Istanbul: Exploring Çukurcuma

There's always an area of any city that becomes the place to see, to be seen and to know about. While we were living in the UK in Manchester, this area was the Northern Quarter. In Istanbul, tucked away in the back streets of Beyoğlu is the old area known as Çukurcuma and, during the last couple of years, it's been impossible to ignore. 

Tempting antique shop in Çukurcuma

Raved about in independent blogs and foreign and national press alike, Çukurcuma was the new black and so, when we were in Istanbul in October of last year, it was placed on our Istanbul itinerary. We love wandering around, getting lost and taking in new places - and we also wanted to see what all the fuss was about. 

If you read this blog a lot, you'll be fully aware that the weather gods were not smiling down upon us during this short break, but we'd already written off so much of our itinerary because of the wind and rain, we were determined to not let the weather affect our little expedition through the streets of Beyoğlu.

Wagon wheels of Çukurcuma

After passing the very tempting Asrı Turşucu (pickle shop) in Cihangir and managing not to make a purchase, we knew we'd hit upon the Çukurcuma area as soon as we saw the wooden wagon wheels displayed outside the shops. Historically, Çukurcuma is known as the area where the skilled wood craftsmen resided and created their wares and many of these goods are for sale in the tiny antique shops that line the steep, narrow streets.

On this occasion we didn't take part in any shopping activities. We were here just to mooch. These days, antique and modern goods made from wood, and bric-a-brac and haberdashery shops selling all manner of goods from yesteryear, share cosy corners with high-end boutiques, art shops, bars and eateries. Suspecting our budget would be blown if we even dared to enter any of these new, little worlds, we contented ourselves with window gazing and wandering. The temptation however, was great.

Pots, chairs, chests and architecture of Çukurcuma

Interesting that we didn't spot any of the cats of Çukurcuma but then they probably had more sense than us and were curled up somewhere to keep warm. We'd like to return to this area at a more pleasant time of year to see what the atmosphere is like as, aside from us, we didn't come across many other human beings either. Even the shopkeepers, usually hovering around their doorways, were nowhere to be seen.

Çukurcuma mosque

Çukurcuma is well worth exploring if you are in Istanbul. It's a peaceful haven, despite being so close to the masses of Istiklal Caddesi, and you can easily spend a few hours wandering around the mesmerising displays in the shops - just don't forget your wallet. To get a feel for the  atmosphere and local history of Çukurcuma, take a look at this short video on The Guardian website.

So, What For The Future Of Marmaris?

In 2010, you may remember we were showcasing what we loved about Southwest coastal Turkey in winter when we visited places like Sarıgerme and Akyaka. We usually hired a car and stopped off in these areas en route to Dalaman or Milas-Bodrum Airports to pick up our winter visitors. Flight diversions meant we had to get a car to rescue stranded friends in Bodrum and if you've ever driven from Fethiye to Bodrum, you'll know that 4 hours on a winding road is a bit of trek.

December on the Marmaris coast

On one particular occasion, having done the Bodrum Airport run a couple of times before, we decided to have a whole day out en-route. Our first stop was Marmaris. Why Marmaris? Because we've never wanted to go there! This is British package-holiday-heaven and it was time we dared to tread where millions of others had dared to tread before us. Time to leave the comfort zone.

All attractions point this way

This was in the hope that we would be pleasantly surprised. We'd been to Marmaris in the past to get catch the ferry or catamaran to Rhodes and we'd passed through town en route to the Datça Peninsula. All looked pretty and peaceful on those occasions - but then in a summer party town, things tend to look this way at 7am. This time, it was December, storms were brewing, it was cold.

It wasn't pretty! Obviously, the grey weather didn't help matters but, if you know this blog, you'll know the sunshine is not an important part of our life in Turkey. We love Fethiye after a storm so what was the problem with Marmaris? Why haven't we written about it till now, 13 months later? Truthfully, because we always want to be positive on this blog and we were struggling for positive things to write.

Our meal at Star Lokanta - delicious and a bargain

After parking the car, we wandered around a semi-deserted town where most of the shops in the centre were closed. We enjoy the tranquillity of closed-up tourist resorts - but Marmaris should have been different. We all used to laugh in Fethiye when we got money-off vouchers for particular stores at the supermarkets: our nearest store was always Marmaris. Not a lot of use to us. 

And so, out of season, we expected Marmaris to be a typical, coastal West Turkish town. But that wasn't the case. Thankfully - and a plug for this place if they are still in business - we found Star Lokanta, close to the 'Bar Street' entrance; one of the only places that was open. It was lunchtime and the chef was just placing all the food into the trays of the bay marie. Presumably, people were going to appear from wherever they worked to eat all this fabulous food. There was a lot of it!

