Braga, Portugal

The final and the most important match of Champions League would be with Braga, a weak team from Portugal. Because of the importance of the match, Fatih Terim, the coach, decided to take the team to Portugal as earl as on Monday. (No need to say that he is authorized to give decision on such issues). Therefore, we also took the roads to Porto in company with the team two days before the match. The activity was to travel in company with team but I could not find the team at the airport since I got on the plane at the last minute. I did not see them in the plane either. Since we were flying in  a large airbus, the team was taken into the business room and guarded by a bodyguard. What a pity! The poor fellow was standing to prevent anyone to enter the business room while we were sleeping, eating, watching serials or films. Therefore, the ones who would like to have the jersey signed or take photo have to return pensively. As I said in my previous article, the players are the persons like you and me. They also would like to take off their shoes and comfortably lay down. They may also pick their noses and they line up. Please look at this:

The plane took off about 16.00 p.m. and landed at 19.00 according to the time of Portugal. However we could exit from the airport after one hour because of passport and luggage proceeds. We went to our hotels while the team went to Braga where the match would be played.

We were planning to take down our luggage and go for dinner….  After İstanbul, everywhere is smaller… Porto is also small but it is not such small that everyone has to gather in one restaurant. Since everyone sweep into the restaurant named 5 Oceans 

http://www.5oceanos.pt/ it was out of fish and we could not go there though we had reservation. Instead, we went to Oslusiadas http://oslusiadas.com.pt/pt/ a modest but beautiful place in the region of Matosinhos. If I don’t show you some of what we ate how I can provide the impression we were in Portugal…:)

After eating such much and being exhausted of the travel, everyone went to his hotel. On the other day, I woke up earlier and follow my office works. At noon, I finished my works and could leave the hotel and took a walk. The historical center of Porto is very nice but I could not say the same thing for the outskirts. The outskirts seem like a modest European city.

By the way, it is a must to see the buildings with lion figure in the city, of course :)

For the ones who do not know, the lion figure has been used as a symbol for the power, might and crown since the ancient times. As in many places in Europe, it can be seen on the stones, marbles, wood, carpet, rugs, miniatures in Anatolia. It is used for the same purpose today as well and our traveler Sibel Akın continues to take photo wherever she sees lion figures.
The final of the photographs below shows Lisbon. It is very much like Porto, even the clouds are the same, isn’t it?...

Since there are no places, cities and even will be no squares similar to each other in our countries, it was interesting for me to see historical places like each other.  

During afternoon, I took a walk around the Douro, a river having the best landscape of Porto, I ate heartily the sea food at a fish restaurant without knowing what would come over me.

We went to Dolce Vita, the unique shopping center of Porto, nearby the Porto stadium, after eating. http://www.dolcevita.pt/homepage.aspx?param=6xaQnimFh6ShIR4NKdOwDLXlTbEvr/5IcDbWAt+pXxrLmTGd8ZP6Bg4XAlMx8eyB There were many medium-segment stores. The prices were very cheap. On the contrary to many European countries, the tax free product prices begin with 65 Eur. The higher the price the more drawbacks you get. In order to receive the drawback, you should take tax-free form and fill it and have it approved by the the customs at the airport.

We ate dinner at a very nice place named Dom Tonho http://www.dtonho.com/ at the riverside of Douro. The stories of the former presidents of the Galatasaray Club, who were taking rest in company with the dinner, were entertaining. However, like so much talk, this also cannot be written in this page, which is written by millions of people.

I had decided to see the touristic places, take more photos, to buy Porto wine and buy shot glasses for my collection as a souvenir on the next day, meanly on the match day. I had to stay in my hotel room up to the time of the match, since all the sea food I had eaten decided not to stay in me. On the other hand, like a child who is punished by her mother and prevented from playing games and view children from the window, I took the photos of the children who were cheerfully playing.

Therefore, I could not do anything I had planned to do but the gift we received in the evening was actually worth anything.

We left the hotel at about 18.00 p.m for Braga. Braga is a smaller city, 45 minutes away from Porto. In fact, with having a population of 170,000, it is the third biggest city of Portugal. That is bigger than Çekmeköy and smaller than Beşiktaş. The Braga stadium is the famous ‘Axa Stadium’ with an interesting architectural structure.

