Podcasts about Turkish

SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys Towards the end of the Crimean War the Russians invade the Ottoman Empire, coming up against the Fortress City of Kars. Command of the Ottoman forces fall to an old drunk, British man who may or may not be the bastard child of Prince Edward, all of the Turkish officers under him are actually Hungarian, and one American catholic. Sources: Winifred Baumgart. The Crimean War: 1853-1856 Raugh Harold. The Victorians at War: 1815-1914 Humphrey Sandwith. The Siege of Kars 1856 William Edward David Allen, Paul Muratoff. Caucasian Battlefields: The History of the Wars of the Turco-Caucasian Border 1828-1921

It's a huge, wild, and complex story. Referees suspended, players implicated, the third and fourth divisions suspended, criminal investigations into Super Lig clubs and referees. We break down what's going on in Turkey and we ask, is this just the first open reporting of risks to sporting competition that are present across professional football and global sports?Wikipedia and links for the Turkish football story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Turkish_football_betting_scandalAnkaraspor - Nazillispor: https://en.haberler.com/it-had-been-talked-about-for-days-here-is-the-2157354/Cleveland Guardians scandal: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/emmanuel-clase-arrested-pleads-not-guilty/Sports Betting and Players in US Sports: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6807760/2025/11/14/sports-betting-players-nfl-nba-mlb-nhl/Support the show

Nate Wilcox and Ed Ward continue their discussion of Ed's ⁠History of Rock & Roll 1920-1963⁠ with a look at the period when Rock and Roll really got started. We'll hear about the woman who discovered Elvis Presley, a pair of Jewish music fans who become legit R&B legends, how a Turkish record mogul wrote Ray Charles' first hit, when country music discovered cheating songs and a whole lot about dirty, dirty, naughty rhythm and blues records. But it's not all fun and games. We'll take some morbid and weird turns and learn about two promising talents ruined by car wrecks, the singer who confessed to murder on record -- before he committed it, and a hit song about a funeral. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack. Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks! Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠letitrollpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Let It Roll is proud to be part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Podcast⁠s⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports a drone has struck a Turkish tanker in Ukraine's Odesa and set it ablaze.

Temelkuran is a brilliant writer, finding humour, hope and humanity in the darkest corners of our current malaise.' – BRIAN ENO Ece Temelkuran is the award winning Turkish writer and author who was forced into exile for her critical views of President Erdoğan. She has long signalled the alarm that not only her home country of Türkiye but the whole democratic world is steadily sleepwalking into authoritarianism. Her 2019 book How To Lose A Country was an impassioned warning to the world that populism and nationalism don't march fully-formed into government; they creep. In October 2025, she came to Intelligences Squared to discuss how we can spot the early-warning signs of authoritarianism, defend democracy and learn the lessons of resistance from Eastern Europe to South America. Temelkuran also offered an alternative path and described how democracy can survive the digital age. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gündemden haberleri aktardığımız bu bölümde "Dünya turundaki bisikletçi müzisyenler Konya'da", "Avrupa Birliği, Çin'den çevrim içi alışverişe karşı önlem alıyor" ve "Japonya Başbakanı Takaichi'nin açıklaması tepki çekti." gibi haber başlıkları var. Interactive Transcript and Vocab Helper Support Easy Turkish and get interactive transcripts and live vocabulary for all our episodes: easyturkish.fm/membership Transcript Intro Emin: [0:14] Herkese merhaba. Easy Turkish Podcast'in yeni bölümüne hepiniz hoş geldiniz. Bu bölümümüzde sizlere dünya gündeminden haberleri yavaş bir şekilde aktaracağım. Podcastlerimizi alt yazıyla ve kelime yardımcısıyla beraber takip edebilmek için easyturkish.fm adresine göz atmayı unutmayın. İlk haberimizle başlayalım. Üç şehrimize sezonun ilk karı düştü Emin: [0:47] Türkiye'nin doğu kesimlerinde mevsimin ilk kar yağışı oldu. Özellikle Sivas, Giresun ve Ordu'da yoğun kar yağışı etkili oldu. Sivas'ta birçok otoyol kar yağışı nedeniyle trafiğe kapandı. Dünya turundaki bisikletçi müzisyenler Konya'da Emin: [1:10] Fransa'dan yola çıkan bisiklet tutkunu müzisyenler Amauk Joseyeh ve Lucas Ballesti, Türkiye'nin Beyşehir ilçesini ziyaret etti. Müzisyenler, bisikletlerinde taşıdıkları müzik aletleriyle küçük konserler vererek bölgeye renk kattı. Avrupa Birliği, Çin'den çevrim içi alışverişe karşı önlem alıyor Emin: [1:30] Avrupa Birliği, Çin'den çevrim içi alışverişe karşı önlem alıyor. Avrupa Birliği ülkeleri Temu, Shein ve AliExpress gibi Çinli çevrim içi sitelerden yapılan 150 avronun altındaki alışverişlere uygulanan gümrük vergisi istisnasını 2026'da kaldırmaya hazırlanıyor. Avrupa Birliği'ne üye ülkelerin maliye bakanlarının Brüksel'de gerçekleştirdiği toplantıdan sonra alınan kararlara ilişkin Avrupa Birliği Konseyi bir açıklama yayımladı. Support Easy Turkish and get interactive transcripts and live vocabulary for all our episodes: easyturkish.fm/membership

European research funding, Chinese-owned technology, and Turkey's expanding surveillance system are more closely connected than EVER. A recent investigation by Follow the Money reveals that EU-backed research projects have indirectly supported a Turkish company supplying facial-recognition equipment to law enforcement, despite its ties to ZTE, a Chinese firm classified by the EU as a “high-risk” vendor.Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sabotage charges against opposition leaders, the German Ambassador back in Tbilisi, a Turkish aircraft crash in Georgia, a diabetes medication shortage, the ruling party's weaponization of mental health stigmas, and much more! Thanks for tuning in!Let us know what you think and what we can improve on by emailing us at info@rorshok.com You can also contact us through Instagram @rorshok_georgia or Twitter @RorshokGeorgiaLike what you hear? Subscribe, share, and tell your buds.Plane Crush: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ6p1fRjXER/How political psychiatry is finding a new life in Georgian propaganda:https://oc-media.org/how-political-psychiatry-is-finding-a-new-life-in-georgian-propaganda/Check out our new t-shirts: https://rorshok.store/Set up your personal collection: https://rorshok.store/personal-collectionsWe want to get to know you! Please fill in this mini-survey: https://forms.gle/NV3h5jN13cRDp2r66Wanna avoid ads and help us financially? Follow the link: https://bit.ly/rorshok-donate

It's one of the biggest betting scandals in sporting history.Turkish football is facing a gambling crackdown that's seen hundreds of players and officials suspended.It's shone a spotlight on a growing global gambling industry... and how it's affecting players, fans and the game itself. So - is sports betting out of control? In this episode: Ali Emre Dedeoglu - a sports commentator. Tancredi Palmeri - International sports analyst. Jamie Allen - a football journalist and writer. Host: Nick Clark Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

A court in Britain has ruled that the mining company BHP is legally responsible for the collapse of a dam in 2015 which caused one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters. The failure of the Mariana dam (in southeastern Brazil) unleashed a wave of toxic waste that killed nineteen people and polluted a major river. It was owned by a joint venture between the Brazilian firm, Vale, and BHP - which was headquartered in Britain at the time. Hundreds of thousands of Brazilian victims are seeking what could amount to billions of dollars in compensation. BHP says it intends to appeal. Also in the programme: controversy in Turkish football; and we hear from a mystery person photographed during the Louvre heist. (Photo: A view shows the BHP Group logo at their headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. CREDIT: REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo)

Temelkuran is a brilliant writer, finding humour, hope and humanity in the darkest corners of our current malaise.' – BRIAN ENO Ece Temelkuran is the award winning Turkish writer and author who was forced into exile for her critical views of President Erdoğan. She has long signalled the alarm that not only her home country of Türkiye but the whole democratic world is steadily sleepwalking into authoritarianism. Her 2019 book How To Lose A Country was an impassioned warning to the world that populism and nationalism don't march fully-formed into government; they creep. In October 2025, she came to Intelligences Squared to discuss how we can spot the early-warning signs of authoritarianism, defend democracy and learn the lessons of resistance from Eastern Europe to South America. Temelkuran also offered an alternative path and described how democracy can survive the digital age. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The teaching of St Gregory is so fundamental to Orthodoxy that he is especially commemorated each year in Great Lent on the Sunday following the Sunday of Orthodoxy (as well as on Nov. 14); Bishop Kallistos observes in the English edition of the Philokalia, "his successful defence of the divine and uncreated character of the light of Tabor...[is] seen as a direct continuation of the preceding celebration, as nothing less than a renewed Triumph of Orthodoxy."   The son of a prominent family, St Gregory was born (1296) and raised in Constantinople. At about age twenty, he abandoned a promising secular career to become a monk on Mt Athos. (His family joined him en masse: two of his brothers went with him to the Holy Mountain; at the same time his widowed mother, two of his sisters, and many of the household servants also entered monastic life.) He spent the next twenty years living as a hermit, spending five days a week in complete solitude, then joining the brethren on weekends for the Divine Liturgy and its accompanying services.   Around 1335 he was called to live a much more public life in defense of the faith and spirituality of the Church. A Greek living in Italy, Barlaam the Calabrian, had launched an attack on the hesychastic spirituality of the Church. Fundamentally, Barlaam denied that man can attain to a true vision of God Himself, or true union with Him, in this life. Gregory, recognizing in this an attack on the Christian faith itself, responded. He even left the Holy Mountain and re-settled in Constantinople so as better to wage the struggle, which had become so public that a Church Council was called to settle the issue. St Gregory's views were affirmed, and Barlaam's condemned, at the Council of Constantinople of 1341.   Though Barlaam himself returned to Italy, a series of his followers continued the attack, eventually resulting in two more Councils in 1347 and 1351, both of which affirmed the hesychasts' position. Metropolitan Hierotheos (The Mind of the Orthodox Church) writes that these councils have "all the marks of an Ecumenical Council." This, along with the fact that St Gregory's views are affirmed in the Synodikon of Orthodoxy (appointed to be read in churches every Sunday of Orthodoxy), and his commemoration every second Sunday of Great Lent, makes clear that his teaching is a basic and indispensable part of the Orthodox Faith.   In 1347 St Gregory was consecrated Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, where he served until his repose. (He spent a year of this period as the prisoner of Turkish pirates). Despite (or due to?) his austere monastic background, he was revered by his flock: immediately after his repose in 1359, popular veneration of him sprang up in Thessaloniki, Constantinople and Mt Athos and, in 1368, only nine years after his death, the Church officially glorified him as a saint.   St Gregory was always clear that unceasing mental prayer is not a special calling of monastics, but is possible and desirable for every Christian in every walk of life. See his On the Necessity of Constant Prayer for all Christians, reproduced on this site.

