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TSR Turkish Society

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Original post by Vindobona
I'm going to Istanbul for 4 days next week.
Never been to Turkey before and really looking forward to it :smile:


I hope you enjoy yourself there. Be wary though, it's quite culturally different to the UK, though I'm sure you already understand that. If you have any questions you'd like to ask then please feel free to do so and we'll be more than happy to answer. :h:
Reply 281
Avatar for G_S
G_S
13
Original post by Vindobona
I'm going to Istanbul for 4 days next week.
Never been to Turkey before and really looking forward to it :smile:


aaaa ur sooo lucky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Original post by G_S
I'll go if you go!


Please don't.
Original post by RamocitoMorales
I hope you enjoy yourself there. Be wary though, it's quite culturally different to the UK, though I'm sure you already understand that. If you have any questions you'd like to ask then please feel free to do so and we'll be more than happy to answer. :h:


Thanks!
I'll just try to be as respectful as possible and not try to look like an ignorant cliché tourist.
I've travelled a lot and been to 30 countries, although I've never been to a predominantly Muslim country (except the Maldives). Istanbul seems to be a very modern, welcoming and open-minded city so I'm not really worried :smile: I like to get the authentic experience by using public transportation, eating local food, etc... So I just hope that I'll blend in.
Reply 284
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G_S
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Original post by hollywoodbudgie
Please don't.


hey I am serious, are you really resigning? then so am I! as a member :tongue:
oh no we can't loose DP!....er, what is the DP of the Turkish Society?:confused:
Reply 286
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py0alb
3
Original post by RamocitoMorales
I hope you enjoy yourself there. Be wary though, it's quite culturally different to the UK, though I'm sure you already understand that. If you have any questions you'd like to ask then please feel free to do so and we'll be more than happy to answer. :h:


I'm going to Istanbul in a few weeks with my missus. Any useful info? What would you recommend we do for three days and three nights (thurs - sat).
Original post by py0alb
I'm going to Istanbul in a few weeks with my missus. Any useful info? What would you recommend we do for three days and three nights (thurs - sat).


Personally, I think you should try and visit as many of the 'must sees' as you can during that time. Three of them are within very close walking distance of each other. These are the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, the Hagia Sofia and the Yerebatan Saray. Then of course there are other sights including the Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi palaces among others.

Regarding the actual city itself, I think the best part of the city is Taksim, in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul. It's got the longest pedestrian walkpath in Europe and you'll be treated to a whole host of shops and the like. You'll also find the Galata Tower if you walk along far enough which provides for quite an impressive sight of the city. Although be wary, the price is somewhat of a rip off.

I'd also recommend you cross the Golden Horn and visit the spice market and the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi). It really is quite impressive and it really provides immersion into the old Ottoman city atmosphere. However, as tourists, you will most likely be heckled. To deal with them, just be polite and tell them you're not interested. If they carry on, just remind them that you're not interested and they'll eventually move on. I've noticed some tourists being quite rude to the hecklers. I think this is uncalled for as these people are just earning a living and they don't get the same social security the poor and unemployed in the UK get. If they don't get the money, there won't be any bread on their dinner table.

There's a lot to see in Istanbul, and I shouldn't really list every single sight on here. I'll tell you this though: The European side of Istanbul is much better (more touristic) than the Asian side, which is more residential. Although there are still some very nice places there too. Do treat your misses to some Turkish tea by the Bosphorus. There are such restuarants which offer such an idealic location in which to dine.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Although there are a few helpful points amongst my writing. I hope you have a good time in Istanbul, and I'm sure the Turkish people will make you feel more than welcome. :wink2:
(edited 13 years ago)
Turkish News



"The next clashes in Cyprus will probably be between Turkish Cypriots and Turkish settlers."

Turkish Cypriot trade unionists and members of left wing parties marched on Monday in northern Nicosia to protest Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "belittling" statements.


Erdogan declared after last week's protests that Turkish Cypriots had been ungrateful to Turkey which "fed and maintained them." He complained that those carrying the posters had been collaborating with Greek Cypriots and reminded Turkish Cypriots that Turkey has taken "strategic interests" in Cyprus.


Political analysts in Nicosia said the dispute is likely to escalate to a boiling point due to failing political efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem.


Full Source.

The article is open to discussion. :top:
Erdogan has a point, Turkey's been the main provider of resources to Cyprus without their support we wouldn't have even been able to establish our republic. I can kind of see how he'd describe them as "ungrateful" but if those protestors and left wing activists are in cahoots with Greek Cypriot leftists then they're just playing into their hands.

They're giving them all these revolutionary and anarchists tactics to try and cause a rift between mainland Turks and Turkish cypriots alike, when this division happens it'll cause a massive rift between the two communities. They're listening to people who want to overthrow our government, they want a "unified" Cyprus things would be worse off I just cant imagine both the Turks and the Greeks living together again there's just too much bad blood and animosity.

Whenever our lot go over to their side some of their police misuse their powers and physically abuse them, someone even got stabbed with a knife and beat with baseball bats at a music festival in the south last year. We are just as bad, those two Greek protestors Solomou and his cousin were killed in 1996. There's just too much animosity between us, the general idea of a unified Cyprus is nice to think of you get some people talking nostalogically about how it used to be in the 1950's where the two communities lived side by side went to each others houses, played football together and went to each others events and functions such as weddings.

