Sunday; the weekly day of rest in a Muslim country

Sunday is the weekly day of rest in the Christian world. Saturday is the weekly day of rest in the Jewish state of Israel, Muslim countries and among Jewish communities. But in Turkey with a predominantly Muslim population (99%), Sunday is the weekly day of rest. If you can speak of a rest day; a lot of shops are open and people are 'beeing' around. And Turks have to work, hard, so often on Sunday as well.

Ataturk introduced a 'Free Sunday' in 1935 among other social reforms:

The activities of religious sects were banned by law (1925);
Western calendar was introduced (1925);
International numeric system was introduced (1928);
The Metric system was introduced (1931);
The nicknames and personal titles were abolished (1934);
Religious attire was prohibited in public (1934);
According to this law, religious personalities, irrespective of the religious groups they belong to, were not to wear religious attire in public but only in their sanctuaries.
The surname law was introduced (1934);
The modern secular system of jurisprudence instead of religious law is integrated (1926);
The liberation of the women of Turkey by giving them political and social rights.
a) Rights brought with medeni kanun (1926);
b) Rights for women to be elected for the parliament (1926).

See here the friction with the Muslim world!

Concept maker or (copy) writer

When I wrote my first article (a simple press release) some 20 years ago, people liked my style, the concept, but were very critical about my (Dutch) grammar. So, I improved it since then. But since I think in concepts, I write and never have an eye for the grammar. That stayed so when I worked as a copy writer: always someone was proofreading what I produced.

Especially when you write on a computer, you don't see your own typo faults, and that's a fact.
Now I am writing in English for almost 10 years. I thought that I developed this language better than French, which was for a long time my second language (besides German), but after harsh criticism of a Turkish Lady in Florence, Yasemin (view her blog), I decided to appoint her as my editor. Also since I write columns once in a while. She thankfully accepted the job..))

I am a concept maker, with eyes for details, but not for grammar. Long live the Editor, but the Concept maker is still Alive!

Poem one

Yarım Çember

Bulmak için o yitik dizeyi
lanetli bir yaşamla
takas ettim kendimi
tuzdan duvarlar ördüm denize
bir adım iki göz evime

yoksul kazılar yaptım som kaleler
ölümü sağ gözüme gömdüm
dirimi sığdıramadım yerin yüzüne

sihirli sulardan içtim, yüzdüm de...
bu yüzden bulanıktır aklım

Yazmak için o dizeyi
lanetli bir aşkla ödeştim
çirkinleştiğim oldu gece yarıları
çirkef sözcüklerle seviştiğim

ilişkiler dokudum pamuk ipliği
kimi çizsem kırılmadım, koptum
kime dokunduysam yaralı

bir yarım çemberin üstünde
geçtim içdenizlerini sevginin

bir yanım hep yarımdır bu yüzden

Nurduran Duman

Introducing Nurduran Duman, the poet.

This is Nurduran Duman, an old colleague of mine and friend, who decided several years ago to stop working for the organization I shortly worked for.

She is dedicating her energy now for her poems, a courageous step. Since not that many people in Turkey are reading.

Soon you will find her poems here under the label: Nurduran Duman, a Turkish poet.

When will this change...

The brutal slaughtering of three Christians in Malatya, Turkey by Islam-nationalists (you have them in all tastes and colors) shows again that the Turkish state, doesn't matter if it is ruled by democratic Islamists, Kemalists or socialists, can not even protect its tiny minority of less than 1% of non-Muslims.

In contrary to the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany and so on, where Muslims can practice and advertise their religion freely without risking their lives. And even in these European countries they have a say in politics. The massive outcry in the Turkish press over these murderers looks hypocritical. Nothing will change as long as Turkey doesn't restructure the back bones of the Turkish society. And as long as that is not the case nothing will change in the mindset of the Turkish people: Christians are in Turkey to convert Muslims to Christianity. This doctrine and excuse is not valid anymore.

When I read the columnists of today, I got a terrible feeling. But I want to make an exception for Mustafa Aykol, whose comments and columns are like a scream in the dark. I recommend his writing in his blog of The White Path. And of Ziya Meral, his column 'the banality of the murders'.

Greek-Turkish Love

Yes, so much is said about Turkish-Greek relations that it seems as if it is impossible to bring people from both countries together. Dead wrong!
Here a picture of a Turkish-Greek couple...
Can you see at their faces where they are from? Who is 'the Greek' and who is 'the Turk'?
Enjoy! The picture is not that clear since I made it with my cellular phone.

