by Dennis | January 9, 2015 | Friday’s Fotoğrafı
Friday’s Fotoğrafı for January 9: The twin domes of Eski Kaplıca Hamamı (Old Hot Spring Bathhouse) rise above the valley in Bursa’s Çekirge neighborhood. Çekirge is famous for its therapeutic hot spring water. The local Horhor Spring feeds mineral-rich, 90ºC water...
by Dennis | January 6, 2015 | Bursa's Neat Places
It was a rainy 7 degrees centigrade when my buddy, Mehmet, called me out of the blue and asked me if I’d like to go with him on a Saturday afternoon drive up Uludağ Road to the mountaintop. “Um, okay,” I said with a slight bit of trepidation, wondering in the back of...
by Dennis | January 2, 2015 | Friday’s Fotoğrafı
In the first Friday’s Fotoğrafı of 2015, the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Orchestra sings (and plays and dances) in the New Year during their Yeni Yıla Merhaba (Hello to the New Year) Concert on December 30 in Osmangazi Hall at Merinos Atatürk Center. The...
by Dennis | December 30, 2014 | Culture and History
As 2014 comes to a close, we can confidently say that it’s been a good year in Bursa. A lot of good things have happened this year that are helping to put Bursa on the map as a must-visit destination in Turkey. For example, the newly reconstructed cable car...
by Dennis | December 26, 2014 | Friday’s Fotoğrafı
In this week’s featured photo, members of a traditional Turkish marching troop (mehter takımı) stand in downtown Bursa with bells in hand. Called çevgan, this musical marching instrument consists of rings of bells attached to a long stick. These men are part of...
by Dennis | December 22, 2014 | Thoughts and Musings
There are times when living as a foreigner among Turkish people is really enjoyable. Like when they stop you in the street, shake your hand, and ask you to sit down for a cup of tea. Or when they bend down to greet your children with a kiss and a pinch on the...
by Dennis | December 19, 2014 | Friday’s Fotoğrafı
The clock tower at Tophane proudly stands in Bursa’s old citadel near the tombs of Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi. First built during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz (1861-1876), the original clock tower was destroyed. The existing clock tower was rebuilt in 1904 and...
by Dennis | December 16, 2014 | News and Events
Last week, it seemed like every professional and amateur photographer within a 3-country radius had descended on Bursa. The streets were full of people with big cameras hanging around their necks snapping photos in all directions. This, of course, included me—except...
by Dennis | December 15, 2014 | Miscellany
Good news, fellow pinners! You can now follow The Best of Bursa on Pinterest! It’s our attempt to pin all things Bursa in one place—or at least it’s an attempt to pin many things Bursa in one place. Please check out our boards, repin a couple of our pins, give us a...
by Dennis | December 12, 2014 | Friday’s Fotoğrafı
There are more than a dozen hans scattered throughout Bursa’s downtown bazaar complex. Çukur Han is one of my favorites. Maybe one of the reasons I like it so much is that it’s a little hard to find. Tucked away among the bazaar’s booths and shops, the front...
