Navigating the unique street food of Turkey

by Jessica Festa on

One of the best ways to get to know a country and a culture is through its food. While restaurants often serve delicious local and international meals in a pleasing ambiance, the best way to taste authentic regional and budget-friendly cuisine is by sampling the street food. One great destination that can give your palate an adventure is Turkey.

Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is the only metropolis in the world that resides on two continents, in this case, Europe and Asia. Because of Turkey’s unique location, the cuisine is influenced by various cultures including: Western Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Although the food differs from city to city, there are still certain street food staples that you are likely to find all over the country.

To learn more about the unique street food of Turkey, check out the gallery below.

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Turkey’s unique national pastime: oil wrestling

by Jessica Festa on




While America has baseball, New Zealand has rugby, and Australia has cricket, Turkey has a national pastime that some may find a bit odd– oil wrestling. Also known as “grease wrestling,” the sport involves men clad in black leather pants carrying wicker bags that contain bottles of olive oil, which they must pour over every inch of their flesh. Because it’s so difficult for a participant to get a good grip on their opponent, a common strategy is “hands down pants,” which literally entails fully sticking your hands down another man’s pants. There are five levels of advancement in the sport and children as young as seven begin training to make it to the top.

Since 1362, the city of Edirne in Turkish Thrace has been celebrating oil wrestling by hosting an annual Kirkpinar tournament. The event is the oldest, continuously running, sanctioned, sporting competition in the world, and people from all over travel to watch Pehlivan (wrestlers) compete for the winning gold belt and the title of “Chief Pehlivan.” Sorry ladies, the sport is for men only. But, don’t think that just any guy off the street can enter the contest, as Pehlivans are held in high esteem and are considered role models with honest, humble, moral, and respectful personalities. These men are also expected to adhere to local traditions and are trained as an apprentice by a master of the sport. This year, the event will take place July 2-8, 2012.

For a better idea of this unique pastime, check out the short documentary above.

Video: Skating the canals of Amsterdam

by Melanie Renzulli on


The cold snap that has brought much of Europe to a stand-still this winter has invigorated the Dutch. For the first time in more than a decade, the canals in Amsterdam have frozen solid, creating a network of rinks between the city’s iconic, gabled canal houses.

The above video captures the beauty of central Amsterdam as well as the warm, festive spirit of its residents. Watch as Amsterdammers play hockey, speed race along the icy ribbons, duck under stone bridges, balance on skates while walking on top of the cobblestones, and fill up on coffee, tea, and laughter. Leave it to the Dutch to make the best of whatever weather is dealt them.

EuroCheapo launches budget travel guides for Switzerland

by Jessica Festa on

While Switzerland is not usually thought of as a budget-friendly destination, there are actually many worthwhile hotels, sights, and restaurants that won’t cost you a fortune. To help travelers navigate their way around this usually costly country, EuroCheapo has launched budget travel guides for the cities of Zurich and Geneva, marking their first Swiss guides on the site. These guides will not only feature accommodation recommendations and photographs from the editors themselves, but also insider tips on how to explore these cities without breaking the bank.

Says EuroCheapo’s founder and editor-in-chief, Tom Meyers, “While it’s certainly easy to overspend in Geneva and Zurich, our editors have uncovered many simple ways to make visiting more affordable. Both cities offer delightful inexpensive hotels that will keep your trip budget in check.”

EuroCheapo is a free budget travel guide for Europe. To check out the brand new Swiss guides as well as money-saving guides for other European cities, click here.

Photo of the Day: Olives, olives, and more olives

by Jessica Marati on

Honestly, have you ever seen olives look so appetizing? This epicurean Photo of the Day was snapped at the Mercado San Miguel in Madrid, a traditional Beaux-Arts food market recently restored and reopened in 2009. Flickr user LadyExpat used a Nikon D90 to capture the details in the delicacies: the vibrant colors, the fillings contained in the olives, the reflection of light in the juice. We’re sure they were delicious.

Does your photo belong here? Upload your favorite travel shots to the Gadling Group Pool and your image could be selected as our Photo of the Day.