Homestyle in the heart of Istanbul

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Tavanarası, a half open space on the sixth floor of old building in the heart of Beyoğlu, provides a taste of great cuisine in the atmosphere of an old country house. Its menu includes a range of varied and healthy breakfasts

MARZENA ROMANOWSKA
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

Istanbul restaurateurs compete not only in terms of the attractiveness of their menus, but also with regard to the interior design and comfort of their customers. For those, however, who find the minimalism of many places in the city a bit soulless and the interiors too empty, Tavanarası (Garret) may be the perfect place.

A half open space on the sixth floor of an old building in the heart of Beyoğlu, Tavanarası provides a taste of great cuisine in the atmosphere of an old country house. Once inside the building, one needs to take the elevator to the top floor. Solid wooden tables are long enough to serve customers who like spending their time with a greater number of friends. Smaller benches situated on the terrace are optimal for more intimate meetings and, on cooler evenings, one can warm oneself up with the colorful covers available in the restaurant.

Vegetarians most welcome

As Tavanarası opens at 11 a.m., the menu includes a range of varied and healthy breakfasts, offering a choice of �student,� �kid,� �clerk� and �grandmother� menus for YTL 6 to 9. Not very crowded at early hours during the week, on weekends Tavanarası is full all day long, starting from breakfast and brunch enthusiasts arriving as soon as the place is open. Lunch and dinner suggestions include not only meat and fish, but also a highly recommended assorted vegetarian menu, very much appreciated by frequent visitors of Istanbul restaurants.

Chef's choice

Upon arriving, guests receive a menu as well as piece of paper and pen on which to write their orders. Tavanarası's distinguishing feature is delicious food offered at a reasonable price. Traditional soups and starters are all available for under YTL 5, including highly recommended mercimek köfte. Different kinds of güveç (hot pots) seem to be the chef's specialty as the menu offers over 10 types of the dish, including delicious béchamel variations. Frequent visitors also know that lucky are those who have ever tried lor peynirli köy erıştesi or cevizli-kaşarlı köy erıştesi (country style macaroni with special kinds of cheese and walnuts), listed on the menu but rarely available upon ordering.

No reservations

It is difficult during the week and literally impossible on weekends to find a free table at Tavanarası after 7 p.m. The restaurant does not accept any reservations, so those who want to spend a wonderful evening there should come and grab a seat as early as possible. Apart from delicious meals, the restaurant offers a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Tavanarası Yemelik İçmelik open every day 11 a.m.-2 a.m.

Asmalı Mescit Mah., Emir Han Apt. no:10 kat:6

Beyoğlu/İstanbul, tel. 0 (212) 244 28 82-92

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Firuzağa Mosque, an emblem of Ottoman tolerance

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Unlike most of the single minaret mosques in Istanbul, the minaret of the Firuzağa Mosque in Sultanahmet, the erstwhile center of Ottoman Istanbul, was placed to the left on the wall opposite the Qiblah -- the direction that Muslims face when engaged in ritual prayer.

Firuzağa Mosque was built in 1491 by order of Firuz Agha, the �hazinedarbaşı,� or keeper of the treasury, who served the Ottoman sultan Bayezid II. During the building's construction, the minaret was placed to the left on the wall opposite the Qiblah, though as a rule minarets of such mosques had to be placed to the right on the wall.

Many stories are told about why the minaret of Firuzağa Mosque is situated on the left but there is still no accurate account, said cultural historian Dursun Gürlek.

The Firuzağa Mosque was one of the Islamic religious structures built in the first few decades following the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II. The neighborhood in which it was located, Sultanahmet, was the heart of Constantinople and at the time about 80 percent of the population was made up of Greeks. According to the most reliable account about the placement of Firuzağa Mosque's minaret, the majority of the inhabitants living on the right side of the mosque near the Roman and Byzantine obelisks were Greek, while Muslims made up the majority on the other side, which is close to present-day Divan Yolu street. The minaret of the mosque was built on the left side so as not to disturb Greeks living near the mosque with the sound of the ezan, the Muslim call to prayer, which is broadcast from the top of a mosque.

In addition to this widely told account, which reflects the tolerant character of the Ottoman Empire, another story says the Firuzağa Mosque was built to emulate the first mosque that Muslims built in Mecca.

Professor of art history Doğan Kuban noted that mosques with minarets on the left are often encountered from the 14th century and the rule that the minarets should be placed on the right appeared in later periods, after which it essentially became a tradition.

History & architecture

The treasurer of the Ottoman Palace used to accompany the sultan during his expeditions. One of his tasks was going to the mosque and laying the Sultan's seccade, or prayer rug, before the Friday prayer started. He would also lay his forehead on the ground before the sultan did during his prayer in order to check whether any danger was awaiting his majesty.

Following the death of Mehmet II his son, Beyazid II, ascended to the throne. Then, 10 years after that the treasurer of the time, Firuz Agha, had a small mosque constructed across from Hagia Sophia at the entrance of the most glorious street of the Byzantine Empire. The tomb of Firuz Agha, who died in 1512, is also located in the mosque's yard. Some rose figures are engraved on the four faces of the marble sarcophagus.

Based on a design of 13.5 meters by 13.5 meters, the Firuzağa Mosque has a remarkable door and an eight-sided dome designed in the Bursa style. It was built upon four buttresses and has a three-arch entryway. In another story about it, people say the spot where the Firuzağa Mosque stands was where the Roman emperors used to watch horse races. Another major characteristic of the Firuzağa Mosque is that afternoon calls to prayer are made simultaneously with the calls from the minarets of the nearby famous blue mosque, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.

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Breezy plateaus cool off summer

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Famous for its sea, sun and beaches, Turkey also hosts visitors on its fascinating plateaus. Many people prefer to go to these breezy plateaus on hot summer days. The Black Sea region has the world-famous Ayder, Uzungöl, Bektaş, Kafkas plateaus, while the Mediterranean city of Antalya has the Elmalı plateau

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Turkey's plateaus represent one of the most outstanding scenic beauties in the country. Among them, the Black Sea region has the world famous Ayder, Uzungöl, Bektaş and Kafkas plateaus, while the southwestern city of Antalya boasts the Elmalı Plateau.

The most popular plateau in the Black Sea Region is the 1,350-meter-high Ayder Plateau, which was chosen as the first tourism center in 1987. Beside good quality drinking water, the Ayder Plateau is famous for its natural beauty, thermal waters, bullfighting events, food competitions and festivals. The plateau is situated 200 meters above sea level and, with its hornbeam trees and rich plant cover, draws the attention of nature lovers.

The Uzungöl Plateau in Trabzon is among the best plateaus, with its fresh fish and green scenery. Bektaş Plateau in Giresun is popular for its Kurttepe Ski Center facilities, even in the summertime.

Artvin, a city of plateaus

Encircled with forests and unique plant cover, the 250-meter-high Kafkasör Plateau in Artvin province hosts the Kafkasör Culture and Art Festival every year.

In the Otinga Forests of the Karagöl Plateau, there are many wild creatures, including lynx, grizzly bears and chamois, along with special honey to taste.

On the Kaçkar Plateau there are several glacier lakes on the hills of the Karagöl Mountains. The plateau is famous for its racecourses between the mountain footpaths and plateaus.

The Deli Çermik thermal waters on the Çermik Plateau in Erzurum province are famous for their mud, which is said to have healing effects on rheumatic and skin diseases. The region is popular for its pine trees and beautiful views, especially in August and September.

