Exploring the culture, history, and cuisine of Turkey through the eyes of not-just-another-tourist
Yesterday evening, at about 6:30 pm, I was standing in the middle of my living room. The weather had been gorgeous; my balcony door was wide open, the window ajar. Suddenly, there was a loud boom. My mother-in-law and I shook. "Kesinlikle bomba." Certainly, a bomb. I was struck with fear. I had just spoken... Continue Reading →
Recently, as I mentioned in this prior post, I've been in baking mode. I have been making American-style sweets, cakes, pies, brownies, etc. Today's photos are from some of my recent projects. "The Elsa Birthday Cake" This was a double-layer brownie cake. My brownie recipe is the bomb! Rich, dark and moist. The icing was... Continue Reading →
We have had a few dustings of snow in Ankara do far this year, and we are expecting more. For those of you brave enough to drive in Turkey, you may already have noticed a few differences in driving techniques from your own homeland. Expect more in the snow! Your personal safety is what's important!... Continue Reading →
Due to some of the personal email responses I received from this blog post, I have updated the post. First, is my personal experience in Ankara, which may be useful to both Turks and expats here in Turkey. Second, is some helpful information for foreigners and Americans when dealing with shipping in the U.S. In... Continue Reading →
Now that the temperatures have cooled, I am thinking of doing a little baking. You probably recall how much I loved to cook but hated to bake! Well, I got over it! I am now quite adept at baking American style goodies with Turkish products. "I wanted to thank you for being so considerate to... Continue Reading →
Starting the New Year off with this great post I came across today on women's healthcare. The blog is written in both English and Turkish. Gizem Onay Collet is a native of Ankara. She practices and teaches yoga including prenatal yoga and trains yoga instructors. She also offers childbirth preparation classes and gives workshops on women's... Continue Reading →
A Message from the: Embassy of the United States of America Ankara, Turkey Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Embassy Services Limited for December 14 and 15 Due to a possible security threat against the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, the Embassy will have limited consular services available on Monday, December 14 and Tuesday, December 15, 2015. ... Continue Reading →
Sharing this blog from 5 years ago. Two minutes of silence in honor of Ataturk.
This morning I expereinced something miraculous, wonderous, beautiful, strange, and different. Today is the 72nd anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s death. He was the founding father of modern Turkey. At exactly 9:05 this morning, the precise time that he passed, all of Turkey came to a standstill for 2 minutes of silence. I was driving on a highway at that time. All of the vehicles stopped. I stopped. The radio stations went silent. A few people got out of their cars and stood at attention.
Two minutes of silence is not quite an appropriate term for what I experienced. The driver of every vehicle soulfully honked his horn. I am told that people will stop whereever they are, walking down the street or up a flight of stairs, and stand still for two minutes.
For most Turks, this is likely a sign of patriotism, a gesture of respect. …
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My mom has visited me in Ankara three times. It's a really wonderful feat considering she is now in her 80's. Each time she visits, she also makes a stop in Germany to visit her family. And each time she visits, she says she's afraid it will be her last time - she doesn't think... Continue Reading →
This past summer, I was the lunch guest of a dear friend. She took me to an off-the-beaten-path restaurant called Üstünel Köftecisi. I believe it is technically in a part of Ulus/Altındağ. Well, while it was off the beaten path for me, the place was packed! It is located in a sketchy looking neighborhood, full of... Continue Reading →
I spent my afternoon and evening yesterday watching the Pope coverage. I feel like I have seen a Pope 4 times, but that is not true. In 1976, I attended the Second Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia. I thought I had seen a Pope there, but I looked it up and my memory is wrong. There was... Continue Reading →
A Message from the Embassy of the United States of America Ankara, Turkey August 14, 2015 Security Message for U.S. Citizens INCREASED THREAT LEVEL DUE TO PKK ANNIVERSARY AND RECENT EVENTS The U.S. Embassy in Ankara informs U.S. citizens of an elevated threat level from terrorism in Turkey, as evidenced by the August 10 attack on... Continue Reading →
Çankaya Belediyesi will be sponsoring an open-air movie festival at Karum AVM. The films will be held Friday and Tuesday evenings at 9pm outside of the mall from August 7th through September 18th. The films are Turkish and probably do not have English subtitles, but I am sure it will be a nice way to... Continue Reading →
Musings of a Philadelphia lawyer - who married a Turk, quit her day job, and set out for adventure!
-by Terry Henson Kaymak
Adventures in Ankara 