'You can have a bit of everything if you want,' the chef said, nonchalantly. Fed up and feeling a bit sad, we went for that comfort option. Wise choice and cheap! Along with the Old Town, it was a definite highlight.

This black cat was happy enough to be in the peace of Marmaris old town

Marmaris has a huge marina and a beautifully maintained, inhabited old town - but we think there's even more to come for future visitors. When we were on the Datça Peninsula at the end of November we stopped off in Marmaris on the way back to Fethiye and we were expecting the same scene of closed-up shops and bars.

A street in Marmaris old town

Granted, the sky was a pristine, clear blue and the sunshine always puts a different slant on things, but Marmaris is definitely changing. We'd heard that Marmaris wanted to improve its holiday image, but we were wondering what would actually be done about it. How do you go about changing the image of a town in a short time?

Well, a large, popular supermarket with a couple of floors and an underground carpark is currently being demolished. What will appear in its place we have no idea, but all this is really close to the seaside and the old town. Previously-closed shops on the street opposite are now patisseries, coffee shops and clothes shops. It was open for business and, most importantly, it was busy with locals.

We're intrigued. So intrigued, we might have to venture back to Marmaris over summer to check it out. Will it be an all-new Marmaris? We'll see...

Fethiye Photo: Sheltering From The Storm

It's Friday again so it's time for another Fethiye photo. Previously, the photos have concentrated on the January winter sunshine, particularly the photo of Fethiye harbour that we showed a couple of weeks back. 

However, this week has been very wet so it seems only fitting that today's photo displays that. I took this yesterday morning after restless sleep caused by storms, reminiscent of the Fethiye storms that caused the damage in Çalış last year. Throughout Wednesday night, continuous, angry rumbles of thunder were only interrupted by huge booms of thunder directly above us and high winds and rain battered the house.

Heavy skies over Fethiye

This is the calm after the storm. It's quite common for tankers and cargo ships to come into Fethiye bay and, while they're considered an eyesore by some, I think there's a certain beauty and serenity about them as they rest on the dead-calm, morning waters of the bay. Yesterday morning, a couple of tankers were in Fethiye bay, presumably to shelter from the rough, Mediterranean seas. This was one of them. It had been here for three days.

Today is sunny and clear and the vessels are now gone. Hopefully, we'll now get some respite from the stormy weather of this last week so those affected can begin their clean-up and repair any damage caused. Here's to a sunny weekend! 

Turkish Recipes: Biber Dolması (Stuffed Peppers With Rice)

The first time we came across biber dolması, we were staying with a Turkish friend and his family for a few days. Early in the day, mum was already preparing the evening meal and I remember glancing at the hob and seeing a pan with a glass lid, steam hissing through the gaps every now and then. Inside the pan were snugly-fitted, upright, green bell peppers. Boiled whole peppers? That was my thought. I wasn't looking forward to this meal!

Our first attempt at biber dolması

It was only when the peppers were served that we realised they were stuffed with a heavily-spiced rice (dolma means stuffed) and of course, the longer we lived in Turkey, the more we came to know that stuffed vegetables, particularly with this rice filling, are a feature of Turkish cuisine. We love them. It wasn't until yesterday however that I actually attempted to make my own. 

A Recipe for Turkish Biber Dolması
This recipe is great if you've got friends coming round for food. You can make it early in the day (or even better, the day before) to be served cold later on as part of a buffet and it's filling so your guests won't be going home hungry. 

Rice mixture for the filling

The Rice Filling: 
First of all, you need to make your rice filling. This mixture is enough to fill 9 or 10 of the green dolmalık peppers (medium-sized bell peppers) you get from the market. We only had 7 peppers so we have a bit of mixture left over.

• Finely chop 2 onions
• Add a small handful of pine nuts to a pan and toast them lightly. (Be careful not to let them burn)
• After a few minutes, add a generous glug of olive oil and your chopped onion. Stir for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. If you want to, you can add a small, peeled and chopped tomato at this point, too. This is optional.
• Now add 1 mug of rice, salt and pepper (we also added chilli powder as we like spicy dolma) and stir around for a few minutes on a low light, being careful not to let the rice burn.
• Add 1 mug of water and a dessert spoonful of sugar, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer the rice until the water evaporates.
• Remove from the heat. The rice will not be fully cooked but you don't want it to be as it will continue to steam when you stuff the peppers, later.
• As the rice is cooling, add a sprinkling of dried mint, cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle in a generous handful of currants too. We used up some dates instead and it worked fine. Mix it all together (as in the photo above and leave to one side to cool)

Making Biber Dolması

The main thing you need to think about for this is your pan. Do a test first by standing your peppers in a deep pan. It needs to be a snug fit and they shouldn't pop up over the top of the pan. 