Dave looks at the news & gossip as Turkish football bans 100s of people! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

measure your progress with this video quiz

learn 10 high-frequency expressions, including vocabulary for ingredients and sweets

learn how to write a

Turkish translation of Friday Sermon delivered by Khalifa-tul-Masih on November 14th, 2025 (audio)

This week on The Big Fib we find out if our child contestant can spot which adult expert is fibbing about TURKEYS. How fast can turkeys fly? Fact or Fib: You can tell if a turkey is male or female by its poop. What is the Turkish word for turkey? Play along and see if you can guess who is telling the truth on The Big Fib gameshow. For more great shows for kids and families visit GZMshows.com and to hear all episodes of The Big Fib ad-free, subscribe now at GZMshows.com/subscribers SPONSOR SHOUTOUT: Support for The Big Fib comes from ⁠MasterClass⁠. With MasterClass you can learn from the best to become your best. Get an additional 15% off any annual membership at ⁠MasterClass.com/BIGFIB⁠ . Additional sponsorship for The Big Fib comes from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Acorns Early⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ready to teach your kids the smart way to earn, save, and spend? Get your first month on us when you head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠acornsearly.com/bigfib⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And continued support for The Big Fib comes from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. To help support the show, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/bigfib⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn more about their great deals on comfy and cozy bedding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Istanbul is home to some great filmmakers trying to speak truth to power... in a country where the power is less and less willing to let them. Host Rico Gagliano talks with two of the best — Emin Alper (BURNING) and Özcan Alper (AUTUMN) — about making art with a censor over your shoulder. He also takes a tour of Istanbul's historic cinemas... and is there to witness a dark day in Turkish politics.Part travelogue, part deep-dive storytelling, the latest season sees host Rico Gagliano jet off to Ireland, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Los Angeles and Istanbul, to learn about their cultures through the lens of cinema. Season 8's guests include actors Gael García Bernal (AMORES PERROS) and Fiona Shaw (HOT MILK), writer/directors Rich Peppiatt (KNEECAP), Evan Goldberg (THE STUDIO) and Halina Reijn (BABYGIRL), producer Ed Guiney (POOR THINGS), production designer Eugenio Caballero (ROMA) and a host of other filmmakers, programmers, academics, cinema owners, critics, tour guides, and festival directors.CROSSING THE BRIDGE – THE SOUND OF ISTANBUL is now streaming on MUBI worldwide. CROSSING is now streaming in the US, Canada, Latin America, Germany and Turkey. To stream some of the films we've covered on the podcast, check out the collection Featured on the MUBI Podcast. Availability of films varies depending on your country.MUBI is a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema. MUBI makes, acquires, curates, and champions extraordinary films, connecting them to audiences all over the world. A place to discover ambitious new films and singular voices, from iconic directors to emerging auteurs. Each carefully chosen by MUBI's curators.

Today's story: Screen time among senior citizens has been growing recently, as more and more retirees use phones and tablets, in addition to time spent watching television. Online devices can help seniors keep their skills sharp, stay in touch with loved ones, and pass the time. But seniors are also vulnerable to scams and don't have the built-in social structures that younger people do.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/817Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/817 --Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English.You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an international move. Whatever your reason, we'll help you achieve your goals in English.How it works: Listen to a new story every Monday and Thursday. They're all about current events, trending topics, and what's going on in the world. Get exposure to new words and ideas that you otherwise might not have heard in English.The audio moves at a speed that's right for intermediate English learners: just a little slower than full native speed. You'll improve your English listening, learn new words, and have fun thinking in English.--Did you like this episode? You'll love the full Plain English experience. Join today and unlock the fast (native-speed) version of this episode, translations in the transcripts, how-to video lessons, live conversation calls, and more. Tap/click: PlainEnglish.com/joinHere's where else you can find us: Instagram | YouTube | WhatsApp | EmailMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Dave looks at the news & gossip as Turkish football bans 100s of people! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Multipolarity Dialogues is a series of interviews that scan the geopolitical horizon. We talk to some of the sharpest analysts, thinkers, and experts about how they see the world beyond the visible edge of the geopolitical now.The Middle East is as violent and fractious as ever. Now the questions that arise from that violence appear more important than ever. Israel seems to want to end the chaos in a way that provides it with military dominance over the region and some semblance of peace. But can it achieve this or even survive for much longer? Given the scale of enmity it faces in the region and the recent shifts in US domestic politics. What of Egypt, which has been since the Second World War, the dominant military power within the region? And are we seeing the reemergence of Turkey to its traditional place as regional hegemon? Well, to answer these questions we have Firas Modad joining us.Firas is a Druze Lebanese convert to Catholicism, who now lives and works in the UK. As founder and principle of Modad Geopolitics, a consultancy which provides commercially relevant analysis of the effect of geopolitical change on specific regions and industry sectors. Firas for some years now, has been a mainstay geopolitical commentator on the podcast circuit and indeed hosts his own podcast, Realpolitik, within the burgeoning Lotus Eaters ecosystem.

Servus! Wenn ihr uns kontaktieren oder mehr sehen möchtet, geht auf ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠unseren Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@austriankiwipodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) und folgt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jonboy.at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, um auf dem Laufenden zu bleiben mit unserer Bekleidungsmarke.Über uns:Ich (Jonny) habe Maria 2019 in Kambodscha kennengelernt. Wir reisten zusammen durch Vietnam, verliebten uns, und ich zog nach Österreich, um Maria zu besuchen – und bin nie wieder gegangen. Wir arbeiten und leben beide hier in Salzburg und lieben es!Podcast Chapters:00:00:00 Willkommen!00:00:15 Haartransplantation abgeschlossen00:14:25 Warum Jonny eine Haartransplantation gemacht hat00:19:27 Wie Menschen auf Schönheitsoperationen reagieren00:21:20 Kaffee-Detox00:23:07 Wo hat Jonny seine Haartransplantation gemacht?00:25:26 Jonboy-Updates!00:28:53 Wie man nach einer Haartransplantation schläft00:33:00 Unterbrochen von den IT-Leuten00:34:26 Shoutout an Thisisstevie00:36:10 Babysprache und Kosenamen in Beziehungen00:47:22 Danke!Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/austriankiwipodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonboy:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/jonboy.at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

discover effective strategies and tips for learning Turkish

In this explosive chapter of Muscle, tensions reach breaking point when a close friend is accused of stealing from the wrong people. What follows is an intense and dangerous interrogation that exposes the brutal code of loyalty, respect, and retribution that ruled the streets of Essex and East London.This episode dives deep into the underworld connection between the Essex Boys and the Turkish Mafia, revealing the true nature of gangland politics, betrayal, and power struggles in the UK's criminal scene.From The Terry Stone Connection, this series continues to bring real British gangster stories, true crime history, and authentic insight into the life behind Carlton leach, Tony Tucker, Pat Tate and Craig Rolfe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

November 12, 2025Download the app HEREwww.TheDailyMojo.com"Ep 111225: To Your Health  | The Daily MoJo"A military transport plane crash involving 20 Turkish personnel sparks an investigation, with speculations about structural issues and political motives. The intelligence of octopuses is highlighted, alongside the impact of government shutdowns on community support. Health concerns regarding artificial sweeteners and the relationship between IQ and hearing difficulties are discussed. The narrative also delves into cube tricks, green screens, and ancient Celtic surgical practices, challenging modern misconceptions about history.Phil Bell's Morning Update - The 11% Solution!: HEREOur affiliate partners:Be prepared! Not scared. Need some Ivermection? Some Hydroxychloroquine? Don't have a doctor who fancies your crazy ideas? We have good news - Dr. Stella Immanuel has teamed up with The Daily MoJo to keep you healthy and happy all year long! Not only can she provide you with those necessary prophylactics, but StellasMoJo.com has plenty of other things to keep you and your body in tip-top shape. Use Promo Code: DailyMoJo to save $$Take care of your body - it's the only one you'll get and it's your temple! We've partnered with Sugar Creek Goods to help you care for yourself in an all-natural way. And in this case, "all natural" doesn't mean it doesn't work! Save 15% on your order with promo code "DailyMojo" at SmellMyMoJo.comCBD is almost everywhere you look these days, so the answer isn't so much where can you get it, it's more about - where can you get the CBD products that actually work!? Certainly, NOT at the gas station! Patriots Relief says it all in the name, and you can save an incredible 40% with the promo code "DailyMojo" at GetMoJoCBD.com!Romika Designs is an awesome American small business that specializes in creating laser-engraved gifts and awards for you, your family, and your employees. Want something special for someone special? Find exactly what you want at MoJoLaserPros.com  There have been a lot of imitators, but there's only OG – American Pride Roasters Coffee. It was first and remains the best roaster of fine coffee beans from around the world. You like coffee? You'll love American Pride – from the heart of the heartland – Des Moines, Iowa. AmericanPrideRoasters.com   Find great deals on American-made products at MoJoMyPillow.com. Mike Lindell – a true patriot in our eyes – puts his money where his mouth (and products) is/are. Find tremendous deals at MoJoMyPillow.com – Promo Code: MoJo50  Life gets messy – sometimes really messy. Be ready for the next mess with survival food and tools from My Patriot Supply. A 25 year shelf life and fantastic variety are just the beginning of the long list of reasons to get your emergency rations at PrepareWithMoJo50.comStay ConnectedWATCH The Daily Mojo LIVE 7-9a CT: www.TheDailyMojo.com Rumble: HEREOr just LISTEN:The Daily MoJo ChannelBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-daily-mojo-with-brad-staggs--3085897/support.

In this powerhouse Veterans Day episode, Ghost dives deep into the latest global shakeups, starting with Trump's bold warning to Nigeria over Christian persecution and the ripple effects across Africa. He breaks down the U.S. push into Central Asia's mineral markets, exposing the neocon agendas and globalist resistance to Trump's resource diplomacy. From Steve Bannon and Eric Prince's takes on manufacturing and Middle Eastern geopolitics to Israel's growing instability and internal dissent, Ghost connects the dots on how global power structures are crumbling. He also unpacks breaking news of a Turkish military plane crash, Saudi Arabia's diplomatic maneuvering ahead of Trump's meeting with MBS, and Viktor Orbán's efforts to mediate a Trump–Putin peace summit. Thought-provoking, fiery, and meticulously sourced, this episode maps the frontlines of the multipolar world forming right before our eyes.

