BCC Annual Bosphorus Boat Trip: How would you like to spend a lovely Sunday sailing down the Bosphorus towards Poyrazkoy before the end of summer? The BCC would like to invite you and your family and friends to join them on September 2nd for a daytime boat trip including BBQ and optional swimming. The boat is Lufer 8 and will be leaving at 10:30 from Bebek (opposite the BP petrol station) on the European side, with a second pick-up from Beylerbeyi (next to the Sabanci Polis Evi) on the Asian side, at approximately 10:45. The boat will be back around 17:30. The cost is 45 TL for Adults and 20 TL for Children 12 and under. This includes the BBQ and unlimited local drinks as well as tea, coffee, and water. There will also be a raffle on board which includes fabulous brunches at top Istanbul hotels and concessions from country clubs plus the star prize of 2 tickets to London courtesy of Easy Jet. For further information and reservations: Simon Cole on 0212 531 6296. Email chairman@bccistanbul.org, or Andrew Walters on email andrewglenwalters@gmail.com .

The fifth Rock'N Coke, the most famous Rock Festival in Istanbul, will be held at Hezarfen Airport, which will be converted to a “Rock Town” of 50.000 people on September 1, and 2, 2007. The tickets are already on sale and can be purchased through Biletix.

Istanbul hosts a colorful and an extraordinary event following many cities around the world: CowParade. There will be many cows on the streets of various districts until October 31, 2007.

The 10th International Istanbul Biennial, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts will be held between September 8 and November 4, 2007. For more information please click.

The Tunnel is closed for renovation and maintenance until the end of September. Transportation between Karaköy and Tünel is provided with municipality buses. Municipality buses provide round trip between Karaköy and Tünel stopping off at Şişhane, Tepebaşı (in front of TRT building), Şişhane (Municipality) and Karaköy. In addition white midibuses signed Karaköy – Tünel (Belediye) run between Tünel Square and Karaköy via Şişhane. These services takes place in regular intervals between 07:00 and 21:30.

Istanbul Galata Bridge is closed to vehicle traffic for maintenance every night between 22:00 and 05:00 until September 3rd.

Due to the junction construction at Maslak, the traffic will be dense at Levent, Etiler, and Maslak until the end of August. Sarıyer turn from TEM highway is also closed to vehicle traffic. The authorities suggest using alternative roads such as Bosphorus coast road. Please also note that some main roads such as Vatan Avenue, Aksaray will be closed to vehicle traffic on Thursday, August 30th for the Victory Day celebrations.

July/August issue of The Guide Istanbul is now available at major newsstands, in supermarkets and selected bookstores. Click to read the magazine's Publisher's Letter highlighting all the wonderful articles that you will be reading about in this issue!

Open-air Sema - Whirling Dervishes shows are organized by Istanbul Municipality on Saturdays at various places. The shows begin at 19:30.

Sema Show Venues
August 18th at Beşiktaş Square
August 25th at Sultanahmet Square

Nancy’ Atakan’s video installation composed of film, photos, drawings, animations, collage, poem and sound is at Artvarioum, Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art, Levent until September 1st.
Symbolic constructions in Istanbul and mythological sagas are the themes of Istanbul International Sand Sculpture Festival. It is commonly believed that the history of Sand Sculpture Art dates back to ancient Egypt. Sand sculptors from the Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, England, Portugal, Czech Republic, India and Russia will both create their sculpture and organize workshops for those who are interested in this specific art. Conquest of Istanbul, Galata Tower, Hezarfen, Leander’s Tower, The Journey of Migrants of Megara are among the sand sculptures on display at Kozyatağı Carrefour Shopping Mall everyday from 10:00 to midnight.

Ferries are the most favorite vehicles in warm days and the summer schedule is announced. the timetable please visit

Istanbul Toy Museum offers special workshops for children. The children will use the digging methods of archeologists and paleontologists in a sand box. The children will both enjoy and discover the answers of questions such as “What is a fossil?” “What does it look like?”, “Where can it be found?, “What does it tell us”. The workshops for children aged between 3 and 6 are on Tuesdays at 10:30 and for children aged between 7 and 11 are on Wednesdays at 15:30. The fee is 25 YTL, including a visit in the Museum. Reservation is required for the workshops: (216) 359 45 50-51.

Istanbul Modern offers guided museum tours with breakfast or happy hour drink. Breakfast Package, which begins at 10:00 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, includes free museum admission, breakfast at the restaurant and a guided museum tour. Happy Hour Package, which begins at 16:30 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, includes free museum admission, a guided museum tour and a happy hour drink at the restaurant. In order to participate these events please call one day before your visit.

Young Istanbul Modern is an educational program that has been realized in association with Istanbul Modern Museum and the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. It is called “The Bird Hidden in the Stone” and intends to familiarize young people ages between 6 and 16 with the creative process of making sculpture through interactive games inspired by ideas in Constantin Brancusi's work. It gives an introduction to modern and contemporary sculpture in eight educational game areas where young people can explore the basics of Brancusi's sculptures and experience the process of sculpture making. Workshop hours: everyday except Monday (the museum is closed) 10:00 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 18:00. For reservation and detailed information (212) 334 73 22. For more information on daily cultural events please check Events Calendar

The films broadcasting on cnbc-e TV channel are in their original language with Turkish subtitle. The monthly program is given at Films on cnbc-e section under Rhythm of Town title.

