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An earthquake shakes the city of Kuşadası, in western Turkey, with no casualties
The western Turkish city of Kuşadası was hit by a 5.0 magnitude earthquake that was felt in neighboring provinces and on a Greek island, while an expert warned of potentially larger earthquakes in the region in the future. The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that the epicenter of the earthquake which occurred at 6:24 a.m. local time was in the Gulf of Kuşadası in the Aegean Sea. Tremors sent people running through the streets and were felt in neighboring provinces. It was preceded by a 3.8 magnitude earthquake five minutes earlier. No casualties or damage were reported. The Geodynamic Institute in Athens, the Greek capital, reported that a…
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Turkish local market (pazar)
Let’s discover the local markets of Istanbul, the Turkish local market (Pazar) together. Anyone who has been to Turkey has seen, at least once, a road closed to traffic covered with awnings from morning until late evening. The area is a chaos of voices, screams and various sounds. It is none other than the Turkish local market (Pazar). The Turkish local market translates into “market”, to give it a name in English. But in Turkey the Turkish local market is experienced very differently; if fact, I would say more intensely. Turkish local market (pazar), the soul of commerce The Turkish local market represents the deep and intrinsic soul of the…
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Turk Kahvesi (Turkish coffee): Preparation, Origin & History
Coffee (Turk Kahvesi) has a long tradition in Turkey. The first coffee house in Europe opened in Istanbul in 1554. Due to its long history, Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi) is on the UNSECO list of intangible world heritage. I would even call it a kind of Turkish attitude towards life. I’ve set out to collect and explain everything worth knowing about Turkish coffee in this post. It includes instructions for preparing Turkish mocha, a summary of its history and interesting facts about the coffee tradition in Turkey. What is a Turkish coffee (Türk Kahvesi)? Turkish coffee (Turk Kahvesi) is not any specific type of coffee. This means a coffee that…
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Mevlut Cavusoglu : Turkey will “never ask permission” to intervene in Syria
Turkey “never asks permission” from anyone before launching a military operation in Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned Thursday. “We can exchange ideas, but we have never asked and we will never ask for authorization for our military operations against terrorism” Mevlut Cavusoglu hammered, warning: “It can happen overnight, suddenly”. Russia and Iran warn TurkeyDuring a tripartite summit with Iran and Russia on Tuesday in Tehran, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been threatening a Turkish military operation in Syria since May, said he was counting on the “support of Russia and the ‘Iran in the fight against terrorism’. But his two counterparts had clearly warned against any…
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The myth of the Orient Express
…I’ll tell you a fascinating story about the Orient Express. The Orient Express has always been the symbol of the connection between Europe and Asia. It was not just a train. The Orient Express has always made me dream about its aristocratic and elegant travellers from all over Europe. The train was sumptuously and exquisitely furnished, nothing less than the greatest luxury hotels. But above all, it sped at full speed across all of Europe, up to its last stop, Istanbul. I discovered Agatha Christie’s novels when I was still a child. Whether they were books or films, I was (and still am) passionate about this great English writer, who…
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Morocco Turkey: Towards closer military cooperation
Morocco has created a post of military attaché in Turkey, a country that has become a major supplier to the FAR over the past few years. This post is intended to better prospect the fake military industry, according to Mohamed Chakir, expert in defense issues, who discusses the prospects for the development of military cooperation between Rabat and Ankara. At the end of the Council of Ministers, chaired on Wednesday by the Sovereign, it was announced the creation of two military attaché posts in India and Turkey. Two countries with which the Kingdom has strengthened its cooperation in recent years. The Kingdom’s embassy in Ankara will now have an officer…
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RUSSIA ANNOUNCES SUMMIT BETWEEN PUTIN AND TURKISH AND IRANIAN LEADERS IN TEHRAN ON JULY 19
The three Heads of State (Russia, Turkey and Iran) will notably discuss Syria. But Ukraine, where Turkey wants to have a mediating role, should also be on the agenda.The presidents of Russia, Turkey and Iran will meet on July 19 in Tehran for a summit on Syria and bilateral talks, the Kremlin announced on Tuesday. This will be Vladimir Putin’s second trip abroad since the launch of his offensive in Ukraine at the end of February. President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Tehran on July 19 “is being prepared,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian leader Ebrahim Raisi will participate in “a…
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The Turkish Eye (Nazar Boncugu) is the most popular souvenir from Turkey
The Nazar Boncugu (Turkish Eye) is a small talisman in the shape of a teardrop-shaped blue eye. You have certainly seen the symbol before. It is universally believed to be a powerful lucky charm in Turkey. According to Turkish popular belief, the amulet protects its wearer from the evil eye. Its meaning can be compared to a horseshoe or a hare’s paw. The eye clearly looks nicer. That is why the Turkish eye is one of the most popular souvenirs from Turkey. The lucky charm from Turkey, Nazar Boncugu (Turkish Eye) amulet The word Nazar comes from the Arabic language. Its translation means something like look, see or attention. In…
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The Kapalı Ҫarşı, Scents and Colours of Istanbul
Today I want to escort you to one of the most evocative places in Istanbul in my opinion, if not Turkey. It is the Kapalı Ҫarşı. A mysterious, enchanting place, filled with scents and colours, the Kapali Carsi is undoubtedly worth a visit. When I say visit, I would like to point out that it is almost impossible to get in and out within a couple of hours. It has the magical power of attraction to all who enter. Kapalı Ҫarşı represents the centuries-old tradition of trade, which in Istanbul, has always been lively and intense. Why Istanbul? Why in Istanbul and nowhere else? Istanbul straddles two continents and has…
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Hagia Sofia, Witness to history at the Crossroads
When we were first introduced, I was little more than a child visiting the city of Istanbul with her family. Majestic, imposing and resplendent, from that moment onward, Hagia Sophia entered my heart forever. How is it possible to feel so close to a monument? The more I look at her, the more I see myself reflected in her, I begin to appreciate this mix of cultures that represents every one of us. Every year I visit Hagia Sofia and every year I understand it more and more. What is now a mosque appeared to me as a universal monument. As a monument located in Turkey (Fatih Istanbul), but which…
