Istanbul Guide

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there is a chance that you could be caught up in a police raid.

(www.dailysabah.com) . The Hürriyet Daily News is secularist and the Daily Sabah is unashamedly – many would say scandal ously – pro-AKP. The Guide İstanbul (www. theguideistanbul.com) is a listings-heavy bimonthly guide to the city that is available both online and in magazine format. Many of the city’s hotels offer copies of it in guest rooms. Money ATMs ATMs are everywhere in İstanbul. Virtually all of them offer instructions in English, French and German and will pay out Turkish liras when you insert your bank debit (cash) card. They will also pay cash advances on Visa and MasterCard. The limit on cash withdrawals is gener ally ₺600 to ₺800 per day, though this varies from bank to bank. Changing Money ¨ ¨ The 24-hour döviz bürosu s (exchange bureaux) in the ar rivals halls of the international airports usually offer competi tive rates. ¨ ¨ US dollars and euros are easily changed at exchange bureaux. They are sometimes accepted in carpet shops and hotels. ¨ ¨ Turkish liras are fully convert ible, so there is no black market. Credit Cards Most hotels, car-hire agencies, shops, pharma cies, entertainment venues and restaurants will accept Visa and MasterCard; Amex isn’t as widely accepted and Diner’s is often not ac cepted. Inexpensive eateries usually accept cash only. Currency Türk Lirası (Turkish lira; ₺). Coins come in amounts of

Internet Access As is the case elsewhere in Europe, the proliferation of personal communications devices has led to internet cafes becoming a dying breed. Wi-fi connections are ubiquitous in hotels and hos tels, and common in cafes, bars and restaurants. The Turkish government has a well-documented track record in blocking access to social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook during and immediately after security situations such as terrorist attacks. Many locals get around this by using VPNs. If using a local computer, you may have to use a Turk ish keyboard. When doing so, be aware that Turkish has two ‘i’s: the familiar dotted ‘i’ and the less familiar dotless ‘ı’. Unfortunately the one in the usual place is the dotless ‘ı’ on a Turkish keyboard; you will need to make sure you use the correct dotted ‘i’ when typing in a web or email address. To create the @ symbol, hold down the ‘q’ and the right-hand ALT keys at the same time. Legal Matters ¨ ¨ The age of consent in Turkey is 18, as is the legal age for vot ing, driving and drinking. ¨ ¨ Technically, you should carry your passport at all times. Many travellers choose to carry a photocopy and leave the actual document in their hotel safe. ¨ ¨ It is illegal to take antiquities out of the country. ¨ ¨ In recent years, local politics has become increasingly socially conservative. This has mani fested itself in a number of ways, including police crackdowns on gay venues across the city, es pecially gay hamams and spas, which are regularly accused of breaching public-decency laws. If you visit one of these hamams,

LGBT Travellers Homosexuality isn’t illegal in Turkey, but neither is it officially legal. There’s a generally ambivalent at titude towards it among the general population, although there are sporadic reports of violence towards gay people, and conservative İstanbullus frown upon open displays of affection between persons of the same sex. Useful web sites include the following: IstanbulGay.com Handy guide to the gay, lesbian and transgender scenes in the city. It includes plenty of information about gay-friendly clubs, bars and hotels. Lambda (www.lambdaistanbul. org/s) Turkish branch of the international Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Liberation Group. Its office is in Kadıköy. Pride Travel ( % 0212-527 0671; www.travelagencyturkey. com; 4th fl, Ates Pasaji, İncili Çavuş Sokak 15) Well-regarded, gay-owned and gay-run travel agency specialising in booking accommodation and tours for gay travellers. Trans X Turkey (www.transx turkey.com/en) Advocacy group for Turkey’s transgender community. Media The free media in Turkey has been undergoing something of a trial by ordeal over re cent years, and the situation seems to be getting worse rather than better. This government interference has made sourcing impartial news a real challenge. There are now only two main stream English-language newspapers: the Hürriyet Daily News (www.hurriyetdaily news.com) and Daily Sabah

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