Blogger Cafe - Blogger's Base

I have 2 more weeks left in Istanbul before leaving for Singapore and I have just realized that there is a blog cafe here. Blog cafe is something I have never heard of. This is a cafe designed for bloggers. Yes, I can find decent places to just sit and write both in Singapore and Istanbul, but something is always missing. Usually plugs are not enough, occassionally you are not welcomed to sit for long times and write, there is no wireless connection, connection is slow, etc. This place have everything you need (or have more than you asked): It is full of plugs, multiple plugs. There is fast wireless connection. There are books, magazines, disks, bits and pieces to fuel your inspiration. There is a music corner with instruments, projector for presentations, a big meeting table and a good Italian coffee bar, Caffe Nero.

Owners of Blogger's Base, Mansur Forutan and Tolga Arican are themselves bloggers and they say their aim is to create a warm place and they want to fill in the cafe with bloggers (it is of course open fot non-bloggers). This place can provide a meeting point for digital personalities to share ideas and to chat face to face. They have been working on this project for 2 years and for the last 6 months they were working hard to realize their dreams.

You can see some photos from this place in this post: post 1. The design of the place is vivid. Seats comes in different designs and shapes. You can just choose or create your corner in this place. AQnd of course there is a fast internet connection. I hope a place like this is opened in Singapore in the near future.

The place is in one of the oldest parts of the city, Galata. Galata takes it name from the Galata tower, a medieval stone tower, just to the north of the Golden Horn. It is one of the city's most striking landmarks and offers one of the best views of Old Istanbul.

Galata (Galata Tower to the left) from Marmara Pera

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Hot Air Balloon Tour over Cappadocia Fairy Chimneys

Last Friday, I was looking at the holiday photos of a friend in Singapore taken in Turkey. He has flew to Turkey from Singapore in October 2011 for a 1+ week holiday and travelled to many great locations in Turkey like Pamukkale, Cappadocia, Istanbul, Efes, etc. He has taken a balloon tour in Cappadocia region of central Turkey and I have realized that the company he has taken was the one one of my friends is working as a balloon pilot.

Cappadocia means the land of beautiful horses. It is famous for its stunning view created by amazing rock formations thanks to the volcanic activities of nearby Erciyes mountain and erosion. Locals in Turkey call these rock formations "fairy chimneys". There is really something mystical about them. Until early 1990s, the only way to get a great view was to climb or drive to a nearby hill and watch the sunset and sunrise on the fairy chimneys. But then, locals discovered the power of hot air balloon to get a great view of the landscape.

Hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia - Source : Royal Balloon

The hot air balloon allows tourists to see fantastic views of the naturally formed columns of rock formed by nature slowly in 10 million years. Some of these fairy chimneys are 40 metres high and if people were not more innocent back in the past, these phallus rocks would be definitely given a very different name. Most beautiful chimney can be found around and about Göreme, the village where my friend's company flies the hot air balloons from.

The balloon experience is quite unique. During the flight, there is absolutely no noise except the hot air producing burner's mild noise. The balloon flies with the same speed of air surrounding it so even the sound of wind is absent. This noise free flight over a magical landscape creates a stunning experience. Many Singaporeans flying to Turkey goes to Cappadocia and many tour packages include these balloon experiences. If you are going to Turkey by tour, check if the tour takes you to Cappadocia and includes a hot air balloon experience. It is a must do in Turkey holiday. 

New law removes restrictions to foreign purchases of real estate in Turkey

Turkish parliament has just passed a new law which will allow any foreigner to buy property in Turkey. The law removes a restriction called "mutualness" where if a country does not allow Turkish citizens to buy property in that country, this country's citizens could not buy property in Turkey. With the new law, practically will be effective in the next 15 days, this restriction is removed. This will allow Russians, citizens of Gulf States and Central Asia nationals to buy property in Turkey.

This law was supposed to be effective early 2012 but Turkish property developers, who are struggling to sell their mid to high end developments, pressed to release it just before summer, the hottest time for foreign demand for Turkish properties. With this law now, developers will have a very large pool of customers especially from Arab states.

According to Kanal D Property news, Qasim Sultan Al Banna, who has been director general of Dubai Municipality since 1992, has bought 50 flats from a development named My World when the new law is announced.[1] The Developer, Ağaoğlu İnşaat, has already collected deposit from foreigners  for 740 flats in Istanbul even before the law was passed. A company from Saudi Arabia, whose citizens could not buy property in Turkey before, has paid deposit for 400 flats in near Istanbul Olympic Stadium for investment purposes. Agaoglu now expects to earn 250 million dollar when the sales of these reserved units proceed. In fact, the developer targets a whopping 2 billion dollars of real estate sales to foreigners.

My World - Source : My World

Turkey has recently became very popular among its neigbours such as Russia and Arab states. 4 million Russian tourists are expected this year alone, who do not need visa to enter Turkey and stay 1 month. There is also a growing popularity among Muslim countries thanks to popular Turkish TV shows, recent more open and friendly policy of Turkey towards them and cultural similarities. With this rule, money from oil rich Arab states and natural gas rich Russia is expected to flow to Turkey to buy property.

There are mixed forecasts about the effects of this new law on the property prices in Turkey. CEO of Ukra Insaat, Kursad Tuncel, does not see a price rise due to the new demand from foreigners. This is because of the already huge supply in the market. [1] On the other hand, some experts predict 10 per cent rise in property prices when the law becomes effective. But it is pretty much likely that the price fall, which is awaited by many Turkish home buyers, will not happen or will not be as deep as expected.

.[1] - Qasim Sultan My World'den 50 daire aldi