Humans beings have been fascinated with death; in particular, the underworld. No matter what religion or belief, people across the world have varying thoughts on what happens to us after we die. While we don’t know for sure what happens in the afterlife, there are places scattered in different nations where you can perhaps get […]
ADVENTURE AND ANTIQUITY: EGIRDIR
Egirdir is a town in southwest Turkey lying on the shore of a large lake surrounded by mountains. Travelers stop here on their way to Cappadocia, Antalya or Pamukkale to visit the ancient cities of Sagalassos, Pisidia or Adada, and the area also attracts many people who come for outdoor sports that include paragliding, trekking, […]
BEYLERBEYI PALACE MUSEUM, ISTANBUL
The beautiful terraced gardens behind Beylerbeyi Palace used to be known as the Gardens of the Cross because of a cross erected here by Constantine the Great. From Byzantine times onwards, numerous magnificent buildings were constructed here, enhancing the beauty of nature with that of architecture. The sun shone brightly and a gentle breeze was […]
IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL TO TURKEY? A GUIDE TO A SAFE VISIT
Did you know 40 million tourists visited Turkey last year in 2018? That’s an increase of 21% from the previous year. The trend is clear. Despite recent drops in the country’s tourism numbers, it’s increasing in popularity once more. We’ll let this video speak for us. Why Turkey is not a safe country to travel […]
THE DANCE OF TASKALE & MANAZAN CAVES
A local dance that used to be performed in Taskale is described by Cenk Gencdis in his book about the town. Two people dressed up as a camel in a costume made of sacking. A wise man wearing a white robe would appear first and behind him the camel, and then the camel’s owner, an […]
OLD & NEW FOCA: A SMALL FISHING TOWN IN TURKEY
Heading westwards across the fertile plain watered by the Gediz River, you suddenly catch the salty scent of the sea in the air. Then a monumental tower thought to have been built by one of the generals of Alexander the Great comes into sight at the right-hand side of the road next to a Roman […]
TURKISH ROSES
Roses are the oldest source of perfume. Ancient Sanskrit documents mention rose oil, which is the strongest form of this scent, and in the Iliad’s Homer relates how Aphrodite rubbed Hector’s dead body with rose oil. What was meant by rose oil in these texts was not what we mean by this term today, since […]
VISITING THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF FATIH, FENER, AND BALAT, ISTANBUL
While the neighborhood of Balat Istanbul has a rich history and is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, less than 1% of travelers to Turkey visit it. Have you heard of the “Neighborhoods of Faith”? Fatih, Fener, and Balat are where different religions and communities live in harmony to create a cultural melting pot. Are […]
DON’T LOOK AWAY: DISCOVER THE MEANING AND HISTORY OF THE EVIL EYE
You’ve probably seen the iconic evil eye symbol a hundred different times and paid no mind to it. Or, you’ve pondered its meaning and the history behind it. In fact, you may even own a piece of jewelry with the evil eye symbol but not thought twice about its actual meaning- only that it looked […]
CLOTHES FIT FOR A SULTAN KAFTANS
Topkapi Palace was the splendid home of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years, built by Mehmed II the Conqueror (1451-1481), and from 1478 onwards used both as an imperial residence and the seat of government. Events at Topkapi Palace determined the destiny of the most far-flung parts of the empire. Here decisions to go to […]