The 2,300-meter-high Kadırga Plateau in Gümüşhane province is located among the Tonya, Maçka and Kürtün counties. People generally prefer to stay there during the summer. In July it hosts the Otçular Şenlikleri festival.

Breezy plateaus of hot Antalya

The Elmalı Plateau in the province of Antalya is preferred by many people during the sweltering heat. There are places for tours, special jogging areas and the Kızlarsivrisi Hill for ascent of the mountain.

Located among the Kaş, Kalkan and Elmalı region, Gömbe Plateau was known as �Komba� in ancient times.

The Kozak Plateau is the biggest plateau in the Aegean region, with 5 million pine trees.

On the Dokorcun Plateau are located the Sünnet and Sülüklü lakes.

Other plateus that can be visited:

Kardüz Plateau (Gölyaka-Düzce), Kavron Plateau (Çamlıhemşin), Kusera Plateau (Maçka-Trabzon), Kümbet Plateau (Giresun), Lişer Plateau (Trabzon), Macahel-Gorgit Plateau (Artvin), Pokut Plateau (Çamlıhemşin), Pozantı Tekir Plateau (Adana), Süphan Plateau (Van), Şavşat-Karagöl Plateau (Artvin), Şolma Plateau (Maçka-Trabzon), Topuk Yaylası (Düzce), Uzunyayla (Kayseri), Yeşilyayla (Korkuteli-Antalya) and Işıkdağı Plateau (Ankara).

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Alaçatı: Sleeping beauty awakened by blowing wind

Monday, July 14, 2008

Alaçatı welcomes visitors with its small square and narrow streets. The stone houses, which are not more than three stories high, are mostly rented out or sold to restaurants, cafes and boutiques. Each of the stone houses is painted in a different color. If one is painted light pink, the next one is white and the one next to it is painted baby blue

ASLI SAĞLAM
İZMİR – Turkish Daily News

A place that once only hosted stone houses and tranquil fishing sports and was reachable only by a dangerous and dirty road, Alaçatı was a sleepy and lazy village for years. But today Alaçatı is considered among the best windsurfing and kite boarding places in the world and is now more popular than ever.

Çeşme, one of the well known sun, sea and sand destinations on Turkey's western coast, has seen its tourism improve thanks to the new windsurfing spot.

There are still fishers, craftsmen and farmers, but they now share the village with many other establishments, including restaurants, cafes, bars and shops – and especially windsurfers.

Alaçatı, which has always been famous for its stone houses and architecture, vineyards and windmills, now also attracts local and foreign tourists with its crystal clear water.The blooming village can compete with holiday resorts in other countries.The center of Alaçatı welcomes people with its small square and narrow streets. The stone houses, which are not more than three stories high, have mostly been rented out or sold to restaurants, cafes and boutiques. Each stone house is painted in a different color. If one is painted light pink, the next one is white and the one next is painted baby blue.

For those who live in Istanbul, the names of the places one comes across while walking through the quaint streets of the village may sound familiar. There are many famous Italian and Mediterranean restaurants that have branches in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. But the design and architecture of the venues is very different. The buildings definitely carry the authentic soul of Alaçatı. The shops, designed as small boutiques, mostly sell dresses and accessories.

There are nearly 20 inns and boutique hotels welcoming guests with their hospitality. Alaçatı is also famous for its antique market located along an alley one-and-a-half kilometers in length, which happens on Saturday mornings. Food and clothing from nearby villages are brought to the village and antiquities are offered for sale. Besides these goods, plants, fish and meat are also on offer. There is also an open market with stands placed next to each other. Summer dresses, colorful bracelets, earrings and necklaces, and souvenirs brighten the streets.One can see small but old-looking coffee houses, where elderly locals play backgammon and sip Turkish coffee. They seem to enjoy watching the tourists passing by.

Windsurfing

Most windsurfing places offer their own equipment. One of them is the Alaçatı Windsurf School, which offers classes for individuals and groups from beginners to advanced levels and rents equipment to customers.

Babylon and Otto, relatively new places in Alaçatı, are both beach clubs and bars. Located next to each other on the Çark bay, they are designed in the style of Hawaiian bars.

Babylon, opened three years ago, offers large pillows on a wide grass field that begins where the golden sand ends. There is a bar and a performance stage. Otto, with its four piers and two beach bars, has the capacity to host 250 people. Opened last summer, it is a popular place for windsurfers.

The bays have been taken over by famous establishments and surf schools in the past years. Those who want to experience the cool water and the chill out places in Alaçatı have to pay at least YTL 20 to enter to a beach club. Parking the car usually costs another YTL 10. But for those who want to experience the beauty of the late-awakening Alaçatı it might be worth paying that money once or twice. Not the entire center has been renovated and there are still a couple of untouched streets and beaches in Alaçatı but it seems that in a few years there will not be any untouched corners left.

Keeping the character, changing the face

The village, located 72 kilometers west of Izmir near the tip of the Çesme peninsula, is considered to be one of Turkey's vacation havens. Windsurfers coming for the predictable brisk winds over a safe, waveless sand bottom bay say that Alaçatı is among the top five windsurfing spots in the world. The village was founded around 1850 when Ottoman Greek workers from the Aegean islands were brought to the mainland to drain malaria-breeding marshes. The Greeks liked the new place and stayed, producing wine for export. After Turkish Muslims from the Balkans moved to Alaçatı most Greek inhabitants moved back to Greece, which changed the face of the village. Now this sleeping beauty, which kept its character for hundreds of years, is a wonderful place to escape from the bustling city life for a few days and set sail for new adventures and experiences.

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Four days of rock at a 'green' festival

Saturday, July 12, 2008

A music fan with a bit of ‘hippie’ spirit simply could not stay at home when the summer kicked in. Istanbul is short on festivals this summer, so it was best to steer toward Belgium, for rocking with Radiohead, R.E.M., Neil Young and dozens more

ÇETİN CEM YILMAZ
Istanbul - Turkish Daily News

After facing the fact that Istanbul will not host as many festivals this summer as in recent years, there was not much to do for a rock fan in Turkey, except head out to Europe to experience rock'n'roll where it's at.

And Belgium's Rock Werchter was an automatic choice. Leaving aside this Turkish Daily News correspondent's experiences from the 2005 festival, the fact that Werchter became this summer's finest rock festival on the continent, finally succeeding to oust England's Glastonbury with its stellar lineup, was a factor.

Actually, that is the point. Rock Werchter should be compared to its peers in Europe; comparing it to Turkish festivals would be cruel. The inequality starts with the number of people attending. Turkey's Rock'N Coke could attract about 15,000 people, at best, while Werchter announced that a huge total of 400,000 were in the festival area over four days, meaning some 100,000 people were watching every day. And 35 percent of that number came from countries other than Belgium, as stated on the festival's official Web site.

There are reasons for that, and the lineup is an important one: This was the only European festival that had both R.E.M. and Radiohead on its bill.

Yes, it was utter joy to see R.E.M. on the opening day of the festival, after its release of the glorious back-to-basics record, �Accelerate.� Just as the album title indicated, the band rushed out to the set with less talk and more tempo: A dazzling 23 songs, selected mostly from that record as well as from less-known 1980s songs, and performed for about one and a half hours. R.E.M. holds the record for performing more than any other act in the 34-year history of the festival, as singer Michael Stipe joked, �This is the 39th time we play here since 1823.�

If anyone out there is crossing their fingers to see R.E.M in Turkey, lighten up a little. Grabbing one R.E.M. t-shirt, it was nice to see that on the tour schedule, Oct. 4 is reserved for Istanbul.