Making up the dolma

• Once you know how many peppers will fit into your pan, remove them, cut the tops off and take out the seeds.
• Fill the peppers with the rice mixture using a teaspoon to push the rice to the bottom. Don't fill them too tightly.
• Place the stuffed peppers back into the pan carefully with their lids on. Some people use the top of a tomato to top their peppers - more aesthetically pleasing - but we were happy to use the pepper lids for just the two of us.
• Now pour warm water into the pan (being careful not to let any get into your peppers) until the water is about a third of the way up to the top of the peppers. 
• Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and leave them to steam for between 20 and 30 minutes until your peppers are soft.
• Remove from the pan and leave them to cool.

A serving of biber dolması

Biber dolması is best served cold. We like it with a blob of süzme yoghurt, sprinkled with mint and chilli powder, on the side.
Biber dolması is one of the many dishes that make up Turkish zeytinyağlı dishes (olive oil dishes) and is also known as zeytinyağlı biber dolması so don't be shy with your use of the olive oil when you're making this (some recipes suggest up to half a cup!). It really makes the dish.
If you like the sound of of this olive oil dish, why not try our barbunya pilaki recipe (borlotti beans in olive oil). That's a late summer favourite for us when barbunya beans are abundant on Fethiye market. 

Datça Peninsula: Palamutbükü 8 Years On

A little over 8 years ago, we were taken on a road trip to the Datça Peninsula for a short break with friends. It was November and Datça was deserted and beautiful. Just about everywhere we visited was closed up for the winter months, but we didn't mind as we were there to chill out for a few days and enjoy the solitude. 

One place our friend was keen to show us was Palamutbükü. 'You'll love it,' he said. 'It's perfect.' Off we went along the winding roads and rubble tracks on the peninsula, and eventually we arrived at a golden, shingle beach. The sea was a cold, clear blue and all that broke the expanse of open water was a lonely islet sitting just offshore. Our memory of this place is that, apart from a large wooden stand (remarkably, it was open for business - serving instant coffees) there was nothing else along this little stretch of shore in Palamutbükü.

Timber frames - a clue to summer at Palamutbükü

8 years later, again in November, we stayed with friends in the lovely village of Yazıköy which we soon discovered was just inland from its nearest stretch of beach, Palamutbükü. On arrival, we headed straight down there and we were curious to see how much had changed in our 8 year absence. 

Thankfully, not too much. Aside from the odd couple taking a stroll, the place was deserted. The sea was still a crystal clear blue, lapping gently against the same golden shingle. We weren't fooled. The sea here is famous for being 'refreshing' even in the height of summer. Timber frames, complete with 'Wireless Internet' signs nailed into  posts, a short row of low-rise, beachside restaurants, one 2-storey hotel and a few wooden chalets set in their own grounds were the clues that told us Palamutbükü is definitely on the Turkish beach lovers' radar during the summer months.

The golden shingle beach of Palamutbükü

But that was about it. We were pleasantly surprised. All along the Turkish coastline, large sections of previously undeveloped land have given way to holiday resorts, villas and apartments, so we were expecting much the same fate for Palamutbükü. Sometimes, it's great to be wrong and have that guilty pleasure of feeling like you have a place all to yourself.

The Datça Peninsula is a treat. Somebody somewhere is keeping a tight grip on the 'no over-development here, thank you,' approach and, for now at least, the place is packed with secluded bays, some backed by old, seaside hamlets. The almond and olive harvest is still a feature of village life and the ancient, Hellenistic ruins of Knidos - albeit more accessible after substantial road improvements - still stand lonely, exposed and windswept - and are the more beautiful for it.

We really hope it's not another 8 years before we're once more exploring the Datça Peninsula - and we're also really hoping that when we do get the chance to return, the landscape will be just  as we remember it now.

Browse Hotels In Datça & Palamutbükü

Istanbul - A View From Galata Bridge

Regular visitors to this blog will have worked out long ago that we're not big on covering all the main tourist sights of Turkey here. It's not that we don't want to! The problem is, we only started this blog a couple of years back when we'd already made numerous visits to Turkey and lived here on and off for 6 years. That meant we'd already been to many of the main haunts on the popular Turkey tourist trail pre-blog days and we'd like to keep everything as up-to-date as it possibly can be. 