George Donikian is a uniquely talented man who has packed a lot into his 50 year media career, as you will discover in this week's episode. George's cavalcade of colourful life experiences is like the joy of opening a box of Cadbury Favourites. One minute, it's a boost to Far North Queensland, then a twirl around the New South Wales Central Coast then our Turkish speaking delight is fronting news on SBS! Only the names have been changed to protect the various shades of George. The food component of this chat is every bit as exotic as George's media journey. Fasten your seat belts, it's a fun-packed adventure. The Food Poll this week opens a canape of crustaceans and it is snot for the faint hearted. Break out the Jatz and Savoys, slide on a tinned smoked oyster and swear on a stack of Bibles whether you are for or against this party starter from back in the day. Presented by Sarah Patterson & Kevin Hillier Broadcast each Sunday on the ACE Radio Network - https://aceradio.com.au/ Catch us also on: Radio 2DD - Easy Listening - On Line - https://www.2dd.online/ Follow us on Facebook...https://www.facebook.com/foodbyteswithsarahpatterson/ Twitter & Instagram - @sarahfoodbytes Post-production by Steve Visscher | Southern Skies Media for Howdy Partners Media | www.howdypartnersmedia.com.au/podcasts © 2025See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senem Aydın-Düzgit on her article “Foreign Policy as Domestic Politics in Populist Competitive Authoritarianism,” published in the South European Society and Politics journal. The conversation looks at how Erdogan uses foreign policy, defence policy and strongman diplomacy to reinforce public backing for the regime in Turkey.  Please support Turkey Book Talk on Patreon or Substack. Supporters get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, transcripts of every interview, and links to articles related to each episode.

On Tuesday's Football Daily, Phil Egan brings you the latest from the Republic of Ireland camp as Kevin O'Toole explains how his Irish call-up came about, plus John O'Shea is of the belief that Ireland can upset the apple cart against Portugal on Thursday night.O'Toole's heritage comes from Dublin, as his grandfather left the country in 1958.O'Shea has full belief in getting a result over one of the world's best.Ireland's under-17s aim to top the group.Thomas Tuchel says the England door is closed for nobody.Scott Bain hoping to help Scotland in any way he can.Federico Chiesa turns down a call from Gennaro Gattuso for the Azzuri.And a betting scandal grips Turkish football.Become a member and subscribe at offtheball.com/join

Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa’s meeting in the White House with US President Donald Trump was the first official visit to the United States by a Syrian president since its independence in 1946. The official state visit is part of al-Sharaa’s largely successful charm offensive to establish new ties with countries that had shunned the previous Assad’s government after its brutal crackdown on protesters in 2011 spiraled into a 14-year civil war. Syria is widely expected to officially join the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group and will likely push for a removal of sanctions imposed on his country. “Americanization in Syria is good,” said Middle East analyst Seth Frantzman. He told reporter Arieh O’Sullivan that it would also offset heavy Turkish influence in Damascus. (photo: AP) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World news in 7 minutes. Wednesday 12th November 2025Today : Tanzania protest deaths. Nigeria cocaine. South Africa Zuma trial. Angola Argentinians blocked. India explosion investigation. Malaysia Thailand Rohingya. Thailand ceasefire paused. South Korea rescue continues. Georgia Turkish plane. Turkiye Imamoglu 2000 years. Poland independence. Brazil COP Newsom. Favela raif. Argentina long sausage.SEND7 is supported by our amazing listeners like you.Our supporters get access to the transcripts and vocabulary list written by us every day.Our supporters get access to an English worksheet made by us once per week.Our supporters get access to our weekly news quiz made by us once per week.We give 10% of our profit to Effective Altruism charities. You can become a supporter at send7.org/supportContact us at podcast@send7.org or send an audio message at speakpipe.com/send7Please leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify.We don't use AI! Every word is written and recorded by us!Since 2020, SEND7 (Simple English News Daily in 7 minutes) has been telling the most important world news stories in intermediate English. Every day, listen to the most important stories from every part of the world in slow, clear English. Whether you are an intermediate learner trying to improve your advanced, technical and business English, or if you are a native speaker who just wants to hear a summary of world news as fast as possible, join Stephen Devincenzi, Juliet Martin and Niall Moore every morning. Transcripts, vocabulary lists, worksheets and our weekly world news quiz are available for our amazing supporters at send7.org. Simple English News Daily is the perfect way to start your day, by practising your listening skills and understanding complicated daily news in a simple way. It is also highly valuable for IELTS and TOEFL students. Students, teachers, TEFL teachers, and people with English as a second language, tell us that they use SEND7 because they can learn English through hard topics, but simple grammar. We believe that the best way to improve your spoken English is to immerse yourself in real-life content, such as what our podcast provides. SEND7 covers all news including politics, business, natural events and human rights. Whether it is happening in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas or Oceania, you will hear it on SEND7, and you will understand it.Get your daily news and improve your English listening in the time it takes to make a coffee.For more information visit send7.org/contact or send an email to podcast@send7.org

BLUE CAST Ep 519 - Neil BellThis BLUE CAST Episode, Tuncay Kilickan talks with Neil Bell.About Neil BellNeil Bell is a passionate and collaborative leader in Material Innovation, at the intersection of design material innovation strategy for advanced product creation. Neil has over 3 decades of experience in directing fabric and fiber innovation for leading retail brands and supply chain vendors, such as Levi Strauss, Gap Inc., and Artistic Milliners, his main focus is to deliver sustainable and performance solutions for tomorrow's consumers and generations to come.With a textile science and design background, Neil has a strong product management and technical design expertise in textile and apparel manufacturing. He has managed the scale-up and pricing of new materials, working with cross-functional teams and external partners to deliver high-quality and innovative products. Neil is passionate about creating a leading-edge R&D culture around material science innovation and contributing to the environmental and social impact of the textile industry.Neil is now involved in supporting new start innovators on go-to-market strategy and enabling roadmaps for brand adoption and educating tomorrows material scientists.Tuncay Kilickan - Highly respected Industry figure, having cut his teeth at Turkish giant ISKO spanning 20 years. Most recently Tuncay was part of R&D team of ISKO. Tuncay has a number of patents under his name. No doubt most of us have worn fabrics developed by him and his team. Tuncay takes on the Head of Global Business Development - Denim at LENZING.BLUE CAST by TENCEL™ / CARVED IN BLUE®   A podcast series created Lenzing's TENCEL™ Denim team. Each month, they will host an in-depth talk with a special guest working in the industry or on the fringes of the denim community. Listen for discussions on sustainability, career trajectories, personal denim memories and more.Find us on Instagram, Linkedin, X, and Facebook @carvedinblue.And get in touch: denim@lenzing.com

Turkish Football Podcast :

Today's story: Publishers Clearing House made its name by offering magazine subscriptions through the mail—along with the chance to win big prizes. The lure of big winnings helped the company sell millions of subscriptions. Some winners received $5,000 a week for life. But the company recently declared bankruptcy, and the "lifetime" payments stopped.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/816Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/816 --Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English.You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an international move. Whatever your reason, we'll help you achieve your goals in English.How it works: Listen to a new story every Monday and Thursday. They're all about current events, trending topics, and what's going on in the world. Get exposure to new words and ideas that you otherwise might not have heard in English.The audio moves at a speed that's right for intermediate English learners: just a little slower than full native speed. You'll improve your English listening, learn new words, and have fun thinking in English.--Did you like this episode? You'll love the full Plain English experience. Join today and unlock the fast (native-speed) version of this episode, translations in the transcripts, how-to video lessons, live conversation calls, and more. Tap/click: PlainEnglish.com/joinHere's where else you can find us: Instagram | YouTube | WhatsApp | EmailMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

On this episode: Actor and dialect coach Steve Corona joins Linda to pull back the curtain on the fascinating world of accents, performance, and character transformation. Steve explains how he studies and analyzes dialects—breaking them down into unique sounds, rhythms, and cadences—and how actors can integrate those nuances into authentic, believable performances. From Scottish and Irish to Texan and Turkish, Steve shares his process for “hearing” the music of a dialect and translating it into emotional truth. He also shares behind-the-scenes stories from working on major film sets with stars like Gerard Butler and Helen Mirren, offering a glimpse into the art and psychology of coaching actors under pressure. Along the way, he drops practical tools for any performer or storyteller—like using anchor phrases, shadowing native speakers, and finding emotional connection through voice. Beyond Hollywood, Steve talks about how he's taken his craft into new arenas—narrating audiobooks, helping business professionals improve their presence, and inspiring others to discover their authentic voice. About Steve: Steve Corona has always been fascinated by psychology and human behavior. Growing up as the fourth of five kids, he had plenty of personalities to study—and plenty of opportunities to perform. His natural empathy and love of storytelling became the foundation for a career built on both acting and coaching. After earning his Master's in Theatre, Steve launched his on-camera career, landing roles in film and television while also teaching dialects. A chance referral from a casting director led him to coach Gerard Butler on a major action film, sparking a new chapter as a sought-after dialect coach for A-list talent including Helen Mirren, Jason Isaacs, and Amber Midthunder. As an actor, Steve has appeared in projects spanning every genre—from Hamlet 2 and Breaking Bad to The Lone Ranger and Army of the Dead. His on-set experiences deepened his understanding of performance psychology, which he now channels through Corona Productions—where he helps professionals master communication, presence, and storytelling on stage, on camera, and in life. Website: https://www.coronaproductions.org We are honored to be listed in the top 30 of podcasts about Voiceover. Check out the list! https://podcast.feedspot.com/voice_over_podcasts/ FOR MORE INFO ON THE SHOW AND THE GURUS, PLEASE VISIT: Coaching Website: https://voiceover.guru/  and https://learnwiththegurus.com/ Linda Bruno Voice Actress  https://www.lindabruno.com Alyssa Jayson Actress and Musician http://www.alyssajayson.com Kevin Kilpatrick Voice Actor   https://kevinkilpatrick.com/ Join our Circle Community: https://the-voiceover-gurus.circle.so/home  

