pouring turkish coffee
Posted in Turkey

Turkish Coffee is My Cup of Tea (a poem)

One of my poems from a published collection about our cultural experiences and the people we met while living in Turkey.

Urban sketch on Turkish Airlines flight home
Posted in Art Room Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Urban Sketching Trip to Turkey

Taking time to sketch visual reminders of our 4 weeks in Turkey.

Final look at our Turkey Home
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Goodbye Turkey Home

After 13 years I’ve packed out life into a storage unit and sold the house for the next adventure.

Quarantine in Istanbul room
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Tour of my Turkey Quarantine Room

Here’s a tour of the room I spent 11 days in quarantine in Istanbul, and how I spent my time.

DAY 10 IN QUARANTINE TURKEY
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Turkey Quarantine: Day 10

Day 10 in Turkey Quarantine. See how I’m getting ready for my departure by listening to this piece of performance poetry.

My Watercolour set up in Quarantine
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Turkey Quarantine: Salivation, Snacks and Souvenirs

Day 8 in quarantine and I’m starting to think about souvenirs.

Quarantine Queen Rip a Rhyme on Day 7
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Quarantine: Day 7 Poem

By Day 7 I was inspired to write a poem about the Quarantine Diet. With the sun shining. Quarantine isn’t so bad.

Maltepe View from my room
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Turkey Quarantine Facilities

A review of the facilities during Turkey quarantine at Maltepe Istanbul.

Lunch Delivery
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Your Food Options during Turkey Quarantine

There’s plenty of food options in Turkey Quarantine. 3 meals a day Free. Or order in.

Quarantine Check-in Turkey
Posted in Europe France Istanbul Turkey

U.K. to Turkey during the Travel Ban and Restrictions

My New Neighbours in Quarantine Checking in to Fly The biggest stress about travelling from the U.K. to Turkey during…

Glamping yurt near Fethiye
Posted in Turkey

Glamping in Turkey to visit Tlos

Glamping in Turkey to explore Tlos near Fethiye. If you fancy staying in tree house of yurt, this glamping site in the foothills of the Pegasus mountains is a tranquil option.

Blue and White Mandala Wall Mural
Posted in Alzheimer's Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Mandala Wall Mural to quiet the mind

Our Mandala bedroom wall mural, a joint effort that took a couple of weeks to complete but well worth the effort.

packing winter clothes away
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Our Turkish Return and Too Many Clothes

Returning to Turkey and a house full of clothes. I’m not sure whether to focus on unpacking or packing clothes away.

Turkish Delight Istanbul Turkey
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Overnight in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet

Apart from one five day visit to Istanbul most of our interactions with Istanbul have been limited to overnight stays. It’s almost a…

Waiting at the bus stop to travel to Bodrum
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Leaving Bodrum’s Blue Skies

Leaving Bodrum amid Blue Skies to start the first leg of our journey to Istanbul for an overnight stay.

Jay Artale flashpacking in Istanbul
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Goodbye Backpacking, Hello Flashpacking

Twenty years ago I backpacked across Southeast Asia. I quit an uninspiring job in Los Angeles working for a property developer…

Street Art in Bodrum Avenue Shopping centre
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Street Art, Shopping, and Starbucks

Street art of two kids on a bike in Bodrum’s Avenue Shopping Centre that I spotted when I stopped by for a Starbucks.

Provence Decor Maison & Cafe Yalikavak Bodrum
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Not so public transport to Yalikavak

This time of year on the Bodrum Peninsula is blissful. The tourists have all returned home and all we’re left with are the locals and expats. While some of the businesses have closed or have invoked winter opening hours, there’s still enough life left to keep us fed and entertained.

Red and Annie picking grapes
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Saved by Annie’s Grapes

Little did we realize that when we harvest grapes in the morning, that they’d be the same grapes that saved us from dehydration during an afternoon trip to the beach.

Tommy the Tortoise
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Herbie and I are not alone

House Sitting adventures in Turkey with Herbie the Cat and Tommy the Tortoise. I’m not sure who’s moving slower in this summer heat!

Gümüşlük Kofteci Kemal Bodrum
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Smoking in Public Places – Fire in Gümüşlük

I was enjoying a simple but tasty Turkish breakfast the other morning in Gümüşlük. Even there we’re in peak season…

Herbie trying to keep cool
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

Herbie Rides Again!

House Sitting for Herbie again in Turkey .. amid searing heat and earthquakes. It’s nice to be back here, despite the shake, rattle and roll action.

Istanbul Mosque Turkey
Posted in Istanbul Turkey

Overnight layover in Istanbul

Even a quick overnight trip to Istanbul can be rewarding. We headed for the familiar stomping grounds of the Spice Market and the Galata Bridge, and neither one disappointed.

Turkey Tales A Bodrum Travel Memoir in Verse
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Turkey

My Turkey Tales ebook is Free on Amazon

If you fancy a lighthearted read about Turkey – try my Turkey Tales, it’s available to download from Amazon. (and for a limited time only – it’s free).