For ourselves (and therefore, for the benefit of the blog) we're visiting the sights again slowly, slowly. We enjoy it! Turkey has some of the most significant and beautiful historic buildings and sights in the world. How can we not enjoy it? But there are also those random moments that make you stop in your tracks. Even when you've been somewhere many times and walked the route many times and seen the view many times, sometimes you really notice a scene for the first time. We've got to include those times, too.

View from Galata Bridge, Istanbul

One of those times happened in October when we were in Istanbul. We'd walked down the hill to Eminönü from Süleymaniye Mosque in Beyazıt. Once in Eminönü, we bought a plastic cup of Istanbul pickles (turşu) and set off towards Beyoğlu, across Galata Bridge. All the while we were munching on the pickles and slurping pickle vinegar - oh how happy we are that this is the norm in Istanbul. We're pickle fans!

Inevitably the time came when the flimsy, plastic fork would no longer suffice and so we had to stop and lean on the railings of the bridge while we polished off the rest of the pickles. That was when we looked back to where we'd come from. That was when we thought, 'Just look at that view. Look at Istanbul!' 

So many layers. The boats selling their balık ekmeği (fish in bread) on the banks of the Golden Horn; the overcrowded main road, packed with single decker buses and taxis; historic hamams and the Egyptian spice Bazaar just to the left; 1960s apartment blocks, office buildings and a multi-storey car park...and all crowned by the majesty of Süleymaniye Camii (Mosque). Amazing to think that when you walk up there to visit it, it's not actually that easy to spot! Steep hills and high, stone walls do an excellent job of concealing it.

We can't say this is our favourite view in Istanbul - we can never say what our favourite view is in Istanbul. It's a city full of stand-and-stop-and-stare views! But this view says a lot to us.

Get The Best Rates On Hotels & Hostels In Istanbul Through Turkey's For Life

Fethiye Photo: Koca Çalış in January

At the beginning of 2012, we made a bit of a resolution for this blog that we would post a different photo of Fethiye and surrounding areas each Friday. The photo must also be taken in the month we are currently in, meaning all of this month's photos are different Fethiye scenes from January.

The first two photos were views of Fethiye itself; the first one being a sunset view from the new section of Fethiye harbour and last week's photo was of gülets in Fethiye marina. We wanted to branch away from the town centre this week and display a photo from elsewhere in the region so I've been scouring my archives - and it appears I don't take many photos of other areas in the month of January. Maybe we usually just bunker down in this, one of the coldest months in the Southwest Turkey calendar.

Looking towards Fethiye and Çalış from Koca Çalış Beach

Well, not in 2012 we don't! Apart from the Fethiye folder, my brand new 2012 folders are labelled, pristine...and currently empty...except for this one lonely photo in my Çalış 2012 folder.

This is a photo from January 4th when we went for a stroll along the sea, through Çalış and further along to Koca Çalış. There was a fair amount of heat to the sun and we saw that Mutlu Restaurant had a couple of plastic tables out on the beach. Well, we would have been silly not to make the most of the beautiful weather so we sat down to enjoy an Efes Pilsen in the winter afternoon sun.

In the summer months, these steel poles will morph into some kind of awning and will provide welcome respite from the hot sun for diners, drinkers and bathers. The beach will be a patchwork of sun loungers and umbrellas. 

But these winter scenes are our favourite scenes. A deserted beach with a feeling of abandonment on the one hand and expectancy on the other. Abandonment because these rusting steel frames are all that is left behind once the summer visitors have left. Expectancy because, in a few short months, the wait for these steel frames will be over and they will once again serve a purpose when the summer visitors return and descend on the beach at Koca Çalış.

Turkish Recipes: Hamsi Season Celebration

We're in the dying embers of hamsi season in Turkey; that time of the year when millions of shimmering, silver anchovies swim along the Black Sea coast and (most of them) straight into the nets of waiting Turkish fishermen. 

The last three times we've been up to Istanbul have been during the winter months and so we have revelled in heading straight for the Karaköy fish market at the end of Galata Bridge. We go there for the deep-fried hamsi ekmeği (anchovies served in a half bread with rocket leaves and onion) or plates of hamsi, again served with nothing but a simple salad of crisp rocket leaves and thinly sliced onion. A drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon and it's just another example of perfection on a plate.

Hamsi season

We were talking about this over the weekend and it lead to an inevitable craving for hamsi. So strong was the craving that we decided to make some for dinner last night. Obviously, it's never going to be the same experience as sitting by the side of the Golden Horn, watching the passengers spill from the Karaköy ferry as the sun goes down behind Süleymaniye Camii on the opposite side of the water, but it's still a favourite dish that we really don't make often enough.