Anti-Turk protests in Montenegro have added to rising tensions between Serbia and Turkey. The unrest was set off by anger over Ankara's sale of weapons to Kosovo, and growing fears of Turkish influence in the Balkans. “Turks out!” shouted protesters as they marched through Podgorica, the Montenegrin capital. Several Turkish-owned businesses, among the country's largest investors, were ransacked during last month's violence. The clashes were sparked by a knife attack on a Montenegrin citizen by Turkish nationals. After the unrest, Montenegro imposed visa requirements on Turkish visitors. Some opposition parties accused Serbia of stoking the protests, pointing to rising friction between Belgrade and Ankara over the arms sale to Kosovo. “There are those accusing the Serbian region of being behind it,” Vuk Vuksanovic, of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, told RFI. “Although I have seen no material evidence.” Widening rift While Serbia has not commented on the accusations, it has the capacity to incite such unrest given its strong influence in Montenegro, Vuksanovic said. “The drama involving Montenegro has built up to this difficult atmosphere in Serbian-Turkish relations,” he said. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic last month accused Turkey of trying to resurrect the Ottoman Empire through the sale of sophisticated drones to Kosovo, which broke away from Serbia in 1999. Analysts say the weapons deal could shift the balance of power in the region. “There are the kamikaze drones, which are posing a threat, and there are also strategic drones likely to be used to secure the border itself and more as a show of force,” said Zoran Ivanov, a security expert from the Institute of National History in Skopje, North Macedonia. “So it poses a direct security threat to Serbia and Serbia has to react to this.” Criminalising identity: Turkey's LGBTQI+ community under threat Changing alliances The tension marks a sharp turnaround. In recent years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had built a close relationship with his Serbian counterpart, and Turkish companies became major investors in Serbia. However the arms sale to Kosovo reveals a shift in Turkey's relations with Belgrade, explained international relations professor Huseyin Bagci, of Ankara's Middle East Technical University. “Turkey has more leverage than Serbia,” Bagci said. “The relations between Turkey and Serbia, we understand each other, but it is not as happy as before.” Analysts say the shift reflects Ankara's wider ambitions in the Balkans. “Ankara is trying to increase its influence and will do it,” said Bagci, adding that Turkey's historical and cultural ties to the region run deep – with millions of families tracing their roots back to the former Ottoman territories. “The Ottoman Empire was a Balkan empire. The Turkish influence is getting bigger, and of course, they don't like it. But Turkey is the big brother in the Balkans.” Turkish Cypriot vote could force shift in Erdogan's approach to divided island Turkish expansion Last month, Turkish forces took command of NATO's KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. At the same time, Turkish businesses continued expanding across the region. “They're expanding their markets; they're expanding their capabilities; they're expanding their influence,” Ivanov said. Turkey's renewed focus on the Balkans was unsurprising given historical ties, he added. “That's natural for the Turks to come to invest in the region and now looking for their old roots." However its expanding presence might feel like history repeating itself, Ivanov warned. As “a man who is coming from the Balkans,” he said, he sees “the Turks coming as they were in history” – a reminder of a past many in the region have not forgotten. The European Union has praised Ankara for supporting peacekeeping operations and economic aid in Kosovo. But analysts caution that Turkey must avoid alienating its Balkan neighbours. “Ankara also has to be mindful of its own limitations of its own Balkan ambitions," Vuksanovic. said. "Because otherwise it can push majority Christian Orthodox nations like the Serbs, Greeks and Bulgarians to work against the Turks if the Turks are perceived to be too provocative or aggressive.”

Piero San Giorgio is one of Switzerland's best selling authors. After 20 years as an executive in the software business, Piero decided to write essays about the future. His first book Survive —The Economic Collapse was in the top-50 best selling books of 2012 in France and has sold over 200,000 copies, with translations into English, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Romanian, Polish, Turkish etc. and has a foreword by JHKunstler. His other books are , CBRN (How to Survive Nuclear, Radiological, Biological,and Chemical events), and Giuseppe: A Survival Story, a biographical novel about his grandfather's ordeals in WW2.  The KunstlerCast theme music is the beautiful Two Rivers Waltz written and performed by Larry Unger

Note: new mailing address below... THIS WEEK's BIRDS: Cambodian music.x 2: Taam Ming Ensemble & Anh Hung; new music from Mali Obomsawin, Linda May Han Oh, Laura Ann Singh, & others; Shantung folk m music from China;  thumri from Bhimsen Joshi; John Coltrane Quartet w. Dolphy et al. @ Village Vanguard; Turkish pop from Ali Riza Gültekin & Aynur Doğan; Ghanain/Congan highlife/soukous hybrid from Ondigui And Bota Tabansi International; soul/jazz from Doug Hammond & David Durrah et sl.; legendary Senegalese vocalist Omar Pene; also from Senegal: Mamadou Lamine Maiga & Ngatamaare;  Ensemble Watmon Amone from Uganda; Ethiopian Oromo vocalist Muluu Baqqalaa; Tlahouyn Gessesse (also from Ethiopia); much, more.... Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI, 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN: https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580 Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere. Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online: PLAYLIST at SPINITRON: https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/21460105/Conference-of-the-Birds and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/  Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks Find WRFI on Radio Garden: http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR   NEW MAILING ADDRESS:  Stephen Cope  @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA. 

Talking some food, some Turkish hair transplants, and where the Republican party goes in 2026