Lenny Kravitz, Mika and the Counting Crows were on stage right before the Athens, Georgia rockers, all addressing different tastes, but seeing NYC indie kids Vampire Weekend play on the second stage to cause bliss with their African-tinged melodies stood out. But after all, it was the Chemical Brothers' block-rocking-beats and mind-blowing visuals that stole the show at the end of the night. It was the end of the opening day, last Thursday, but the fun was only beginning.

The second day was just as had been expected, except for Babyshambles, who pulled out of the festival at the last minute. Who knows what Pete Doherty was up to, but it left a small disappointment not to be able to see the �enfant terrible� singing his famous �Fuck Forever.� The rest was a feast for any music fan; it had Slayer for metalheads, Jay-Z for hip-hop fans, My Morning Jacket for American indie listeners, The Verve for Brit-rockers, and Moby for dancefloor-lovers. For more old-school types, there was Neil Young, and what a performance that was � from his classic �Hey Hey My My� to the 20-minute epic, �No Hidden Path,� the Canadian legend proved he is still alive, kicking and aggressive at 62.

Ben Harper had a similar effect on stage the following day, but the impact dimmed a little after Icelandic outfit, Sigur Ros, stunned the Werchter crowd with tunes and sounds from another world. Although their recent record sees the post-rockers somewhat lightened up, their effect is still unique. Toward the end of their set, a rain of confetti fell from the stage. A breathtaking scene, but Radiohead might have been ticked off by that scene. We are talking about a band that is touring Europe on a bus and refusing to play Glastonbury because of the lack of public transport to the area to be more environment-friendly.

Radiohead perfectly suited the green festival, which may be explained through a couple of examples. One got a free beer for every 20 plastic beer cups collected. Or, one could use any train line for free to get to the festival area by simply showing a festival ticket.

Enough of this green talk, let's get back to the other colors; the synthetic ones Radiohead left onstage. Maybe they are �two colors in Thom Yorke's head� as he sang in �Everything In Its Right Place,� or more colorful as �In Rainbows,� but Radiohead simply let about 100,000 people get into their heads, stay there for two hours and did not let them out even after the end of the gig. It was what the crowd was waiting for, and it was the highlight of the weekend, if not the whole summer or year.

The last day was used to enjoy the festival to the last bit, or try to chill out after the previous night's dazing experience. Both were done. Beck cooled down the area, after the Kaiser Chiefs had electrified it with their hyperactive performance. The Raconteurs and The Kooks rocked the stage, while acts like Underworld or Hercules and Love Affair made the crowd dance.

When it was over, there was not much to be done, except lingering over the memories, and wishing to �keep on rockin' in the free world,� forever. Inform

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Al Qaeda linked to İstinye attack

FAREWELL: Police officers pay their respects to their three young colleagues, who were killed in a firefight with the gunmen who attacked the police post in front of the US consulate in İstanbul, in a ceremony held at the Istanbul Police Headquarters. AA photo

Four people have been detained in relation with Wednesday's assault killing three police officers and three gunmen in front of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul's İstinye suburb, Interior Minister Beşir Atalay says. The attack might be related to the al Qaeda terror organization, according to police sources. There has been no official confirmation of al Qaeda involvement as yet though ISTANBUL – TDN with wire dispatches

Wednesday's assault killing three police officers and three gunmen in front of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul's İstinye suburb might be related to the al-Qaeda terror organization, police sources said yesterday, according to news reports.

However, there has been no official confirmation of al-Qaeda involvement. Meanwhile, four people have been detained, Interior Minister Beşir Atalay said yesterday, according to the CNN-Türk news site. Police have said three of the suspects are from Istanbul, while the fourth is from elsewhere. “What we need now is to define the connections these people had,” Atalay said. There is no information that that the car used in the assault was full of bombs, he said as well. “The general view on the assault that it is a suicide attack,” Atalay said.

Two of the dead assailants were alleged to be trained in Afghanistan in camps of a terror organization called Abu Najaf al Afghani, which has connections with al-Qaeda. The same organization had organized the 2004 Madrid metro bombings, NTV reported. Other speculation about motives for Wednesday's assault in Istanbul includes it being a retaliatory strike for the police operation against an al-Qaeda cell in Turkey in 2006 in the southeastern province of Gaziantep. That operation was alleged to have been carried out with U.S. intelligence. Others suggested the assault might be retaliation for returning Abdurrahman Yar Muhammed, an alleged al-Qaeda leader, to U.S. authorities. Atalay on the other hand said, only one of the assailants had been abroad before.

Two of the dead assailants were previously convicted of petty offenses. The assailants, identified as Erkan Kargın and Raif Topcıl, are from the southeastern province of Bitlis, while Bülent Çınar is from Iğdır. Relatives of Çınar in Iğdır's Sürmeli village said Çınar must have been deceived for him to have participated in a terror attack. Çınar's family migrated to Istanbul 10 years ago. All three of the assailants lived in Şahintepe neighborhood of Istanbul's Küçükçekmece district, the CNN-Türk news site reported. Topcıl's father, Muhsin Topcıl, had been arrested in 1996 in an operation in Bitlis against the Islamic fundamentalist organization Hezbollah

An old attack plan

Al-Qaeda had planned to attack U.S. consulates five years ago, a secret report of the Istanbul Police Department said, according to the Doğan news agency. The terrorist organization altered that plan at the last moment and chose, instead, the United Kingdom consulate as a target, the agency said. The Istanbul Police Department prepared the report upon the request of a court that is hearing an al-Qaeda case. The Police Department stated that the organization was capable of carrying out assaults in the near future like the one on Wednesday.

Looking for the car

Meanwhile, police found a gray car without a license plate that fit the description of the car that was used in the assault. However, it was later found that the car had no connection with the assault.

Security measures in front of the consulate building have been increased since the attack, while the U.S. flag in the courtyard is being flown at half-mast to honor the dead Turkish policemen. The glass in the police housing with bullet holes has not yet been replaced.

Bodies of police officers sent to their hometowns

A ceremony was held in front of the Istanbul Police Department building for the three police officers who lost their lives in Wednesday's assault at the U.S. consulate. Many ministers, Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah and the chief consul of the U.S. mission, Sharon Wiener, participated in the ceremony. “Our struggle against terror will go on with strong determination,” said Atalay.

They were young

The three police officers who died in the assault were each in their 20s and newly employed on the police force. Mehmet Önder Saçmalıoğlu, 21, was the youngest police officer among the three victims. He had been on his first assignment for only 15 days and was responsible for traffic on the street in front of the consulate. Born in the southern province of Osmaniye, Saçmalıoğlu graduated from Diyarbakır Police School. Son of a craftsman, like Öztaş, Saçmalıoğlu has two other siblings. His mother, Zeynep Saçmalıoğlu, said she talked to her son just one night ago and he told her not to worry, his work was good.

Erdal Öztaş, son of a craftsman in Çorum, was 28. Born in the Anatolian province of Çorum's Ortaköy district, Öztaş had been married for one year and his wife is now eight-months pregnant. Öztaş has three other siblings. A graduate of the history department from 19 Mayıs University, Öztaş became a police officer in 2007. He had been working as traffic policemen in Istanbul. Öztaş's body is expected to be buried today in Çorum.

