Turks are rightly proud of their cuisine, and every village in Turkiye has a signature dish that draws on ingredients native to that specific area, handed down through generations, and made differently in every household. Some Turkish dishes you’ll find on every street corner or even all over the world, like the ubiquitous doner kebab.…
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If you spend even a short time in Didim, one thing becomes very clear: tea is everywhere. Whether you’re visiting a neighbour, waiting in a shop, relaxing at a café or finishing a meal, the chances are high that someone will offer you a small glass of Turkish tea or “çay.” Understanding Turkish tea culture…
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As you drive along the coast past Mavişehir and north out of Didim, you can see unfolding in front of you a huge flat delta of sandbanks, reeds and rivulets, writes Laura Bower A headland rises up in the distance, one end sloping steeply into the sea, framed by an island looming in the distance,…
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No-one wants to get sick, and especially not sick enough to need a visit to A&E. But what if you find yourself feeling so poorly you know you can’t wait to see a GP? Or if you have an accident or a heart attack? Here in Türkiye, how does the system work and what do…
Read MoreA visitor to Turkiye might be excused from thinking Turkish people aren’t big drinkers. Certainly many restaurants don’t serve alcohol, and in some parts of Turkiye the only place you’ll get a beer is on the quiet from a corner shop, sold to you in an opaque plastic bag for discretion. If you’ve ever been…
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If you’ve been near a sports centre recently, you may have noticed there’s a new game in town. Played on a court similar to tennis, with a paddle and a hollow plastic ball, pickleball is fast becoming one of the world’s most accessible and fastest-growing sports. And now, thanks to a unique mix of local…
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By A.J. Griffiths-Jones: Set against the backdrop of Japan’s beautiful changing seasons, from pink cherry blossoms to autumn leaves, rippling streams to snow-capped mountains, this is a wonderful tale of friendship and hope. At the start of the story, we meet our two main characters, Nana the street cat and a quiet studious young man…
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By A.J. Griffiths-Jones Now the construction season is well underway once again and websites are filled with advertisements for new builds, it’s no wonder that people who have enjoyed a few weeks’ stay in Turkiye are tempted to consider purchasing a permanent holiday home here. With so many properties on estate agents’ books right now,…
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Special feature by Laura Bower If you’ve spent any time in Turkiye, you may have seen someone walking with a curious, pear-shaped black case strapped to their back. Inside lies a saz, Turkiye’s most iconic folk instrument, with a teardrop-shaped body, a long slender neck and seven shimmering strings. Played with the fingers or a…
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Laura Bower looks back on the first-ever edition of Voices It’s Saturday, 24 September 2005. Tony Blair is Prime Minister, Doctor Who is back on TV screens for the first time since 1989, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles are newlyweds, and Roger Federer has just beaten Andre Agassi in the US Men’s Open. About 30,000…
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