THOMAS COOK TRAVEL SPRING 2014
The
Dominican
Republic Discover paradise in the Caribbean’s best-kept secret
ROAD TRIP USA FEBRUARY / MARCH / APRIL 2014
r Take a tou rs, le il K e h T with eers and The Lumin The Strokes on page 62
plus... T E N E R I F E V E N I C E T U R K E Y B A R B A D O S L A S V E G A S
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FEATURES
Insider guide: Dominican Republic
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We reveal what makes this colourful Caribbean hideaway paradise found
La cucina Veneziana Beyond the tourist traps, the floating city has some serious culinary credentials – you just need to know where to look
The great American rock’n’roll road trip
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Enjoy an exclusive tour of the US courtesy of The Killers, The Strokes, The Lumineers and The Raconteurs
Turkey in 10 objects Explore the diversity of the Turkish coastline through its iconic tastes, sights and sounds
The lost art of getting lost Travel author Kevin Rushby throws away his compass and GPS to find out why it’s better heading off-map
The volcano challenge We challenge our daredevil writer to take on Tenerife’s most heart-racing activities in and around fiery Mount Teide
Photography: Greg Funnell
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T U R K E Y Words: Sevil Delin and Tristan Rutherford
Turkey Photos: Tim E White
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From traditional souvenirs to regional specialities, we explore Turkey’s Aegean coastline through its national treasures
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RAKI
Forget your morning tasks. And you’d better take the afternoon off work, too. Turkey’s national liqueur is an anise-scented firewater with a reputation for subtle inebriation. For decades its curative/knockout qualities were used during tooth extractions (just rub it on your gums to numb them). Sozzled locals swear by age-old brand Yeni Rakı, while hipsters prefer artisanally produced Tekirdag ˘, which boasts an organic version, too. Such is rakı’s ubiquity that it can be enjoyed anywhere from the waterfront bars and restaurants of Marmaris to the raucous afterhours party strips in Fethiye and Bodrum. TR Ferhat Ugar from Kum Saati Bar in Fethiye
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Sozzled locals swear by ageold brand Yeni Rakı, while urban hipsters drink organic Tekirdag ˘ rakı
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T U R K E Y
SPONGE
Some of the world’s top freedivers hail from Turkey, perhaps because of the ancient tradition of sponge diving along the Aegean coast. One of the world’s most dangerous professions, it often resulted in divers getting the bends from surfacing too fast, sometimes with fatal results. Indeed, there is a Turkish saying that describes “swimming in money, with a widowed honey”. Today, the sponge trade has taken a dive of its own, but a handful of shops still sell natural, local sponges. SD Memhet Volkan outside his sponge shop, Acar Denizyıldızı, in Bodrum
B A K L AVA
Turkey is synonymous with sweets, with Turkish Delight (known locally as lokum, meaning “morsel”) and baklava its most famous exports. The latter is made of layers of paper-thin pastry drenched in syrup with nuts in the middle, and can be enjoyed either in its mass-produced form, or homemade with extra crunch and less sugar. As if that wasn’t tempting enough, boiled sweets (akide s˛ekeri), milk puddings (muhallebi) and cookies (kurabiye) threaten slim waistlines with their delicious omnipresence. SD Elif Koplan from Zeugma Baklava shop in Bodrum FEB.MAR.APR
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05 GOURDS
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Scooped out and left to harden for up to a year, dried gourds – the fruit from cucurbitaceous plants – have been used throughout history, serving as water flasks, keeping gunpowder dry, and buoying up fishermen’s nets. Today, Bodrum artists carve intricate geometric designs into them and fill the holes with coloured glass, creating a cross between a stained-glass window and a Halloween pumpkin. Insert a light bulb, and the lamp shines a rainbow of colours on the walls. SD Gourd vendor Husain from Gümüs˛lük near Bodrum
SATS U M A J A M