The Turkish Football Federation has suspended 149 referees over an alleged betting scandal. During his time at Fenerbahçe, José Mourinho was outspoken about refereeing standards - so does this vindicate him? And where does this leave Turkish football?Dotun and Andy are joined by Lars Sivertsen to answer that. Plus: are Qarabağ finally earning international recognition after a draw against Chelsea? Can Fiorentina avoid relegation following the dismissal of Stefano Pioli? And which underrated players have caught the eye of our experts?Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Original Episode Transcript FollowsStephanie:Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk about food. A lot of times we talk to cookbook authors and kind of understand their process and what they're doing. Well, I'm just noticing my hair is real bedhead, but it is what it is. Friends, in this particular episode, I want to talk to my friend Michael Kenney. He is from Defined Destinations. He owns his own business, and it's a travel company. And. And Michael and I met about three years ago now, and we have done a number of trips together, and we are planning our April trip, which is going to be to Turkey, and we have a lot of different cities that we're going to visit.And one of the things that I've heard from a lot of people is they all know we're going to Turkey and they want to hear about it, and they're excited to know about the destination, but they're nervous about signing up for the trip. So said to Michael, let's just talk. Let's do a podcast where we give people an idea of what to expect, where we're going, what kind of things we're going to see. My friend Todd Walker, coincidentally has. He's in Turkey right now. And he said. And he's been. He travels all over.He works for the Viking Cruise Lines, doing trips for them and helping to write about them and help people experience them. He sent me a text, and he said, turkey is in his top three places he's ever been. He's just super hot on it. He's like, you are totally going at the exact right time. Because he's like, people are just starting to learn about it, but there's so many cool things. He said it's a trip like nothing has ever experienced before. So, Michael, I'm excited to talk to you about it. And people ask me like, well, why did you pick turkey? And I was like, why not? I have always.I met a guy 20 years ago and in Paris that was from Turkey, and first of all, he was gorgeous, so let's just go there. But second of all, he really, like, he just was telling me about where he lived and what Turkey was like and what the food was like. And he talked to me about the spice Trail and kind of how people came in through Istanbul and then crossed over into Italy and into Spain. And it made me feel like, wow, okay. Turkey is this very Mediterranean feeling place with tons of culture, and I've always wanted to go there, so I picked it. Michael, why did you allow me to pick Turkey? Knowing that it would be a destination that would be harder to sell for people.Michael Kenney:Yeah, I think that's what's great. And thanks for having me on, Stephanie. It's always a blast, you know, to travel with you and with your, your listeners. It just, we've built some really great bonds with the people, which has been a fun. So even our latest trip to Sicily. What, what a blast. And great people.Stephanie:Yes.Michael Kenney:But you going back to why we choose this and with Turkey, and that's what's great about you. It's like you're willing to try some new areas. And a lot of people are like, well, I've heard of Turkey. I don't know much about it. And I think that's where we both kind of glammed on. Like, let's go and let's have this experience. And we've been putting group trips together for 27 years and we have some great partners and some Turkish partners, too, that can really open up the, the eyes. I know several people that have been to, to Istanbul and everyone's heard of Istanbul, like, oh, it's a top five city on earth for a lot of people.And you're probably wondering, well, why? So I encourage you to kind of jump in, look at our website, do a little research on that. But Turkey is so, so much more than that. I. They have absolutely stunning beaches, their food culture, their spices, the seaside communities, the, the Roman ruins. They have so much in different little pockets. So Turkey offers. And I think that's what maybe gravitated you and I both to it. Just the diversity and still a little of that wonder, like what's, what's really, what's in Turkey.And I think, you know, we, we talked about a little earlier before the podcast about some of the places, you know, that are kind of overrun with tourists. And definitely Turkey is not there. It will be at some point. So it's kind of fun to get on maybe the ground level to, to some of these places and not just Istanbul, because it, it is busy, but some of the other places that we're going to go from Ephesus to Kabukia or Pamuk. There's so many different places that are on this trip that you've never even heard of. So it's kind of like, well, I haven't really heard of that. Go, go look at our website. Go do a little research on the Internet and see what.It's so amazing. The Europeans, they know of Turkey really, really well because it's a, it's a quick flight and they Absolutely love it. I'm in Europe nine times a year and the folks that I talk with over there, they absolutely love it. So it's kind of like a discovery trip for Americans. And what's great about our trip that will, it's fully guided. We have 31 meals included. We have the inner flight inside, Turkey included. So there's really no out of pocket expense for that.So you can really sit back and relax and take in the best of Turkey with our local guides. And there's just so much and I think that's what's going to be kind of fun to go discover. This place in our group is going to be no more than 15 people. It's a small group experience so you can really relax and enjoy that. And I know folks that maybe, well, what's a group tour? You know, I think you even mentioned that too for some people. Like, well, what do you do? It's again, we've kind of handled everything. We've taken care of the hotels, the buses, the cooking class that we're going to do. I mean, you might want to touch on that later.But we've taken all of that, these best of experiences and put it in one itinerary so you can sit back and relax and know that you're going to see the best of Turkey.Stephanie:I think explaining my husband Kurt's sort of transformation is good here. My husband is an independent person. He's owned his own business, he's a sailor. He would, he, he has no interest really in group travel. Like when I brought it up to him and that I was going to start leading trips, he was like, why would you want to do that? Why would you want to be with people you don't even know? Like, he is just anti group travel as a rule. And he came on our first trip, he wanted to come with us when we went to Cambodia and we went to Vietnam. He knew that he would never plan a trip to Asia on his own. So he thought, well, I'll go along on this group travel and I'll just suck up the group travel part because I get to go to this cool destination.Well, what happened is he loved it. He liked group travel. He liked meeting new people. He liked not being the person that had to be in charge of making sure that we got our luggage to the room and that we made it to the right flights and that he had to carry all the stuff and all the itinerary. He kind of liked that he wasn't responsible for all that. And he liked the food, he liked Meeting the people he liked, not having to be in a city he'd never been in and figure out exactly where we were going to eat every single meal. We had flexibility. Obviously, on these trips, we want it to be your trip.In our Sicily experience, you mentioned a couple times, like, if this doesn't feel like something you want to do, then don't do it. Do something else for the day. We can help you orchestrate other things. He really loved the idea that he didn't have to do everything. And in fact, when we did our cooking class in Sicily, which was amazing, by the way, we learned to make arancini, which they call arancino. We made a thing called a pinella, which was a chickpea pancake that they eat in a sandwich, which was kind of different. But Kurt didn't want to do the cooking class. He was like, you know what? I think I'm just gonna go walk around the city.So him and another friend peeled off and, like, that's the joy of these trips. We plan everything, but if you're tired or if you just want a day of rest, you can do that too. We really try to make it so that we know it's your experience. We're not as interested in you just being forced to come along on things that you're not interested in. We're interested in your experience. We want you to have a good time. So if Kurt Johnson can get turned on to group travel, I feel like, seriously, anyone can.Michael Kenney:No, that's. That's well said. I would have never guessed that about Kurt initially. You know, and I wouldn't call him an introvert by any means, but I think we get, you know, a lot of people like that with. With. Kurt. You know, maybe their. Their.Their husband or their wife drags them on a trip, and they're like, you know what? This is actually pretty cool, especially for the person that maybe is doing typically all the planning. And it's stressful. You know, we do all that for you, but you can really, again, sit back and enjoy. You spend a lot of money to go on these trips, and that's what we want. So we want you to feel like you. You have that. That freedom, too. When we set up our hotels in nice, central locations and safe areas, too, that you can go out and explore, so we encourage you to do that.But honestly, we feel pretty good that the pace of these trips are designed really well, that you have that flexibility, because we want you. Yes, you're in a group, even a small group, but we want to make it feel like you're having these experience with, with a friend or a family member that's with you too, that you, you feel like you're, you're having these little exploring trips, but it's all kind of put together already for you. But again, we, we have time for you to go exploring, to have these other experiences, which is really, really important. Balance is so important. Over 27 years, I think we've really, we focus on that so we know that, that people are comfortable having that free time to explore. But again, having the, the framework of an itinerary with, with experiences. Typically, we might do a city tour in the, in the morning and then have the rest of your day free to have your own exploring. Then maybe for, especially for this trip with the 31 meals that will meet up and have dinner in a place.And again, they're all being curated with our local team too, in the area that you're going to have foods local from the area in great mom PA type of restaurants. So sometimes it's stressful when you're trying to figure out where am I going to go eat, what should I do? I want to make sure the dinner is going to be great. We've got that taken care of so you can sit back and relax. And again, we know most of you probably have not heard of a lot of these places. Please, we implore you to go and take a look at the itinerary, do a little research, because I guarantee in a few years from now, these are going to be mainstream and you'll be able to go explore and see these places before they're overly busy. So take a look at this itinerary.Stephanie:I was impressed because when I first was thinking about Turkey, I went on a map and I didn't realize, like, when I started going to Croatia, I didn't realize how close Croatia is to Italy. That literally they share a sea and that a lot of Italians use Croatia as their summer vacation spot.Michael Kenney:Yeah.Stephanie:And I didn't also realize that Turkey and Italy are very close and that a lot of Europeans, because they've got EasyJet there, that's an Italian airline, they're going to Turkey like we would be going to Palm Springs. I mean, a lot of Europeans are experiencing Turkey and it's just not a destination that a lot of Americans are familiar with. But a lot of people are going there and having fun, doing fun things. This. It's been so fun for me to watch my friend Todd Walker, because he went to Cappadocia, which is a city that we're going to go to and they have all these fairy houses that are like these stone. They look like dunce caps sort of. They're these weird structures. And he, like, actually spent the night in one of them.He did a hot air balloon r there, which is part of our itinerary. If someone wants to add that on, I know Kurt's going to do that. It's like he went and he had all this video of it where there's 140 hot air balloons going up kind of all at once out of this city. It just looks so completely cool. And then the. The huge market. There's like, the world's largest market. So all of these trips, I always end up with a group of great women shoppers.And I'm like, okay, bring an extra bag, ladies, because you're going to come home with a rug and you're going to come home with all of these spices. There's 4,000 stalls in the Grand Market in Istanbul. Do you know that?Michael Kenney:Yeah, the Grand Bazaar. I didn't know exactly how many, but, yeah, it's massive.Stephanie:So just that, like, I love getting into a market and just, like, seeing all the different things, feeling all the different spices. In Sicily, we had an opportunity to go to the market, and afterwards we had our. Our local guide that kind of takes you around and shows you where everything is and gives you a sense of maybe what to look for at the market. And then we split up and Kurt and I, he just wanted to drink beer in the market and kind of experience feeling in the market. So we went and got sandwiches. But a bunch of other people, like, shop till they dropped. Like, they had huge shopping bags full of stuff. So if your jam is shopping, great.If your jam is just sitting and taking in the culture, great. Like, you can also learn more about a city by spending time with the city guides that are with us. They're always having lunch with us, and we have a bus driver that we get to know in certain trips. It really just. We just got back from Sicily and we had such a great experience. We had such a great trip. It was probably one of my favorite groups because a lot of the folks had traveled with us before, so we really knew each other, too. It's group travel is really fun.I'm just. I don't know, I'm really jazzed about it, and I'm jazzed about Turkey, and I want people to come. If you could describe Ephesus, because that's a place that I haven't been before and you have what is that like?Michael Kenney:Yeah, Ephesus, it was, you know, built by the Romans in the time of Christ, so 2,000 years ago. And it's. You're walking through. It's. It's unbelievable. It's not like when you're at the Roman Coliseum or that area around there that's actually, it feels like it's in. More in ruins, if you will. But you're like in this village, this Roman village that you can think of, the Apostles walk, maybe if you're, you know, religious.Mary, Jesus's mother, has walked. And the. Still, the stone streets are there. You know, a lot of the buildings are in ruins, but the library, the, the whole front facade is still there. It's, it's unreal. It feels like you're just being brought back in time. And there's truly nothing like Ephesus, which is just right outside of the, the village of Kusadasi, or city in Turkey. But it's, it's like the.If, again, if I could have an analogy, like you're in Rome, but to another level that it's, it's much more, I would say intact. Still in ruins, but intact. But this, this, this village that it's in hibernation. So walking these streets. And we have these local guides as you touched on too, that kind of can bring everything to, to, to life. So, you know, you're not looking through your, your book and trying to like, well, what is this? You listen to an audio guide or our, our local guide speaking about that. So you're learning about the history. But Ephesus is, is.Is unbelievable. And we're not going to see. There's other ruins and more Roman sites and throughout this trip, so you'll really get, you know, a history. I wouldn't say a deep dive. They touch on it. So you're not like, oh, this is so boring. But you even said it's, it's a trip like this is great for, for shoppers, if you want to shop. I'm not a shopper.I like to do what Kurt does. Sit down, maybe have a beer and take it all in and do nothing. Just take in the people walking around, the smells. There's. There's nothing like it. And again, I think this trip to Turkey really offers a potpourri of different experiences. So if you're a foodie, if you're into photography, to culture, to history, this trip really ticks all the boxes. And I guarantee it, you'll love it.You'll love the trip. But then even at the end you. There's a great chance you're going to make lifelong friends on, on a trip like this too. So it's, it really ticks a box of. Of of experiences. So hopefully April is a great time to go to. The temperatures you can expect, you know, low 70s, you know, 50s, 60s at night. So it's really comfortable.Not like in the summer when it's really busy and it's busier with the Europeans and the temperatures hotter. This April time is a great time to visit for sure.Stephanie:Can you talk a little bit about what the food is like? Like, I have an idea, but I don't really know. Like, is it Mediterranean? Is it like meat and pomegranates and couscous?Michael Kenney:Yep, you're nailing it right now. No, it. It is like that. So I think I encourage again people to. To look online too, to see what some of these are. But you maybe have heard of, you know, baklava or, you know, kebabs, the lamb, the beef, the chicken. They have, you know, the different kebabs, lots of different spices, ganache, as many, you know, like fried dishes too, but then a lot of cooked on open fires. But I would say, I wouldn't necessarily say it's comfort food, like German, you know, in having, you know, some of the staples that you might know, but still something that's not too odd.It's probably more closer to home than maybe some of the French food you would see. But you'll see a lot of lamb, the beef, I said some of the fried foods, lots of, you know, from your Turkish delights and different things like that. So I think even when we're walking around in the market, you'll get that. And then we'll at our dinners have different meals as well that will infuse some of these different experiences. So it won't be something completely foreign, but it'll be. It'll be comfortable enough that I think you'll enjoy it, but it definitely be a nice array of different experiences with the food.Stephanie:I haven't told you this, but one of the places, and I don't know where I'm going to do this, but I am going to find. Have you ever been to a hammam or done the spa experience where like, you lay on like hot marble and it's sort of like a sauna and you get sweaty and then you like, go into a room and they like brush you with salt and scrubby things and like completely clean you. It's a Muslim tradition and it's the most amazing thing I've ever done. I did this in Athens and I loved it so much. We went three times while we were in Athens.Michael Kenney:Wow.Stephanie:Find a spa that does this there. I don't know in what city or where we are, but I know a local guide can help me when we