TERROR IN ISTANBUL

At least 13 killed in double explosions in Istanbul

Sunday, July 27, 2008

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

Two consecutive explosions in Güngören district of Istanbul, a busy shopping center, killed at least 13 people and injured around 70 others, Muammer Güler Istanbul Governor announced late Sunday.

“It’s a terror attack,” Güler told reporters. He said it was still early to estimate who was behind the explosion. But the private NTV said the security forces estimate that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, could carry out such a terrorist attack.

The first bomb, left in a bin, exploded around 21.55 p.m. local time which was followed by another one 15 minutes later, increasing more death tolls. The victims were killed by the second explosion as the first explosion in a telephone kiosk brought people out onto the street.

The images broadcast by NTV showed scenes of panic, with people covered in blood and disoriented as they ran from the area of the blasts, littered with debris and shattered glass. Teams of firefighters and emergency workers were dispatched to the scene and police established a security perimeter.

Two weeks ago, three police officers and three assailants were killed in an exchange of fire outside the US consulate in Istanbul. Güler said the police was investigating a possible link between the two incidents.

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Şile celebrates its world-famous product

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Şile is holding its 22nd annual Şile Festival this weekend. It actually started on Friday evening but there’s still plenty of entertainment to go around today and tomorrow. The fun begins at 18:00 [HH] How the women in Şile started weaving their trademark material doesn’t seem to be known although it is thought to have been somewhat more than 150 years ago. Perhaps they started just to satisfy the needs of their families and village, the usual reason in a country with limited resources and poor communications

GÜL DEMİR and NIKI GAMM
ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News

A small fishing town on the coast of the Black Sea at the entrance of the Bosphorus Straits has given its name to a type of cotton cloth that has gone round the world – Şile Bezi. Crimpled cotton is another way to describe this light, see-through, versatile cotton material. It has become so popular that now even the Chinese and the Indians are producing their versions. Şile is only 70 kilometers from Istanbul. Although the city itself numbers about 10,000 inhabitants for most of the year, summer visitors, day trippers, may tally to around 300,000 between June and September. There are numerous lodgings available as well as bars and restaurants while a nice sandy beach attracts bathers in spite of the potentially dangerous waters that can suddenly turn a pleasant swim into a lethal exercise.

A dense forest has managed to survive the onslaught of modern tourism. A lighthouse, the remains of a 13th century Genoese fortress and jagged cliffs are more than enough for the romantically inclined mind. The fortress has been studied with the thought that it might be repaired one day. It was built in Byzantine times by the Genoese to fend off attacks from the sea. The Ottomans later used it for the same purpose. The lighthouse was first built in Ottoman times and a small tomb and shrine to Kum Baba, Father Sand, occupies a tree-covered hill.Şile is holding its 22nd annual Şile Festival this weekend. It actually started on Friday evening but there's still plenty of entertainment to go around today and tomorrow. The fun begins at 18:00 with children's programs, continues on with folk dances and from 20:30 onwards, the concerts begin. The singers include Tan and Izel, Sami and Group Sefarad. Who knows when the programs end although the weather is great all night.

Şile has long history

As a village Şile has been there since time immemorial. One source suggests that its origin goes back to 700 B.C. when it was founded by traders as the last port traveling to Istanbul from the east on the Black Sea. This was approximately the same time that Byzantium was established. One is reminded of Jason and his pursuit of the Golden Fleece along the coast to the east, only to return with the witch Medea and her father in hot pursuit, actually of the Fleece, not Medea. The Greek name of the city was Şile and the village would have been different in those days as one of the ends of trading routes from Central Anatolia. Furs, hides, gold, possibly honey in exchange for fish and merchandise from passing trading ships. Dramatic cliffs, a sandy cove where ships could tie up. The buildings would most likely have been built of wood and the streets unpaved mud or dust. Its inhabitants probably made their living from fishing more than trading once boats no longer had to hug the coast line.