Nedim Çalık was on duty in the police housing in front of the consulate gate. Born in the Black Sea province of Rize, Çalık was 25 and had worked as a police officer for two years. Çalık lost his father two years ago and had five other siblings. Inform,11.07.08

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Police slain in İstinye terror

POLICE POST: Security officials inspect the bodies of police officers lying in front of the U.S. Consulate in İstanbul. Three policemen and three gunmen were killed in an armed attack on the consulate in İstanbul, with one attacker fleeing the scene. Reuters photo

Four gunmen attack a police outpost in front of the US consulate in Istanbul's İstinye district on the European side of the city, killing three policemen and injuring two others. Three attackers die in the assault and one fled, says the prosecutor on the scene. No one inside the US consulate was injured in the assault, described by the authorities as a terrorist attack. All three of the assailants are Turkish citizens, says Interior Minister Beşir Atalay

ISTANBUL – TDN with wire dispatches

Three policemen and three gunmen were killed in an attack around 11:00 a.m. at a police point outside the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul's İstinye suburb yesterday. One police officer and the driver of a towing vehicle were injured, while no one inside the consulate was hurt.

The fourth gunman fled in a car, witnesses were reported as saying on several television channels. Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin confirmed the information.

�We have identitified the assailants,� said Istanbul Governor Muammer Güler, adding that the authorities were trying to verify the information and identify the attackers' connections. The three attackers that were killed were Turkish citizens, Güler said, adding that the police were continuing their efforts to nab the remaining assailant.

Interior Minister Beşir Atalay arrived in Istanbul, telling reporters the assailant on the run might be injured. �This is a terrorist attack,� said Engin. The four assailants were around 25 to 30 years old, and attacked using guns and rifles. Police have started an operation to arrest the assailant on the run. The police responded to the attack and a clash occurred. Security measures around U.S. diplomatic missions in Turkey have been increased following the attack.

Dead on the scene

One police officer and three gunmen died on the scene, while two other police officers who were transferred to İstinye State Hospital with severe injuries died at the hospital, Güler said. Two of the dead policemen were on duty as traffic police in the area and they intervened in the clash in order to lend support, he added.

Mehmet Önder Saçmalıoğlu, 21, one of the dead police officers, had started his duties at the Sarıyer Police Station as a traffic police officer just two weeks ago, the Anatolia news agency reported. There were three traffic policemen and a driver of a towing vehicle on the street, along with a police officer in the police cabin at the gate of the consulate, Güler said.

The assailants fired at the police cabin first and then shot at the consulate gate as the glass of the cabin was bulletproof, said Ufuk Yavuz, one of the witnesses. A gray car stopped in front of a parking lot near the consulate and four assailants got out of the car bearing guns, according to camera recordings, the Doğan news agency reported. All of the assaulters were bearded. The first police response to the attack came from the traffic policeman who was in the towing vehicle on the street. He was the first one shot. The gunmen ran for about 50 meters before clashing with Turkish police. People who were around the building fled. Three assailants were shot, while the fourth one took the car and sped away, the agency reported.

Inform,10.07.08

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Three policemen killed in attack at U.S. Consulate in Istanbul

ISTANBUL - TDN with wire dispatches

Gunmen opened fire on police in front of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul Wednesday and three police officers and three attackers were killed in the shootout.

Two people, a policeman and a civilian, were lightly injured in the attack and were evacuated to a hospital, Istanbul chief prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin told reporters in front of the consulate. ``The way that the incident was carried out and the type of the attack indicate it was a terrorist attack,'' Engin said.

"Three policemen were martyred and three attackers were killed," Gov. Muammer Güler told reporters at the scene, adding that authorities were pressing to identify the attackers and any group to which they belonged.

"At about 11 a.m., at least one assailant opened fire on the Turkish police guardpost area near the main entrance to the consulate," a U.S. embassy spokeswoman told the Associated Press, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter.

"We're cooperating with the police and taking the appropriate measures," she said.

Engin said the attack began when a car drove up to the consulate and three men aged between 25 and 30 exited and opened fire on police. The officers returned fire killing the three. A fourth person in the car escaped, he said. Güler said two of the attackers were Turks, NTV television reported.

Turkey and the United States condemned the attack for which no one has yet claimed responsibility.

"It is enough to say they are terrorists who carried out a dastardly and cowardly attack," U.S. Ambassador Ross Wilson told a news conference in Ankara.

"Our countries stand together in the fight against international terrorism. This was an attack on a diplomatic establishment here," he said.

Mutlu Güneş, a 13-year-old eyewitness, said he was on his way to a mosque when he spotted several men preparing guns and placing them inside a Ford Focus car, before driving a short distance to the modern consulate complex.

"The three of them got out of the car. One of them shot a policeman in the chest and I saw one terrorist killing himself after being shot by police. Then I hid under a car," Güneş told reporters.

"I curse strongly these kinds of terror attacks. Turkey will struggle to the end with those who organize these (attacks) and the mentality behind them," President Abdullah Gül said.

Inform,09.07.08

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Young actress rises above shame game

In this year’s film 'Ara' (Between), Actress Selen Uçer broke new ground and took home the Best Actress award from last month’s Adana film festival. Shedding the idealized woman of classic Turkish cinema, her character’s sex scenes are more about reality than gender. Ara’s characters portray vacuous love and identity in the wake of thoughtless political eras, altering the way viewers see Turkey’s young adults today

KRISTEN STEVENS
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

The day before young Turkish actress Selen Uçer won the Best Actress award at last month's prestigious Adana film festival, a male reporter attempted to shame her during an interview, objecting to her vivid sex scenes in the film “Ara.” With the film receiving far more positive reviews than negative, the interviewer's response to her performance shows the tension where traditional Turkey gives way to modern reality.

Cameras rolled in an interview with local channel Çukurova TV, and the actress stood alone before the lights. The reporter asked in an angry tone, “Aren't you ashamed?” She replied, “The director tells a story and tells everything openly.”

“We do it, okay, we don't need to see it,” the reporter said, cutting her off.

Uçer took a deep breath when asked about the live interview later. “They want to make me like them. But all they can do is yell at it… It's just sex,” she told the Turkish Daily News, referring to her character Gül's five sex scenes in the film, including the opening scene. “It is a very small part of the role,” she said.

“There is still a very narrow-minded segment of society that will not try to understand,” she said. “I grew up not understanding [this part of] Turkish culture. This is my sorrow.” Uçer said she used to feel freer than she does today in parts of her hometown, Istanbul, such as Uskudar. She said with the Islamic-rooted ruling party in power, people felt entitled to judge those less observant of the faith. “They think they have the right to comment on what I do and how I dress.”

When you tell the truth it becomes controversial, “Ara” (Between) writer and director, Ümit Ünal, told the TDN. He has worked with talented actors on critically acclaimed films such as “Istanbul Tales” (2005) and “9” (2002) -- the official Turkish entry for the 2003 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He said most of the time he can sense when even good actors are acting. “But Selen's performance was completely natural. She's really in it,” he told the TDN. “She's not like theater actresses who can be strict in their work. She's much more open.”

Breaking with reality

The sincerity in Uçer's role overturns the idealized women of traditional Turkish film, such as the one-dimensional female love interest or the self-sacrificing mother. Her character leads a messy, contemporary sex life in which there are no heroes and people are both good and bad.

Nevertheless, Uçer offered the perspective that the character she played in this breakout role, for all its vigor, was a character existing between two men, even between two different sexual orientations, rather than a woman developing in her own right. “Playing this role was important and it was a hard part,” she said. You can combat any stereotype by putting something different in the dialogue, talking with the writer and director about how to make the role more natural, she explained. “I don't want to do what's been done.”

That revolutionary spirit is at work in today's Turkish cinema, which Uçer said is moving forward, with actors and directors unafraid to take risks and reveal truths. “Festivals are good for cinema and for our profession,” she said. “I hope the new generation will benefit from this type of exposure. People in Turkey didn't grow up with this; now they will.”