A Turkish Recipe For Deep-Fried Hamsi & Salad
Hamsi is usually sold whole on Fethiye fish market which means you have the fiddly (if you haven't got the knack) and messy task of gutting and cleaning the fish - you get a lot of fish to the kilo! Head and tail can be left on and eaten - you don't notice them as the fish are so small. However, if you're lucky, trays of cleaned and headless hamsi are sometimes for sale on the fish market for a lira or so extra. We went for this easy option yesterday.

Prepare the salad first

We wanted our meal to be slightly reminiscent of Karaköy fish market, so while we were on Fethiye market yesterday, we bought a bunch of rocket leaves and some spring onion to go with our hamsi.

• Wash your rocket leaves and lay them on a large serving plate.
• Wash and slice your spring onion and sprinkle over the top of the rocket (thinly sliced half moons of a regular onion are good if you have no spring onion).
• Cut a few cherry tomatoes in halves and quarters and lay these around the plate.
• Prepare a salad dressing and put it to one side for now. Lemon and olive oil dressing does the trick but, as we were feeling indulgent, I mixed a richer, smoother concoction of a tablespoon of mayonnaise, a teaspoon of mustard, a good glug of olive oil and a generous amount of nar ekşisi. Nar ekşisi goes perfectly with both fish and salad.

Fry the hamsi and dress the salad

Now on to the hamsi:

• Sprinkle plain flour, and a little chilli powder and cumin (these two are optional) onto a plate and tip the hamsi over it. Toss around until all of the hamsi has a light coating.
• Heat some sunflower oil in a pan suitable for deep-frying.
• Plunge the hamsi into the hot oil in batches. Fry the hamsi for a minute or so only, otherwise the fish will be overcooked, dry and chewy.
• Pile the cooked batches of hamsi on kitchen roll to drain while you fry the rest of it.
• Once all of your your hamsi is cooked, season your salad and drizzle some of the dressing over the top.
• Now arrange your hamsi over the salad.

Hamsi - perfect finger food

Put your favourite film on. Place the large plate of hamsi and salad on the sofa between you, grab a couple of forks, put the rest of the dressing into a little pot and cut some fresh, crusty bread. Eat, chomp and dip!

Afiyet olsun.

Our Olive Haul On The Datça Peninsula

"Okay, let's go to the grove and pick up the olives," our friend's dad said, grinning. 

Our friend rolled her eyes - this is all old hat to her - and asked us if we wanted to go and help harvest the olives (she quite clearly didn't). Of course we wanted to go and help get the olives. We were dying to have a go at whacking a big stick about a tree and watching the olives fall, and besides, we'd been fed and watered by her mum and dad all weekend. Lending a helping hand could be our way of paying something back.

More professional Datça villagers at work

This conversation was taking place in Yazıköy on the Datça Peninsula, just along the road from ancient Knidos. We were staying with a friend's parents and it was November; right in the middle of the olive harvest. Yazıköy's whole existence is based around the growth of olives and almonds, and just about everyone in the village was occupied in the act of tree whacking and piling the fallen black olives into white, nylon sacks.

Dad was eager to get the two foreigners in on the action, so our friend reluctantly agreed we'd all go along. "But only for an hour!" 

We all trouped off through the village, buying bottles of water on the way. You can't do anything in a village the size of Yazıköy without everyone knowing and pretty soon we were a not-very-professional-looking crew of 8 or 9 people, trudging along dry, dusty footpaths towards the grove belonging to our friend's family.

Our not-very-bountiful olive bounty

Dad and the other men disappeared further up the grove while we were given the task of filling one of the white sacks with olives that had fallen to the ground and missed the sheeting they were supposed to land on as they fell from the trees. Afterwards, we were to whack the remaining olives from a couple of nearby trees.

Let's strip away any images of the Mediterranean idyll here. Yes, we were laughing hard and having a great time, but only because we were all so bad at carrying out our given task. We were soon very relieved that our friend had stressed we'd only be sticking around for an hour because we were tired and aching! 

The olives don't fall easily - they're more than keen to stay firmly attached to their tree branches - and it takes a fair amount of whacking and shaking to force them to fall. When they do fall, it's almost as if they're getting in their punishment for disturbing them, so and they pepper your head like pellets. Some of the softer ones you pick up splat between your fingers, leaving a dark, purple dye. And then, after a few minutes of scratching around on the floor, your back starts to ache. People in Yazıköy do this day in, day out during the harvest and they have our full admiration. Maybe we're just not cut out for this.

The hands of a man who spends more time on a laptop than harvesting olives!

Between four of us, we collected 2 kilos of olives in an hour. Pitiful! They barely covered the bottom of the sack, and so, when the rest of the group emerged with 2 sacks, packed full of olives, we were more than impressed that they'd done this in an hour...until they owned up and said they'd harvested them the day before and had just come today to pick them up.