The stadium was carved into a valley. There are no tribunes behind the football goals. The other tribunes were attached to the valley and each other through the ropes. Despite of considering such technology, we were chilled to the marrow since they did not consider how to heat the stadium. 

If not the struggle of the team during the second period and the miracle at the end of the match even the warmth of the guest worker fans, that may be the coldest and charmless away game.

It was planned that if the team won the match, they would return to İstanbul with us but they stayed in Braga to directly fly to Sivas. Only Muslera who was injured and Melo, the suspended player, returned with us. Since I had my ticket signed by Melo after the final match and it would not be if I have my ticket signed by Muslera who did not save or shoot any penalty in that match. My ticket remained orphan.

Ah yes. You see, well done. My nail polish has washed out. Do you trip over my nail polish while I thank god for returning back safe and sound? That beats all…

I am cross with you; I am ending up the article here. Otherwise, I would write more and more… 

Elazığ

Before going to Elazığ, I wouldn’t have known that the 22th day of November would be a day going down into history of Turkey as well as the World…   But, I went and received my reward when witnessing such a historical event.

This was the first time I have ever gone to Elazığ. Elazığspor was founded in 1967. It has the same age with Trabzon but the fact that they have joined the Super League just this year is upsetting in terms of being an indication that none of the Anatolian teams have approached the level of Trabzon.  Since it was my first visit to Elazığ, I had done a preliminary investigation. I got to know that Elazığ has a higher rate of literacy, and the most developed medical infrastructure. It is even one of the places where an accent to Istanbulite accent is spoken. I could not test the school but I can say that the information about the accent is true; everybody was speaking fluently.

I have received a positive reference on health from one of my dear friends who took risk of having his sky squeezed here. Iggg? Oh yes, the health does not always mean diet, little lady! I have nothing to say to the gentlemen, you are welcome.

What was I saying? Since only at mornings there is flight to Elazığ from Atatürk Airport of İstanbul, I woke up at 5:30 a.m with sleepy eyes and got on the plane at 6:55 a.m. There were some fans in the plane but I preferred to sleep rather than have a chat with them during the flight which took one and a half hour. This did not suffice, I slept again after I get off the plane and went to the hotel since it was cloudy and then rainy. That’s why; I could not find time to visit Harput and Keban Dam and eat salmon trout since they were not close to the town. Instead, I ate the fish at the hotel. However, I have to confess that I was not satisfied with the delicacy of the meal. Nobody should have doubt about that I will effort to change this idea of mine.

I would like to share with you this sweety signboard in the shopping center I went after dinner at hotel where I pass through.

Whereas we begin with the photographs, let me share this photograph I tok at the main gate of the hotel so that the saying “Anatolian support Galatasaray” shapes in flesh and bones.

We went to the Elazığ Atatürk Stadium before the time of the match. Although the stadium with a capacity of 13,923 persons seems to be sufficient for a team recently join to the super league, they have many things to do.  The photograph below was taken from the place where I sit at the protocol. How is it? The landscape which I can view is wonderful, isn’t it?

Anyway, our team began playing with our ideal team except Selçuk, the suspended footballer but we continue to view the match, tearing our hair out.

We were thinking that the match is about to over, the referee Özgür Yankaya showed red card to our goalkeeper Muslera and gave penalty to the opposing team. I was far from the position and could not see, and did not see on Tv, therefore I cannot a healthy comment if it was penalty or not. The problem was not if the decision was right or wrong but what would be then. Since we had used our right to substitute 3 players, one of the players had to go in goal. We did not have a Pancu to transform into Elazığ panther in the end of the match. While we were asking each other “who can go in goal?”, Melo wore gloves and went in goal.

Ceyhun Gülselam and Hamit Altıntop who were not included in 18-players team were sitting just in front of me at the tribune. Ceyhun turned to me and said ‘Melo will save the penalty’. I found this as extremely optimistic but I was praying ‘I hope this become true and Göktuğ shoot out’. (I did not say Göktuğ that moment, I heard the player’s name later on). While we have our hearts in our boots, Melo was as if growing taller and saving the penalty. I can’t remember anything anymore, that’s what it was. I cannot remember how the match was over, if it was over, who won or what happened. We forgot that we were at the away game and turned the tribune into a fair ground. The fans of Elazığ kept their mouths shut against our crazy mood, because of a state of shock they were in, I guess. We won the match 1-0 but we were also exhausted.