get there.Michael Kenney:Yep.Stephanie:Both Kurt and I, it was just the most amazing, relaxing experience. Just someone scrubbing you with all these different herbs and salts. And they have weird little brushes that your eyes are closed and. And you can't even. Like. One of them was this big, puffy, like, pillow feeling that was running across the top of your body. It was so weird, but so great.Michael Kenney:Yeah, I haven't done it. I've seen them. I've done, like, the part that we're just going in, like, in the. In the sauna or the steam bath. That's it. I haven't had the full rub down yet. Maybe on this Turkish.Stephanie:We're going to do it. Yeah, it's great. I'll do it.Michael Kenney:No, it'll be fun, but no, it's very popular over there. The Turkish amans. To do that. So there definitely will be that opportunity. I will. I'll give it a shot. You know, it'll be interesting to have someone scrub me down with salts. But, hey, life's about to have any experiences and.And I'm. And I'm. I'm for it, but I'm glad you enjoyed that. But, yes, they definitely have that. And you'll have that opportunity if you want again. It's. Yeah, it's always. It's.Stephanie:I'm not gonna make anyone go get naked and do this, but if you want to get naked and do this, I'm telling you, it's amazing. And they probably actually. They wear bathing suits because they're pretty modest. Or they'll have, like, a separate women's area and a separate men's area. When we did it in Athens, it was men and women together, and we wore bathing suits. And then when you got into the private room, you could take your bathing suit off. And they were very modest and helpful, but.Michael Kenney:Yeah. So being comfortable. Yeah, no, that's. That's great. Well, that'll be. Maybe we'll just get a whole group and do that to get so great.Stephanie:Yeah, it's just like. It was one of the best things I've ever done. And I. I like spas and massage, and I've done a lot of weird things like that. This was, like, just amazing. Well, I'm excited. I hope that people will join us. The way it works is you can find all the itinerary on defined destinations website.We'll link that in the show notes here you can see each particular day and what city you'll be in and what you'll be doing and what's included. I would imagine in most of these breakfast is included because that's typically a sort of European thing to do. And then as he's. As Michael said, a lot of the meals are included. I do think when you're breaking open a new destination, it's important to kind of give people a sense of what they're going to be experiencing. And food is obviously a big part of that. And food is a big part of my journey on this trip. Turkish delights, if you've never had them, they're like this beautiful little jelly.Turkish coffee is very different. It's a much more intense coffee experience. So if you're a coffee drinker, you'll learn a lot. Also, olive oil is very much present in Turkey. Like again, I keep comparing it to Italy, but it is right across the water. So there's a lot of different olive oils that are used in Turkey, a lot of different spices. We're going to have fun. So the way this works is you can go online, you can put your deposit down and full payment is due I think in January for this trip.You can book your own travel if you want to, meaning get your airfare to get to where we're going to meet for the trip. Or you can use Michael's got a service that can help you book all your airfare. I personally like to control my airfare because I like to have the miles and I like to know exactly how I'm going to set things up on my itinerary. Kurt and I also like to get there like a day or two in advance just to get acclimated a little bit before the rest of you guys come. So that I'm not super jet lagged. I'm on fire by the time you arrive. And yeah, we do. There's going to be a lot of beautiful wine, I'm assuming too, because that's something that there's a great grape destination there.You don't know about Turkish wines yet, but you will. They, they exist. There's actually quite a lot of them. Yeah. And that's how it works. Michael, you've got a special offer just to get people that may be on the fence a little bit. Yeah.Michael Kenney:Well, we're excited. The trip again is April 9th through the 20th. And again, go online, take it just take a look at the website, look at some of the pictures. You'll absolutely love it. And then even all the things that we've talked about that aren't even mentioned in the itinerary, there's so many fun things. But if you're listening to this and you're new to register, you'll get $200 off per person if you register for the trip. Final payment is January 1st, so just think about that. So this would be a great.A great gift for a loved one. Hey, let's. We're going to go to Turkey. And I hear more and more people are. They want to have a travel experience rather than having tangible things about having experiences, especially with ones you love. So hopefully this trip to Turkey, if you want to try something new and have just an amazing experience about a place you maybe haven't heard too much about, I think you'll absolutely love it. So just go to defined destinations.com, like Stephanie said. She'll have the link there, too.Against April 9th through the 20th. You can register right there. If you need help with airfare, we're happy to do that. So we make it pretty easy for you on that end. So we're gonna. We're gonna have a blast with a great group of people and hopefully, you know, you'll want to join this small group of no more than 15 people.Stephanie:Is this the time that we tell people that are listening to maybe stay tuned. I mean, we do have a pretty epic October trip planned.Michael Kenney:Yeah, no, I mean, go for it. We don't have the. All the dates totally confirmed, but we're. Yeah, go ahead.Stephanie:Well, we're working on one of the trips. So I have taken people to Spain, I've taken people to Croatia, I've taken people to Cambodia, Thailand, and now Turkey. And the Croatia trip was really magical and people loved it. And I have a huge fondness for Croatia. Obviously, I've been there a lot, and there were a lot of people that wanted to go on that trip that didn't get the opportunity because it's a luxury experience. It's a luxury yacht. It's small rooms or not small rooms. It's a small ship with actually, the rooms were quite big for a boat.And so we had so many people that wanted to do that itinerary again. Michael said, hey, how about we do it again? But I'll add a couple of new things so that it's a new experience for you too, Stephanie, because there is. I've never been to Zagreb, which seems probably surprising since I've been to Croatia so many times and there's a bunch of these finger lakes. What do they call those? Is it the plastic lakes?Michael Kenney:Yeah, the Plaviche Lakes National Park. Yep.Stephanie:The national parks in Croatia are legendary. If you. I mean Mijet has one of the most beautiful national parks on it with a monastery in the middle of this lake. So we are going to be taking another small group. It'll be smallish. I think we had 28 on our last.Michael Kenney:Yeah, enough to fill the boat. And the boat only can sleep like 34. So it's a small experience on that. But yeah, I'm excited to go back to that again. That's been one of our hot sellers, our Croatia trip. So with the Zagreb and the Blevice lakes and then our seven night cruise, the Croatia trip will be great. So maybe you want to do two trips. Our beautiful Turkey trip in the spring and then come October we'll have this amazing trip to, to Croatia.So go out and have experiences and hopefully you want to join us. I think you'll find great value, great meals just. And great people that to travel with.Stephanie:And if you're listening and you want to explore Michael's other trips because he takes trips with other people, not just me. And also he just guides trips himself. Just tell him that you're a friend of Stephanie's dish so that he knows that you came from my referral. But just like, yeah, if you want to sign up for a Christmas market or you're interested in heading to the Amalfi coast, traveling with defined destinations is a really great opportunity. They do it extremely well. I have traveled a lot and so I've had some good experiences and some not so good experiences. So I know that when you travel with Michael, you're in good hands. I'm still just missing our guide Peter, who was with us on our last Sicilian trip, who turns out has been your friend for like 25 years.I just miss him. He's such a character. I loved him so much.Michael Kenney:Yeah. And that's great. Yeah. Peter's a good friend of mine for. He's our Austrian guy, but he's. He's got family in, in Italy and does some of our, our Central European trips. But again, like you said it too, it's, it's. Again, it's more than just the sights.You're building relationships even if you're not even looking for that. But it's fun to recall and all the good people you've met and the fun experiences you've had along the way. I love what I do, and hopefully it shows in our trips. It's all about having a great experience with great people, so encourage you. And you've been such a great part of the defined destinations family. Thank you, Stephanie.Stephanie:I love it.Michael Kenney:Looking forward to more.Stephanie:If I didn't, people know I would have kicked you to the curb long ago. And you even have got. You've even converted Kurt.Michael Kenney:So, I mean, yeah, that's great. So, yeah, it's about. About having fun and that's what we do. And we'd love to have you on, on any of our trips.Stephanie:Yeah. All right, you guys. So I'll put all that information that you need in the links below. We are going to Turkey and I hope you come. That's all I can say because I'm gonna probably be talking about it non stop because I'm so excited.Michael Kenney:That's great.Stephanie:I'm.Michael Kenney:I'm looking forward to it. Thanks again, Steph.Stephanie:Thanks, Michael. Okay, bye. Bye.Stephanie's Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Original Episode Transcript FollowsStephanie:Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk about food. A lot of times we talk to cookbook authors and kind of understand their process and what they're doing. Well, I'm just noticing my hair is real bedhead, but it is what it is. Friends, in this particular episode, I want to talk to my friend Michael Kenney. He is from Defined Destinations. He owns his own business, and it's a travel company. And. And Michael and I met about three years ago now, and we have done a number of trips together, and we are planning our April trip, which is going to be to Turkey, and we have a lot of different cities that we're going to visit.And one of the things that I've heard from a lot of people is they all know we're going to Turkey and they want to hear about it, and they're excited to know about the destination, but they're nervous about signing up for the trip. So said to Michael, let's just talk. Let's do a podcast where we give people an idea of what to expect, where we're going, what kind of things we're going to see. My friend Todd Walker, coincidentally has. He's in Turkey right now. And he said. And he's been. He travels all over.He works for the Viking Cruise Lines, doing trips for them and helping to write about them and help people experience them. He sent me a text, and he said, turkey is in his top three places he's ever been. He's just super hot on it. He's like, you are totally going at the exact right time. Because he's like, people are just starting to learn about it, but there's so many cool things. He said it's a trip like nothing has ever experienced before. So, Michael, I'm excited to talk to you about it. And people ask me like, well, why did you pick turkey? And I was like, why not? I have always.I met a guy 20 years ago and in Paris that was from Turkey, and first of all, he was gorgeous, so let's just go there. But second of all, he really, like, he just was telling me about where he lived and what Turkey was like and what the food was like. And he talked to me about the spice Trail and kind of how people came in through Istanbul and then crossed over into Italy and into Spain. And it made me feel like, wow, okay. Turkey is this very Mediterranean feeling place with tons of culture, and I've always wanted to go there, so I picked it. Michael, why did you allow me to pick Turkey? Knowing that it would be a destination that would be harder to sell for people.Michael Kenney:Yeah, I think that's what's great. And thanks for having me on, Stephanie. It's always a blast, you know, to travel with you and with your, your listeners. It just, we've built some really great bonds with the people, which has been a fun. So even our latest trip to Sicily. What, what a blast. And great people.Stephanie:Yes.Michael Kenney:But you going back to why we choose this and with Turkey, and that's what's great about you. It's like you're willing to try some new areas. And a lot of people are like, well, I've heard of Turkey. I don't know much about it. And I think that's where we both kind of glammed on. Like, let's go and let's have this experience. And we've been putting group trips together for 27 years and we have some great partners and some Turkish partners, too, that can really open up the, the eyes. I know several people that have been to, to Istanbul and everyone's heard of Istanbul, like, oh, it's a top five city on earth for a lot of people.And you're probably wondering, well, why? So I encourage you to kind of jump in, look at our website, do a little research on that. But Turkey is so, so much more than that. I. They have absolutely stunning beaches, their food culture, their spices, the seaside communities, the, the Roman ruins. They have so much in different little pockets. So Turkey offers. And I think that's what maybe gravitated you and I both to it. Just the diversity and still a little of that wonder, like what's, what's really, what's in Turkey.And I think, you know, we, we talked about a little earlier before the podcast about some of the places, you know, that are kind of overrun with tourists. And definitely Turkey is not there. It will be at some point. So it's kind of fun to get on maybe the ground level to, to some of these places and not just Istanbul, because it, it is busy, but some of the other places that we're going to go from Ephesus to Kabukia or Pamuk. There's so many different places that are on this trip that you've never even heard of. So it's kind of like, well, I haven't really heard of that. Go, go look at our website. Go do a little research on the Internet and see what.It's so amazing. The Europeans, they know of Turkey really, really well because it's a, it's a quick flight and they Absolutely love it. I'm in Europe nine times a year and the folks that I talk with over there, they absolutely love it. So it's kind of like a discovery trip for Americans. And what's great about our trip that will, it's fully guided. We have 31 meals included. We have the inner flight inside, Turkey included. So there's really no out of pocket expense for that.So you can really sit back and relax and take in the best of Turkey with our local guides. And there's just so much and I think that's what's going to be kind of fun to go discover. This place in our group is going to be no more than 15 people. It's a small group experience so you can really relax and enjoy that. And I know folks that maybe, well, what's a group tour? You know, I think you even mentioned that too for some people. Like, well, what do you do? It's again, we've kind of handled everything. We've taken care of the hotels, the buses, the cooking class that we're going to do. I mean, you might want to touch on that later.But we've taken all of that, these best of experiences and put it in one itinerary so you can sit back and relax and know that you're going to see the best of Turkey.Stephanie:I think explaining my husband Kurt's sort of transformation is good here. My husband is an independent person. He's owned his own business, he's a sailor. He would, he, he has no interest really in group travel. Like when I brought it up to him and that I was going to start leading trips, he was like, why would you want to do that? Why would you want to be with people you don't even know? Like, he is just anti group travel as a rule. And he came on our first trip, he wanted to come with us when we went to Cambodia and we went to Vietnam. He knew that he would never plan a trip to Asia on his own. So he thought, well, I'll go along on this group travel and I'll just suck up the group travel part because I get to go to this cool destination.Well, what happened is he loved it. He liked group travel. He liked meeting new people. He liked not being the person that had to be in charge of making sure that we got our luggage to the room and that we made it to the right flights and that he had to carry all the stuff and all the itinerary. He kind of liked that he wasn't responsible for all that. And he liked the food, he liked Meeting the people he liked, not having to be in a city he'd never been in and figure out exactly where we were going to eat every single meal. We had flexibility. Obviously, on these trips, we want it to be your trip.In our Sicily experience, you mentioned a couple times, like, if this doesn't feel like something you want to do, then don't do it. Do something else for the day. We can help you orchestrate other things. He really loved the idea that he didn't have to do everything. And in fact, when we did our cooking class in Sicily, which was amazing, by the way, we learned to make arancini, which they call arancino. We made a thing called a pinella, which was a chickpea pancake that they eat in a sandwich, which was kind of different. But Kurt didn't want to do the cooking class. He was like, you know what? I think I'm just gonna go walk around the city.So him and another friend peeled off and, like, that's the joy of these trips. We plan everything, but if you're tired or if you just want a day of rest, you can do that too. We really try to make it so that we know it's your experience. We're not as interested in you just being forced to come along on things that you're not interested in. We're interested in your experience. We want you to have a good time. So if Kurt Johnson can get turned on to group travel, I feel like, seriously, anyone can.Michael Kenney:No, that's. That's well said. I would have never guessed that about Kurt initially. You know, and I wouldn't call him an introvert by any means, but I think we get, you know, a lot of people like that with. With. Kurt. You know, maybe their. Their.Their husband or their wife drags them on a trip, and they're like, you know what? This is actually pretty cool, especially for the person that maybe is doing typically all the planning. And it's stressful. You know, we do all that for you, but you can really, again, sit back and enjoy. You spend a lot of money to go on these trips, and that's what we want. So we want you to feel like you. You have that. That freedom, too. When we set up our hotels in nice, central locations and safe areas, too, that you can go out and explore, so we encourage you to do that.But honestly, we feel pretty good that the pace of these trips are designed really well, that you have that flexibility, because we want you. Yes, you're in a group, even a small group, but we want to make it feel like you're having these experience with, with a friend or a