The olives harvested that day were bound for the olive local olive oil factory rather than being jarred up for eating. We were told that the less rain there is, the more oil the olives produce. A lot of rainfall means they're good for eating rather than pressing.

Fethiye Photo: Fethiye Marina in January

Wow! Friday again already, so it's time for the second instalment of A Fethiye Photo Every Friday.  Last week, we kicked off with a scene from the new section of Fethiye harbour, halfway between the centre of town and Çalış.

My silent New Year's Resolution was to sort out all of my photos - delete the attempts that didn't quite work out so well, edit the ones we like, label, number, assign to a folder. This used to be an easy task - but I've realised as each year passes, I'm taking more and more photos and therefore giving myself a harder job...but it must be done. It's an obsession. An obsession that's taken me back two years into the archives.

Fethiye Marina Gülets

And this photo is two years old but it was taken in January and it's a typical January scene along Fethiye marina. On a sunny day, winter is perfect because you can see the mountains; snow resting on the peaks. The air is clear (once the smoke from the wood burners has dispersed) the sea calm and the sky a vibrant blue.

We've never been on a gület cruise - hopefully we can rectify that one day - but if there is one thing that symbolises Southwest Turkey and the Turquoise coast, and one thing that contributed  to us falling in love with Fethiye as soon as we arrived in 1998, it's the sight of these beautiful, wooden vessels.

Have you ever been on a gület cruise? We'd love to hear about your experience. 

Fethiye Famous Heads: Fatih Sultan Mehmet

Fatih Sultan Mehmet is number 3 in our series about the identity of the busts sitting on their marble plinth overlooking Fethiye harbour, otherwise known to us as the Fethiye heads. Previously, we've researched Mehmet Akif Ersoy (writer of today's Turkish National Anthem and instrumental in the beginnings of the Turkish Republic) and we've also written about Osman Bey (he who began the Ottoman Empire).

Fatih Sultan Mehmet 1432-1481

Fatih Sultan Mehmet - one of the Fethiye heads

While Osman Bey has the acolade of being the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Fatih Sultan Mehmet holds a significant place in history as it was he and his navy who finally conquered Constantinople in 1453 (there had been 12 previous attempts). He went on to make Istanbul the capital of the Ottoman Empire and it remained as the capital until the 1920s when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk transferred administration to the more central Ankara.

Fatih Sultan Mehmet also cemented the power of the Ottoman Empire, making it easier for future sultans to rule. On many occasions, he and his troops successfully expanded eastwards and westwards but it wasn't just in battle where he was successful. He improved state administration, introduced a penal code and built universities and colleges.

Fatih Sultan Mehmet in Today's Turkey
Fatih Sultan Mehmet's legacy in today's Turkey is there for all to see. He built Rumeli Hisarı (Rumeli castle) in preparation for the siege of Constantinople and the fortification still stands on the European shores of the Bosphorus Strait today. The Fatih Sultan mosque in Istanbul where his tomb sits was built for him. He was also responsible for the construction of Istanbul's famous Topkapı Palace which was home to the Ottomans for centuries to come. The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge which crosses the Bosphorus was named after him and there is also one lasting legacy which anyone who knows Turkey will be familiar with: Mehmet remains a very popular name in this country!

As usual, we used Wikipedia and the fantastic 'Osman's Dream - The Story of the Ottoman Empire 1300-1923' by Caroline Finkel for our research. Our little passages are just snippets of information and of course, not everything always ran smoothly. Intertwined with historic social and educational reforms and successes and failures on the battle field, the Ottoman Empire was packed with murder, mystery, intrigue, mutinies and betrayal - much better than any soap opera you care to watch. All is revealed in Caroline Finkel's book.  

Istanbul Vista - Galata Tower And The Golden Horn

We decided to take a detour through some of Istanbul's back streets rather than walk down the busy main road of Divanyolu Caddesi to Sultanahmet yet again. I'll admit to doing a bit of chuntering as we were on our way back from our second incomplete visit to Süleymaniye Camii. On the first of these visits, the mosque was closed because of extensive renovation work to the interior and, on this visit, after being told the mosque was fully open, we arrived to find the garden and the tombs closed. There's a certain 'we will not be defeated' attitude starting to creep in now and should we be lucky enough to get to Istanbul again in 2012, we WILL get that photo of the view over the city. 

The back streets that join elevated Beyazıt and sea-level Eminönü are great fun and served well to quell any further chuntering from me. They're almost vertically steep, making the activity of aimless wandering a challenge, and they're not particularly pretty - but they're worth the effort. Narrow and built up, the only way to keep your bearings is to keep heading downhill because you know you'll hit the waterside of the Golden Horn at some point. 