Xenophon and his 10,000 men are supposed to have spent a winter here as they neared the end of their long trek across Anatolia from Babylonia. These Greek soldiers had been lured into an attempt to overcome a Persian king of the time and when this insurrection failed, they had found themselves without leaders and thousands of miles from their homes in ancient Greece. There is even a large cave at Şile that is supposed to have housed Xenophon and his men during the bad weather. Twenty, thirty years ago even Turks barely knew where this seaside village was although some members of the intrepid middle-class in Istanbul had already seen the advance of having a summer home there. Most people would have confused the place with its opposite number, Kilyos, on the other side of the entrance to the Straits but this village is easier to reach since the majority of Istanbulites live on that side. Gradually Şile became better known and even popular. One or two pensions and hotels became many and the village increased in size all year round as it became easier. How the women in Şile started weaving their trademark material doesn't seem to be known although it is thought to have been somewhat more than 150 years ago. Perhaps they started just to satisfy the needs of their families and village, the usual reason in a country with limited resources and poor communications. Cotton in Turkey comes from the southeast but would have been more or less available throughout the country. The Istanbul summer tourists would have brought the material into the city where it would be sold and what better place to sell it than in the Covered Bazaar where tourists would spread its fame throughout the world. Until the end of the 1960s, it was impossible to find off-the-rack, ready-made women's clothing in Istanbul but there were Şile bezi blouses – not that you saw many Turkish women wearing them, mostly foreigners.The material traditionally was hand-woven on a loom at home although today machine looms have taken over. Some still are known to carry out weaving at home. The result has been described as “crimpled.” Why not? The result certainly looks the way the word sounds. The material originally was not dyed but embroidered, and Turkish women are very good at embroidery. The material would be 40 cm in width and 20 meters long. It would then be left to whiten in a mixture of sea water, carbonate and lime before being spread out under the sun to dry on the rocks or the sand. Color may then be added as embroidery using a floss silk thread. Dyes are now used more often than not for color in blouses and dresses and many of the types of Şile bezi sold in the bazaars of Istanbul are clearly machine sewn. The motifs used in the embroidery are usually the classic type with flowers, leaves and fruits. The amount of floral design seems to be rather more in recent years perhaps reflecting a trend to clunky colored necklaces in the West. The different uses to which this Şile bezi would be put are very interesting and reflect how a Turkish woman would normally use them from nightgown to blouse, tablecloth to salon curtains. One Turkish company is now describing Şile bezi as eco-friendly and of course it is since it is 100 percent cotton. Embroidery is a skill learned as a child. It can be engaged in during the long winter hours when the weather is nasty outside. It has an artistic function and beautifies clothing as well as houses. Embroidered materials were always considered an essential part of the trousseau that young women would bring to their marriage. With the Festival starting in the evening, it's possible to enjoy oneself on a shopping spree beforehand and who knows? Perhaps we'll see you there with your arm loads of Şile bezi clothing.

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Managing the difficult balance between tourism and authenticity: Kumkapı

Saturday, July 26, 2008

The central square of Kumkapı, - a pedestrian zone closed to traffic since 1989 – is lined with numerous fish restaurants, which, in the summer, occupy the sidewalks with their white-clothed tables, vying for customers. Interspersed are shops selling fishing equipment and, a little toward the nearby Marmara Sea, Istanbul’s main fish market is to be found, where fish is sold wholesale to fish mongers and restaurants throughout the entire city.

Marlene Schäfers
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

In the evening hours when the sun is about to set and Istanbul's swallows glide chittering through the air, Akman Üzüm sits in front of his shop in Kumkapı, knotting a fishing net with professional hands.

Around him, life is starting to become busy at this hour of the day � the numerous fish restaurants are preparing for visitors, both Turks and tourists, expected after sunset. Pavements are being swept, and tables set out with white tablecloths and decorated with large flower bouquets. �Kumkapı is the center of three things: Entertainment, fish and nets,� said the net maker, whose shop sells professional fishing equipment to fishermen along the Turkish coasts � from Istanbul to as far as Cyprus.

And, indeed, the central square of Kumkapı, with its main thoroughfare and side streets � a pedestrian zone closed to traffic since 1989 � is lined with numerous fish restaurants, which, in the summer, occupy the sidewalks with their white-clothed tables, vying for customers. Interspersed are shops selling fishing equipment and, a little toward the nearby Marmara Sea, on the other side of the suburban train line, Istanbul's main fish market is to be found, where fish is sold wholesale to fish mongers and restaurants throughout the entire city.

�Because of the proximity to the fish market, the fish sold in Kumkapı's restaurants is the freshest fish you can get in Turkey,� said Mehmet Yazıcı, owner of the �Okyanus Fish Restaurant� and head of the association of Kumkapı's restaurant and shop owners. The association, which he heads together with Kemal Duranoğlu, has played a decisive role in the shaping of the district as it appears today. �Kumkapı has long since been a place of traditional Turkish meyhanes, but in the early 1990s it experienced an incredible explosion in demand. At that time, there was no �Nevizade� yet � Kumkapı was a �first.� It became the first location to combine good food with entertainment and music, and the first place in Istanbul where restaurant tables were moved out and onto the pavement. The increase in demand was also linked to the increase in the tourism sector, especially tourism from Russia in the mid-1990s.� When speaking of the rise of Kumkapı's fish restaurants, Mehmet Yazıcı hints vaguely at the fact that this sudden increase in demand was not all for the better � the immense demand led to a sharp increase in prices while quality decreased, and pick-pocketing became a serious problem in the area. As a response, the association became active, in 1998, in order to change this trend, working to both increase security and the quality of food, as well as representing the interests of Kumkapı's restaurant owners to the municipal authorities. Today, 10 years after the beginning of the association's active work, the satisfied tone of its head points not only to the success of these measures � indeed, the quarter's restaurant owners have been able to find the delicate balance between commercial tourism and �authenticity,� while catering, at the same time, to foreigners and local residents.

