The Pursuit of Happiness in the ‘Bul
In this megacity, which delivers stress in seemingly increasing dosages year by year, I’m realizing that it is essential to wear a different pair...
Kurban Bayramı: A Guide to “Sacrifice Feast” in Istanbul
If you are a fellow yabangee and have been noticing pictures of cattle hanging around in the streets lately, don’t worry. You haven’t stumbled...
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...
In Conversation with Swedish Cultural Attaché Suzi Erşahin
As a dweller of Nişantaşı, I am lucky enough to be located in one of the centers of the Istanbul arts and cultural scene....
Life under Occupation: A Review of Eleni by Nicholas Gage
When Mosul was invaded in June, one of the first announcements made by ISIS was that the civilians within their territory would be treated...
Turkish Coffee from Beans to Telve – A Global and Local...
Like many of history’s greatest culinary discoveries, that of coffee stemmed from a noisy, restless goat and his attendant farmer’s desire for an undisturbed...
Istanbul’s Hidden Architecture: Şemsi Pasha Mosque
Mimar Sinan was, without a doubt, the greatest architect of the Ottoman empire. His importance and influence are often compared with his contemporary Michelangelo, and it's an established...
(Sep 18 – Oct 5) 48th Istanbul Music Festival by IKSV
From the organizer:
Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) with the support of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and...
(Sep 2 – 14) 27th Istanbul Jazz Festival from IKSV
From the organizer:
Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and sponsored by Garanti BBVA for 23 years with the support of...
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...
Exploring the Princes’ Islands: The Kınalıada Mosque
The Princes' Islands (Adalar) are a chain of nine small islands in the Sea of Marmara, about 20 km east of the center of...
Top 5 Bookshops in Istanbul
Istanbul sure does have a lot to offer when it comes to the world of books - there are boutique retailers, hidden stores, retail...
The Byzantine Chronicles: The (Re-imagined) History of Byzantium from Constantine to...
The Byzantine Chronicles, a new blog by Yabangee contributor Timothy Mottram, sets out to shed light on some of Byzantium’s history through fictitious narratives. Each...
Anatolian Travel Archives: Stratonikeia
Aside from the yet to be excavated ancient settlement near my home in Turunç (near Marmaris), Stratonikeia was my first, official, ancient city experience...
23 Turkish Phrases I Wish Someone Had Taught Me
There are a number of phrases that Turks use in daily life that you may not find properly explained in your Intro to Turkish...
Istanbul Toy Museum: Blast from the Past
Nestled deep in the back streets of Göztepe lies the Istanbul Toy Museum. The lovely white house is guarded by two giraffes ready to...
Setting of Records: Istanbul’s New Mosque
Three years ago building of a new mosque began on one of the highest hills of the city, where roosters still crow and visitors...
And Now the Good News @ Pera Museum (April 13 –...
Pera Museum is currently hosting a thought provoking exhibition exploring critical issues in science, culture, and politics in the last 150 years, curated by...
CRR’s New Season in Full Swing
Cemal Reşit Rey launched the 2019-2020 season on Wednesday October 9th with the CRR Symphony Orchestra and Choir performing all-time favorite arias and lieds....
Anatolian Travel Archives: Çatal Höyük (Fork Mound)
Sometimes it’s the unseen that is the most fascinating. The imagination can drift back to a time far before we existed to wonder about...
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...
Famous Turks: The Mysticism of Mevlana Celaladdin Rumi
In this month’s ‘Famous Turk’ article, we’re looking at Mevlana – known more popularly in the English-speaking world as ‘Rumi’ – the Anatolian philosopher...
Introducing Piri: Audio Explorations of Istanbul’s Hidden Gems
Have you heard Piri before?
It is an audio walking tour app which urges explorers to discover amazing cities. With Piri, you can explore the...
Çamlıca Mosque: Where Faith Meets the Sky
Perched on the hill of Çamlıca is a spiritual gem that combines Ottoman and modern architecture, where the breeze carries both the sounds of...