Between May 30, and August 26, 2007 İstanbul Modern will be showing a retrospective exhibition of the globally renowned German photographer Andreas Gursky. His photo cammeo 99 Cent II Diptychon, which is in the show, recently sold at an auction for a record-breaking figure and made headlines as the highest bid ever paid for the work of a living photographer. Istanbul Modern also hosts photo exhibition of Ahmet Polat and video program “…And Dreams are Dreams” during the same period. The exhibitions are open everyday except Monday, when the museum is closed.

Yedikule Animal Shelter, survives with the donations of the volunteers, started a new charity campaign for winter. 2000 dogs are waiting for blankets and pillows knitted with minimum dimensions of 60cm x 60 cm. In this way you will evaluate your left yarns and help the dogs warm in cold winter days. You can send the blankets or pillows via cargo.
Yedikule Animal Shelter has urgent need of some materials and medical products for the dogs residing there. Old newspapers, raw food (for feeding puppies and sick dogs by adding medicine), dry food, biscuits for puppies, non-sterilized gloves, mixed vaccination are some these requirements. For more information please call Meral Olcay (212) 633-5857
Yedikule Hayvan Barınağı
Yedikule Sahil Yolu, Surdibi, Eski Havagazı Deposu
Yedikule-Istanbul
Lâle Apa and Bedriye Medina’s bestselling first cookbook titled Remix – New Healthy Practical and Colorful Recipes, is now available in English! Containing over 200 healthy and practical recipes, Remix is chockfull of international recipes, “with a twist” – from soups, salads and dips to seafood, meat and chicken dishes to delectable desserts! The English version of Remix is available at all major bookstores throughout Istanbul and Turkey and costs 40 YTL.

Did you ever consider becoming an angel? Now is your chance! We, the pink angels, are looking for volunteers to help us in our play groups activities in the pediatric ward of the Marmara University Hospital, Altunizade (Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays 10.00-12.0 and since a few weeks also in the Cerrahpasa University Hospital, Aksaray (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 13.30-16.0. We are trying to bring some sunshine into the lives of children with cancer and need more angels to assist us. Please don't be put off by the illness and your imagination of how sad it might be in a children's cancer ward. In fact children deal with this illness much better than adults, because naturally they still take a day at a time. However they need some time away from their disease and play and laugh and do silly things just like any other child. YOU can help them do all this. Please call and find out more. Ms. Ute Levi: (212) 257 89 53, mobile: (532)791 49 49, e-mail: lejack@attglobal.net.

Fotografevi, Galatasaray organizes one-week long workshops for expats in Istanbul on Basic, Advanced and Digital Photography. Classes start every Monday. The film and digital workshops are available to experienced photographers as well as photography enthusiasts of all ages. The participants will both have the opportunity taking shots on various districts in Istanbul and follow the workshops of famous Turkish photographers. For more information please check.

Camocağı (Glass furnace) organizes some long-term courses, weekend courses and daily workshops on different techniques in 2006. The education program covers instruction on theory, techniques, and materials. All of the classes are given by instructors with international teaching backgrounds. The aim is to equip the students with basic skills necessary for working with glass, as well as to develop their aesthetic sensibilities. Glass blowing, mixed media, lampworking, bead making, fusing & slumping, kiln casting, enameling and raku are the techniques taught in themes of the courses. For detailed information please visit the link given below. The route to Camocagı is also given on the right.

Like to Play Drum? Drumcircle in Istanbul come together at Eylülist Music Club, Arnavutköy every Monday and Tuesday between 20:00 and 22:00. Aydın Karabulut and Cem Erman conduct the sessions. Hitting techniques, musical note information, rhythm practices are for the beginners on Monday. Various rhythms, solo and group rhythm works, creating their own music is for expert drummers on Tuesdays. For more information please call Ms. Işık Temiz (0536) 780 80 51.
Eylülist, 1. Cadde, 64 Arnavutköy
Tel: (212) 257 11 09

Handmade Lavender Sacs: The lavenders collected before dawn and dried in special places are on sale at Pabetland, Istanbul with “Lava” brand. The sacs are embellished with laces and handmade embroideries. These are beautiful gifts for your beloved ones and for you! The lavenders raised in Akmeşe village of Izmit bring the fresh fragnance to your cupboards and drawers. The price is between 5 YTL and 25 YTL. You can call Mrs. Güler Akın for group buying. Tel212) 233 22 38.

Readings for Expats
Tales from the Expat Harem: Foreign Women in Modern Turkey, a nonfiction anthology edited by Anastasia M. Ashman and Jennifer Eaton Gökmen. Published by Dogan Kitap, the English version of Expat Harem is now available in Turkey's bookstores together with the Turkish edition. Already garnering interest locally, Expat Harem's Turkish edition (entitled Türkçe Sevmek: Türkiye'de Yaşayan Yabancı Kadınların Gözüyle Türkler) is framed by a powerfully sentimental foreword penned by Turkey's foremost female author Elif Şafak.

“Osman’s Dream. The Story of the Ottoman Empire, 1300-1923” is the latest book of Caroline Finkel. It is a narrative history of the Ottoman Empire from its earliest beginnings to its final destruction on the battlefields of the First World War. “Osman’s Dream” is aimed at the general reader, and is now available from reputable bookstores in Turkey.

Hughette Eyüboğlu who is among the first foreign brides in Turkey, published her memories in Turkish last year and attracted attention. The English and French versions of the said book “Living Under the Shadow of Two Cultures” and “Du Clocher au Minaret” respectively are at the bookstores as of June.



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