The Turkish city that lives for breakfast

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180715-the-turkish-city-that-lives-for-breakfast

by MiriamWeiner • 8 years ago

141 46 8 years ago

roadbeats4• 8 years ago

If you consider visiting Van, I recommend you to take train. This route is still not popular enough among tourists because eastern Turkey had gone through violent conflicts. As long as you don’t get yourself in trouble intentionally, you’ll be safe though. I traveled Eastern Turkey by hitchhiking last year with my wife, and felt really safe and welcomed. People are very friendly, food is great, the nature is like Switzerland. I’m sure that this area will be too touristic to visit in the future, so I recommend you see there before it gets hit by tourism.

If you want to do a full trip in Turkey, this is my route recommendation: İstanbul -> flight -> Cappadocia -> Bus or hitchhike -> Urfa -> Mardin -> Hasankeyf -> Van -> Doğubeyazıt —> İran. These towns are all wonderful, and probably the most different beauties I’ve ever seen. Highly recommended.

sgift• 8 years ago

As long as you don’t get yourself in trouble intentionally, you’ll be safe though.

What do you mean with that part?

reustle• 8 years ago

Stay out of shady bars/clubs, don't go looking for drugs, don't get too terribly wasted if you get aggressive.

You'd be surprised how many travelers find themselves in trouble because of some stupid thing.

roadbeats4• 8 years ago

There is a lot of military check points, many undercover cops. So you need to manage your ambition about politics when you’re there. just be a tourist and you’ll be fine :)

anticensor2• 8 years ago

Lake Van Express(Eastwards:Sundays and Tuesdays, Westwards:Tuesdays and Thursdays). Eastern Express, which works between Ankara and Kars, is running sleepers full.

roadbeats4• 8 years ago

thanks, corrected

egeozcan3• 8 years ago

It is usually overbooked though. It was great a few years ago when it wasn't very popular.

Cenk• 8 years ago

I actually took that train route too, this Brownbook Magazine article is what made me do it: http://brownbook.me/the-trans-asia-express/

hardlianotion• 8 years ago

Thank you very much!

makmanalp• 8 years ago

Just as a note, breakfast in the rest of Turkey is also similarly diverse and excellent :-) You'll notice that each region has its own small specialty additions of spices, jams, pastries, eggs, etc. And often different fruits and vegetables depending on what's seasonally available in the area. It's true that breakfast in Istanbul doesn't quite compare to breakfast on the beach or in the mountain with tomatoes and cucumbers picked freshly from the garden, but still, quite a great breakfast can be had in the city.

growlist4• 8 years ago

Having heard the hype about this famous breakfast I have to admit to being a little underwhelmed when I experienced it myself, so ymmv. Apart from that my trip to Eastern Turkey was brilliant and as with others I wholeheartedly recommend it. So much amazing history and scenery, friendly people, easy travel. I'd suggest it's safer with at least two of you and I'm not sure I'd visit Diyarbakir area if I went again now. Van castle is amazing. Kars and Ani are worth a visit. Take immodium with you. Don't mention the Armenian genocide.

skrebbel• 8 years ago

Don't mention the Armenian genocide.

What happens when you do? Do people just stop being nice to you or way more?

nerdponx• 8 years ago

Without any idea of the correct answer, I just know that it's a bad idea. Don't bring up politics in a foreign country.

egeozcan3• 8 years ago

As a Turkish who's not in denial, I can tell you that some people may go great lengths to change your mind. I can guarantee that you'll be, at the very least, annoyed for no reason. It's a very sensitive subject and has been a propaganda factor from both sides. It's not that I'm insensitive to the people who lost their lives in this genocide, I'm just claiming that it's been abused.

Both Armenians and Turkish people in the area are otherwise peaceful.

growlist4• 8 years ago

For example, on the way to Ani our taxi driver stopped at a memorial at the side of the road and told us hundreds of Turks were killed by Armenians in various horrendous ways here. Never mind that the generally received version is pretty much the exact opposite! I kept my lip firmly buttoned.

roadbeats4• 8 years ago

As I mentioned in the other comment thread, you'll enjoy the culture and the relationships if you manage your political ambition. Travel gives its best taste when you focus on the moment that you are.

rayiner• 8 years ago

Don't mention the Armenian genocide.

Also don't be Jewish.

fusiongyro• 8 years ago

How big of a problem is that, really?

twunde• 8 years ago

Being jewish isn't a problem in Turkey in general. In Southeast Turkey (Kars, Van etc) it's probably more of a concern if you're Kurdish due to historical tensions with the PKK and Kurds in general.

mda• 8 years ago

Do you talk about this kind of things during breakfast when you visit a country? Mind boggles.

growlist4• 8 years ago

Don't discuss politics is standard guidebook advice, isn't it? Along with don't travel to warzones, don't take drugs, always use condoms, don't utilise the services of the local sex workers etc. etc. All the things that you or I would know to never risk, but apparently some still do, hence the advice is still thought worth giving..

I gave it special mention as it's an especially sensitive topic, and you could argue that a conscientious tourist should have at least some awareness of the history of the area before they visit.

danielam• 8 years ago

Sounds like it overlaps a great deal with Polish breakfasts. Lots of cold sliced meats, cheeses, vegetables, breads, preserves, etc, with some variation. A friend from college who grew up in Kansas once visited and remarked on it. That may have been when I first became acutely aware of the difference between the typical Polish breakfast and its American counterpart.

serhadiletir• 8 years ago

When the considering current currency value of Turkish liras against $, it's most delicious and cheap breakfast in the world.

egeozcan3• 8 years ago

Here are some photos of what to expect:

https://www.google.de/search?q=serpme+kahvalt%C4%B1&tbm=isch

Digit-Al• 8 years ago

Looks a little bit like a Turkish version of a ploughmans platter.

yoran• 8 years ago

The kaymak and honey combination must be my favorite breakfast. Once I pop, I can't stop. Makes me wish I lived in Turkey just for that.

sevensor• 8 years ago

A restauraunt serving Turkish breakfast recently opened in my town -- I had no idea it was such a thing. I'll have to find an excuse to try it!

Also, it's interesting seeing cognates in languages I don't know: peynir (I looked it up) reminded me of paneer (which at least in the U.S. is what we call the cheese in Indian food), and it turns out the word was (at least according to wiktionary) borrowed by both languages from Farsi.

francopiccolo• 8 years ago

Turkish breakfast and more broadly Turkish food is great. You don't need to go to this particular city to experience that. Though let's celebrate the funny ways word of mouth has to spread the news.

growlist4• 8 years ago

I forgot to mention that the extinct volcano at Tatvan should not be missed! This was one of the highlights of my trip.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemrut_(volcano)

The Turkish city that lives for breakfast

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