Travel Research Online published an article on Turkey – Tea with the Locals by Richard Earls.

“Yes, the British and the Japanese have their tea customs and rituals, and I wouldn’t want to take away from the special nature of either of those cultures. But if I had to choose where I would most like to have a cup of tea with the locals, it would be Turkey. Tea shops are a focal point for street level Turkish culture and most good things happen in the presence of a cup of fine Turkish tea. The Turkish people prefer the black tea (or Cay in Turkish) and it is at the center of daily life there, offered everywhere as a gesture of hospitality both before and after meals…

Tea is a good place to begin understanding how to visit Turkey. This is a land of relationships, where time sits still to permit you to go about getting to know your surroundings. Here, travelers are welcomed and greeted with both respect and curiosity. The antiquities, thermal pools, coastline and Turkish baths are all there waiting to be explored, but it is in the marketplace with the people that Turkey is best experienced, because it is there that the warmth and culture of this ancient civilization is authentically expressed…

Turkey is not a destination to hurry through. Experience it slowly, like a fine cup of hot, black Turkish tea.”

To read the complete article, visit travelresearchonline.com

Visit our site for information on group travel to Turkey or creating a custom private trip to Turkey for just you and your family or friends.

Istanbul may be European Capital of Culture for 2010, but it by no means needs special events to be worth a visit. Its sublime Ottoman mosques and Byzantine churches, its sprawling palaces and bazaars, and its spectacular location overlooking the waters of the Golden Horn and the Bosporus are without parallel. Add the fact that Turkey is currently very affordable and the locals famously welcoming, and you have all the ingredients for an unforgettable city break whenever you go.

This year, celebrations highlight everything that makes the city special. First as Constantinople and later as Istanbul, this has been the capital of two great empires. Straddling two continents, the city has been the gateway through which Eastern influences have reached Europe, as well as the West’s window on the Orient, Asia and the Islamic world.

To read the complete article, visit telegraph.co.uk

Visit our site for information on group travel to Turkey or creating a custom private trip to Turkey for just you and your family or friends.