There was a throng, that’s what it was. The fans were about to squeeze the players, technical team while trying to receive signature from or take a photo with the players.  They may be right; they were seeing the first time the players of the team they love, it was valuable to touch them just once but the they forgot that the players, who run about 10 km during 90 minutes and were very tired. Informal hugs, kisses, pull-offs without any asking… I request you to receive permission before taking photo, and do not smack. 

Having the ticket signed, which I started when returning from the match with Cluj, has been more significant upon including the owner of the signature into the frame. Don’t you think so?... J

Cluj, Romania

Again a Romanian team, and I am again trying to get a visa for Romania although we are also in the European Union. The thing is that when I used to live just next to the consulate I did not need to take visas so frequently and after I moved from there I  constantly have to visit my old street now. Fortunately, the officers of the Romanian consulate know me and I can easily obtain a visa and this time they gave me a visa of  10 days, May God bless them.

Turkish people for some reason feel great interest to sports if the matches are in Romania, Ukraine and Estonia... Folks stop working and hit the road for the sake of their team. Additionally, they do not go to Romania on the day of the match which is only 1 hour by plane but they go a few days earlier with an eye to concentrate better and get in the mood for the match.

This time inasmuch as the match was in Cluj but not in Bucharest and there were no direct flights to Cluj I went with these teammates of mine to Cluj one day earlier. Actually, team and we were going to Cluj on separate planes but because there was not much demand (I am still in a shock how this happened anyway), two flights were combined and we learned at the airport that we would fly with the team in the same plane. Of course, when the passengers of two flights were combined the plane was jam-packed. I was mad with the idea that those who did not come were the ones who did not believe in the victory of our team however the Romanian girls' anger, crying and losing their self-control when they learned that Turkish men would not come, of course was incomparable.

What I can say about our journey is that, the fortunate ones often are the ones working in sponsor companies in foreign flights. I used the word “ones” instead of “fans” because most of the people who were on the plane were not even Galatasaray fans, and sometimes even those who have nothing to do with football.  The Companies choose these persons for this overseas trip and same may even come to the plane shamelessly by wearing the opposing team’s scarf. I suppose that you have guessed what happens to them. Yes, you guessed that all the man in the aircraft swooped down on the man and said “take that scarf off or you will have to eat it, here is not a bear garden, this is the Galatasaray plane, you rude guy!!!. 

You are wrong. No one said anything while the guy was wandering around. I was the only one to say “Gentleman, please take that scarf off, what you do is a disgrace as if to spite”.  And the rest of our conversation was routine within the boundaries of civility (!).

Oh, I must admit that my words made me the hero of a myth. For months, people called me she's the hero in the plane and even Mr. Erman Toroğlu talked about me in his TV program. Then why do I still criticize this situation? Because in matches played in foreign countries I may accept all kinds of the flags or football jerseys but it is nothing but provocation to come to the fans’ airplane wearing the scarf of our long-standing rival. It is just like the event when a woman recently went to Galatasaray Island and laid the towel of our archrival and began to cry after being expelled... Even though I am one of the most ardent defenders of the idea that sport is the purpose of amusement I, unfortunately have no and will ever have no tolerance for such actions tease and annoy others. On the contrary I believe that these kind of actions turn competition to hate and destroy tolerance.

Anyway, let's talk about Cluj now. Cluj, with a population of about 700.000, has still the traces of communism evidently; it is a very green but just an ordinary European city.

The weather is not as cold as Manchester but still it has brass monkey weather! I went out planning to take some photos but I can easily say that I could not find anything interesting. The following photos, maybe you will not believe, but belong to Cluj’s city center. I took the photos from both sides so that I see could see something, but no hope...

Inasmuch as there was nothing else to do in the evening and we wanted to see the team before the match, the match we went to the training in Dr. Constantin Radulescu stadium where the match would be played. If the team is in a good mood during the training the next day the match always will end with the best result. Proven by experience.