The other Kumkapı

Moreover, Kumkapı's association of restaurant owners works for more than its own direct interests. Since 2000 it has served free meals to Istanbul's elderly, homeless and street children, in cooperation with other nongovernmental organizations. On six days each year, a total of 2,000 people come to enjoy a dinner, which in their daily lives they are worlds away from. In organizing these philanthropic activities, the association might have been inspired by the reality to be encountered in Kumkapı, just beyond the neat and clean pedestrian area � another Kumkapı, where most people can almost never afford an evening at one of the white-clothed tables set out in the midst of their neighborhood. This other Kumkapı is inhabited by a colorful mix of people coming from all over Turkey, the Caucasus and the Central Asian Turkic Republics, as well as from Arab and African countries, where some having settled permanently with their families, while others are here on a temporary basis. Row houses of the 19th century line many of the narrow, cobbled lanes, on which children play and women chat in front of their houses. While most are in a desolate state today, these houses are witnesses to Kumkapı's past as a district of Istanbul's Armenian and Greek middle-classes of the late 19th century; where its residents realized the dream of their own, even though modest, of owning homes with little backyard gardens.The settlement of Istanbul's Greek and Armenian communities in this part of the city goes back as far as 1453, when the Ottomans systematically repopulated Constantinople after the conquest with both Muslim and non-Muslim communities from all over the empire. Kumkapı, since then, has been dominated by Armenians and Greeks. Over the centuries, the quarter's population retained this ethnic-linguistic characteristic � in fact, as late as the 1950s, Kumkapı was still known as an Armenian quarter. Starting in the 1960s, however, Kumkapı's Armenian population began to decrease, with people moving abroad to Europe or America or simply to other quarters of the city, like Samatya, Yeniköy or Bakırköy.

Multi-ethnic past of Kumkapı

Today, the various churches � Armenian, Greek Orthodox and Syriac � as well as the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, which are situated in Kumkapı, immediately remind the visitor of this multi-ethnic past. In some ways, the quarter has even regained its reputation as an Armenian quarter. Yet, the majority of Armenians residing in Kumkapı today are immigrants from Armenia, while of the �original� Armenian population, only a few individuals still call Kumkapı their home. Among these, are the brothers Ardaş and Manuel, who were born and grew up in Kumkapı. Now, in their 70s, they spend their entire days in the local tea house, playing backgammon and listening to the chitchat of the younger men. Both still bachelors, at sunset they leave the talk and backgammon behind, walking down the cobbled back street, side by side, until they disappear around the corner, returning to their home. The past is a topic they prefer not to talk about � small people as we are, they say, doing different jobs with the local craftsmen, what do we have to tell? Being Armenian does not hold an important part in their life or identity � the Armenian language they have long forgotten, and there is nothing that would connect Ardaş and Manuel to the immigrants from Armenia of recent years. The fishing equipment seller, Arto, another of the �original� Armenians of Kumkapı, and of the same generation as Ardaş and Manuel, has a very similar story to tell. While his wife still speaks and reads Armenian, he has forgotten the language. Yet, when talking of the old Kumkapı of his childhood, his voice takes on a melancholy tone. �There was no road for cars along the coast, then, as the entire coast was full of the little boats for fishermen.� He regrets that almost all Greeks and Armenians have left the quarter; in his eyes, this has meant a decline as it paved the way for the settlement of poor immigrants from Turkey's East, Armenia and the Asian Turkic Republics. Arto, himself, now lives in Bakırköy and underlines, resolutely: �Even if someone would give me a house, I would never live here.�The Greek and Armenian Kumkapı of the Ottoman and early Republican times has long vanished, with only a few representatives left today. In its place is a new constellation of immigrants and refugees, side by side with a thriving culinary and amusement center, catering to Istanbul's middle classes that has emerged. And, which form this constellation will be able to take on, whether it will be able to make up a mosaic in which the different parts complement each other, only the future will tell.

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Turkish valley to be developed as ecotourism area

Friday, July 25, 2008

Cehennem Dere Valley (Hell Stream Valley), which is home to rich flora and fauna, has been found highly suitable for a variety of ecotourism activities, such as trekking, terrain bicycling, flora discoveries and observation of natural life, according to the study by experts from the Eastern Mediterranean Forestry Research Institute and Istanbul University

Ahmet Can Erdoğan
ÇAMLIYAYLA - Anatolia News Agency

As part of Turkey's first ecotourism project, a group of experts has examined a forest of cedars and spruces in the Çamlıyayla district of the southern province of Mersin to determine its fitness as an ecological site.

The 40,000-hectare Cehennem Dere Valley (Hell Stream Valley), which is home to rich flora and fauna, has been found highly suitable for a variety of ecotourism activities, such as trekking, terrain bicycling, flora discoveries and observation of natural life, according to the study by experts from the Eastern Mediterranean Forestry Research Institute and Istanbul University.

�The studies for the project, which aims to determine ecotourism strategies, have been completed,� said Dr. Ersin Yılmaz, director of the institute. Yılmaz also said the experts have prepared a map for ecotourism activities to be held in the valley, the first valley where ecotourism examinations have been carried out in Turkey.

�In addition to its rich flora and fauna, the valley is also home to a considerable number of ancient monasteries, churches and windmills. When taking into account these elements, the Cehennem Dere Valley appears to have a genuinely big potential for ecotourism,� he said.

Seven ecotourism activities

Yılmaz said the valley is scientifically proven to be appropriate for seven types of ecotourism activities: observation of birds, flora discovery trekking, nature trekking, discovery trekking for non-wood forest products, discovery walking, bicycle tours and observation of wildlife. Of these, he said observation of bird species has priority.

