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Archive for the 'Turkey' Category

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World Watching

Tuesday, July 9th, 2013

I don’t have to talk about Snowden and Egypt, Syria and all the other countries struggling for self-determination. It’s all over the web. But I have a special place in my heart for Turkey…and my friends there.

On the first day of Ramaden, Istanbul Turkey broke fast with a mile long table along Istikal Street near Taksim Square. The water cannon trucks were menacingly standing at the end of the street.

STANDING MAN

Monday, June 17th, 2013

Erdogan rallied about 200,000 bussed-in AKP party supporters yesterday, at tax-payer expense and gave a 2-hour hate-filled lie-filled speech while protestors and police fought it out in the side streets.

Police are getting edgy.

Couple thousand union people went on strike Monday and pushed through a police line until the chemical-added water cannons cut them off.

Many suspect Erdogan is already using the gendarmeri but is threatening to send in the army.

Meanwhile the Standing Man becomes top tweet. After 18 days of mass protest against the Turkish Government, sparked by plans to re-develop Istanbul’s Gezi Park, Monday’s headline was grabbed by a solitary act of defiance in nearby Taksim Square.

Performance artist Erdem Gündüz stood silently in front of the flag of modern Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, hung on the Atatürk Culture Center — scheduled for destruction in the clearance of Gezi Park’s green space for a replica Ottoman-era military barracks.

Gündüz remained for six hours until he and a group that joined him in the silent stare were briefly detained by police. The act is being replicated in several international locations.

Standing Man

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This Is What Fascism Looks Like

A savvy Turkish friend wonders if Erdogan wants civil war.

June 19 Update

Erdogan Empties Taksim Square And Gezi Park

Sunday, June 16th, 2013
Well, yesterday, Erdogan, after initially promising to leave the park alone, emptied the park with only seconds of warning. The police emptied Gezi Park in Istanbul with tear gas, water cannons with water that leaves people with skin burns, extremely strong ... [Continue reading this entry]

Erdogan Still Doesn’t Get It

Saturday, June 15th, 2013
Erdogan met with members of the Solidarity Group yesterday. Apparently it didn't go well. On Facebook this morning by OccupyGezi:
Media claims that PM Erdogan has raged at the previous night's meeting with the representatives and left the meeting suddenly without ... [Continue reading this entry]

The Gordian Knot

Thursday, June 13th, 2013
From Facebook today: "PM Erdoğan addressed to the mothers of the protestors and said "call them back to your houses for their own safety". Mothers answered. They showed up at Taksim Square. Formed a human chain between the police and ... [Continue reading this entry]

Why I love the Turks

Thursday, June 13th, 2013
After being gassed out of Taksim Square, the government spent the night cleaning up. Just in time for the children to come back with this: [caption id="attachment_2466" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Night After Gassing of Taksim"][Continue reading this entry]

Is The Party Over In Turkey?

Monday, June 10th, 2013
Policemen are using real bullets now and one man was shot and killed in Ankara. This in addition to at least 3 others killed by beatings or tear gas. And scores hospitalized. Caught on tape, it's on YouTube. Erdogan ... [Continue reading this entry]

Chapuling In Turkey-We Are All Turks Now

Sunday, June 9th, 2013
Updated and amended daily since May 29, 2013 I was in Turkey for a month in February staying mainly with locals. My couchsurfing friends there have been criticizing the Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan, who has been dismantling the democracy that Ataturk ... [Continue reading this entry]

Antakya Turkey

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013
Antakya is in the south of Turkey...30 miles from the Syria border. I flew here yesterday from Istanbul and Friday I will take a 3 hour bus back north to Adana north of here where I will stay with ... [Continue reading this entry]

Istanbul

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013
Arriving in Istanbul I was delighted to see smiling, laughing, joking people! I am so tickled to be in Turkey! I had ... [Continue reading this entry]

Adana Turkey

Wednesday, February 20th, 2013
Map of Mediterranean Coast After Antakya, I took the bus to Adana where I stayed with a lovely couchsurfing host, Gursel, and her daughter Nida in their beautiful high-rise flat. The evening of my arrival we sampled traditional Turkish food in ... [Continue reading this entry]

Selcuk: Ancient City, Temple of Apollo, Ephesus

Tuesday, February 19th, 2013
"Jimmy's Place" behind the bus station, right in the center, welcomed me to Selcuk where I stayed for three days and took two tours. One to an ancient Greek city and the Temple of Apollo and the next day to ... [Continue reading this entry]

Istanbul Two 2013

Monday, February 18th, 2013
Dilek, I'm back home again, I blurted as I came tumbling through her door with my baggage in Bakirkoy, Istanbul. Thankfully the weather turned warm so Dilek and I walked all over Bakirkoy for a few days before catching my Turkish ... [Continue reading this entry]

Bodrum Turkey

Sunday, February 17th, 2013
Bodrum and all it's inlets and bays seen from Mediterranean hilltops is about as breathtaking as it gets. My Couchsurfing host, Gunes picked me up from the bus station after my 6 hour ride from Antalya and roared up the ... [Continue reading this entry]

Breakfast Conversation In Antalya Turkey

Monday, February 11th, 2013
I have never seen so many stray cats in a country. The people put food outside their doorways to feed them. Dogs too. The surprising thing is they are so mild and gentle and approachable. Never seen an ... [Continue reading this entry]

Antalya Turkey

Saturday, February 9th, 2013
I left Adana by plane for Antalya.  Outside the Arrivals Hall I asked a gentleman if he spoke English. He didn't but another one with a very busy 4-year old in tow, overhearing me, asked if I needed help. The ... [Continue reading this entry]

Around The World Again 2012-13

Thursday, November 8th, 2012
Well, Facebook has cut into my blogging time. But since I am living in Mexico I love to keep up with my couchsurfers and friends I have made traveling besides friends left behind in the U.S. People say they prefer ... [Continue reading this entry]

Dual Pricing

Tuesday, March 27th, 2007
Found a hilarious travel article on Bootnall today about the luxury tax...or dual pricing for foreigners as it is called: The Luxury Tax - Asia, Europe, South America By: Adam Jeffries Schwartz The following is a guide to how the luxury tax is ... [Continue reading this entry]

Following Trouble?

Wednesday, February 21st, 2007
Good grief! Either I am following trouble around the world or trouble is following me! First a violent demonstration on a university campus in Istanbul...then the tsunami in Thailand...then the coup in Thailand...then the subway strike in ... [Continue reading this entry]

Istanbul Turkey

Saturday, September 30th, 1995
According to political geograpy Turkey is half in Europe and half in Asia. But since it is ethnically and culturally closer to the Middle East I have categorized as such. With its strategic location on the Bosphorus peninsula ... [Continue reading this entry]

Trekking in Kyrgyzstan

Monday, September 18th, 1995
7Z3XBdt3hLmJjqkmk2I6k0-2006190120654814.gif The fall of 1995 Bob and I joined an REI adventure tour company based in Seattle Washington on an 18 day trek in the highest and most dramatic part of the central Tian Shan ... [Continue reading this entry]