Beckie Loewenstein

Summer camping in the Munzur Valley National Park in eastern Anatolia brings splendid adventures in one of the most biodiverse ecosystems and endangered locales in Turkey. Glacial waters flow down from the glacier lakes at a higher elevation, carving out the valleys, canyons, and caves. Hiking trails lead up to waterfalls and hot springs. Locals pitch nomadic tents in the mountains while visitors generally camp closer to the banks of the Munzur River. Activities include mountaineering, hiking, and river rafting mostly at higher elevations and camping and picnicking at the lower elevations and near the entrance of the park Set up camp and hit the trails to see as much of the remarkable flora and fauna as possible. Birch trees grow along the banks of the Munzur River. Oak trees grow on the hills and slopes. Endemic plants and flowers include bellflowers, Munzur thyme, Munzur buttercups, mountain tea, and Munzur tansies. Brown bears live in the caves in the valleys, and lynx, wild boar, f...

Each of the districts of Istanbul offers unique opportunities for a first time visitor to Istanbul. Here are some main sights in some of the districts from A to Z. Adalar, or the Prince’s Islands in the Marmara Sea, give the peace and quiet of pedestrian, horse carriage, and bike paths through pine trees around the island. Arnavutk ö y, which means Albanian village in Turkish, has wide, smooth promenades with fishermen and fashionable families strolling along the Bosphorus. Ataşehir has futuristic, sci-fi skyscraper condominiums for suburbia on the Anatolian side. Bakırköy is a seaside retreat with pedestrian shopping, Greek and Armenian churches and schools, and the Veli Efendi horseracing track. Beşiktaş has the Dolmabahçe Palace with tours of the Harem and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s room, Yıldız Park with Istanbul’s green parrots, Çırağan Palace with common space on the Bosphorus, and the Ortaköy Mosque on the coastal pier square. Beyoğlu has Istanbul’s most vi...

As an American teacher residing in Istanbul, I seek to learn Turkish through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Small insights into the Turkish language, culture, and universal humanity always give me a happy buzz. First, I focus on listening to Turkish songs. Powerturk Taptaze and Pozitif Radio mostly play Turkish pop music, and can be found in the international category on iTunes. While writing this article, I hear a catchy song on iTunes radio station. It is not possible to know the singer or the song name so I have to catch a few words of the lyrics. I searched YouTube for “olmuyor eskisi gibi” and found the song “Bir Pazar Kahvaltisi”, or “A Sunday Breakfast” in English, by the singers Emre Aydin featuring Model. I listen to all of the songs of Fatma Turgut, the lead singer of Model, because of her mesmerizing voice. I listen to many Turkish singers on Spotify and YouTube. My playlist includes Ajda Pekkan, Aydilge, Bahadir Tatlioz, Bulent Ortacgil, Erdem Kinay, Eski D...

Tourists who would like to renew their resident permits this year must meet the new legal requirements that were put into effect in 2014. In addition to the local Turkish bank account, the renewal application process now requires a notarized proof of address and local health insurance. Fulfilling these requirements involves navigating the unwritten rules of tax offices, notaries, banks, health insurance providers, and foreigner police stations. The following guidelines may change depending on the person and situation. Before scheduling the resident permit appointment, arrange a hotel reservation document, a notarized rental agreement, or a notarized copy of the housemate or landlord’s identity card. If you have a rental contract, then you first need to pay a registration fee at a vergi dairesi, or tax office. Next, go to a noter, a Turkish notary office. You can find a notary office by looking up noter on Google maps or by keeping an eye out for a red square sign with a white number ...

A visit to Istanbul would not be complete without visiting the Chora Church and dining at the Asitane restaurant in Edirnekapi. If you would like to arrive by public transport, take the tramway to Topkapi Ulubatli, walk along the Topkapi walls on Kaleboyu avenue, and take a right at Kariye Cami street. The Chora Church and Monastery has captivating mosaics, frescoes, marble decorations, architecture, and history. Emperor Constantine built this church outside the city walls during the Eastern Roman Empire period. Chora means “outside of the city” in Greek. After the walk in the church, have lunch or dinner at Asitane. This fine restaurant prepares 600 year-old recipes of the kitchens of the Ottoman Empire’s Sultans. These recipes used to be the top secrets of the palace kitchens. The menu gives clues about the tastes and spice preferences of the sultans during the year the recipe was originally made. The almond soup is flavored with nutmeg and pomegranate seeds. The winter terine ...

Windswept Bozcaada, one of Turkey’s islands in the Aegean Sea, has turquoise waters, sandy beaches, Anatolian vineyards, campgrounds, lighthouses, wind turbines, a Greek monastery, churches, mosques, baths, and a castle fortress. Swimming, windsurfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, trekking, scooter riding, and cycling are great ways to explore the island.   Since ancient Roman and Greek times Bozcaada has been growing grapes and producing wine for festivals. Wine festivals celebrate the grape harvest and collection on the first weekend of September. The Bozcaada International Taste Festival holds international food tastings and concerts on the second weekend of September. This year the Bozcaada Culture, Art and Vintage Festival will have wine tastings, concerts at the castle, beauty contests, and the best tasting grape competition on September 4-6, 2015. Other events include the International Half Marathon on the second week of May, the Greek’s holy Agia Paraskev...

In Istanbul, the district of Beyoglu stitches the neighborhoods of Galata, Karakoy, Tophane, Cihangir, and Cukurcuma together into a mosaic of Turkish and European identities. Geographically, Refik Saydam Avenue, Tarlabasi Boulevard, and Taksim Square define the northwestern limit and the shores of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus the southeastern limit of Beyoglu. Historically, Beyoglu carries the legacy of more than 2,000 years of human settlement, Karakoy’s Jewish merchants of the early Byzantine era, Galata’s Genoese merchants of the late 13 th century, Tophane’s mariners and cannon ball foundry of Mehmet the Conqueror, and the Ottoman Empire’s European consulates and trading centers moving economic power from the Grand Bazaar to Istiklal Avenue. This rich depth of geographical and historical influence evokes a lot of questions to ponder on a walk through Beyoglu. As a resident of Istanbul for the last three years, I have discovered my favorite walks, si...