The spreading of the Light

Although already back in Istanbul, want to share with you all one event in Greece.

It was Easter Saturday, April the 7th, and it was quite impressive: The spreading of the Light.

On the Holy Feast of Pasha, Greek Orthodox Christians celebrate the life-giving Resurrection of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This feast of feasts is the most significant day in the life of the Church. It is a celebration of the defeat of death. In this victory that came through the Cross, Christ broke the bondage of sin, and through faith offers his followers restoration, transformation, and eternal life.

Before midnight on Saturday evening, the Odes of Lamentation of the previous day are repeated. The Orthros of the Resurrection begins in complete darkness. The priest takes light from the vigil light and gives it to the faithful, who are holding candles. The priest sings: "Come ye and receive light from the unwaning light, and glorify Christ, who arose from the dead", and all the people join him in singing this hymn again and again. From this moment, every Christian holds the Easter candle as a symbol of his vivid, deep faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as Savior. In many churches the priest leads the people outside the church, where he reads the Gospel which refers to the Angels' statement: "He is Risen; He is not here,” (Mark 16:1-8).

And there were a lot of people outside on the streets, and when the first candle came out the church the light was spreading quickly. Yes, this was impressive!

A church in Thessaloniki

Drove yesterday from Athens back to Thessaloniki.
While the air was really dry and nice in Athens, Thessaloniki is humid. All the time you have the feeling that you fall asleep. Perfect environment for a holiday!

Today to a shopping mall: Cosmos. Owned by the Greek Orthodox church, so between all kind of outdoor restaurants and bars, and in fact in the middle of the shopping complex, a Greek Orthodox Church was built. Who is telling me now that the Greek Orthodox is not dominant in the Greek society? Got a lot of reactions from Greeks who simple deny this after my article about EU and Cyprus.

Easter Sunday

Yes, this picture looks like the photo made in Bodrum, on the right hand side column of my blog. But this is Pireau, a suburb of Thessaloniki. Beautiful scenery. The difference is that you can see a Greek island from Turkey, but you can not see Turkish land from Thessaloniki.
On Easter Sunday I drove through 'explore my senses' of Greece. And yes, it was nice. Had a nice piece of lamb on the beach, and enjoyed myself. Yes, definitely, the Greek cuisine is made for my stomach, Turkish one smells sometimes like hospital food: looks like they do their utmost best to cook the vitamins out.
The picture is made when I was waiting for my meal...

Flying Olympic Airways

This is a high wind propeller airplane.
Didn't know that these planes are still used for commercial purposes. But Olympic Airways is still using these machines: between Istanbul and Thessaloniki. Not more than 50 people can go with it! And I was thinking last week Thursday, the first day of Greek Orthodox Easter, that this flight could be crowded. Especially since there are only 2 flights each week from Istanbul to the second city of Greece. But the flight was not even full!
Thirty years ago, while on my first visit to Athens, we booked an unexpected flight to Cairo. Never forget that trip since I was thinking by the start that we didn't get off the ground...
Now, sitting in Exit Row, I could hear the propellers banging in my ears for 1 hr and 10 minutes.
No, not fun at all. Also the flight was delayed twice. We took off 20 minutes after the flight was supposed to land in Thessaloniki. I am curious about my flight this Sunday: Thessaloniki-Athens-Istanbul.

The world really doesn't know what really happened in Cyprus

The world really doesn’t know what really happened in Cyprus and why Turks occupied it. A paradigm shift within the EU on how to perceive Cyprus is needed, and the only one who can do this are the Turks, who should tell their story more effectively.
Cyprus and the EU - What matters is the perception

This article is published on Wednesday, April 4, 2007 in The Turkish Daily News
Read the full article by clicking here

Cyprus and the EU: what matters is perception

This article is published in the Turkish Weekly of March 31, 2007

The first time I heard about the Cyprus issue and the divided island, was when I was 16 years old, just back from a nice holiday in Italy. I remember hearing that the Turks invaded Cyprus: the Turks did it again. At least that was the news in the Netherlands. There was no internet, no international television channels like CNN, BBC World which are now broadcasting worldwide: we were dependent on printed media. No real-time coverage.

When I made my first trip to Turkey in 2002, 26 years later, I immediately clashed with Turkish people over Cyprus: in my opinion Turkey was wrong and they were the ones to blame for the status quo on Cyprus.
I was also annoyed that my Turkish friends referred to Cyprus as ‘Baby land’ while talking about it, as if it was a colony of their Turkey: their Motherland. The vast majority of them had an outspoken opinion about ‘Peace Mission to Cyprus’; it was the only solution to stop the violence over there. And it belongs to Turkey.