The first 15 minutes of the training is open to the press, then the journalists have to leave stadium. The journalists think that after they leave the stadium, very secret and awesome occurrences take place and write about exclusive tactics are given and etc. However the team usually make short passes in confined space or a light workout in their last pre-match training.

Only the players in the first 11 receive more attention however this time the first 11 is not very secret. Especially Ujfaluji, the backbone of defense is permanently injured, as well as the most experienced striker Elmander in addition, to Engin Baytar the most surprising player of Galatasaray who has headbutted the referee and received 11 matches penalty and who is in a bad condition; there are no alternatives  who can be elected by tossing a coin. The players who can play are known by everyone ... Fernando Muslera, Emanule Eboue, Cris, Dany, Albert Riera, Hamit Altıntop, Yekta Kurtuluş, Selçuk İnan, Emre Çolak, Burak Yılmaz, Umut Bulut

After training, we went to the Italian restaurant named Baracca. http://www.baracca.ro/ We had not actually expect so good quality food in Cluj and we really liked the place. The only downside was smoking inside the restaurant. Smoking is allowed everywhere in Cluj since they have not yet passed to “Smokeless Air Field” application. The only good place I can tell about Cluj is this restaurant. There may be some other beautiful memories to be told by our friends or other places to go there but I do not know the details incident thereto inasmuch as I cannot see these friends until the match time.

Let's talk about the game now: Cluj, albeit it seems like the weakest link in the Champions League Group H, has beaten Braga in away game, and drawed with us in terrible rainy weather so it was not a low hanging fruit at all. This game would be literally a "make or break " match for us. I was comfortable because the team's coach is Fatih Terim and I was sure that we shall not cry uncle in such a short period of time. I even sent twitter messages on the day of the match saying “we can definitely win". However the match was still very exciting.

They generally make us sit among the supporters of the home team in the grandstand instead of Galatasaray fans in away matches. Normally, I cannot even find a sandwich to eat in these matches but this time there was a private lounge that I saw for the first time in the Champions League where you could find a perfect menu. I did not take photos to avoid vulgarity, but there was an open buffet, pinball, sweepstakes, etc... Now then you've accepted the fact that I cannot write a match and travel writing where food is not mentioned I can go on explaining the match.

When we scored the first goal the Turks living in Romania were also very happy and cheered with us but I did not understand why the girls who had nothing to do with the match and smoking like a chimney were delighted. No problem, what is important is that they cheered with us ... When Romanians scored a goal in 52th minute one of these girls also was very happy and cheered crazily. And they looked back and made strange gestures... I was waiting for the second goal and making plans on pulling her nasty hair out at the same time. Anyway, she must pray God that Burak Yılmaz scored two more goals, and I did not have to pull her nasty hair out. In the meantime, Burak Yılmaz, became the first Turkish player to make hat-trick in the Champions League which was a record that will not easily be broken by anyone. This match ticket adorned with his signature was more valuable to me after that.

Remind me some time later to write an article about the football expressions we are accustomed to hear frequently in comments in football  programs (such as hat trick, bee that does not make honey, to outclass in the match, attack from the sides,  the stopper was assigned to play in the center, to create a very suitable position, wall pass, etc ...)

Speaking of chatting, there was another reason why we beat Cluj so heartily which I did not know. You will understand what I mean when you look at the photo below taken in the foundation year of the team. :))

After the match, we came back home via a terminal which was actually closed but opened specially for us at the airport. They wanted to do this for convenience but we could enter in one hour because only two officers made passport control and body search at the same time. Remember that teams also have priority just like the flight crew at airports. Otherwise our trainer Fatih Terim will smile you sweetly (!) as he did to me because I passed before them.

It was 4 o’clock in the morning when we arrived Istanbul. Because of shouting in the match and due to lack of sleep we were walking quietly to the passport point. One of the woman said "How many goals did they score to your team?" to our group.  I thought ”my great God, do you always choose me to teach manners to these people?"  It took solely a total of  2 seconds for me to put my hands on my waist and say "what being beaten: we beat them 3-1”.

This time do not expect any jerseys from me to no avail. I hope next time to return from the Braga match, both in victory and with jerseys...

