The end of the Ramadan. A month of fasting in the Muslim calendar is over. I made it to the Sultanahmet square to photograph the mahyas of the blue mosque on its last day!  Mahya, the message written in lights and strung between 2 minarets...
EVENTS
 CEREMONY AT SAINT-BENOITI am at one of the oldest educational institutions in the city, Saint-Benoit. Two of my beloved students are graduating today.  SB ranks one of the distinguished foreign schools, whose medium of instruction is French. As might...
 While I was walking through Harbiye park on my way home, sweet and nostalgic melodies of tango caught my attention. To my luck, it turned out to be one of the venues for the 9th Tango Festival. I am telling you Istanbul is certainly not short of festivals,...
The Samatya Cymbal and Jazz festival lasts only for 3 days, but don't get mistaken that life stops here right after the fest. The neighborhood has always been famous for its taverns and raki tables set on the pavements as was the custom of its former...
   BAN, THE BUZZWORD...BAN is the buzzword in the country for a long time. Ban youtube. Ban google. Ban grooveshark. Ban alcohol. Ban headscarves. Ban freedom of speech. Ban kurdish. Ban going on a strike. Ban artificial insemination abroad....
KANDIL SIMIDI NOT SIMIT...This is not to be mistaken for bagel-like Turkish simit sold in the streets. This is called kandil simidi baked and sold only on the holy evenings on the Islamic calendar. When the mosques were lit by the candles for the first...
 19 May is the day Atatürk, the founding father of Turkey, arrived in Samsun and started the Turkish War of Independence in 1919. Since 1933, this historic day is dedicated to the young people and has been celebrated officially nationwide. His speech...
 It is Easter time!! In some neighborhoods you could see the window displays of pastry shops decorated with painted eggs and the sweet smell of mahlep coming from the bakeries that bake easter pastry (or paskalya çöreği in Turkish) for the Easter.I...
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