Popular Post sharecropper Posted June 6, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 6, 2021 I have stayed in and travelled extensively around Turkey and Northern Cyprus over the past 30 years, going as far east as Van (probably wouldn't do that now though). And I can speak a bit of Turkish (previously handy on high-season baht buses if I was feeling unusually sociable). The ancient Greek, Roman, Lydian, Byzantine, Venetian and many other cultures' ruins in Turkey on the west and south coasts are astonishing. Some fantastic beaches, really friendly people, but I would never consider retiring there if I were deported, harassed or booted out of here. It would be Italy first, Greek Islands second for me. That said, I can't wait for my next trip to Turkey and northern Cyprus. I could easily do 3 or 4 months at a time, but don't have any inclination to use the country as a home. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pravda Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 One thing about Turkey is guaranteed better food than the slop they serve in Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 5 minutes ago, Pravda said: One thing about Turkey is guaranteed better food than the slop they serve in Thailand. Given one can get food of almost any variety in LOS, which qualifies as slop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scouse123 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 11 minutes ago, Pravda said: One thing about Turkey is guaranteed better food than the slop they serve in Thailand. I think that unfair and Thailand has many types of different dishes by region that are delicious. However, if soup on the street is your budget, then yes, it is slop! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kynikoi Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 On 6/5/2021 at 4:49 AM, ezzra said: As already stated above, way too fanatically religious for everyday living, almost like other "enlighten" countries such Iran, Pakistan and other Mullahs sharia run countries, and any country who openly calls for the destruction and annihilation of another country based on religion should be shun from any tourists dollars... I think it's a very secular State still. It's much like Iran. Those in power have used the religion as a crudgle to beat secular people over the head and to steal the arms of the state. I seriously doubt it's actually getting more religious. It's like saying this country is getting more conservative because of the last 3 years. It's absolutely not true. It's all the State actors 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmen Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said: In my older years I'm looking forward to staying in the USA again. Reality is nobody cares about old people in the west. You will just fade away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fusion58 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 On 6/5/2021 at 1:31 AM, Jingthing said: -- Islamic country. Calls to prayer. Conservative social politics. That would make it a non-starter for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BumGun Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 10 hours ago, Meat Pie 47 said: why you guys don't retire in your home country ? Well, as an Australian I love Australia but dislike my fellow citizens so much I'd rather not have many around me at all. I had remote place off grid in the bush and a condo on the Gold Coast, the internal border travel issues screwed that up. So until I am forced to, I would chose elsewhere and rent out my place here in Aus. Some of the fun is in the looking and exploring, more so then the destination. So far I have lived in Thailand, Philippines and Cambodia only, Laos post Covid I hope. The issue you raise is valid though, I don't do paperwork very well ???? and prefer to not enable petty corruption with bribes to smooth things over. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malthebluff Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 Food is very cheap including meat your in the land of kababs. Istanble antalya or old with old fashioned ways izmir more modern and modern thinking. I've live in all 3 and I have a house in kas which j rent out. Lors of call to pray which drives me crazy. Hospitals and medical very very good I would say better then Thailand. Weather good and have seasons. Nightlife is ok but nowhere near as much as Thailand more wine bars but very friendly the people go and take music instruments to play. Prices for everything much cheaper then Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hammer2021 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 The English Prime Minister Disraeli said: "To hell with Hull and Hallfax and don't trust Johnny Turk!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmen Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 3 hours ago, BumGun said: Well, as an Australian I love Australia but dislike my fellow citizens so much I'd rather not have many around me at all. I had remote place off grid in the bush and a condo on the Gold Coast, the internal border travel issues screwed that up. So until I am forced to, I would chose elsewhere and rent out my place here in Aus. Some of the fun is in the looking and exploring, more so then the destination. So far I have lived in Thailand, Philippines and Cambodia only, Laos post Covid I hope. The issue you raise is valid though, I don't do paperwork very well ???? and prefer to not enable petty corruption with bribes to smooth things over. Oz is the best place in the world to raise a family but for old bastards who still get morning wood it's as boring as <deleted>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthai55 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 (edited) 20 hours ago, bojo said: at least the inmates seemed have have freedom to roam around within the prison walls Sounds like Mexico - if U got $$$ anything is available Edited June 6, 2021 by canthai55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hammer2021 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 4 hours ago, Pravda said: One thing about Turkey is guaranteed better food than the slop they serve in Thailand. You have no money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hammer2021 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 19 minutes ago, madmen said: Oz is the best place in the world to raise a family but for old bastards who still get morning wood it's as boring as <deleted>. This is about retirement...But Oz seems dreadful to me especially for kids. Cops, machismo, violence against women, a total cultural vacuum...The only place in the world where sport is held as important as art, theater, literature etc and a really unsettling bedrock of racism.. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brayka Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 Never Islamic country! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted June 6, 2021 Author Share Posted June 6, 2021 35 minutes ago, Brayka said: Never Islamic country! A lot of people feel that way and that's OK. For me it's just another aspect of a place to consider. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pravda Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 3 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said: You have no money! Strange country you moved to make such a statement. Odd indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Pie 47 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 7 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said: This is about retirement...But Oz seems dreadful to me especially for kids. Cops, machismo, violence against women, a total cultural vacuum...The only place in the world where sport is held as important as art, theater, literature etc and a really unsettling bedrock of racism.. Nonsense, just explain why every second commercial features Asian people or other nationalities Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigz Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 Why not Greece? Same climate as Turkey, very cheap rentals, no crazy dictator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 14 minutes ago, Bigz said: Why not Greece? Same climate as Turkey, very cheap rentals, no crazy dictator. More expensive. Harder to get residency if you're not an EU person. Yes they are similar even though in theory they hate each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 I have a friend who did the overland to India route around 1970. Something happened to him in Turkey that he wouldn't speak of, and believe me this guy loves to complain. Mention Turkey and he reacts like you just stepped on his foot. I think he was raped. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyna Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 23 hours ago, Jingthing said: I have a theory about authoritarian governments and expats. They may indeed be horrible for locals but if you're not a citizen you shouldn't be involved in local politics anyway so are they really that bad for expats? Arguably they are often better at least in some ways. Not a politically correct observation but I think its true. Isn't Thailand a counter-example? Cannot buy land, double pricing, 90 days, no vaccine... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 1 minute ago, Hyna said: Isn't Thailand a counter-example? Cannot buy land, double pricing, 90 days, no vaccine... But you're forgetting the advantages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 On 6/6/2021 at 7:52 AM, Farang99 said: Before the current political leader Turkey was a tolerant multi cultural country. Under the present one it is emulating the Middle Eastern fundamentalists with more restrictions every day. I'd rather have Malaysia I agree Malaysia would be better but their my second home program is very pricey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 (edited) I recall there was a post here saying that Turkey was a paradise for gays. I can't find it though. I don’t think it was meant sarcastically but I do wonder what he meant. All I can imagine are that the Turkish baths are fun especially if you're a masochist and that in conservative Islamic cultures young men have barriers to fun with young women so many are shall we say flexible. I knew a guy who lived in Beirut Lebanon back in the day and omg the stories he would tell. But based on my one visit to Turkey I felt the homophobia thick in the air even in Istanbul. That was long before Erdogan. While I'm at an age where I really don't care about bar scenes anymore, I would care about discriminatory social attitudes and even the threat of violence. https://queerintheworld.com/gay-antalya-turkey-travel-guide/ Edited June 7, 2021 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 About Turkish baths. Yeah I tried this in Istanbul. Another downside of Turkey. Earthquakes. Particularly in cheaper housing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2009 Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 On 6/5/2021 at 1:59 AM, Jingthing said: Turkey only here please. You'll fit right in there 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojo Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 On 6/6/2021 at 4:58 AM, holy cow cm said: My biggest problem is I can't seem to quite Thailand cold turkey Well said, says it all really.......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyx Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 18 hours ago, Jingthing said: I recall there was a post here saying that Turkey was a paradise for gays. I can't find it though. I don’t think it was meant sarcastically but I do wonder what he meant. All I can imagine are that the Turkish baths are fun especially if you're a masochist and that in conservative Islamic cultures young men have barriers to fun with young women so many are shall we say flexible. I knew a guy who lived in Beirut Lebanon back in the day and omg the stories he would tell. But based on my one visit to Turkey I felt the homophobia thick in the air even in Istanbul. That was long before Erdogan. While I'm at an age where I really don't care about bar scenes anymore, I would care about discriminatory social attitudes and even the threat of violence. https://queerintheworld.com/gay-antalya-turkey-travel-guide/ Well..stay away then. Of course there will always have (gay) people to have a great time over there. Even though it has been legalised, the general population in the capital frown when confronted to gay behaviour, I can only imagine in smaller cities. I know of one lady friend who loves it over there and has been in Turkey for over 20 years but she is wealthy and has quite a lifestyle. I also know of a family who had bought a house in Bodrum, loved the place for years, even contemplating retirement when their teenage kids would be "out of the way" but a few years ago they felt compelled to sell due to a pressuring feeling of insecurity not withstanding the fact they sold at more than a bargain price. This being said I like the Capital and would consider spending a few days again but definitely not live there as far as freedom is concerned, not specifically referring to gay life. People were friendly though. If you have the means...go for Tel Aviv, if you can stand the Israeli mentality that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted June 8, 2021 Author Share Posted June 8, 2021 5 hours ago, alyx said: Well..stay away then. Of course there will always have (gay) people to have a great time over there. Even though it has been legalised, the general population in the capital frown when confronted to gay behaviour, I can only imagine in smaller cities. I know of one lady friend who loves it over there and has been in Turkey for over 20 years but she is wealthy and has quite a lifestyle. I also know of a family who had bought a house in Bodrum, loved the place for years, even contemplating retirement when their teenage kids would be "out of the way" but a few years ago they felt compelled to sell due to a pressuring feeling of insecurity not withstanding the fact they sold at more than a bargain price. This being said I like the Capital and would consider spending a few days again but definitely not live there as far as freedom is concerned, not specifically referring to gay life. People were friendly though. If you have the means...go for Tel Aviv, if you can stand the Israeli mentality that is. Tel Aviv is super expensive so thanks but no thanks. Israel doesn't have a retirement visa but Jews can apply for citizenship based on the Israeli law of return. There are many other countries that offer similar immigration shortcuts based on family history. I know of Italian Americans who have done that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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