Pinus brutia (Turkish pine), pinus thunbergii (black pine), the taurus cedar and the taurus spruce are major examples of foliage that make the valley an attractive spot for ecotourism, he added.

The valley is also home to various caves, cascades and geological forms. The project is expected to serve as a model for further projects in the field of ecological tourism in Turkey.

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Turkish çay: thirst solution

Thursday, July 24, 2008

For ages the best remedy against thirst has been tea. Luckily, Turkish çay can be found anywhere, anytime in Istanbul, but it is still a challenge to find a nice çay spot

Sophie ten Bokkel Huinink
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

It is summer. It is hot and people are thirsty. But the question is where one can go and what can one drink if one has had enough of Efes beer and sweet cocktails. For ages the best remedy against thirst has been tea. Luckily, Turkish çay can be found anywhere, anytime in Istanbul, but it is still a challenge to find a nice çay spot. The Turkish Daily News has compiled some suggestions for the best teahouses and tea gardens in different districts in the city, places where one can take a book, lie back and enjoy a Turkish çay, or alternatively some apple or fresh mint tea.

Cihangir: fairytale

To get to this fairy tale tea garden one walks to the end of steep street Akyol Sokak in Cihangir, walks north, and then turns at the second left and walks to the end of the street. Ivy and flowers protect tea drinkers from the sun and this charming terrace is a wonderful place to sit down and relax. There is no menu, but çay, coffee, soft drinks and toast are offered. This small and nothing-fancy tea garden is a perfect getaway to read a book and enjoy the view over Tophane and the Bosporus.

Dolmabahçe Çay Bahçesi: in between

Located between Dolmabahçe Palace and Dolmabahçe Mosque, this tea garden has soft drinks, toast, durum and sahlep. It is open between 7 a.m. and 3 a.m. and is a good place to sit down after visiting the palace. Right on the shores of the Bosporus, with the palace on one side and the mosque on the other, this çay bahçesi emanates a calm atmosphere. The prices are a bit high and the wait staff can be none too friendly but the location makes it worth it nonetheless.

Nistantasi � Dream away

Overlooking Taksim and Beşiktaş stadium on the left, this tea garden is centrally located. Families lie on the grass, dogs walk around and businesspeople take their cigarette breaks. In the distance one can see other cafes with colorful pillows spread on the floor. As it is on top of the hill, this tea garden also offers a nice breeze, along with a different view of Istanbul and a good Turkish çay.

Emirgan Çınarlı Kafe: famous seaside

Next to the Sabancı Museum in Emirgan in the Sarriyer district one finds the lovely Çınarlı Kafe. Emirgan is famous for its seaside cafes and the large city park on the slopes behind it. This tea garden is generally packed with people enjoying some ice cream and the view. The atmosphere is good and so are the menu and the service. The seaside mansion on the shore and the pavilions inside the park serve as cafes and their Ottoman architecture makes the atmosphere complete.

Besiktas: overlooking the Bosporus

Right on the shore of the Bosporus, close to Beşiktaş Uskudar pier, there is a terrace where one can sit on little wooden stools while enjoying the people and boats passing by. Customers are invited to drink çay and play backgammon while waiting for the ferry to cross to the Asian side.

Pierre Loti Cafe: standing strong

This cafe, named after a famous French novelist, is a great place from which to view the Golden Horn.

Pierre Loti lived from 1850 to 1923 and when he resided in Istanbul one of his most frequent haunts was this cafe. Departing from the neighborhood of Eyup, one can reach this cafe by walking uphill on a footpath through a cemetery. Another option is to use the cable car. The cafe consists of a stone terrace decorated in traditional Turkish motifs. One can relax and sit facing the Golden Horn and the hills of Eyup. There is a garden shaded with trees and a breeze even in the summer. Tourists, locals and crews from TV series are all customers of this popular establishment, which may explain why after many years this historical place is still standing strong.

It is difficult to imagine breakfast, business meetings, social gatherings and even a ferry ride in Turkey without the presence of tea. Tea servers are everywhere at anytime -- in shops, parking lots, little cafes and even in the streets. Tea is a feature of Turkey and it is for this reason that the Turks have one of the highest rates of tea consumption per year.

Teahouses welcome the young and old, as well as many foreigners. Tea gardens gained popularity in the 1950s, especially in Istanbul. Families went to the gardens for their weekly outing. Today, even though the concept might have changed, Turkish tea gardens are still a nice getaway and the places are full of life: students playing backgammon, children running around and elderly people reading the newspaper.

Drinking tea in a garden or having typically Turkish tea in a cafe is an experience one cannot and should not miss in Istanbul. These places are among the essential pleasures of the city. A folk saying from Sivas in Turkey says, �Conversations without tea are like a night sky without the moon.� Visitors and locals alike should take the opportunity this summer to sip tea and cool down while looking at a Bosporus or city view. Inform

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Antalya: a growing city

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Surrounded by the Taurus mountains and situated on the Gulf of Antalya, the mix of well-preserved Ottoman structures coupled with some adventurous modern hotel architecture makes a visit to the fastest-growing cities in Turkey an exciting and very memorable experience.