Most Turkish women, no matter how liberated or career-driven, are more in tune with their inner domestic goddess than the average European or American. Making homemade pickles and fruit preserves is still the accepted norm. In particular, Bodrum and Dalaman’s kitchens are filled with chunky satsuma marmalade: fragrant and bittersweet, it is ideally eaten slathered on a slab of Turkish bread. The coast’s satsumas are also prized in different forms: their aromatic oil is added to kolonya – Turkey’s bracing answer to eau de cologne – while one of the most refreshing local alcoholic drinks is vodka with a splash of satsuma juice. SD Sadiye Yilmaz at Yalikavak village bazaar
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T U R K E Y
Fish suppers of red mullet, squid and sea bass sustain Turkey’s entire Aegean coast
06 GRILLED FISH
Fish suppers of red mullet (barbunya), squid (kalamar) and sea bass (levrek) sustain Turkey’s entire Aegean coast. But no seafood restaurants are more novel than those at the Bodrum and Fethiye fish markets. Once flagging, they are now interactive alfresco dining spots where patrons purchase fresh octopus (ahtapot), monkfish (fener) or bream (çupra), before taking them to the surrounding eateries to be sautéed, grilled or salt-baked, then served with mezze, salad and fries. The system prevents any ripoffs and, especially in Bodrum, you can check out the spectacular harbour views afterwards. TR Chef Veysi from Su restaurant, Bodrum port
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07 G ÖZ L E M E
Everyone from power brokers to paupers loves to gorge on a gözleme. Somewhere between a crepe and a flatbread, this Turkish street food begins life as hand-rolled dough, which is then cooked on a griddle pan with extra ingredients thrown on top. Minced lamb and pastrami are popular in the mountains; spinach and goat’s cheese on the coast. Less traditional but just as tasty are sweet options such as banana, Nutella and honey. The challenge is to stop after just one. TR Gözleme baker Neriman from Kayaköy near Fethiye
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CO F F E E
The battle between the Turks and Greeks over the provenance of baklava, yoghurt and coffee is as ancient as it is heated. Turkish coffee, as it is usually called, has become such an entrenched aspect of the culture that it is an essential part of many rituals, including engagements, when the groom has to smilingly endure a cup of salty coffee to prove his commitment to his betrothed. Turkish coffee is cooked, not brewed, and the dregs are left at the bottom of the cup. Despite all this devotion, the new generation are still turning to iced coffees and frappés, with new American-style chains popping up all along the coast. SD A young coffee drinker in Dalaman
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T U R K E Y
GULETS
Gulets are hefty sailing ships once used to haul olive oil around the Aegean. Not any more. A new breed of these traditional Turkish boats has been reimagined as cruising vessels for tourists. Expect crisp linen sheets, en-suite shower rooms and gourmet local cuisine. Water toys such as paddleboards, sea kayaks and snorkels come as standard. TurkYacht (turkyacht.com) maintains boats in the yachting centres of Marmaris, Goçek and Bodrum, while Thomas Cook (thomascook.com) offers a number of trips from the coast’s main resorts. The boats visit lonely islands, dive spots and bays in the Gulf of Gökova, plus deserted beaches for BBQ lunches. TR Captain Erman, TurkYacht captain, in Goçek
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T U R K E Y
It’s possible to hear the tradition all along the coast, from Dalaman to Bodrum
10 OUD
The humble oud is as old as the hills. Indeed, it was purportedly invented by a grandson of Adam. The Near Eastern ancestor of the guitar is played with a plectrum (variously made with sea shells and cow horn), but contains no frets (which are for European softies, obviously). Its modern cousin is the – fretted – Turkish tanbur, which forms the kernel of all Turkish classical music, and can be played with both plectrum and bow. It’s possible to hear both instruments all along the coast – from sedate Dalaman to noisy local bars in Bodrum. TR Oud player Baris from Bodrum
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D I D YO U K N OW ?
Thomas Cook flies to Izmir, Bodrum, Dalaman and Antalya from select UK airports. For more information, call +44 (0)844 412 5966 or visit thomascook.com. For more information, visit gototurkey.com.
Why not make the most of the city and beach with a twin centre stay? Start off at the stylish and cosmopolitan Rixos Premium to explore Bodrum’s best bits before heading for the sandy shores of Antalya’s Aska Lara Deluxe for some well-deserved R’n’R (book both through thomascook.com).
Bodrum is the site of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
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