We were picking our way down through a steep alleyway. A high, dirt-blackened wall to the right and a long row of tiny shops on our left, all selling nothing but belt buckles! This is why we love Istanbul. Craftsmen work here daily, creating belt buckles in all manner of shapes and sizes, but for who? Who comes up here to buy them? Do they sell them to larger, more accessible stores? We've no idea but the footfall around there can't be great. We were only there by accident.

Galata Tower and the Golden Horn, Istanbul

And, as you trundle along these streets and alleyways pondering these conundrums that Istanbul contuinually forces you to ponder (Istanbul is full of streets like this), you come across rare gaps between the buildings. And through those gaps, you catch sight of the open world. In this case, we caught sight of the Golden Horn and Galata Tower standing high and watching over the city.

We made a quick detour through the gap just to take this photo and then we returned to the maze of streets. We continued in downward fashion and eventually found ourselves in street food heaven, behind the Mısır Çarsısı (Egyptian Spice Bazaar Mısır). But that's another post. In the meantime, should you ever find yourself in Istanbul and in need of a custom-made belt buckle, give us a shout and we'll point you in (roughly) the right direction. 

Kayaköy Cin Bal - The Winter Experience

As regular visitors to this blog are no doubt aware, Cin Bal Restaurant in Kayaköy is one of our favourite places to eat. It's not simply going out for a meal. Cin Bal, with its kendin pişir, kendin ye (cook it yourself, eat it yourself) approach to dining is an eating experience. Previous posts on Cin Bal have shown photos of the cool, vine-shaded gardens, Ottoman seating areas, barbecues with sizzling meats and cold meze dishes and salads. It's a memorable way to spend a summer's evening with a group of friends...and a guaranteed way to impress them.

Barbecue from your indoor table in Cin Bal

But what happens in the cold, wet winter months when all of a sudden, sitting outside to laze about on cushions while the meat cooks over hot coals doesn't seem so appealing? That's when Cin Bal moves indoors.

Aside from the beautifully juicy and tender lamb tandir and the tempting choice of meze dishes, the whole Cin Bal experience centres around the barbecue. The owner of Cin Bal is obviously fully aware of this and so, to keep his restaurant appealing year-round, barbecue chimneys have been built at regular intervals along the outer walls of the building. A couple of brick chimneys in the middle of the room by the central fireplace make for a cosy atmosphere in what could otherwise be a stark room.

The central fireplace (şömine) soon warms the interior of Cin Bal up.

If you do go to Cin Bal in winter, choose your seating wisely. Wander in and sit down aimlessly and you could find yourself cheffing for both yourself and your friends for the night. They who sit near the little arches in the wall are they who will take charge of the barbecue - unless of course none of you fancy cooking for yourself, in which case, one of the waiters will do it for you (but it's just not the same if you do that). 

I've taken charge occasionally but barbecues are generally left to Barry, as it was in this case!

Now, another reason we love to go to Cin Bal is because they hang all of their own meat. So this is just a little pointer here to vegetarians and those of you who eat meat but prefer not to think about where your meal has come from. Cin Bal are very proud of their produce and have their hanging meat on full display in a glass fridge for all to see.

Cin Bal's proud display of hanging sheep carcasses

This is part of what makes it Cin Bal for us - but if that's just not your bag, you might want to choose a seat that doesn't leave you catching sight of all that meaty loveliness every few minutes. We don't need to tell you where it is. You can't miss it! 

Fethiye Harbour Photo - Fishing On The Harbour

Today marks the start of another new series for this blog. For a while now, we've been toying with idea of doing a weekly Fethiye photo on a set day as my photo archives are just so jammed that it makes sense to share them here. Friday, for that nice Friday-feeling-weekend-feel has always seemed like a good day to do this.

But harmless as it may seem to some, committing to a weekly project is quite an undertaking for us. We post everything on this blog as and when. We don't do plans. Well, it's a new year, so let us begin with a fresh start. A Fethiye photo every Friday... 

Fethiye Harbour Sunset

And here it is. Week 1, Photo 1. Whichever day of the week it may be, it's impossible these days to walk along Fethiye harbour without seeing a long row of fishing rods wedged into the concrete edging. This photo was taken a few weeks ago as we walked past Boğaziçi Restaurant towards home. 

One of the fishermen was packing up for the day and had propped one of his fishing rods against the lamp. Some views just look right to me..and this was one of them. I managed to take a photo just before the guy appeared on the edge of the shot. 

