Children singing at Beyaz su

Entertaining visitors and generating family income ...

Sunday relaxation - let your hair down Turkish-style

 

People in Turkey love picnics. They take every opportunity to go outside with family and friends, taking the samovar, all kinds of food, and maybe a small portable barbecue. They have a meal, drink endless glasses of tea, chat, might even take an instrument, and play music, but it’s very likely that they would burst into songs at one point.

Beyaz su (Ava Spî) is a very popular picnic spot in the Midyat area. It’s located at Sivrice (Dalîn) village between Midyat and Nusaybin, but people even from Mardin and Diyarbakir flock here for a relaxing day spent with chatting and music, eating freshly barbecued fish.

What to see in Istanbul in January

Istanbul may have said farewell to being the European Capital of Culture and passed the title over to Turku and Tallin but it remains the vibrant city it has always been. Istanbul has been named as the most dynamically developing city and elected as the most popular future travel destination (see here). Once you’re done with the usual must-sees, there still is a lot more on offer. Istanbul keeps its buzz, and offers cultural events showcasing everything from traditional heritage to the latest innovations and moves in arts let it be visual or music.

So, a taster of what to see and listen to in January:

Relationships matter: Aşure, a dessert to pave your way

Of the word aşure, two things are likely to spring to one’s mind. For those, who have already visited Turkey, it is likely to be the pudding one can taste in pastry shops. For politically minded, it may be news flashes of the Shi’a processions with men flagellating themselves.

Aşure is both very complex and simple at the same time. Several layers of religious traditions are related to this period of the year. On the other hand, it is a pure and simple form of thanksgiving to God and an expression of unity and dialogue.

A sweet delight for the cold season - kabak tatlısı

Autumn arrives with an array of warm colours making up for cold winds and morning frost. Markets heave with colours: the deep red of pomegranates, the soft brown or mustard yellow of pears, the crisp greens and reds of apples, and the blast of bright orange of pumpkins.

Pumpkin has arrived to Turkey from the New World via Europe in the 17^th century. Finding optimal environment, it has spread rapidly and has very soon claimed its own niche in Turkish cuisine. Pumpkin with walnuts, pumpkins stuffed with sweet or savoury fillings, pumpkin flower dolma, and pumpkin soup made their way to the sultans’ kitchen as well.

Wild rivers don’t run free anymore

Not only do we all need water, most of us even like it: to quench one’s thirst or just to relax and feel the way water is hugging your body. Some prefer a bathtub filled with Evian others would just dip in the next natural water. No matter which one is your choice, having a water source is a fundamental requirement for all human habitats.

When looking at the map of Turkey, you will find the land criss-crossed by rivers, with huge lakes sitting here and there. Not so surprising, that this land gave home to early human settlements and ancient civilisations. The rivers Euphrates (Fırat) and Tigris (Dicle) define Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilisation. The once winding and untamed rivers supplied vital water for the crop and provided the settings for Gilgamesh’ story.