Getting to know Istanbul can be overwhelming. It’s a huge city, inhabited by people from all over the country and the world, with diverse neighbourhoods, confusing street layouts and a language most foreigners find hard to master, at least at first. Feeling at home and comfortable in your everyday life can take some time, so…
Turkish evisa – for tourist purposes Most people, when they come to Turkey for a short holiday, will need a Turkish evisa. The rules are based on your nationality so once you know need one, go to the official Turkish government website and enter your details. Here’s the link. Have your passport handy, and make…
I’m a member of a Facebook group for travel writers and I recently asked for suggestions of blogs about Turkey and neighbouring countries. Surprisingly, at least to me, there were few suggestions. Naturally, I decided to compile my own. Listed below, in no particular order, are some but by no means all, the blogs about…
I’m Lisa Morrow writer, sociologist and author, but more importantly I’m someone who has a real passion for Turkey. I’ve lived in Istanbul and other parts of the country for more than 15 years and counting, after first travelling in Turkey in 1990. How I went from plain Lisa Morrow to Lisa Morrow writer I…
I’ve lived in Turkey for almost 20 years in total now, and have almost completely adapted to the way of life. I’m no longer surprised if I’m offered a piece of stinky cheese direct from a goat skin and can use even the most basic of squat toilets without needing to hold my nose. I’m…
The Holy Month of Ramadan, the thirty day period when devout Muslims fast during daylight hours has started here in Turkey. As a visitor you’re exempt from fasting but life does change so here are some useful Ramadan tips to help you make the most of your travels during this special month. While locals abstain…
The photo of three year old Aylan Kurdi lying dead on the beach in Bodrum, Turkey, in 2015, provoked a storm of emotion and galvanised people around the world to help refugees in Turkey, particularly Syrians who had been forced to flee their country. However, those of us who lived and are still living in…
This pocket size guide to the essential customs and culture of Turkey is a must read whether you’re coming to Turkey for the first time or plan to live here for a while. Unlike the usual guide book or personal travel narrative, Culture Smart Turkey contains a carefully thought out wealth of information about the…
Extract about Ramadan in Kayseri “… I was living in Kayseri in central Turkey for my next Turkish Ramadan. It was 2002, and winter once again. The cold made me permanently hungry so food was of paramount importance. Knowing most of my colleagues and students would fast, I took a sandwich with me to work…
Behind the mundane route of the Istanbul Metrobus system lies another world. Find out more in this extract from my story “Metrobus Dreams”. “At Uzunçayır, I envisage the long fields to which the name refers. Fully grown sheep and brilliantly white newborn lambs dot meadows covered with long blades of grass swaying gently in the…