn’t mean the people affected by them are doing OK. If anything, their needs are greater, especially in south east Turkey and Syria where more than 50,000 people were killed, hundreds of thousands injured and people went…