But a unified Cyprus just wouldn't work, I dont want to sound like a racist biggot or a hater of Greeks but those are just my thoughts the vision of a perfect country united with two communities working side by side is only a vision nothing more. There's just too much at stake, even if we were unified I'd like to see how parliament would work and howand local elections would take place, more than likely they'd would have a greater shift of power than us since they outnumber us by around 5-1 we've seen such events in the past they had a 70% more members in government compared to our 30% there were even complaints that our officials didn't attend meetings and passings on various laws.

The counter argument from our side was that we were blatantly forced out, this was in the 1960's btw. Overall I hope things return to normal soon, it's saddenning to see all this protests happenning. The whole country stops functioning once the work force walks out, I can understand the concern that these people might not get paid enough but I cant help but feel they're pay is more than fair according to wikipedia the average wage in cyprus is about $14,000 a year which seems decent compared to other countries.

A lot of the Areas I went too a couple of years back, seems much nicer and most people even have cars especially if you go to the more "modern" parts of Girne, Lefkosa and Magusa. That's why I dont understand why theres so much animosity I really think the trade unionists are taking the piss like they do in this country with the train drivers they get paid near enough £30,000 - £35,000 a year just for driving a poxy train for 7-9 hours a day whilst graduates struggle to find a job with basic pay.

Ughhhhhhhh I've rabbled on long enough.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by ChaoticSkills
Erdogan has a point, Turkey's been the main provider of resources to Cyprus without their support we wouldn't have even been able to establish our republic. I can kind of see how he'd describe them as "ungrateful" but if those protestors and left wing activists are in cahoots with Greek Cypriot leftists then they're just playing into their hands.


The ungrateful fools clearly didn't learn their lesson from what happened with KKTHY.

Original post by ChaoticSkills
There's just too much animosity between us, the general idea of a unified Cyprus is nice to think of you get some people talking nostalogically about how it used to be in the 1950's where the two communities lived side by side went to each others houses, played football together and went to each others events and functions such as weddings.


They have a very distorted image of people holding hands and singing songs in both languages.

Original post by ChaoticSkills
But a unified Cyprus just wouldn't work


I would rather smash my hand against a steel wall than salute to an ugly flag like this:



Original post by ChaoticSkills

The whole country stops functioning once the work force walks out, I can understand the concern that these people might not get paid enough but I cant help but feel they're pay is more than fair according to wikipedia the average wage in cyprus is about $14,000 a year which seems decent compared to other countries.

A lot of the Areas I went too a couple of years back, seems much nicer and most people even have cars especially if you go to the more "modern" parts of Girne, Lefkosa and Magusa. That's why I dont understand why theres so much animosity I really think the trade unionists are taking the piss like they do in this country with the train drivers they get paid near enough £30,000 - £35,000 a year just for driving a poxy train for 7-9 hours a day whilst graduates struggle to find a job with basic pay.


Erdogan's words are not as offensive as those painted on the Cypriot's protest banners of the people scorning at the country that virtually feeds them. One of the things that has been angering the people is the influx of mainland Turks to the island 'stealing jobs.' Not only is this a ridiculous claim to make when considering the amount of Cypriots that move to Turkey, but also in that the mainland Turks that do tend to move to Cyprus tend to be poor. The only jobs they seem to be doing is things like orange and olive picking- something the modern islanders have grown to dainty to do. The Cypriots seem to have forgotten that before the 50s it was most of the Turkish Cypriots doing those sorts of jobs whilst the Greek Cypriots ran the factories.
Original post by Zebracolors
oh no we can't loose DP!....er, what is the DP of the Turkish Society?:confused:


Sorry, I meant DL (Deputy Leader). How have you been?
Original post by hollywoodbudgie
I would rather smash my hand against a steel wall than salute to an ugly flag like this:



Pity, most Turkish Cypriots actually voted for that resolution.
While they voted against it. :rolleyes:
Original post by ChaoticSkills
While they voted against it. :rolleyes:


Most of the Greek Cypriots, yes. They enjoy the comfort of occupying most of the island and being an internationally recognised state.
Original post by RamocitoMorales
Most of the Greek Cypriots, yes. They enjoy the comfort of occupying most of the island and being an internationally recognised state.


Of course they do, who wouldn't? they're greater in number as well so it just further perpetuates their idea that all of the Island should belong to them.
Rather than constantly insulting each other, both Northern Cyprus and Turkey need to acknowledge how serious the situation would be if tensions further escalatate.

I found this related article here interesting with regards to how this all links back to the EU as so much of Turkish politics seems to do so.
Original post by hollywoodbudgie
Rather than constantly insulting each other, both Northern Cyprus and Turkey need to acknowledge how serious the situation would be if tensions further escalatate.

I found this related article here interesting with regards to how this all links back to the EU as so much of Turkish politics seems to do so.


It seems a bit sensationalist to me.
Original post by RamocitoMorales
It seems a bit sensationalist to me.


It is, nevertheless I found Bagis' comments that Turkey is "sick and tired of [the visa] word" and that many Turks no longer think that Turkey could gain full membership to the EU quite interesting. Then again, I suppose that you may find this more interesting. :top:
Original post by hollywoodbudgie
Sorry, I meant DL (Deputy Leader). How have you been?


iyiym, sagol:smile: sen nasilsin?

Almost done with my current class at AI but the next one usually starts right after the previous until the end of the semester, where I think we get a week or so of down time.

Also still working and studying Turkish whenever I can.

So I have not been able to see what the chat here about Cyprus was all about? Not familiar with there but I am curious.:smile:

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