Dorte Huneke
ANTALYA - Turkish Daily News

In Antalya the growing season lasts all year long. �There is no winter in here,� says Cemal Şimşek, a 59-year-old farmer who grows tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce, cucumbers, beans, apricots and lemons. Hot, sunny summers and mild temperatures during the rest of the year make the �Turkish Riviera� a rich garden of fruits and vegetables full of flavor. Even under perfect weather conditions, however, the quality of the harvest depends on how much attention is paid to the fields. �You have to take good care of your crops,� noted Şimşek.

Visitors to Antalya can expect the same careful treatment. Friendly, relaxed residents, excellent service and hospitality reign in the tourist epicenter of Turkey's Mediterranean coast and it is increasingly becoming a place for health tourism with special holiday packages for older tourists.

Antalya, an important metropolis even in Byzantium times, was probably founded by the king of Pergamon, Attalos II, in 150 B.C. under the name �Attalia.� In June of this year, however, a group of archaeologists digging in the city center found artifacts that could put that date as much as 100 years earlier.

A wander through the picturesque alleys of old Antalya (Kaleiçi), which is full of well-preserved Ottoman architecture, reveals exquisite gardens and cafes nestling behind open gates built into the ancient city walls.

Antalya is also among the few cities in Turkey where one can explore the city and its surroundings by bike. Antalya's mayor, Menderes Türel, who has done a lot to improve the traffic infrastructure of the city, is also trying to make the city more cycle friendly by creating new bike paths.

Tourists in search of luxury are also attracted by the extremely large and creatively designed hotel complexes � which can really be called palaces -- built with great speed over the last five to 10 years. South of Lara Beach are hotels known as the Titanic Hotel, the Kremlin Palace, Topkapı Palace and the entrance gate to Dolmabahçe Palace (built to size!) � places one could normally only dream of entering in a bathing suit with sand in one's toes.

�Within the next few years Antalya will be the leader of tourism in the Mediterranean region,� said Türel, noting that the number of beaches with blue flags is up from 75 to 143 since 2004.

Visitors must also be sure not to miss the small fish restaurants along the Aksu River, right behind �Mardan Palace.� Each restaurant has a boat service that takes customers across the river to their table. And with any luck, Mustafa and his wife, Aysel, owners of the Mustafa Bey Restaurant, will set out down the river in their restaurant boat later that evening. It is customary to tie a handkerchief to the overhanging branches of the wishing trees and to make a wish (which one must be sure to keep to oneself) with the chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs in the background.

What to do?

Visit the ancient and best-preserved amphitheatre of Aspendos, located 46 kilometers east of Antalya on the way to Alanya.

Belek has an impressive national park, as well as top class golf clubs.

Contact the Antalya Golf Club at 3 Kum Tepesi Mevkii Belek, Tel 0242 7255970 www.antalyagolfclub.com.tr

Where to eat?

Eat and drink in the cool gardens of Demlik Cafe Bar right in the middle of old Antalya:

Kılınçaslan Mah. Zafer Sok. No.16, Antalya

Tel 90 242 247 1930

For traditional cuisine try Seden Osmanlı Mutfağı Restaurant on Atatürk Cd. No. 52, Kaleiçi, Tel 90 242 243 4540

Where to stay?

Those who wish to stay in Ottoman style in the city center can book a room at the Atelya Art Hotel

Barbaros Mahallesi, Civelek Sokak No. 21, Antalya

Tel: 0242 241 6416

How to get there?

SunExpress flights to Antalya from Adana, Bodrum, Dalaman, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, İstanbul, İzmir, Kayseri, Sivas, Trabzon, Van and all over Europe make the way to Antalya shorter.

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Legend of Troy comes to life at Antalya's Aspendos

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Based on one of the core myths of Western civilization and a focal point of world literature, 'Troya' (Legend of Troy) was staged for the first time in its homeland Anatolia. Performed by Fire of Anatolia, a Turkish dance group, the show has played to full houses every performance since it premiered in Istanbul April 8 Betül Çal Antalya – Turkish Daily News

A new staging of Homer's rendering of the legend of Troy, one of the core myths in the history of civilization, made its debut in Antalya at the Aspendos Arena, near the Aspendos Antique Theatre, in the city's Side district. After three years of hard work, �Troya� (The Legend of Troy) was performed by a group of 120 professional dancers from the dance group Fire of Anatolia.

�The Legend of Troy is to be staged at the Aspendos Arena with a real interpretation spreading from the mainland into the whole world. Anatolia is our guide in this path,� said Mustafa Erdoğan, the general art director for the dance group.

�It is a historical responsibility for this heritage of humankind that belongs to us to manifest itself with our cultural codes. �Troya' has become one of the most valuable shows staged so far and will take its place in the world classics,� Erdoğan added.

Latest technology used

Premiering at the Istanbul Show Center in April, �Troya� attracted attention for the technical work used on the stage and for the world famous stars who created the musical accompaniment for the show.