Read the full article by clicking here.

Touchdown Amsterdam

It is already 10 weeks ago that I went for business to the Netherlands. This time an orientation trip with a Turkish client. Mostly after 2 days I am homesick to Istanbul, therefore now a short trip but with a full agenda.

Monday night dinner in one of the most fancy restaurants of Amsterdam: le Garage.
Yes, our Turkish clients like to have a good dinner in Amsterdam since a lunch in the Netherlands is most of the time some bread with cheese and 'karnemelk'.
But for sure they don't know the many famous faces in the mirrors of this restaurant. See the picture.

A stubborn Chinese

Good to see that there are still people who are not for sale. This Chinese refuses to sell his house to a project developer. Although surrounded by massive apartment buildings he is still standing strong.

Ataturk City

Just back from Ankara. Not my first time there, but my first stay in Ankara's Swiss Hotel. I know that Turks like to get everything overheated, so my nice room. Took me some time to discover how to open the windows; I need fresh air during the night.
Yes, I like the residential areas of Ankara, with its streets full of trees. In Istanbul they replaced a complete forest for some apartment buildings.
But what always depress me in Ankara are the government buildings, the apartments complex for the average Turks full with Ataturk pictures, statues, flags, and so on. Ankara looks like the former East European block countries: no fantasy at all regarding design.
Nothing wrong about Ataturk and his well being soul, but is he not a little bit over exposed everywhere?
As the founder of the modern republic and the first President of Turkey, people adore him as a god. But nation states have to move one. Was and is there not any other Turkish president who did a lot for the 'well being' of Turkey?
Just a simple question...
Anyway, I baptised Ankara in Ataturk City! Not one Turk came up with this idea, so I did it...

Turkey needs to express itself better to the world

This article is published in Turkish Daily News of March 15, 2007.

What Turks miss is that the promotion of a country is most effectively done by its individual citizens. Turkish patriots would do a better job if they stopped hacking Greek and Kurdish Web sites, and start launching their own blogs that will give the taste of Turkey to foreigners.
Turkey might not have diamonds but it sits on silver, gold and bronze: Many civilizations have left traces in Turkey. However, it looks like the Turks are the last to acknowledge it, or simply they don't care. Turkish history books are heavily focused on Atatürk. Yes, Atatürk was a visionary, but Turkey should focus on its real culture and heritage. There is a lot to discover without falling into political debates all the time, damaging once again Turkey's image by sending out dualistic and schizophrenic signals.

Read the full article by clicking here.

Social Media

One week ago I read in one of the main Turkish newspapers that within 5 years all Turkish companies will have a blog. I don't think so.

More than one year ago I gave one prospect of mine, a company which is 'heavenly' dependent on online tools, to get a blog. They told me: 'No, maybe by the end of this decade we might need it'. And our former counter part agreed on this: it was too sky rocking for Turkey! How do they dare to say this?

I agree that on the social media front, blogs are around though they seem to be used much for discussing news items and politics. And yes, people like to talk and chat in Turkey - think only about all the messages which are 'delivered' from cumba to cumba (balcony) - but that doesn't mean that social media - online tools - will not hit the scores in Turkey.
Therefore: for them who put a ban on YouTube last week: Get a Second Life!

Opening Day

The lush countryside of Liechtenstein, which has 14 villages.
For more info:

You read Me, I watch You.

Put today a counter on this blog. In the wrong place of course. I am still clumsy about how to deal with all these features. If someone is reading this, your help is well appreciated.

And comments are always welcome. Feel free to complain about what I write here. Only rude language will not pass 'the moderator'...

And, btw, the counter started on March the 8th, 2007...the day that we started watching you!

Everything you want to know about Turkish Universities...

Ege University Research and Application Center of Women Problems (EKAM) Director Nurselen Toygar said that there were around 8 million illiterate Turkish women. There are in total 72 million people living in Turkey. That's a shocking fact.
Toygar said, "Beside these 8 million illiterate women, 640,000 girls are not going to school in Turkey. Only 3 percent of women receive university education. On the other hand Turkey is ranked 165 in the list of countries where women are represented in the best way."
Regarding universities, not one of the more than 90 universities are listed in the Top-500 worldwide. In the Top-500 of Europe, the first Turkish university is listed 172.
For more insight, click here.