A trained actress with a Masters in Fine Arts in acting from Roosevelt University in Chicago, Uçer said her experience in the United States taught her many things about acting and life. A graduate of the Chemistry Department at Bosporus University, she was also a member of the conservatory there, where she acted and sang. Uçer is confident about her future, whatever it brings. “I might quit acting and sing, or meet a man and sell tomatoes.”

Material hangover in ‘Ara'

When writing and directing “Ara” (Between), Ümit Ünal created characters in their thirties whose sense of identity was shaped by an era that began with Prime Minister Turgut Özal in the 1980s. Given the deceit and materialism that define his four characters over a decade, Ünal places the viewer in a soulless hangover of the post-1980 coup decades, when culture and intellect were admonished as threatening to social order and economic potential.

“The country sort of jumped a class,” Ünal said. “It became better in material terms, but we lost a sense of the real stuff that connects us to life.” He said that in many ways he was like the disconnected characters in the film, but that writing and filmmaking provided ways to cultivate his spirit. Many other young people had a difficult time finding creative outlets in the 1980s and 1990s, after the 1980 coup purged universities of many top professors, causing deep losses in the arts and in academic rigor. “Some people don't want to accept seeing themselves on the screen,” he said, but many others have told him that they can relate to the characters.

In addition to the Best Actress award, “Ara” won awards for best screenplay and best editing at the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival last month. The movie also won a Special Jury Prize and Best Actor award at the Istanbul International Film Festival this spring. Following its release in the spring, “Ara” will be available on DVD later this year.

Inform,July 2008

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The best documentaries invade Istanbul

The best-renowned Turkish and foreign documentary films of the last months will be screened from July 8 to 13 in the French Institute, the Pera Museum and GarajIstanbul. The event is organized by the non-governmental organization Eurasia Art Collective

ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

The Documentarist festival will bring some the best-renowned documentary films of the last months in Istanbul July 8 to 13. At the festival, the Eurasia Art Collective, or ASK, will present a selection of brand-new documentaries produced in Turkey and abroad, followed by a number of additional events taking place at the French Institute, the Pera Museum and GarajIstanbul. Documentarist will provide a full spectrum of the genre, generating discussion about the most important social and political issues of the contemporary world.

ASK is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the idea of a multicultural platform created through interdisciplinary activities and events. ASK, which has already successfully organized the Bodrum Film Festival and the Bafa Art Meetings over the last couple of years, will now create a stage for Turkish documentary filmmakers where they can not only present their work but also exchange ideas and opinions with other authors and producers from around the world, as well as broaden the viewers' perspective on contemporary issues.

The films of nominees for the Best Turkish Documentary Award will be presented at the Documentarist. The Turkish Film Critics Association, or SIYAD, which has been presenting the Turkish Cinema Awards for 40 years, will present documentary awards for the first time this year. The final selection of the movies to be shown during the Istanbul Documentary Days will be made from among 65 documentaries participating in various contests in the last couple of months.

New Yorkers on Latin American identity

The section of the Documentarist festival that is dedicated to international films is going to feature names from all around the world. Juan Alejandro Ramirez, a Peruvian New York-based filmmaker and anthropologist, is going to present a 41-minute movie exploring racial problems in the country of his birth. Through the pictures of a 1936 Berlin Olympic football match, won over the Austrian team by mostly black and Mestizo Peruvian players and later annulled by the decision of the referee, Ramirez attempts to answer the question of Peruvian identity based on skin color. In �Alguna Tristeza� (Some Kind of Sadness), by presenting a story of seemingly unrelated characters, accompanied by a wonderful soundtrack featuring Rachmaninoff as well as Peruvian composers, and a seductive voiceover narration, Ramirez highlights the most urgent problems of contemporary Peru: poverty, racism, mistrust and urban squalor.

A film by New York-born Estela Bravo, �Quien Soy Yo?� (Who Am I?), tells the story of the children of �disappeared� parents in Argentina, who were seized with their parents or born in concentration camps and later illegally adopted by military families during the 1976-1983 junta regime. Thanks to the work of non-governmental organizations, almost 90 children of an estimated 500 kidnapped have been found so far. The movie presents the stories of young people in search of a lost identity, having to struggle with their painful past.

Israeli director Tamar Yarom's film �To See If I'm Smiling� shows the situation of six young women who during their two years of mandatory military service in the West Bank and Gaza Strip experience a new dimension of Israeli-Palestinian relations. The interviews in which the women speak not only about the situation of women in the army, but also about their own moral dilemmas concerning the Israeli approach towards Palestinians at checkpoints, are complemented with both archival footage and personal material. The film illustrates both how the trauma of war alters personalities and analyzes the problem of power abuse, presenting examples of girls posing for a photo next to a Palestinian corpse or stripping a man to his underwear and beating him.

The BBC's contribution

"I am operating on people's thoughts and feelings, and if something goes wrong I can destroy that person's character forever," says Dr. Henry Marsh, a British brain surgeon whose story inspired Geoffrey Smith to direct a movie within the BBC Storyville project. When Marsh first visited a hospital in Kiev in 1992, he found the medical conditions absolutely appalling. Since then he has been spending his holidays working 18 hours a day with his Ukrainian protege Igor Petrovich to create a viable clinic and help desperate people in any possible way. (When anesthetic is too risky and the patient is kept awake, a hole is drilled through his skull with a second-hand household drill.)

The film is not only moving, but also humorous, which, according to Smith, best shows what makes Ukrainian society special. The original soundtrack was composed and performed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. �They just fell in love with the film and ended up saying how much of an honor it was to be part of it. It is understated music, the right sort of music for the film,� said the director.

The editor of the BBC Storyville project, Nick Fraser, will be present in Istanbul to conduct master class workshops, consisting of film screenings and panel discussions. On July 12 and 13 Fraser will not only explain the concept of Storyville, but also of the �Why Democracy?� project, considered to be the most ambitious documentary series ever undertaken, encompassing documentary directors from China, India, Japan, Pakistan, Liberia, Egypt, Denmark, Russia, Bolivia and the United States.

Enrollment for the master class event takes place via email: info@documentar-ist.org

For more information see: www.documentar-ist.org

Inform,07.07.08

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Lost in migration

Turkish director İnan Temelkuran’s debut film, ‘Made in Europe,’ takes a look at Turkish immigrants from a totally different and fresh perspective. A group of men chat the night away in three metropolises of Europe. And the audience gets a glimpse of what is wrong with Europe, integration and… men

EMRAH GÜLER
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

Turkish director İnan Temelkuran's debut feature film, �Made in Europe,� might be the best answer to those who still believe in a single, united Europe in the face of the changing world. Migrants and their migration in search of better, more affluent lives have always been a favorite topic of cinema, especially in cultures that have a direct experience of such clashes of cultures. Having sent the first set of immigrants to Europe nearly four decades ago, and with over two million Turkish residents living in Germany alone, Turkey has always been high on this list.

One of the sources of pride for Turkey is the inspiring blend of Turkish and German, and director Fatih Akın has brought Turkish immigrants in Germany to the fore internationally with his modern classics �Duvara Karşı� (Head On) and �Yaşamın Kıyısında� (The Edge of Heaven), among others. But it was director and writer Tevfik Başer's �40 Metrekare Almanya� (40 Square Meters of Germany) that really showed the claustrophobic existence of Turks in Germany on the big screen back in the 1980s.