Christopher Ash, who created the stage lighting for the musical �Chicago� came to Turkey to design the lightening for �Troya,� while the flying system on stage, the first of its kind in Turkey, was managed by Ted Moore, designer of the system for Circque du Soleil.

The songs for �Troya,� composed by Yücel Arzen, were performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, while the 80-person musical group for the show was accompanied by world-renowned virtuosos Gheorghe Zamfir, Civan Gasparyan and Vassilis Saleas. Another group of 70 expert Turkish musicians also contributed to the show with their distinctive performances.

Every performance playing to a full house

�Performed by 120 professional dancers who have been working on the show for three years, Troya will have its (Antalya) premiere at the Aspendos Arena on July 18. The show has been performed in Istanbul as of April playing full house at every performance�, said media and public relations manager for Fire of Anatolia, Özlem İşler.

�We did not expect the first performance in Antalya to attract such high attention,� noted İşler, adding that the tickets were sold out one week ahead of the show.

Serdar Başbuğ designed over 2,000 costumes for the show, while Dr. Rüstem Aslan, who participated in the Troy excavations, provided historical consulting.

The Fire of Anatolia team, who did extensive historical research during the production of �Troya,� even used historically accurate instruments from the time.

Domestic and foreign tourists, in addition to citizens of Antalya, have showed great interest to the premiere of �Troya� at the Aspendos Arena. The show will have two more performances on July 26 and 29. Inform

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Kurşunlu: Hidden heaven beneficial to health

Monday, July 21, 2008

MANİSA - Anatolia News Agency

The province of Manisa, rich in thermal waters resources, is awaiting more investment in its tourism sector.

The Kurşunlu health resort, located on a 46,000-square-meter area of the Allahdiyen district, is considered one of Turkey's tourism centers. Its thermal springs are famous for their medical effects, yielding positive results in the treatment of many illnesses.

Patients with skin problems, gynecological illnesses, and respiratory tract, neural, articulation and calcification diseases visit the green valley of Kurşunlu for rehabilitation. Among those who usually come to Kurşunlu are middle class tourists from Manisa, İzmir, Konya, Istanbul and Ankara. Those who visit once very often book a place for the next season. Only 40 percent of hotel beds are still available for reservations for 2009.

In the valley where the thermal springs are located there is only one four-star hotel, but investors have still tended not to invest in this area. Officials say more wealthy visitors would contribute to the economy of the district.

The manager of the Kurşunlu thermal springs, Savaş Ermaner, said the district seems like a hidden heaven with its natural resources that have been serving the people since the proclamation of the Republic.

�After the restoration works carried out in the late 1980s, the thermal springs facilities now correspond to higher tourism standards and are ready to host foreign tourists. The number of rooms and beds has been increased and a physical therapy clinic and rehabilitation center have been established. People can benefit from the thermal water not only in their bungalows but also in private whirlpool baths, saunas and massage parlors.�

The springs are very rich in minerals with 2,172 milligrams of minerals per liter of water.

The hopeless case

Ermaner said he had witnessed the springs curing many patients. He gave the example of a German woman. �She had become paralyzed due to a car accident. She was treated in many hospitals in Germany but the doctors remained helpless. The patient's parents contacted us and we decided to accept her here. When she came here we could hardly put her on the wheelchair with the help of three people. She could not even raise her head or move her arms. Her look was spiritless. In other words, she was almost in a vegetative state. We did not think she could benefit from the thermal springs anyhow.�

Ermaner said the woman was treated with hydrotherapy and when she went back to Germany for a regular check up the doctors were surprised by the results. They advised her to continue the therapy in Turkey as it turned out to be beneficial to her health. After her fourth series of treatment, she was even able to drink tea by herself.

Kurşunlu Valley

�In such a promising and attractive area there is only one four-star hotel, Lidya, opened by businessmen from Salihli, which provides employment opportunities for 300 to 500 people,� Ermaner said. �I wish more similar hotels were opened�

Explaining that the district offers many attractive places for future investment, Ermaner called on businessmen to consider the area in their future plans and added, �Agriculture-based Salihli with its economic problems should find another footing and the tourism sector may assume this role.�

Refika Talay from İzmir suffers from rheumatism and said her health benefited from the thermal springs. She added, however, that it was very difficult to book a place, even in the winter season.

Mükerrem Özay from Ankara said she had been visiting the thermal springs regularly for six or seven years.

Meanwhile, Swedish resident Elif Ceylan commented, �I have insufferable pains in my waist and knee. Everybody recommended the Kurşunlu thermal springs. I believe thanks to them I will get well soon.�

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Greek islanders sail to Turkey for shopping

Saturday, July 19, 2008

The residents of Greek island Meis, located one and a half miles south of Turkey, travel to Kaş every week for shopping. None of them seem as if they are in a foreign country because the visits have helped create a friendly atmosphere between the two towns

Meral Ciyan Şenerdi
KAŞ - Turkish Daily News

Five small boats set sail from a small Greek island to the Turkish Mediterranean town of Kaş. It is Friday morning and Kaş' traditional bazaar gets ready for customers. It is shopping day and also an occasion to get together with old friends. The boats, with blue and white flags at the stern and red and white ones in the flagstaff, enter the port. Among them Barbara, the boat led by young captain Yorgos, is the first to anchor. Within minutes, the harbor is full of passengers. Everyone is familiar with each other. Warm greetings, hugs, loud salutes, jokes, and Greek words accompanied with Turkish words in Greek accents are all up in the air. After the greetings, all head to the center of Kaş.