family member that's with you too, that you, you feel like you're, you're having these little exploring trips, but it's all kind of put together already for you. But again, we, we have time for you to go exploring, to have these other experiences, which is really, really important. Balance is so important. Over 27 years, I think we've really, we focus on that so we know that, that people are comfortable having that free time to explore. But again, having the, the framework of an itinerary with, with experiences. Typically, we might do a city tour in the, in the morning and then have the rest of your day free to have your own exploring. Then maybe for, especially for this trip with the 31 meals that will meet up and have dinner in a place.And again, they're all being curated with our local team too, in the area that you're going to have foods local from the area in great mom PA type of restaurants. So sometimes it's stressful when you're trying to figure out where am I going to go eat, what should I do? I want to make sure the dinner is going to be great. We've got that taken care of so you can sit back and relax. And again, we know most of you probably have not heard of a lot of these places. Please, we implore you to go and take a look at the itinerary, do a little research, because I guarantee in a few years from now, these are going to be mainstream and you'll be able to go explore and see these places before they're overly busy. So take a look at this itinerary.Stephanie:I was impressed because when I first was thinking about Turkey, I went on a map and I didn't realize, like, when I started going to Croatia, I didn't realize how close Croatia is to Italy. That literally they share a sea and that a lot of Italians use Croatia as their summer vacation spot.Michael Kenney:Yeah.Stephanie:And I didn't also realize that Turkey and Italy are very close and that a lot of Europeans, because they've got EasyJet there, that's an Italian airline, they're going to Turkey like we would be going to Palm Springs. I mean, a lot of Europeans are experiencing Turkey and it's just not a destination that a lot of Americans are familiar with. But a lot of people are going there and having fun, doing fun things. This. It's been so fun for me to watch my friend Todd Walker, because he went to Cappadocia, which is a city that we're going to go to and they have all these fairy houses that are like these stone. They look like dunce caps sort of. They're these weird structures. And he, like, actually spent the night in one of them.He did a hot air balloon r there, which is part of our itinerary. If someone wants to add that on, I know Kurt's going to do that. It's like he went and he had all this video of it where there's 140 hot air balloons going up kind of all at once out of this city. It just looks so completely cool. And then the. The huge market. There's like, the world's largest market. So all of these trips, I always end up with a group of great women shoppers.And I'm like, okay, bring an extra bag, ladies, because you're going to come home with a rug and you're going to come home with all of these spices. There's 4,000 stalls in the Grand Market in Istanbul. Do you know that?Michael Kenney:Yeah, the Grand Bazaar. I didn't know exactly how many, but, yeah, it's massive.Stephanie:So just that, like, I love getting into a market and just, like, seeing all the different things, feeling all the different spices. In Sicily, we had an opportunity to go to the market, and afterwards we had our. Our local guide that kind of takes you around and shows you where everything is and gives you a sense of maybe what to look for at the market. And then we split up and Kurt and I, he just wanted to drink beer in the market and kind of experience feeling in the market. So we went and got sandwiches. But a bunch of other people, like, shop till they dropped. Like, they had huge shopping bags full of stuff. So if your jam is shopping, great.If your jam is just sitting and taking in the culture, great. Like, you can also learn more about a city by spending time with the city guides that are with us. They're always having lunch with us, and we have a bus driver that we get to know in certain trips. It really just. We just got back from Sicily and we had such a great experience. We had such a great trip. It was probably one of my favorite groups because a lot of the folks had traveled with us before, so we really knew each other, too. It's group travel is really fun.I'm just. I don't know, I'm really jazzed about it, and I'm jazzed about Turkey, and I want people to come. If you could describe Ephesus, because that's a place that I haven't been before and you have what is that like?Michael Kenney:Yeah, Ephesus, it was, you know, built by the Romans in the time of Christ, so 2,000 years ago. And it's. You're walking through. It's. It's unbelievable. It's not like when you're at the Roman Coliseum or that area around there that's actually, it feels like it's in. More in ruins, if you will. But you're like in this village, this Roman village that you can think of, the Apostles walk, maybe if you're, you know, religious.Mary, Jesus's mother, has walked. And the. Still, the stone streets are there. You know, a lot of the buildings are in ruins, but the library, the, the whole front facade is still there. It's, it's unreal. It feels like you're just being brought back in time. And there's truly nothing like Ephesus, which is just right outside of the, the village of Kusadasi, or city in Turkey. But it's, it's like the.If, again, if I could have an analogy, like you're in Rome, but to another level that it's, it's much more, I would say intact. Still in ruins, but intact. But this, this, this village that it's in hibernation. So walking these streets. And we have these local guides as you touched on too, that kind of can bring everything to, to, to life. So, you know, you're not looking through your, your book and trying to like, well, what is this? You listen to an audio guide or our, our local guide speaking about that. So you're learning about the history. But Ephesus is, is.Is unbelievable. And we're not going to see. There's other ruins and more Roman sites and throughout this trip, so you'll really get, you know, a history. I wouldn't say a deep dive. They touch on it. So you're not like, oh, this is so boring. But you even said it's, it's a trip like this is great for, for shoppers, if you want to shop. I'm not a shopper.I like to do what Kurt does. Sit down, maybe have a beer and take it all in and do nothing. Just take in the people walking around, the smells. There's. There's nothing like it. And again, I think this trip to Turkey really offers a potpourri of different experiences. So if you're a foodie, if you're into photography, to culture, to history, this trip really ticks all the boxes. And I guarantee it, you'll love it.You'll love the trip. But then even at the end you. There's a great chance you're going to make lifelong friends on, on a trip like this too. So it's, it really ticks a box of. Of of experiences. So hopefully April is a great time to go to. The temperatures you can expect, you know, low 70s, you know, 50s, 60s at night. So it's really comfortable.Not like in the summer when it's really busy and it's busier with the Europeans and the temperatures hotter. This April time is a great time to visit for sure.Stephanie:Can you talk a little bit about what the food is like? Like, I have an idea, but I don't really know. Like, is it Mediterranean? Is it like meat and pomegranates and couscous?Michael Kenney:Yep, you're nailing it right now. No, it. It is like that. So I think I encourage again people to. To look online too, to see what some of these are. But you maybe have heard of, you know, baklava or, you know, kebabs, the lamb, the beef, the chicken. They have, you know, the different kebabs, lots of different spices, ganache, as many, you know, like fried dishes too, but then a lot of cooked on open fires. But I would say, I wouldn't necessarily say it's comfort food, like German, you know, in having, you know, some of the staples that you might know, but still something that's not too odd.It's probably more closer to home than maybe some of the French food you would see. But you'll see a lot of lamb, the beef, I said some of the fried foods, lots of, you know, from your Turkish delights and different things like that. So I think even when we're walking around in the market, you'll get that. And then we'll at our dinners have different meals as well that will infuse some of these different experiences. So it won't be something completely foreign, but it'll be. It'll be comfortable enough that I think you'll enjoy it, but it definitely be a nice array of different experiences with the food.Stephanie:I haven't told you this, but one of the places, and I don't know where I'm going to do this, but I am going to find. Have you ever been to a hammam or done the spa experience where like, you lay on like hot marble and it's sort of like a sauna and you get sweaty and then you like, go into a room and they like brush you with salt and scrubby things and like completely clean you. It's a Muslim tradition and it's the most amazing thing I've ever done. I did this in Athens and I loved it so much. We went three times while we were in Athens.Michael Kenney:Wow.Stephanie:Find a spa that does this there. I don't know in what city or where we are, but I know a local guide can help me when we get there.Michael Kenney:Yep.Stephanie:Both Kurt and I, it was just the most amazing, relaxing experience. Just someone scrubbing you with all these different herbs and salts. And they have weird little brushes that your eyes are closed and. And you can't even. Like. One of them was this big, puffy, like, pillow feeling that was running across the top of your body. It was so weird, but so great.Michael Kenney:Yeah, I haven't done it. I've seen them. I've done, like, the part that we're just going in, like, in the. In the sauna or the steam bath. That's it. I haven't had the full rub down yet. Maybe on this Turkish.Stephanie:We're going to do it. Yeah, it's great. I'll do it.Michael Kenney:No, it'll be fun, but no, it's very popular over there. The Turkish amans. To do that. So there definitely will be that opportunity. I will. I'll give it a shot. You know, it'll be interesting to have someone scrub me down with salts. But, hey, life's about to have any experiences and.And I'm. And I'm. I'm for it, but I'm glad you enjoyed that. But, yes, they definitely have that. And you'll have that opportunity if you want again. It's. Yeah, it's always. It's.Stephanie:I'm not gonna make anyone go get naked and do this, but if you want to get naked and do this, I'm telling you, it's amazing. And they probably actually. They wear bathing suits because they're pretty modest. Or they'll have, like, a separate women's area and a separate men's area. When we did it in Athens, it was men and women together, and we wore bathing suits. And then when you got into the private room, you could take your bathing suit off. And they were very modest and helpful, but.Michael Kenney:Yeah. So being comfortable. Yeah, no, that's. That's great. Well, that'll be. Maybe we'll just get a whole group and do that to get so great.Stephanie:Yeah, it's just like. It was one of the best things I've ever done. And I. I like spas and massage, and I've done a lot of weird things like that. This was, like, just amazing. Well, I'm excited. I hope that people will join us. The way it works is you can find all the itinerary on defined destinations website.We'll link that in the show notes here you can see each particular day and what city you'll be in and what you'll be doing and what's included. I would imagine in most of these breakfast is included because that's typically a sort of European thing to do. And then as he's. As Michael said, a lot of the meals are included. I do think when you're breaking open a new destination, it's important to kind of give people a sense of what they're going to be experiencing. And food is obviously a big part of that. And food is a big part of my journey on this trip. Turkish delights, if you've never had them, they're like this beautiful little jelly.Turkish coffee is very different. It's a much more intense coffee experience. So if you're a coffee drinker, you'll learn a lot. Also, olive oil is very much present in Turkey. Like again, I keep comparing it to Italy, but it is right across the water. So there's a lot of different olive oils that are used in Turkey, a lot of different spices. We're going to have fun. So the way this works is you can go online, you can put your deposit down and full payment is due I think in January for this trip.You can book your own travel if you want to, meaning get your airfare to get to where we're going to meet for the trip. Or you can use Michael's got a service that can help you book all your airfare. I personally like to control my airfare because I like to have the miles and I like to know exactly how I'm going to set things up on my itinerary. Kurt and I also like to get there like a day or two in advance just to get acclimated a little bit before the rest of you guys come. So that I'm not super jet lagged. I'm on fire by the time you arrive. And yeah, we do. There's going to be a lot of beautiful wine, I'm assuming too, because that's something that there's a great grape destination there.You don't know about Turkish wines yet, but you will. They, they exist. There's actually quite a lot of them. Yeah. And that's how it works. Michael, you've got a special offer just to get people that may be on the fence a little bit. Yeah.Michael Kenney:Well, we're excited. The trip again is April 9th through the 20th. And again, go online, take it just take a look at the website, look at some of the pictures. You'll absolutely love it. And then even all the things that we've talked about that aren't even mentioned in the itinerary, there's so many fun things. But if you're listening to this and you're new to register, you'll get $200 off per person if you register for the trip. Final payment is January 1st, so just think about that. So this would be a great.A great gift for a loved one. Hey, let's. We're going to go to Turkey. And I hear more and more people are. They want to have a travel experience rather than having tangible things about having experiences, especially with ones you love. So hopefully this trip to Turkey, if you want to try something new and have just an amazing experience about a place you maybe haven't heard too much about, I think you'll absolutely love it. So just go to defined destinations.com, like Stephanie said. She'll have the link there, too.Against April 9th through the 20th. You can register right there. If you need help with airfare, we're happy to do that. So we make it pretty easy for you on that end. So we're gonna. We're gonna have a blast with a great group of people and hopefully, you know, you'll want to join this small group of no more than 15 people.Stephanie:Is this the time that we tell people that are listening to maybe stay tuned. I mean, we do have a pretty epic October trip planned.Michael Kenney:Yeah, no, I mean, go for it. We don't have the. All the dates totally confirmed, but we're. Yeah, go ahead.Stephanie:Well, we're working on one of the trips. So I have taken people to Spain, I've taken people to Croatia, I've taken people to Cambodia, Thailand, and now Turkey. And the Croatia trip was really magical and people loved it. And I have a huge fondness for Croatia. Obviously, I've been there a lot, and there were a lot of people that wanted to go on that trip that didn't get the opportunity because it's a luxury experience. It's a luxury yacht. It's small rooms or not small rooms. It's a small ship with actually, the rooms were quite big for a boat.And so we had so many people that wanted to do that itinerary again. Michael said, hey, how about we do it again? But I'll add a couple of new things so that it's a new experience for you too, Stephanie, because there is. I've never been to Zagreb, which seems probably surprising since I've been to Croatia so many times and there's a bunch of these finger lakes. What do they call those? Is it the plastic lakes?Michael Kenney:Yeah, the Plaviche Lakes National Park. Yep.Stephanie:The national parks in Croatia are legendary. If you. I mean Mijet has one of the most beautiful national parks on it with a monastery in the middle of this lake. So we are going to be taking another small group. It'll be smallish. I think we had 28 on our last.Michael Kenney:Yeah, enough to fill the boat. And the boat only can sleep like 34. So it's a small experience on that. But yeah, I'm excited to go back to that again. That's been one of our hot sellers, our Croatia trip. So with the Zagreb and the Blevice lakes and then our seven night cruise, the Croatia trip will be great. So maybe you want to do two trips. Our beautiful Turkey trip in the spring and then come October we'll have this amazing trip to, to Croatia.So go out and have experiences and hopefully you want to join us. I think you'll find great value, great meals just. And great people that to travel with.Stephanie:And if you're listening and you want to explore Michael's other trips because he takes trips with other people, not just me. And also he just guides trips himself. Just tell him that you're a friend of Stephanie's dish so that he knows that you came from my referral. But just like, yeah, if you want to sign up for a Christmas market or you're interested in heading to the Amalfi coast, traveling with defined destinations is a really great opportunity. They do it extremely well. I have traveled a lot and so I've had some good experiences and some not so good experiences. So I know that when you travel with Michael, you're in good hands. I'm still just missing our guide Peter, who was with us on our last Sicilian trip, who turns out has been your friend for like 25 years.I just miss him. He's such a character. I loved him so much.Michael Kenney:Yeah. And that's great. Yeah. Peter's a good friend of mine for. He's our Austrian guy, but he's. He's got family in, in Italy and does some of our, our Central European trips. But again, like you said it too, it's, it's. Again, it's more than just the sights.You're building relationships even if you're not even looking for that. But it's fun to recall and all the good people you've met and the fun experiences you've had along the way. I love what I do, and hopefully it shows in our trips. It's all about having a great experience with great people, so encourage you. And you've been such a great part of the defined destinations family. Thank you, Stephanie.Stephanie:I love it.Michael Kenney:Looking forward to more.Stephanie:If I didn't, people know I would have kicked you to the curb long ago. And you even have got. You've even converted Kurt.Michael Kenney:So, I mean, yeah, that's great. So, yeah, it's about. About having fun and that's what we do. And we'd love to have you on, on any of our trips.Stephanie:Yeah. All right, you guys. So I'll put all that information that you need in the links below. We are going to Turkey and I hope you come. That's all I can say because I'm gonna probably be talking about it non stop because I'm so excited.Michael Kenney:That's great.Stephanie:I'm.Michael Kenney:I'm looking forward to it. Thanks again, Steph.Stephanie:Thanks, Michael. Okay, bye. Bye.Stephanie's Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