Though it deals with a familiar topic of cultural significance to the Turkish audience, Temelkuran's �Made in Europe� brings a totally fresh perspective to the lives of Turkish immigrants in Europe. But the movie addresses not only the Turkish audience; it is, at its best, a slap to all those celebrating cultural diversity in a Europe, fluttering in the shadow of the clash of civilizations.

Single night, three cities

�Made in Europe� takes place in a single night in three different metropolises of Europe -- Madrid, Paris and Berlin. The film can be watched as three short films or one feature with three parts. There are not any predominant plots or stories, but rather a group of characters (mostly men) in each city, talking as they do with one another. �Made in Europe� focuses on the sad existences of these men, rather than on their stories, conveying this through sharp, realistic and surprisingly shocking dialogue.

The film is shocking not because the audience is exposed to the men's superficial, obscene and meaningless dialogue, but because it immediately gives the audience a sense of pity and hopelessness. For those who have been in the gutters of the immigrant residences in otherwise wealthy and beautiful cities in Europe, the dialogue and situations resonate so true to reality one cannot help feeling a sense of voyeurism.

The topics of conversation in the film range from the mundane to the even more mundane. The men talk about refugee status, Berlusconi and foreign languages with all the refinement of a döner knife. Domestic violence, changing technology and employer/employee relations are all subjects thrown haphazardly into the mix. Temelkuran is confident in his dialogue, as he himself worked in a döner kebab shop in Madrid when he was studying to be a film director.

Four years in the making

There are no references to the Puerta del Sol, the Parisian cafes or Schloss Charlottenburg. For these men, the cities consist of confined locations that are the equivalents of the coffee houses in their towns and villages. (In fact, one of them is a replica of a traditional Turkish coffee house designed to socialize men in a sexually segregated society.)

These men are mere reflections of men in Turkey who have migrated to the country's big cities from their small towns in the last three decades, and who are still struggling to adapt to a Turkish urban middle class with its equal, demanding and strong women. In Europe, they are lost in a similar way, in a place where the traditions, the only thing they have, are seen as a joke.

The film's different men in different cities are so alive one cannot help agree with the decision of the jury at the recent Altın Koza Film Festival to hand the Best Actor award to the all of the 18 men in �Made in Europe.� The film also received the Best Director and Special Jury awards.

�Made in Europe� also deserves an ovation due to its director's unfaltering struggle since 2004 to have the movie made. With almost no production money, Temelkuran turned �Made in Europe� into a reality through personal efforts spread over four years. For this reason, the audience will have to forgive one of the film's weaknesses: the abrupt changes in structure as the movie progresses. Temelkuran said that digital filmmaking changed very much since he began working on the film, which was why the Madrid scenes were quite different from the Berlin scenes. But that is only a detail, forming a small part of the whole experience one gets while watching why men will always be men, why Europe and integration are two mutually exclusive words and why audiences will be waiting for the next film by İnan Temelkuran.

Inform,July 2008

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Famous Turk tenor heralded in France

Famous Turkish tenor Bülent Bezdüz, who went to France nearly two months ago by invitation, performed in three presentations last month of the opera “La Favorita.” He was praised by the audience and seen by many as an heir to Pavarotti's throne

ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agenc

World-renowned member of the Mersin State Opera and Ballet and Grammy award-winning Turkish tenor Bülent Bezdüz was praised by the French for his recent successful performance in the opera �La Favorita� in Paris.

Bezdüz, who went to France nearly two months ago by invitation from and with the approval of French State Opera and Ballet General Manager Rengim Gökmen, performed in three presentations last month of �La Favorita� opera at Orchester National de Montpellier. Playing the leading role of Fernando in �La Favorita,� which is a grand opera in four acts by the Gaetano Opera, Bezdüz was loved by the audience. His success was also note in many French dailies, and he was praised by critics. He was described by many as one of the best voices in the worlds.

Bezdüz returned to Turkey, to the Mediterranean city of Mersin, after finishing his tour. Expressing his pleasure over the fact that Europe has recognized a Turkish artist, Bezdüz said, �It made me very happy to be on stage in France. It revealed the success of Turkish artists that the French applauded and congratulated me.�

Bezdüz has also been invited by operas in many countries, including England and Belgium, as well as France. He will perform the character Alfredo in Verdi's �La Traviata� in Vienna's Volksoper Wien opera house in September. The other performances he will present are �La boheme� in the role of Rodolfo at Sweden's Göteborg Opera in November, and Ermione Pilade at the English Opera Rara in March 2009. He will also perform in �Falstaff� as Fenton at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, again in 2009, and in �Maria Stuarda� as Leicester at the Minnesota Opera in 2010.

'Heir to Pavarotti'

Bezdüz, who is seen as an heir to the famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti who died last year, graduated from Gazi University's Department of Music and started his vocal studies with Polish tenor Roman Werlinski. He made his debut there as Alfredo in Verdi's �La Traviata.�

In 1997 he attended the European Opera Center in Manchester and made his European debut in Mozart´s �Lucio Silla,� which went on tour in England, Ireland and Denmark.

Since then, Bezdüz has performed in London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Cologne, Marseille, Rennes, Nancy, Lausanne, at the Teatro Regio di Parma and Teatro Regio di Torino, in Portland, Oregon, at the Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires, with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, with the Istanbul State Opera, and in several other cities in Europe.

His repertoire includes Fenton in Verdi's �Falstaff� and Hellenus in Berlioz's �Les Troyens,� both of which he recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Sir Colin Davis. He has also played Ottavio in Mozart's �Don Giovanni,� Rodolfo in �La Bohème� and the title role in Gounod's �Faust.� He is ideally suited to the operas of Donizetti and has sung the following roles: Alamiro in �Belisario,� Gennaro in �Lucrezia Borgia,� Leicester in �Maria Stuarda,� the title role in �Roberto Devereux,� Nemorino in �L'elisir d'amore� and Edgardo in �Lucia di Lammermoor.�

Inform,July 2008

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Turkey's ruling party denies Islamism in court

04/07/2008

The ruling AKP told the Constitutional Court that it has no hidden agenda to bring Islamist rule to the country. Turkey's highest court is expected to deliver its ruling regarding the embattled party in four to five weeks.

By Ayhan Simsek for Southeast European Times -- 04/07/08

Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek told the Constitutional Court on Thursday (July 3rd) that most claims in the indictment were based on misinformation or media reports. [Getty Images]

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) defended itself in the Constitutional Court on Thursday (July 3rd), against charges that it pursues a hidden agenda to bring Islamist rule to the secular country.

Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek and senior deputy Bekir Bozdag told the country's highest court in a six-and-a-half hour-long session that the party's main aim is to further democratise the country, with respect to religion and values of the people, not push Islamisation.

On Tuesday, Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya told the court that the AKP has become a "focal point" of activities aimed at destroying the secular character of the state. He described the possible Islamist rule as a "clear and present" danger for Turkey.

Yalcinkaya asked that the party be closed and its 71 leading figures -- including Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan -- be banned from politics for five years. In the indictment, the chief prosecutor listed various statements and policies of the AKP, which he argued were part of a broader plan to destroy the secular system and introduce Islamist rule.

Among those he highlighted were filling thousands of state positions with Islamists, banning alcohol sales in restaurants run by AKP authorities, attempts to broaden Koran courses and finally, the controversial move to allow women to wear headscarves at universities, which is generally interpreted as an ideological symbol.

Cicek told the court that most of the claims in the indictment were based on misinformation or media reports. He gave various examples of reforms initiated by the AKP. The deputy prime minister also argued that a ban of the AKP would contradict major international human rights treaties, mainly the European Convention on Human Rights, which Turkey has ratified.