No one seems as if they are in a foreign country because Kaş is their tiny, good old town as well. �Do not forget please. We shall leave at 12:30,� captains shout loudly after the passengers, while handing in the passports and passenger lists to Turkish officials at the harbor. But most of the passengers barely hear. They all know that they have a limited amount of time.

An 80-year-old man known only as Vangel and his wife are already at the bazaar. Shopkeepers know them very well. Vangel does not even remember for how many years he has been coming to this bazaar. It is a colorful summer bazaar where shopping has already started in the shade of olive trees and huge tents tied to Lykian rock graves.

The bazaar is crammed with people, making it more colorful and vibrant. It is not possible to discern who is really a local of Megisti, a local of Kaş, a German, a Brit or a Dutch person. Sometimes, more than three languages are heard at the stalls. This is more than a bazaar. It resembles an international festival.

Most of the sellers are peasant women coming from the surrounding villages. People wait in line for the traditional delicious pastries bazlama and gözleme that women from the villages around cook on the spot. There is no disagreement based on nationality, religion or ethnicity, just common needs. So everyone is equal here, in this local bazaar. All questions find an answer since all communication includes body or sign language. And so the shopping manages to happen.

Leaving behind the fascinating atmosphere of the local bazaar, locals of Meis move towards the square where small shops are located side by side. An old fisherman, Yorgos, is taking orders for next week as two tourists are photographing two huge swordfish in his stall. Some female locals of Meis are having their hair done at the few hairdressers in Kaş. They are also getting a manicure. Bright nail polish comes out of drawers for them. And they definitely leave good tips, says Şerife, one of the hairdressers.

On the other hand, Tülin, the owner of a furniture shop, said she is highly content with her customers from Meis. �Once they stopped coming here for two months when they heard news about the bird flu. Those two months were like a nightmare. We could not sell anything,� she said, adding, �The products I sell are even taken to Rhodes. In fact, I am the one who produced almost all the curtains in the houses of Meis.�

Meis, which is home to only 270 permanent residents, is almost like a part of Kaş despite a deep blue sea dividing the two places. Wars erupted, but then came peace. Politics and politicians have changed and relations have sometimes been tense and sometimes quite easygoing. But there is one fact that has never changed: the geographic distance between Kaş and Meis. There is only a one and a half-mile distance between the two closest spots and the distance between the two ports is 2.7 miles. That is to say, Kaş and Meis are very close neighbors while belonging to different states and nations.

Meis, the farthest island from mainland Greece and the closest to Turkey, became the official sister town of Kaş in June. �We were always good neighbors to each other. But being neighbors to each other was not enough. We decided to become friends and even sisters and brothers� said Halil Kocaer, mayor of Kaş, who signed the treaty of amity on behalf of the locals of Kaş. �You know, sisters and brothers have responsibilities for each other. We thought we should have responsibilities towards each other too. So, we invite each other to the festivals we organize,� he added.

At the end of shopping, locals of Meis go to Kaş' teagardens and take seats to enjoy some leisure in the shade of huge eucalyptuses, palms and pines. Jonh Yannis Kiosoglous and his close relative Anna Adgemis are just two of them. Anna is one of those who escaped from Meis and took shelter at relatives' houses in Kaş when Meis was under bombardment in 1941. She stayed in Kaş for two years when she was only a little girl. Then she, together with some of her relatives who were still alive, got on a British ship and went to Haifa, and from there, to Tripoli, and finally from there to a British refugee camp in the Palestinian Territories. After the war ended, they came back to Meis, but what they saw was a half-destroyed town, so they immigrated to Australia. Anna said she had been living there for the last 54 years. She had come and visited Meis only four times so far. �But it doesn't matter whether I visit Meis or Kaş, since in both I feel like I am in my homeland. Kaş is the place where we took shelter, where we saved our lives. This is the place that embraced us in those hard times,� she said, recalling the war years. Kiosoglous, who noted that his surname is the Greek version of Turkish surname �Köseoğlu,� is Anna's husband's nephew. Kiosoglous said that Turks and Greeks live in peace and harmony in Australia, saying he also had many Turkish friends there.

Time passes fast. The Muslim call for Friday prayer is heard. There is still a lot to talk to Anna and Yannis. But unfortunately, it is time for farewell. The harbor is busy and noisy again. Sacks of potatoes, onions, boxes of tomatoes and textile goods are being loaded on the boats. Captain Yorgos is trying to help passengers take their seats both on his boat and on his father's as he continues to make jokes to people around. When asked about his story, he said, �My story is history,� in a good-humored tone. �I have been shuttling between Meis and Kaş for 25 years, since I was seven,� he said in Turkish with a Greek accent. But then he switched to English. �Ask me my mama! My mama is the story. Ask everybody my mama. She is great Varvara! Everybody knows her!�

Everyone starts giggling when they hear the name Varvara, apparently quite a popular person among the locals. Apparently she is a strong, talkative and cheerful woman who used to sell goods without being afraid of anything during the periods when trade was legally not allowed between Kaş and Meis. Varvara has not been visiting Kaş in recent years, but locals of Kaş did not forget to attend her son's wedding held a few years ago. �At least 600 people from Kaş attended to my wedding,� said Yorgos. The wedding in Meis lasted for three days and nights, during which people of both towns got drunk to ouzo and Turkish rakı, dancing both the syrtaki and the harmandalı.

