16th Istanbul Biennial: The Seventh Continent
IKSV has announced the title and conceptual framework of its 16th Istanbul Biennial. The Biennial will be taking place between September 14th and November...
Rakı Dos and Don’ts
On warm nights in Istanbul everyone is out. Restaurants open their doors onto the sidewalks of back streets, creating a maze of tables and...
How to Fit Istanbul in One Book: Reşat Ekrem Koçu’s Istanbul...
Do you recall the days when uncle Google was not only a click away? The days when most knowledge was hidden in those big,...
Ibrahim Tatlıses for Beginners
It started as good a time as any – on a dolmuş to Hasankeyif with a crate of live chickens on my lap. I...
The Dönme: A Profile of a Hidden People
“A Doenmeh friend of mine told me his father had informed him that his father’s mother used to go to the beach every Friday...
The A-Z of Turkish Music
Let me say straight away that this is not an encyclopedic or historical article on Turkish music. Rather, these are my observations on the...
Book Review: Mark Wyers’ “Wicked Istanbul”
Fun Fact: There are around 60 state-run brothels in Turkey. This may be surprising given Turkey’s reputation as a conservative, rather religious country. So,...
Review: Sutra Visits Zorlu Performing Arts Center
One of the highlights of my incredible solo backpacking trip around China in the winter of 2012 was seeing a traditional kung fu performance...
The Untold Story of an African in Turkey
By Bairma Kihoro
People have always been crossing borders. Not just geographical, but social, cultural and psychological ones as well. Everyone has their own dramas,...
The Woman Married to Mount Nemrut
In late 1881, the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin received a strange letter from the German Consul of Izmir, mentioning some mysterious statues...
Learning Turkish: What You’re Up Against
The task of learning a new language while living in a foreign country can be a fun challenge. But it can also be stressful, and...
Archaeology Spotlight: In Conversation with Archaeologist Dr. Asil Yaman, director of...
Phoenix Ancient City near present day Taşlıca lies far from the touristic bustle of Marmaris. This semi-isolated site is a treasure trove of archaic...
Review: Dismantling the Archive @ SALT Galata
The years between 1900 and 1940 were more than a little eventful for the Turks. The period saw numerous wars fought on many fronts,...
Tipping in Turkey
Certain things that are second nature at home can be a minefield abroad. Etiquette in all of its various forms is especially tricky. Despite...
An International Linguistic Puzzle
My wife and I visited Konya, May 2023. Never having been to Konya before, we decided to hire a guide for an all-day walking...
Gold Day Recipes: Delicious Eats for a Day of Socializing and...
Like every other Turkish kid who grew up in the 90s, I have been to many “gold days” (altın günü) hosted by my mother...
An Expat’s Guide to Hamams
Sometimes the grit and grime and non-stop pace of the city just get overwhelming. You need a break from the packed Metrobus and the...
A Multitude of Mosques: The Book Covers of Turkish Novels in...
Some time ago, I was discussing Elif Şafak with a Turkish friend. I mentioned that I was reading The Bastard of Istanbul, and after...
Underground Istanbul, Where the Sun Doesn’t Shine
Cities like Istanbul stand alternatively as testaments to humanity's sustained success and survival and to its limitless culture of waste and forgetfulness. While Newton...
Smoke on the Water: Istanbul’s Vapurs
With its long and colourful history, its unique geographical position, its collection of characters, cultures, and creeds, Istanbul has no shortage of laudable attributes....
8000 Years of Istanbul: Review of ‘Again, and New: World City...
Artifacts have been found in Istanbul (previously home to some of the world's largest empires, the city has also been known as Byzantion, Nea...
Insider Trading: St. John of Stoudios
In a city whose skyline is spiked with thousands of minarets, it is sometimes forgotten just how many churches are snuggled in the back...
Haydarpaşa Cemetery: A Cemetery with Something to Say
As a long-time lover of cemeteries, I’m often telling people about my trip to this or that burial ground. Most have one question: “why?”...
In Conversation with the Editors of Sofra: A Gathering of Foreign...
Having been one of the contributors to the Tales from the Expat Harem anthology over a decade ago, I was excited to see a...