Despite hundreds pages of defence by the AKP, and calls from the EU to the contrary, many analysts predict the party will be banned -- a fate met by Islamist parties in the past, including Refah Partisi and Fazilet Partisi. Unlike the AKP, however, these former Islamist parties adopted a more hard-line approach and initiated highly controversial policies. AKP describes itself not as an Islamist but as a "conservative democrat" party, and maintains a pro-EU stance.

"[Turkish citizens] don't see a clear open threat to democracy. So if the party is banned and the case will come to the [European Court of Human Rights], the court may conclude that Turkey was wrong by banning the party," Rıza Türmen, former Turkish judge at the European Court of Human Rights, told CNN Turk television. He suggests that the court send a strong warning to the party to respect the democratic and secular character of the state, rather than closing it down.

A ruling is expected in four to five weeks. At least seven of 11 judges must vote for closure for the court to shut down a political party. If the AKP is shut down, its deputies could regroup under a new party. Turkish press reports indicate that AKP officials have already begun those preparations. If Erdogan is banned from politics, he is expected to control the new party from behind the scenes.

This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

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Senior US general visits Turkey for talks on fighting terrorism, PKK

US Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice-Chairman General James Cartwright speaks to the media Thursday during a reception in Ankara to celebrate US Independence Day. [Getty Images]

04/07/2008

ANKARA, Turkey -- General James Cartwright, vice-chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived on Thursday (July 3rd) in Ankara to discuss the fight against terrorism, including the operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The US Embassy says Cartwright met with Turkey's chief of the General Staff General Yasar Buyukanit, and his deputy General Ergin Saygun. This is Cartwright's third visit to Ankara since November 2007. Turkey, supported by US military intelligence services, has been conducting military operations against PKK bases in northern Iraq for months.

In other news, the Turkish General Staff announced that the seaside resort of Antalya will host a three-day meeting of the Balkan countries' General Staff chiefs beginning on Sunday. Officials from Turkey, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Greece will attend, as will NATO and EU military delegations. (Zaman, Turkish Daily News - 04/07/08; AFP, Hurriyet - 03/07/08)

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Changes in Mount Nemrut area

The ruins zone around Mt. Nemrut in the southeastern city of Adıyaman is to become a new Turkish tourism brand with the help of the Kommagene-Nemrut Protection and Development Program. The aim is to rearrange the environment and to cover the splits on the high statues of gods located in the zone

GAZİANTEP - Anatolia News Agency

The ruins around Mount Nemrut in the southeastern Adıyaman province are set to become a site for tourism, with the help of a new development program undertaken by the tourism ministry and academics.

The Ören zone around Mount Nemrut is already on the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's World Culture Heritage list, and now, as part of the Kommagene Nemrut Protection and Development Program, Middle East Technical University, or METU, and the Culture and Tourism Ministry will conduct relevant research in the area until 2010, according to Neriman Şahin Güçhan, assistant professor in the METU Faculty of Architecture.

Noting that the aim of the initiative is to transform the environment and to cover the cracks on the high statues of gods located in the ruins, Güçhan said, “We prepared a project and it received approval. Application projects are on the bids now.”

MODERN SERVING HOUSE

Stating that a modern serving house will be built in the ruins area, Güçhan explained: “There is a social facility in the area to be destroyed and transformed into a festival area. A new and modern serving house will be built instead, including three big exhibition halls, a lounge, souvenir shops and an audiovisual hall. Documentaries about Mt. Nemrut will be presented in the hall. Upon arriving in the serving house, guests will leave their cars in the parking lot, as private cars are not allowed in the area. Instead, they will be transported by public mini buses.”

Güçhan said the use of smart tokens will be very useful in terms of monitoring the number of visitors and added that security and tour guides will be present to prevent the monuments from being damaged.

DAMAGE ON THE STATUES

“It is not true that the statues of the Mount Nemrut are any more damaged than any others in Turkey. When we compare the pictures from 100 years ago, we see there is no big difference between them,” said Güçhan.

Noting that the team plans to restore the statues as part of the program extension, Güçhan explained: “We will be in Adıyaman between July 23 and August 10. We will make our studies on how to protect the ruins' environment and how to repair the statues' damage. We will prepare a mixture and use it on the splits.”

The Mount Nemrut Scientific Committee Council Meeting will be held June 29-30 in Ören. Studies on mending the statues will be selected by the committee members.

8th Wonder of the World

Mt. Nemrut, also known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” or “The Throne of the Gods,” lies 66 kilometers north of the town Kahta, near Adıyaman. In 62 B.C. King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene built on the mountaintop a tomb-sanctuary flanked by huge statues (eight to nine meters high) of himself, two lions, two eagles and various Greek, Armenian and Persian gods and heroes, such as Hercules, Zeus-Oromasdes (associated with the Persian god Ahura Mazda), Tyche and Apollo-Mithras. These statues were once seated, with the name of each god inscribed on them.

The site also preserves stone slabs with bas-relief figures that are thought to have formed a large frieze. These stones depict the ancestors of Antiochus, including Macedonians and Persians.

Inform,03.07.08

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Getting a trip to the east of Turkey

Those who have not seen and those who wish to see Diyarbakir, Mardin, Midyat and Hasankeyf should not wait any longer to visit these tourist and cultural centers. Though they are all beautiful tourism destinations, many, especially those who have been living abroad for a long time, may complain about the high cost of living in Turkey and even be puzzled by how the local people manage to make a living in the area

MARKUS ÜREK

MİDYAT - Turkish Daily News

Diyarbakır, by getting more new immigrants every day, is growing bigger all the time and, despite this, is becoming more modern in the real sense of the word. The number of new cafes and places where young people can meet is increasing rapidly. The two-lane highway from Diyarbakir to Mardin is still under construction, though it was supposed to have been completed 10 years ago. Workers are now working on the road at full speed to try to win the favor of the local people. In fact, the fields between Diyarbakır and Mardin are very suitable for the widening of the road. When this main road that will bind these two important cities is finished, the traffic will be eased even more and the number of fatal accidents will hopefully be reduced.

The city of Mardin, which overlooks the Mesopotamian plain, has lost none of its beauty and draws much the attention of many foreign and home visitors that come to the city. Mardin must have impressed the Hilton Hotel chain because the Mardin Hilton will open soon in the center of the city. The Mardin Airport Road on the other side of the city has become an important road for Syrians and Iraqis. Taxi drivers take tens of Iraqis and Syrians to the Habur and Nusaybin border gates every day, but businessmen who travel to explore investments in northern Iraq generally prefer the Diyarbakır Airport. According to a driver of a trading minibus from Şırnak, “If your trading minibus is registered in your name you can enter northern Iraq every week. There everything is very cheap to compare with the fees in Turkey. All the food products that are exported from Turkey are brought back to Turkey again in much cheaper price. For example, Turkish-made Lassa tires are much cheaper there. We buy them from there.'

Midyat busy in summer

Midyat, which is a center for handmade white stone masonry and handmade silver, is very busy, as every summer, with domestic tourists. The shops of the Syriac silver masters are very attractive. However, it is also possible that one may come across some Thailand-made imported silver in the shop windows.

The road from Midyat that leads to Idil and Cizre is quite good. However, the two-kilometer road of the monastery of Mor Gabriel attracts 100,000 home and foreign visitors each year, despite the fact that promises made for years have not been fulfilled and that the main bridge, which is the most important passage on the road, was poorly rebuilt after it collapsed. Tourists that come to the world-famous monastery form an important income source for the local people and the monastery welcomes world-famous home and foreign guests and the ambassadors and politicians of many countries. This monastery, which is important for introducing the country, must be preserved by the state authorities even more.

