Outside the city of Doğubayazıt, on the eastern border of the country, lies the magnificent Ishak Pasha palace. It appears in a bare and almost lunar landscape. Read the rest of this entry »
The month of Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is a time during which practitioners observe fasting from sunrise until sunset. Ramadan began Tuesday, July 9th in Turkey. Read the rest of this entry »
The Belgrade Forest in Istanbul
When the summer heat becomes unbearable in Istanbul, one of the most pleasant places to walk is definitely the Belgrade Forest located on the European side.It is situated between the Black Sea and inhabited areas to the west of the Bosphorus. Read the rest of this entry »
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Tomb of King Mausolus of Caria in Asia Minor made a powerful impression on the minds of the people of the ancient Mediterranean.
King Mausolus was the son of Hecatomnus (r.377-353 BC), who ruled the Caria on the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor (Anatolia, Turkey) as vassal or ‘satrap’ of the Persian empire. Mausolus ascended the throne after his fathers death in 377 BC. Read the rest of this entry »
Sirkeci, the final stop of the Orient Express
Close to the Eminonu docks connecting the European side of Istanbul to the Asian side is the Sirkeci Train Station. This is the terminus of the Orient Express, the legendary train from Paris to ancient Constantinople. From 1895 to 1977, the arrival of the “Sark Ekspresi” the Turkish name for the Orient Express was a feast in itself, both for passengers and onlookers. Read the rest of this entry »