by Dennis | August 30, 2015 | Bursa's Neat Places, Fall, Kestel, See, Do, and Play, Summer
Nestled on Uludağ’s mountainside a dozen kilometers above the town of Kestel lies the hidden little village of Saitabat (Güvercinlik). Surrounded by plane tree forests, fruit orchards, and honey farms, the village itself is a sleepy little burg consisting of not much...
by Dennis | July 24, 2015 | Osmangazi, See, Do, and Play, Summer
“What do you think, should we go to the horse farm tomorrow and ride horses?” I asked the kids as we tucked them into bed one Saturday night. “Yea!” was their collective response in excited, near-perfect unison. The next morning, we hopped out...
by Dennis | July 15, 2015 | Bursa's Neat Places, Nilüfer, See, Do, and Play, Summer
Under the shade of sprawling plane trees on a warm summer afternoon, my family and I sat at a table in the cobblestone village square with our friend, Murat, who had graciously offered that day to take us for a drive through Bursa’s countryside. There in the square we...
by Dennis | July 9, 2015 | Bursa's Neat Places, Osmangazi, See, Do, and Play, Summer
We rolled out of bed one summer day off with nothing really on our agenda. Our kids suggested we head for the local pool or the little indoor amusement park at the shopping mall, both good options. But while thinking about it over my morning cup of coffee, a better...
by Dennis | June 26, 2015 | Bursa's Neat Places, See, Do, and Play, Summer, Yildirim
It was a sweltering hot mid-summer day down in the valley. The kids were wasting their time lazily lounging on the sofa in the salon under the steady flow of artificially cooled air from the A/C. My wife and I were getting tired of being cooped up in the house. And we...
by Dennis | June 15, 2015 | Culture and History, Travel Tips and Visiting Info
Mosques (called cami in Turkish) are some of the most prominent and significant buildings in Bursa, and they are a central part of Bursa’s life, culture, and history. Most of them—especially the historical ones—are welcoming to tourists, and visiting a mosque or two...
by Dennis | May 6, 2015 | Culture and History, Featured Fotoğrafı
In this Featured Fotoğrafı, Bursa’s whirling dervishes perform in the city’s Karabaş-i Veli Culture Center. Tucked away on a quiet side street in Bursa’s old Ībrahimpaşa neighborhood stands the Karabaş-i Veli Culture Center, one of Bursa’s last...
by Dennis | April 28, 2015 | Bursa's Neat Places, Culture and History, Iznik, See, Do, and Play
Just about an hour’s drive east of Bursa’s city center, hugging the shore of a freshwater lake and surrounded by olive tree-blanketed hills, lies the little town of Īznik. At first glance, it seems hard to believe that this traditional Turkish farm town was at one...
by Dennis | March 23, 2015 | See, Do, and Play, Travel Tips and Visiting Info
In my opinion, Bursa deserves far more than one day of your time. You could spend days exploring the city’s nooks and alleys and digging into the rich culture and history of this area. But if you have no other choice, it is possible to visit many of the key...
by Dennis | March 10, 2015 | Bursa's Neat Places, Eat, Shop, and Stay, Nilüfer
Originally published on March 10, 2015. Updated December 25, 2015. Update: As of December 2015, Organik Ev is no longer open to the general public as a walk-in cafe/restaurant. Organik Ev now specializes in hosting workshops, courses, and private parties. Please see...
