TURKEY

A DELIGHT-PUN INTENDED

"On Miray’s advice I visited the Akaretler part of the city. Uptown from Taksim, it was quieter but more sophisticated and voguish. There were no tourists there. Just well dressed and well apportioned locals who were wanded for explosives by burly security men prior to entering trendy alfresco dining establishments behind plexiglass within view of colorful street art. The well heeled would not be blown up easily by any asshole terrorists. I sipped a craft beer in the back garden of a place named “Craft Beer Lab.” Far less funky than where I was twelve hours prior, the biker jackets were replaced with professorial tweed. Down a ways were more pedestrian friendly streets, that like Istiklal in Taksim were streaming with people. The difference was in Akaretler they were all locals, visiting the markets, having a smoke and or drink and paying fair prices. I found a local bakery and loaded up on baklava. To the chagrin of my cab driver, I ate all of it in in the back seat during our twenty minute trip back to the hotel."

-- Luke's Journal

CITIES VISITED:

MUST DO:

FAVORITE MEMORY:

Istanbul

Izmir

Ephesus

Cesme

In Istanbul--pay homage at the Hagia Sophia.

Shop at the Grand Bazaar.

Eat many kebabs.

Enjoy the eclectic bars around Taksim.

Walk past the Izmir Clock Tower and then the seaside parks. Take a guided tour of Ephesus, seek out the ruins and the Virgin Mary's believed-to-be home.

Have some beach beers in Cesme and contemplate floating to Greece (actually pretty possible.)

It's cliche but for me, I found the food in Istanbul to be my favorite in the world. One day I ate kebabs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meat so tender, it watered the mouth and exhilarated the senses.

DIFFICULTY TO VISIT RATING:

2/5  MODERATE

Istanbul is easy to navigate, Izmir a little bit harder. In the last ten years,Turkey, long a vibrant democracy, has undergone a suspected coup, brutal terrorist attacks and numerous protests against increasingly authoritarian rule. Check the situation on the ground before going, tourists are well cared for and well liked.