From Midyat towards Batman there is the town of Hasankeyf, which has been home to Assyrians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Artuqis and the Ottoman Empire and is renowned for its fortress and caves that are engraved in hard rocks. Hasankeyf during the summer months attracts about 20,000 domestic and foreign visitors a week. The fortress of Hasankeyf and most of the area's other historical remains, which are 100-120 metres above the Tigris River, will remain underwater. After the dam is finished, the water level will likely go to 60 metres high. The historic caves that will remain under the water will definitely attract divers.

Due to the Ilısu Dam, the settlement in Hasankeyf will be moved to the outskirts of the Raman Mountain, which is rich with oil reservoirs. Eight thousand new houses are set to be built in the new city. Hikmet Ayhan, who is one of the Hasankeyf locals and runs a little carpet shop at the entranc to the old fortress, said, “If our houses will remain under the water and they will move us to there, then let them be serious and mean business and build the new houses to fit to the local houses of Midyat with Syriac white stone masonry. We have applied to the government in this regard.” Just as Ayhan said the new houses, which are to be built on the edge of the dam lake and on the outskirts of the Raman Mountain if they are ever completed, like the houses in Midyat will stay for centuries and, as they get old, will become a real investment with historical value. Therefore, it is worth paying more for them and instead of a city of concrete buildings the town should look to the future and build the new city from white stones.

Athough animal raising and viticulture remain important sources of income for the region, the ongoing increase in the cost of fuel and the high cost of living in the country have paved the way for losing the importance of the viticulture in the region. What is left, however, is the income from the Habur border gate and from the tourists coming to the region.

Inform,02.07.08

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Turkish men's chorus wins award in Varna

The Ankara Polyphony Music Association Men’s Chorus, which is made up of men from various professions, won the fourth prize at the Georgi Dimitrov 30th International Chorus Competition, which was organized last week in Varna, Bulgaria. The chorus drew the attention of jury members with the song 'Mavilim' ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Turkey took home the fourth-place award at the Georgi Dimitrov 30th International Chorus Competition, which was held last week in Varna, Bulgaria. The Ankara Polyphony Music Association Men's Chorus, which performed the song “Mavilim” (My Blue-eyed One), won the award at the competition.

The chorus is made up of Ankara State Opera and Ballet artists Bülent Ateşoğlu, Haser Tek, Murat Akar, Rüzgar Memişoğlu, Yaşar Barış Çark, Özgür Aslan, Ulvi Kahraman and Mustafa Alpaslan; Culture and Tourism Ministry State Polyphony Chorus members Ethem Demir and Erdinç Yargıcı; conservatory students Fatih Ercan and Emrah Sözer; Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine member Professor Fatih Ünal; teacher Serkan Ercan; and two amateur people who are interested in music. The chorus members prepared for the competition for one-and-a-half months.

Third prize missed by one point

“As a men's chorus, we worked with different members for a few times,” said chorus member Memişoğlu. He said the number of similar choruses in Turkey and the world is too low. Noting that the group arranged rehearsals according to their members' free time because they have members from various professions, Memişoğlu said, “This is why we cannot have opportunity for rehearsals from time to time.”

Memişoğlu said because of the limited repertoire available, it was very difficult to establish a men's chorus. “Our repertoire also includes rearrangements of songs like ‘Mavilim' and ‘Üsküdar.' Twelve choruses from various countries have competed at the Georgi Dimitrov 30th International Chorus Competition. ‘Mavilim' was one of the songs that we performed there,” he added.

Jury members applaud the song

Memişoğle noted that jury members liked the song a great deal and congratulated the chorus members after the competition. “We won the fourth award as a result of a four-month effort. Other groups joining the competition are working for months and years. I think it is peculiar to Turks to join a competition at the last minute and win an award,” he said.

Memişoğlu noted that the group missed the third prize by one point, and expressed the happiness of the members, saying, “We missed the third prize, but I believe that we represented our country in the best possible way. The award that we won shows this fact.”

Other chorus member Akar said the chorus joined the competition with its own expectations. He said the chorus expects sponsorship for the next competitions, and added that the group's next goal was to expand its repertoire. Inform,01.07.08

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'Müze kart' a ticket to 'all you can see' of history

Entrance to more than 300 museums and ancient sites in Turkey is now cheaper than ever. Introduced by Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay, a unique type of smart card called the ‘Müzekart’ allows its holder to enter more than 300 museums for only YTL 20 during one year

Vercihan Ziflioğlu
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

Turkey is rediscovering the value of its cultural heritage. Numerous museums, monuments, mosques and churches, as well as many other historic structures and ancient sites, have been noticeably neglected during the last decades and they have often been subject to dramatic levels of plundering by smugglers.

But lately Culture Minister Eruğrul Günay has launched an action plan in an effort to increase social consciousness among citizens of the country's rich cultural heritage. Another goal is to protect this millennia-old heritage, which is also a global property.

To serve that goal, the Culture and Tourism Ministry is going to issue a special card in the upcoming weeks called the Müzekart (museum card), which will allow its holder to visit more than 300 museums and ancient sites in Turkey in return for only YTL 20. The project aims to increase domestic tourism first and then also attract more foreign tourists to Turkey.

Müzekarts will be sold for YTL 20 to individuals at museum entrances and be valid for one year, during which time a local tourist can enter every museum free of charge from Topkapı Palace to Pergamon Museum and ancient sites including Nemrut and Cappadocia. A Müzekart should be renewed yearly.

Günay, speaking to the Turkish Daily News, said the following about the Müzekart project.

�The total income gained from entrance fees at museums and ancient sites last year was about YTL 77 trillion. Figures show that the number of local tourists who visited these museums and ancient sites last year was very low compared to the number of foreign tourists,� said Günay. �The Müzekart is designed for domestic tourists, but we are planning to introduce it for foreign tourists as well in the near future,� he added.

Visiting a museum costly for a family in Turkey

Visiting a museum is almost a luxury activity for many families in Turkey given the low level of minimum wage. Another factor in mass disinterest in museums is the relatively low level of education in the country.

In the past, domestic tourists used to pay less than foreign tourists for entrance to museums and ancient sites in Turkey. Since 2006, both local and foreign tourists pay the same amount for a ticket.

�Ticket prices were quite high for many families. Many times I have seen families leaving the museum without visiting it because they could not pay the fees at the ticket office,� said Günay and added that �Müzekart� will help to gradually eliminate this problem.

�Museums have not been promoted properly in Turkey so far. We have much to do. But first, we have to attract children to the museums,� said Günay. He cited recent workshops at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara in which children participated. Children acquired an awareness of history and a sense of belonging thanks to these workshops, he added.

Turkey to become prestigious tourism spot

Turkey has ascended the tourism ladder rapidly in recent years and is currently in the top league of countries that progress in tourism. �Turkey ranks among the top 10 countries attracting the highest number of tourists. Our goal is to make Turkey one of the top five,� said Günay.

Now it is time to break with the rigid understanding of tourism, said Günay and added that Turkey's rich cultural heritage is its most significant asset. �Tourists should come to Turkey not only for a holiday by the sea but also to see the myriad of ancient sites, museums and other cultural heritage. This would bring prestige and respectability to our country,� he said. Tourists in many European countries use smart cards similar to Müzekart, he said. The Müzekart project would contribute a lot to the Turkish economy, he added.

Müzekart will soon be at the service of art addicts as well as cinemagoers, granting access to many culture and art activities at a reasonable price.

www.muzekart.com

Inform,01.07.08

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