July | 2013 | ihsan.dk/BLOG

Even though I very much dislike its franchiser in Turkey, Shaya Group, my love for Starbucks Coffee, as a café, is no secret.

I would not call myself a coffee enthusiast or an espresso guru; and frankly, I am not THAT into it; but pretty much like everyone, I appreciate an occasional cup of fine coffee. Starbucks may not offer the finest cup of coffee, yet there is more than that to notice.

First of all, I am in love with the concept of “Barista” (I don’t know the name of its female version actually, what might it be, Baristess? Baristette? well…) and their cute attempts to learn your first name and your favourite drink if you are a regular. Normally, it is supposed to be depending on the Starbucks you are at, but it is not. Or maybe I am just way too lucky, I don’t know. Maybe they’re programmed to BE so? Too much sci-fi, I know. But the thing is, they have this certain way of making you feel warm and (kind of) at home (only with a slightly better decoration and lighting). Perhaps their behaviors towards customers cause some kind of hormone to be discharged and leads to a misperception of better taste..?

But in the end, it just tastes the way it should taste every single time and I love to have such constant in my not so hectic life.

I really am a creature of habit :)

My favourite beverages for the winter time (there really is not much of a “winter” going on either in Bodrum or in Alanya, but still) are americano with irish cream and of course chai tea latte. And during the summer, I have only one favourite and that is Mango Passion Fruit Frappuccino with raspberry syrup as extra. It tastes like heaven… but not the Nordic idea of heaven, more like the Arab heaven with its freshness and coolness. And as a bonus, no matter where you order this particular drink; the barista always tell you that it was an excellent choice. I have ordered this very same beverage in more than 20 different Starbucks’es and received the very same feedback. (Maybe it is company policy? :) But it really feels nice, especially for the ones like me whose biggest accomplishment in life is to order a drink that tastes extraordinarily good.

I think you should’ve got it by now. The sole purpose of this blog post is to get you to try Mango Passion Fruit Frappuccino, unless you’ve already tried. And if you do, and you’d like it, wouldn’t it be nice that we could have one more thing in common? (I hear you saying NO :)

If you still have some second thoughts, just take a look at it!

Plus, I just want to make one more thing clear; people around me have a tendency to boycott Starbucks just because(!) it has shut its doors to Gezi protestors in their time of need. Honestly this is unacceptable for such public brand, and could be a deal-breaker for many. But I wouldn’t give a sh*t about it even if they were having baby fetus grill for dinner. Because you know, love is blind. And deaf.

…

So, do you have particular beverage that you enjoy the most? I’d like to know. Do they also tell you that your choice was excellent too? DO THEY? I thought we had something special :(

Well, let me know, OK?

Cheers,
Ihsan

Apparently not just a baby, nowadays.

Turkey’s conservative government -only to be called “conservative” if your idea of conservation is advocating Islamic lifestyle rather than the conventional definition of guarding and protecting the traditional institutions- has gained speed and aggression on its policies which will ultimately result in social exclusion of women from the urban life.

For more than a decade now, Turkish Prime Minister and his “minions” have been actively carrying on a propaganda to discourage women from work and daily life by making statements concerning various subjects via different channels, including the internet, daily newspapers, magazines, and even the state television (TRT) all with a common purpose; social exclusion of women.

It was only a few months ago when, all of a sudden, the whole country began to discuss WOMEN’s right to abortion, where the government had no hesitation showing its anti-abortion colors, linking it with its religious background. Following the “Gezi Clash”, which was merely about the preservation of a public park in the beginning, the prime minister and his entourage criticized and used abusive words against the protesting crowds, yet again based on their looks, their religious beliefs and even their drinks(!) instead of the cause they have been standing up for; regardless of its righteousness.

More people from the government, encouraged by their commander(!)’s hateful speech, and the media, mostly associated with the government, have taken up this habit of weekly verbal assaults againts women, againts political oppositions and even againts people from different regilions/orders.

Captured on September 4, 2010 shows pregnant women posing for a photographer in Breda, during a protest claiming better circumstances for mothers worldwide.

In June 2013, during a talk-show named Ramazan Sevinci (Ramadan Joy) on TRT (Government TV) a religious scholar named Omer Tugrul Inancer, claimed that it is inappropriate for pregnant women to walk around the streets, and it should be considered insolent and shameful. He also added, that it does not look good (in an aesthetic aspect) and if the pregnant women “need some air” they need to take a joy-ride alongside their husbands; instead of walking outside, by themselves.

So basically, as a woman, you are expected to give birth to AT LEAST three children, have no abortions, no walking around after six months of pregnancy, no showing-off your baby belly. And you are not supposed to drive, your husband will take you to a city-tour only if that becomes really necessary.

Of couse all of these above only applies if you are a decent(!) sunni-muslim woman with a headscarf; otherwise you could just drop dead, since you are ineligible to live in this country in the eyes of the government, that is holy and mighty.

Long story short, expect the worst, when you are expecting in Turkey.

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Monthly Archives: July 2013

An “Excellent” Choice!