Scattered quietly through the streets and parks of Antalya are the Kedi Evi — small cat houses with an enormous purpose. These humble shelters offer warmth in winter, shade in summer, and safety in a world that can be harsh for street cats. Built and cared for by kind locals, they are more than wooden
All the reviews I’d read about Antalya were five-star, “must-see” declarations — the hype was spot on. The views are utterly breathtaking, the city sparkles at twilight like it knows it’s being admired, the seafood is fresh and irresistible, and the people are genuinely warm and welcoming. I may not have been watching fireworks explode
Up early to a beautifully warm room, coupled with the mildly terrifying knowledge that it was –5°C outside. I set off to tackle Afyonkarahisar Castle. Perched dramatically high above the city, Afyonkarahisar Kalesi is impossible to ignore. Built atop a steep volcanic rock more than 1,000 feet above the city, it’s one of central Turkey’s
Saying goodbye to Bursa—and its many feline residents—was a little bittersweet, but the road was calling and the next adventure awaited. What I had been quietly dreading turned out to be unexpectedly magical. Just fifteen minutes into the bus ride from Bursa to Afyonkarahisar, the world transformed. Snow-topped trees lined the road like a perfectly
Christmas in Turkey is confusing, to say the least. They don’t celebrate Christmas — and Boxing Day was completely new — yet Mudanya decided to host a festival from Boxing Day through to New Year. So of course, we went. Bright lights, street dancing, treats, and crowds everywhere. And then my favourite moment: two women
Small pumpkins arrived first, baked to perfection and swimming in custard, dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg. Comfort food at its finest. Then came mussels stuffed with rice, rich with spice and warmth — absolutely irresistible. Next up: a lamb roll, rotating gently on a spit, not unlike kebab meat. They pointed. I like lamb. I
Every morning, a man pushes his fish cart through the streets, pausing not for profit but for paws. The cats gather, tails high and eyes hopeful, and he feeds them first — without ceremony, without expectation. What remains he sells to the public, but what he gives away is far greater.🥰
I’ll admit it — I’ve been living in a bit of a bubble here in Turkey. No news broadcasts, no doom scrolling, just daily life and wonderfully warm people. In that bubble, I may have even romanticised the calmness and kindness that seems to flow so naturally through Turkish society. Yesterday, curiosity got the better
During my second week in Bursa, Nisa and Demet took me to visit one of the city’s large mosques. Nisa, in particular, is quietly passionate about her Muslim faith—more so than her friends—but you’d barely notice unless you were paying attention. Aside from the occasional heartfelt “Allah!” when a cat or kitten misbehaves, or her