[Umit]

HOLIDAY TERROR

The liveliest of resorts, but with a heart of gold

MIRIAM LEE on why so many Irish decided to continue their holidays in Kusadasi despite the bomb carnage.
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HEARTBREAKING: Saturday’s bomb struck at the heart of a most welcoming and friendly resort town...

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TURKEY is a land of contrasts, and I think that is why the Irish love it so much. Kusadasi, in particular, is a wonderful resort, knocking on Europe’s door yet on the threshold of Asia. I’ve visited Kusadasi many times, in fact, given a choice of spending my 40th birthday in Kusadasi or Dublin, I chose Kusadasi. What I love most about the Turks and spending time in Kusadasi is their hospitality. It is the cornerstone of their way of life, and the people of Kusadasi are famous for it.

HOSPITALITY
In every corner of the resort such traditional hospitality will greet you.

I’ve just returned from yet another visit to Turkey. I’ve made many friends there and, hand on my heart, I can say this about the Turks: if one is your friend, then you have built a friendship for life. In fact, so enriched have I felt by my experiences of this country’s
people, I plan to buy a holiday home there.

As Kusadasi is one of Turkey’s more lively resorts, nestled on the country’s central Aegean coast, Irish tourists, me included, love it’s white, hot, sandy beaches and more importantly its promenade
shops and traditional cafes.

Of course I love nothing more than working off that sumptuous lunch by climbing to the Kale district where, inside the old city walls, a mosque, traditional houses
and a bazaar are ready to greet and entice you.

Before I visited Kusadasi I had heard many horror stories about the Turks and I truly believe it is a
resort you either love or hate. I admit, hand on my heart, that I love it. The locals are among the
most friendly and intelligent I have ever met. You get the feeling they genuinely care for you as a person,
and you are never just an anonymous face.

The town is smart, clean, cosmopolitan, and above all, when visiting there I felt safe, and I can’t ever remember experiencing that feeling anywhere else.

VALENTINE
In Bar Street in Kusadasi the Irish find a wide choice of pubs and bars and a real favourite is Shirley Valentine.
Then when you go for a meal, the waiters in Kusadasi are really friendly and great with young children which is always a relief for parents. Turkey is the country knows as the Cradle of Civilisation, sure wasn’t good old St Nicholas — more popularly known as Santa
Clause — born there and, hey, the Turks are responsible for introducing to Europe the one thing we Irish simply can’t do without, coffee!
I’ve visited the country five times and experienced a warmth and friendliness which made me feel that whichever religion you are, whichever country you come from and whatever language you speak, you are God’s Guest (Allah misafiri), so you deserve to be welcomed in such a manner.

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[Susanc]

Hey I Thought We All Needed Cheering Up And I Got This From The Evening Herald In Dublin. A Kind Jounalist E Mailed It To Me As They Dont Have The Paper Online. It Restores The Faith In At Least Some Of The Media


Xx Sue
Ps Smile Guys

[Umit]

Thank You so much for this great article Sue

[Mella]

That article was lovely and I wholeheartedly agree with Miriam Lee. I really enjoyed reading it..

Thanks for sharing that with us Sue

[**claire**]

Thanks for making the effort to share it with us Sue!!

A really lovely article!!!

[Shannon]

Go Miriam, Go Miriam, Go Miriam....

Thank Sue, nice one! Im happier about that article! At least weve got one journalist reporting who actually knows something about Kusadasi!

[Susanc]

I Just E Mailed Miriams Colleague To Say We All Really Appreciated Such A Positive Article And That Hopefully It Will Help To Allay Everyones Fears Of Travelling To Kusadasi In The Future


Xx Sue

[Hephaestion]

Thanx for sharing it with us Sue!

[Jax]

It's important that as tourists we visit Kusadasi and show support to our turkish friends. We must stand by them, enjoy their hospitality and respect their traditions.

The turkish people need our support as much as ever now, lets not let them down.

[marc]

hey,i'm english and us brits and we love it to!!!!!!