New London mayor on holiday in Turkey

DALYAN – Turkish Daily News

Boris Johnson, elected mayor of London three weeks ago, has taken time off to relax with his family and Turkish relatives in Dalyan in southwest Turkey.

His choice of holiday has a cultural emphasis, unlike the standard "beach break" preferred by many British tourists who visit the country. Westminster Classic Tours is an exclusive company specializing in visits to some of the many historic sites on Turkey's Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.

Taking time out from visiting ancient cities in the area, Johnson enjoyed a traditional Turkish lunch in a restaurant on the banks of Dalyan River, overlooking the rock tombs for which the area is known.

Dressed in a casual clothes � bright shorts and an open neck shirt � Johnson still keeps in touch with his office in City Hall twice a day and is no doubt taking the opportunity to recover from the tough election in which he replaced former Mayor Ken Livingstone. The run-up to the election was certainly a tough time for him and it would appear that the British media have not been prepared to give him the customary "honeymoon period."

Ali Kemal Bey, a liberal journalist during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, was Johnson's great-grandfather. Johnson's link with Turkey and Islam (he has described himself as a "one man melting pot") will hopefully be beneficial for Turkey and certainly his choice of holiday destination can only be seen as advantageous for Turkish tourism.

He and his family left the restaurant by traditional riverboat to visit the mud baths up stream. If the mud doesn't stick now one can only wonder what will happen in the future.

Inform,2008