Ankara may have replaced Istanbul as the capital of Turkey , but the old imperial capital will never be replaced in the affections of the populace. A pride in the city plays a part in the consciousness of locals of every age ,race and creed. Its feeling summed up best by novelist Yasar Kemal , [...]

Arriving in Istanbul can come as a shock. You may still be in Europe - with tree-lined boulevards and chic cafe bars in many areas - but step away from the main drag and most likely you will find you have entered a completely ailen environment. Traders with handcarts , hamals (stevedores) carrying burdens of [...]