Anchors have been weighed. Boats have left the harbor one by one.

Bye-bye friends. Come again please. There is much more to talk about.

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Gaziantep's historical houses to attract tourists

Friday, July 18, 2008

Historical serving houses and settlements have been restored to become new tourist attractions in Gaziantep, a city known for its historical heritage and natural beauty located in the south of Turkey, with the help of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and some private companies

GAZİANTEP - Anatolia News Agency

Though there are already some boutique hotels in the Anatolian city of Gaziantep, a host of luxurious new accommodation options is currently under construction to remedy a shortage of high-quality facilities to accommodate the city's growing number of tourists. Current offerings such as Anatolian Houses, Ahmet Aga Mansion, Castle House, the Eblehan mansions and the Belkıs guesthouse are set to be dwarfed by Şirehan, the region's largest caravanserai, and an Ottoman Mansion in the Eyupoğlu district. The city already has two five-star, five four-star, seven three-star and 11 two-star hotels, along with one cottage and five boutique hotels, with a total 3,500-bed capacity, said Salih Efiloğlu, the director of the city's culture and tourism department.

Efiloğlu said the city's need would not be met even when the current construction is finished. “Gaziantep is a brand city, a rising star of Anatolia. The city's position in the field of industry and trade has been strengthened with the Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP). Economic and social development brought health and business tourism sectors customers to town. It also influenced local gastronomy, culture and tourism.”

He said, however, that without the necessary physical infrastructure it is not possible for the city to become a real tourism center. In recent years he said international hotel chains have shown great interest in Gaziantep, which undergoing a process of urbanization. “This is an important development,” he added.

Eflioğlu noted that Gaziantep is a culture and tourism center. He said foreigners would prefer to stay in ancient cities like Rumkale, Yesemek, the Kargamış ruins and Zeugma if these places are available.

“Currently the occupancy rate is full in all hotels. We need to increase bed capacity as soon as possible. When the Fıvat River basin opens to tourism and construction finish there, promotional activities should be carried out well.”

Arguing that Gaziantep is an up and coming city, Efiloğlu said, “Hatay, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Midyat and Hasankeyf are all well-known places. We don't compare them with Gaziantep. We see them as a whole in one region.”

“People do not only prefer to have sunny holidays by the sea but also a fill them with historical knowledge and relaxation. We would like to provide it in Gaziantep. The city has 5,000 years of history, which should be appraised, but unfortunately Gaziantep does not get its share in tourism sector. However we began to care about the treasures we have by renovating many historical monuments,” he added.

Eflioğlu said boutique hotels tend to be the most attractive to tourists. “Upon a research, we found out that people prefer to visit historical places. They care about historical richness. We are so lucky to have it all so we should evaluate it very carefully.”

At least 50 houses to be restored

To protect the historical and cultural heritage of the city it is necessary to conduct studies about how to restore the area's historical monuments using municipal government and European Union funds, said Mayor of Gaziantep Asım Güzelbey.

Noting that the city hopes to restore at least 50 Gaziantep houses, transforming them into restaurants, cafes or boutique hotels, Güzelbey said the city has already conducted a project to protect historical Antep houses. “To make those historical houses a tourist spot we expect everyone's contribution, from citizens to the small investors. If they buy these houses, we will help them in the process of renovations and project. Today between eight and 10 houses were made a tourist attraction and we want 50 of them in Gaziantep.”

Ömer Can, the mayor of Şahinbey, a district of Gaziantep province, said Şahinbey had been planning to build a park on 300,000 square meters of land in Karataş and that on 10,000 square meters of the park it would establish a hotel that reflects the architectural features of the city with the aim of boosting the tourism industry.

He said the restorations of Bayazhan and Göğüs and Dayı Ahmet Ağa Konağı have all been completed. “To protect the grain of the historical monuments we began a big study in the city,” he added.

Can explained that the district had changed its focus on building a classic hotel in favor of a boutique hotel, saying it is because it wanted diverse tourism investment that it had now decided to construct a boutique hotel using traditional Turkish houses as models. He added that the district was developing a boutique hotel project that would consist of 10 to 12 houses and would take historic houses throughout the country as inspiration.

A mansion from the Ottoman period that belonged to the special provincial administration is now under construction to become a boutique hotel. The biggest deficiency of Gaziantep is insufficient accommodation and lack of high-quality accommodation, both of which need to be remedied as soon as possible, said Abdulkadir Demir, general secretary of the special provincial administration.

“We constructed the mansion as a boutique hotel,” said Demir and added, “In the garden there is an additional building and we would like to make many activities in there. We plan to put here into service within this year.”

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