Alanya: The Mediterranean Jersey Shore
The Urban Dictionary defines cheesy as “unsubtle, inauthentic, and trying too hard.” Alanya, on the southern coast of Turkey, is a good case in...
Discovering Poland: Four Cities, One Love
My serendipitous trip to Warsaw in April 2017 for the Beethoven Easter Festival had introduced me to an entirely new culture and nation I...
Cappadocia: Just Go Already!
By Tas Anjarwalla
So, thousands of years ago two volcanoes erupted and created two layers of malleable rock in central Turkey. The rock slowly eroded...
A Walk around Üsküdar
For many people living on the European side of Istanbul, crossing over to the “other side” (the Anatolian side) seems like a trek, especially...
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...
Yeşilce: An Extraordinary Village with an Ordinary Name
I doubt Ordu ranks high on anyone’s list of places to visit in Turkey. It certainly wasn’t on my ‘must-see’ radar. It doesn’t have...
A Daytrip to the Black Sea
It is not as though we've all been spoiled by the weather in recent months. Noses hidden and protected by thick scarves as well...
Yabangee Travel Blog: A Week In Georgia (The One Near Russia)
Article and photos by Louis Herman
My trip to Georgia (known locally as Sakartvelo) this January started with a quick flight to Trabzon from Istanbul,...
Yabangee Recommends: Traveling to Denizli? Stay at the Yıldırım Hotel!
Yıldırım Hotel in Denizli, Turkey, has reopened under new management after being closed for 3 months for refurbishments. Selin Uçman Herman, granddaughter of one...
Nine Tips to Have a Mindful, Peaceful Journey
On my recent trip to Egypt, I found myself sitting next to the Nile River--watching, listening, and smelling the city. I felt the warm...
Camel Wrestling in Turkey
The long wait is over: The camels are in heat. Bright-yellow shawls are fetched from the back of the closet. It’s okay again to...
Weekend Getaway: Xanthi & Thessaloniki (Part 2)
Part 2 focuses on Thessaloniki, Greece and is a continuation of part 1.
After another three hours of driving, our next stop was Thessaloniki. We checked in...
PCR (Covid-19) Testing in Istanbul: Laboratories, Prices, & Experiences
The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely changed the way we travel... if we travel at all. Most yabangees live far away from their families and...
To the Black Sea and Back in a Day: A Scooter...
If you are longing for an excursion and escape from your everyday surroundings, sometimes there is no need to even leave the city. One...
Weekend Getaway: Alaçatı
Despite Istanbul’s beauty, sometimes a break from its busy buzz and hassle is needed! A quick weekend gateway to one of Turkey’s less-frequented towns...
Green Getaway: Polonezköy
There are times when Istanbul can be too much, at least for a country girl like me. Especially in the summer, as the sticky...
Thermal Baths: The Ultimate Winter Holiday
Now, we all enjoy a good Turkish bath. They are very much part of the tapestry, or should I say the kilim, of the...
Touring Turkey with Kids in a Camper Van
We are an English-Turkish family and we travel around in an old Mercedes bus that we converted ourselves to a camper van. A year...