We hope you enjoyed our first photo in the series. We'll try to keep the photos seasonal so you can watch Fethiye change as the weather changes. Oh, and when we say Fethiye, we mean Fethiye and environs: Çaliş, Ovacık, Hisarönü, Ölü Deniz and the beautiful Kayaköy.

Eating in Sultanahmet: Tarihi Sultanahmet Köfteci

Most tourists visiting Istanbul are likely to be staying in Sultanahmet - the area boasting Sultanahmet Camii (the Blue Mosque), Aya Sofya and Topkapı Palace - and of course, wherever there is a glut of tourists, it naturally follows that there is a glut of expensive souvenir shops, bars and restaurants. It's a fact of life wherever you are in the world and Sultanahmet is no exception. 

But that doesn't mean people on a budget need to avoid these areas like the plague - and it also doesn't mean you have to pay ridiculous prices for a decent fill of Turkish food. You only have to walk a few hundred metres out of Sultanahmet to find little street food treats like the Cihan Derya Balık Lokanta. For a sit-down meal and a large bottled Efes (a rarity in Istanbul), we found Palatium to be reasonable and perfectly chilled - and of course, they have their added bonus of a little secret underworld, too. 

Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi, Istanbul

It's along the Divanyolu Caddesi, the main road leading from Sultanahmet towards Beyazıt, where you will find bars and restaurants with prices to make you develop a bad case of watery eyes. But even here, you can still fill find somewhere that will fill your tummy without decimating the insides of your wallet. 

The Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi is one such place. We went there for the first time in October hoping for a simple, cheap (for Sultanahmet) meal and although it wasn't as good as the amazing köfte we ate at Edirnekapı's Durak Rumeli Köfteci (nothing will ever beat that - it was the situation we were in), it was certainly a decent köfte at a reasonable price.

A portion of Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi köfte

We sat in a 1920s-style eating area and ordered our köfte and the waiter soon arrived with a  generous serving of 6 meaty köfte with a side of 3 large, pickled chillies and a basket of thick wedges of fresh bread. It definitely filled a corner for us. We also ordered a plate of piyaz because we just can't resist. Köfte without piyaz just isn't köfte for us. 

Sultanahmet Tarihi Köftecisi is not the cheapest food you're going to find in Istanbul but to be able to sit in prime tourist land, a stone's throw from three of the most famous historic buildings in the world, the price and the quality gets a thumbs up from us.

• Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi is at 12, Divanyolu Caddesi, Sultanahmet.
• We paid 11 lira each (October 2011) for a plate of köfte served with a side of pickled chillies and a basket of fresh bread.

New Year's Day in Fethiye And Some Ideas For 2012

Happy 2012! New Year's Day in Fethiye is usually a quiet affair. It's the morning after the night before and party goers and families who enjoyed a late night to allow the new year in stay at home to recover and relax. Many of the restaurants remain closed; glittery decorations and popped balloons littering the floor inside. Yes, January 1st in Fethiye is the day when everyone takes a deep breath, breathes in the New Year and chills out.

Outdoor service along Fethiye harbour while the clean-up operations went on inside

Except, January 1st 2012 was a different story along Fethiye harbour. The last two days of 2011 were cold and wet but we woke up (eventually) on New Year's Day to a bright, sunny day and it was Sunday. Sunday is the day when Turkish families spend the day together and, in Fethiye, promenading along the harbour is a popular Sunday pastime. 

Families enjoying a New Year stroll along Fethiye Harbour

Staff in the restaurants along the harbour were busy inside, sweeping up the remnants of the previous night while customers filled the tables outside, making the most of the New Year's Day sunshine. The whole harbour was buzzing with activity.

Candyfloss and inflatables for sale along Fethiye Harbour

Today is January 3rd but today is the beginning of our New Year. We've had family visiting for the week and they headed back to Dalaman Airport yesterday for their flight to Manchester. Today is the first day of normal, daily life for us in 2012. 

We haven't made any New Year's Resolutions, but we have lots of ideas for 2012. We'll start running again tomorrow and hopefully take part in at least one of Turkey's running events of 2012. We'd like to travel to somewhere new in Turkey and explore some unfamiliar territory - this could possibly coincide with a running event - and an annual visit to Istanbul is always pencilled in somewhere in our heads even if it hasn't been promoted to the calendar. We'll also continue to experiment with different Turkish food and Turkish recipes as we've always done.

Of course, all of this will be reported via this blog! We're also working on a new look. One reason for this is to improve navigation. There are over 2 years worth of posts lurking in the archives here and we'd like people to be able to find what they're looking for easily. So, keep a lookout for that over the coming weeks. 

We're looking forward to an exciting 2012 and hope you'll join us for the journey through the year.