3 days before we leave for Istanbul and Ankara, we realize that the Turkey travel pages on the Turku site have just gotten way too big. So, we're ready to turn it into a serious resource for travellers. We just launched TurkuGuide.com. You can find our travel blog, complete with video there, as well as all kind of info on Turkey geared toward the lover of Turkish culture. We'd like to invite your questions, which we'll post on the site. So...off we go to gather info and video about Istanbul a... read more

So, the demolition of Sulukule has begun...early. It wasn't supposed to start until the end of the month, but the bulldozers started up last week. Some of the Roma hadn't removed their belongings yet, since many do not have somewhere else to go. They won't be able to afford the rents elsewhere in Istanbul.
There have been several articles in the Turkish Daily News about it lately. Here is a link to an op/ed column about it...
www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/edit...l.php read more

I've just added a new page to the Zil Technique CD which includes instruction on how to do the Persian finger snap. If you own one of the first burns, or the CafePress.com version, which does not include this page, e-mail me, and I will send the page to you. When you do e-mail, please let me know how the CD is working for you and if there are any other additions you'd like to see on it. More info at www.turkumusic.com/zil.htm
There are 2 other additions to the first burn that can be found o... read more