Local Expert
Jessica Tamtürk
Welcome to PlanetEye's Istanbul City Guide! My name is Jessica Tamtürk and I'll share with you insider's tips on how you can make the most of your trip to this intercontinental city.
Originally from…
Welcome to PlanetEye's Istanbul City Guide! My name is Jessica Tamtürk and I'll share with you insider's tips on how you can make the most of your trip to this intercontinental city.
Originally from Belgium, I now call Istanbul one of my home bases; the other being Los Angeles, California, the place where I grew up.
Whether you hail from the European or American continent, my roots – biological and experiential – makes me the virtual guide with the most to help you conquer this metropolis of over 15 million.
What you'll get through these pages is my unbiased opinion of destinations, hotels, and restaurants. You may even learn a little Turkish in the process through my STRICTLY SPEAKING segments at the end of each post. I'm a stickler for responsible tourism; that means that I firmly believe that the industry should integrate with a country rather than the destination complying itself to the whims of its yearly visitors. I hope you'll agree and use the language tool to mingle with the natives. You'll be glad you did!
Aside from keeping you updated on the ins and outs of the greatest city in the world (at least I think so), I'm hard at work developing a first edition, 500-page travel guide to Turkey for Avalon Travel Publishing.
If you like what you're reading, have a question or just need general info on Istanbul, then by all means drop me a line by visiting my website....
STRICTLY SPEAKING
Hos Geldiniz = Welcome!!!! (pron. Hosh Geldiniz) –
More
JAZZ NOT YOUR THING?
Not to worry... Istanbul's 5th Annual Electronica Festival's set to launch this weekend.
House music fans will get their groove on Saturday and Sunday as an international symposium of master DJs are scheduled to spin their tunes live at Parkorman . Aside from bumping and grinding, the venue's lost-in-nature appeal includes an impressive pool, paint ball arena, beach volleyball court, a challenging obstacle course through the woods, and more than half a dozen dining and wining facilities for the more mature set. Hey, maybe a detox brunch at Parkorman's renown Pine Restaurant?
Serving as the main event or as a backdrop to a pleasurable weekend in a woody preserve right in the periphery of Istanbul's Maslak business center, the Electronica Festival Istanbul 2008 will take place at the facility's main stage, set up as a Silent Disco with the capacity of 500 people. Open-air shows in the daytime will be held in the giant tent and will continue until dawn.
The acts appearing Saturday include David Guetta, Kruder & Dorfmeister and Etienne de Crecy. Felix da Housecat, Tiga and Trentemöller will take the stage on July 12th.
ESSENTIALS
Available through Biletix, Tickets are 67 TL for one day, or attend both days for 116TL.
STRICTLY SPEAKING
To dance = Dans etmek (pron. as it's read)