learn 10 high-frequency expressions, including vocabulary for kitchen utensils and taste

measure your progress with this video quiz

Turkey has been expanding its diplomatic, economic, and security footprint in Africa over the past decade. A surge in arms sales is now raising alarms, as Turkish arms - primarily drones - end up in conflict zones and in the hands of unaccountable actors. William Doran, the co-author of the recent Foreign Policy Magazine piece “How Turkish Arms End Up In African Conflicts”, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why Ankara's engagement on the continent is generating violence, not stability.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:How Turkish Arms End Up in African ConflictsMitsotakis meets new US ambassador, highlights energy and investment tiesUS-Greece strategic cooperation deepening

Today's story: The White Lotus may be fictional, but the luxury hotels in the show are real—and they're getting a lot more attention. All three seasons of the HBO hit show "The White Lotus" were filmed at Four Seasons resorts. It all started with a risky bet during the pandemic, but now the hotel chain is finally embracing its onscreen fame.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/815Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/815 --Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English.You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an international move. Whatever your reason, we'll help you achieve your goals in English.How it works: Listen to a new story every Monday and Thursday. They're all about current events, trending topics, and what's going on in the world. Get exposure to new words and ideas that you otherwise might not have heard in English.The audio moves at a speed that's right for intermediate English learners: just a little slower than full native speed. You'll improve your English listening, learn new words, and have fun thinking in English.--Did you like this episode? You'll love the full Plain English experience. Join today and unlock the fast (native-speed) version of this episode, translations in the transcripts, how-to video lessons, live conversation calls, and more. Tap/click: PlainEnglish.com/joinHere's where else you can find us: Instagram | YouTube | WhatsApp | EmailMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Gönül Tol to discuss democratic backsliding in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The conversation explores how Erdoğan's crackdown against Turkey's opposition has reached new heights, with Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and other opposition party officials facing politically motivated charges. At the same time, Erdoğan is attacking opposition media, deepening talks with Kurdish leaders, and strengthening ties with the West — all with, at least in part, an eye to extending his rule beyond 2028. Tol unpacks the government's strategy, the risks to Turkish democracy, and what Erdoğan's growing international prominence means for the country's political future.    Recorded on November 4, 2025.   Read Gönül Tol's analysis of how Erdoğan uses Turkey's role on the global stage to tighten his grip on power here.   Listen to Rethinking Democracy here. 

Call us and leave a voicemail at 631-377-4869! It's a So You Wanna Talk to Samson Wednesday! We start things off with the NCAA and gambling. The SEC is out on it. The NCAA is in on it. Who will win this battle? (11:00) Let's go to Turkey. In Turkey it was alleged that almost 75% of the referees have gambling accounts! (21:15) The WNBA CBA expires on Friday. There is no deal. The WNBA asked for an extension of the CBA. (27:45) Can you explain what Clark Hunt is talking about when it comes to the Chiefs stadium? (35:00) Why don't the Atlanta Braves ever have leaks? We hear from all other teams, but rarely from the Braves. (42:00) How do taxes work for players that don't travel? (48:30) What is my favorite in-game baseball achievement? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Call us and leave a voicemail at 631-377-4869! It's a So You Wanna Talk to Samson Wednesday! We start things off with the NCAA and gambling. The SEC is out on it. The NCAA is in on it. Who will win this battle? (11:00) Let's go to Turkey. In Turkey it was alleged that almost 75% of the referees have gambling accounts! (21:15) The WNBA CBA expires on Friday. There is no deal. The WNBA asked for an extension of the CBA. (27:45) Can you explain what Clark Hunt is talking about when it comes to the Chiefs stadium? (35:00) Why don't the Atlanta Braves ever have leaks? We hear from all other teams, but rarely from the Braves. (42:00) How do taxes work for players that don't travel? (48:30) What is my favorite in-game baseball achievement? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices