Advantages: Great food and wares
Disadvantages: Crowded

...The Grand Bazaar is a must for any tourist visiting Istanbul, but it's not a peaceful experience! The only aisle we didn't get harrassed to buy goods was in the Gold section - we obviously didn't look rich enough! The Grand Bazaar attracts more tourists than any other market in Turkey - the store holders are very persistent and the goods will definitely be priced at tourist prices! We visited the Spice Bazaar which is very close to the Grand Bazaar and really enjoyed the experience. It is a lot quieter, goods were cheaper and samples of yummy turkish delight and nuts were offered with no pressure to buy. It feels more authentic than the Grand Bazaar - more locals obviously shop there. Both markets are fun but watch your wallet!... Read review

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Advantages: Nice Weather, lots of interesting places
Disadvantages: Tourist areas are slightly too commercial

.... The shops were pretty good but it really wasn't anything special not for me anyway. One thing I wouldn't recommend is travelling by coach or train. We gave the trains a miss as there have been quite a few train crashes in Turkey and according to my husband the trains are actually slower than the coaches. We travelled by coach a few times. The coaches were air conditioned and comfortable but the drivers were very impatient and it got a bit hairy at times. Luckily they put on films, albeit in Turkish but at least it gave you something to keep your eyes off the road. The weather in Turkey is very good. It does get very hot July and August but the rest of the summer is lovely and the winters are quite mild. When it rains it really doesn rain but it tends to dry up quite quikly. Even in Istanbul in December it really wasn't that cold.Not compared... Read review

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Advantages: beautiful area, friendly people
Disadvantages: building work, getting more expensive

...I have been to the Olu Deniz area of Turkey on 2 occasions and find it a relaxing and beautiful area. The Olu Deniz pennisula is an enclosed bay that has a natural beauty of it's own. It is getting popular now so can be quite busy. A walk other the mountains is worth trying but it is a long walk to the next town so be prepared. Hironisu is the place I stayed at and this is a short Dolmus(local bus) ride from the pennisula. The dolmus is very cheap but can be an experience in itself as they pack it full of people and then some. I stayed at the hotel Athena both times and can heartedly recommend this hotel. It is friendly and comftable and the staff were excellent. You can stay at the costal regions for more nightlife but I recommend this area of Turkey for the best of both worlds. turkey unfortunately is cashing in on the tourist... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful, historic and varied
Disadvantages: The war with Iraq could cause anti-British feeling

...Turkey is such a vast country, full of colour and contrast, that it has something to offer pretty much every kind of tourist. Having travelled there extensively, I would love to tell you about some of my favourite places to visit, in the hope that you might learn to love it as much as I do. **A Very Brief History** Because of its strategic position as the bridge between Europe and Asia, Turkey has been ruled my many empires. This is part of the reason that Turkey offers such a rich variety of sites of cultural and historical interest. The first known human inhabitants started to show up around 7500 BC, but the first truly great civilisation was the Hitites who dominated Bronze Age Anatolia and fought with Egypt for control of Syria. The Greeks and Persians also controlled Turkey briefly before Alexander the Great conquered... Read review

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Advantages: Too many to mention
Disadvantages: None that I can think of

...After holidaying in Turkey for the second time in nine months I have to say the resorts of Bodrum and Gumbet are definitely second to none. Its cheap, very cheerful and everyone we encountered was so nice. The pubs are great, the clubs are great, the hotels I have experienced are basic but very clean and the weather is lovely, but extremely hot - be warned. I would recomend Turkey to anyone but specifically Gumbet/Bodrum if you are up for a wild time!!I will definitely be returning at some time in the near future.... Read review

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Advantages: well cooked tasty turkey
Disadvantages: none

...Cluck, cluck, gobble gobble, I thought I would say my piece about cooking poultry today since a lot of people will be cooking and eating poultry this Christmas time . Are you going to have turkey, chicken, pheasant, duck, goose, ostrich, pigeon, or maybe a dove? Many moons ago when I was a child we only ate chicken for special occasions. It was expensive to buy and Turkey was only eaten at Christmas time. We did keep a few chickens but rarely ate them as we kept them for the eggs. Now Chicken and turkey are available all years round somehow it is not so special. This year I shall be cooking and eating an organic Norfolk bronzed turkey. My Dads contribution to the Christmas feast is a bird from the organic farm in the village I grew up in. I usually buy organic poultry as having kept chickens as a youngster I can not bear to think... Read review

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Advantages: Great Weather, Scenery, Friendly People, History, Culture, Food
Disadvantages: Expensive Flights, Can Get Hassled, Too Hot in Summer.

...///// Introduction ///// I have been to Turkey 2 times in my life. First time was with my mum in 1999. I only had one week and stayed in Kalkan. I had a fantastic holiday and rebooked another trip as soon as I arrived home. Sadly this trip had to be cancelled and we did not go back for a few years. I returned this year, to Kusadasi, property hunting and want to tell others about my experiences I had in this amazing country. ///// History and A Few Facts About Turkey ///// Turkey is a huge country and is the gateway to Asia. 97% of Turkey is in Asia and 3% in Europe. Turkey has 5000 miles of coastline and it has 3 climatic zones. 1= Marmaris, .....(including Istanbul)Aegean and Med regions.These have a med climate with hot summers and mild winters.It can get upto 40-45 in summer 2=Blacksea,..........It is hot here in summer... Read review

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Advantages: flexible, budget, independent travel
Disadvantages: some v small seats on buses!

...Having just returned from a thoroughly interesting and enjoyable vacation in Turkey, I feel compelled to recommend this destination to others. There is far more to Turkey than the traditional British package holiday resorts of Marmaris and Bodrum, and the country has much to offer the backpacker or budget traveller. In particular, I would like to recommend the Fez Bus which is a hop-on, hop-off bus service running on a circular route covering much of the country. As well as friendly, helpful guides and the opportunity to meet other backpackers, the Fez Bus takes its passengers to many destinations off the beaten track, which one would otherwise miss out on if travelling by local Turkish buses. In addition they are able to recommend suitable budget accommodation and places to eat etc. The Fez Bus company manages to do all this, whist... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap booze, cheap designer clothes, friendly people, the bars.
Disadvantages: The gritty beach.

...Well, actually it was my first ever holiday abroard. Some people go to France or Spain on their first holiday outside the UK, but I saw Turkey in the brochure and liked the look of the place. I stayed in Gumbet just around the cove from Bodrum and much prefered Gumbet. The people are really friendly and almost everything in Turkey is cheap. Gumbet has loads of bars that are all open till the early hours. Bodrum is 10 mins away by dolmus (a Turkish bus) and has loads of bars as well as the only 'real' night club in the area (Halikarnos). Whatever you do in Turkey, just remember to take an empty suitcase out with you because all the fake designer clothes are really good quality and very very cheap!!!... Read review

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Advantages: Tasty, Quick & easy to cook, Good alternative to bacon for those who don't eat red meat, Less than 2% fat.
Disadvantages: These are obviously not as nice as real bacon, Contains Additives.

...***ABOUT MATTESSONS*** Mattessons produce products such as smoked pork sausages, Simpsons hotdogs, sliced meats, and of course the bacon flavoured turkey rashers that I am going to review. The turkey rashers are available as smoked or unsmoked. I will be reviewing the unsmoked product as I haven't yet tried the smoked. The price of the product is fairly reasonable: £1.59 for 150g. You will find this product at the supermarket. After reading Mattessons website it becomes clear that the main message that Mattessons is trying to get accross is that this product is a good healthy alternative to bacon. Please visit their website for more infomation: www.mattessons.co.uk ***COOKING INSTRUCTIONS*** These rashers are so easy to cook! They can be grilled or fried. Both methods only take a couple of minutes. Therefore turkey rashers... Read review

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