Red and Black, Here is Ankara

Not every away match city is nice. Besides wonderful cities like Trabzon, Gaziantep and Samsun, there are grey and always sad cities like Ankara, where I compulsorily go. Although only Gençlerbirliği combats in the Super Toto Super Leage, three teams of this gloomy city were combating in the Super League back in the days. I wish the teams of beautiful cities including Izmir, Mardin, Antakya and Adana could combat in the 1^st League that we could see beautiful cities, eat delicious meals and write good articles for away matches… (Ughh ughh, everyone thinks oneself). I have found an easy way in my opinion; since there are flights to Ankara at every hour, I generally go to the matches by air at 15.00 - 16.00 and return immediately after the matches. As far as I remember, only once I went to there with the team, stayed one night and returned immediately after the match. Then, we went to a fish restaurant named Trilye. Do not say that it is out of question that there is a fish restaurant in Ankara; it was one of the best fish restaurants I have ever gone. http://www.trilye.com.tr/

As in the famous wording, “The best thing of Ankara is the time when you leave there”. It is wonderful especially if you return with three points. However, this time, it is safe to say that we were beaten 3-3, although we kicked three goals.

Oops, let’s go back to the beginning. After a long time, I went to Ankara in a Sunny day. My friend, the city is grey even in a sunny day. Top it all, its traffic is competing with the one of İstanbul. The city seems like begging “Do not like me, do not like me!” The ugly shanties on the road from the airport to the city have been brought down and ugly TOKI houses have been built there.  I am not sure if they were built by TOKI but they are so ugly that I thought only TOKI could build such bad.

Since the subject is Ankara, I aspire to Behzat Ç. and criticize both Ankara and TOKI, I  hope nothing is wrong with my future.  It is a matter of time that I talk to you behind the prison bars. I can write behind the bars and even be elected as member of the parliament but I do not what to do if I could not go to see the matches.

If we put up the jokes, Ankara is truly is not a place to love.

I can reach the city from the airport within about an hour. I got off the bus of Havaş exactly before the stadium, but there were 2,5 hours to the match. I decided to join the team at the hotel assuming that it was close. This took me 50 minutes. We drank a cup of tea at the hotel and got on the minibuses to return to the stadium (where I got on the taxi one hour before). This also took me 50 minutes. To crown it all, the driver could not find the entrance and took two tours around the stadium, I found myself thinking that that was a joke of Ankara.  

I talked about the protocol tribune entrances but Ankara is the pioneer in this issue. At the protocol where whoever you see is a minister or a member of the parliament or a bureaucrat, it was bursting at the seams. We barely sat down to our place where otherwise we cannot sit down if anyone already took our place. We began to watch the match.

The match was interesting and a lot of goals were kicked. It was bad to kick three goals and not to beat at an away match. As you know, I do not interpret the match in these articles but I would like to talk about the uniform exchange which is a ritual of a match I like the most. I was enchanted by the fact that whatever happens during the match, the footballers exchange their uniforms. Not misunderstand, I find it very sportsmanlike and friendly. I consider it very valuable that the footballers who get stuck in during the match give value to each other’s uniform as an indication that the match ends up and I hope this become a sample for the fans at the tribune who go at it hammer and tongs. As I always say, sport is initially a joy and amusement.

Speaking of uniform, I have finally received Melo’s jersey for my sport trainer, to whom I had promised. Actually, it was a jersey from the match with Ordu but I could take it only after this match because of the national match break.

For me, a jersey, particularly which is exuded in a match is holy. When I received the jersey, one of the jersey I like the most, in Ankara, I remember the jersey I had received after our match with Hacettepe on 1 May 2009.  Please look and tell me if it does not worth to give value... :))

It was actually a historical day on which I received this jersey. I received this jersey from Harry Kewell who had promised me a long time ago. Let me prove it that it is received from that match in order that nobody doubts about it. And this is also the match line up which I took before the match... 

(Since 2004 when I purchased my digital camera, I have taken the photographs of both the match line up and the score board. However, some of those images were lost in a computer break but most of them still exist.)

In that match, we were beaten by Hacettepe, 2-0, I did not enjoy the jersey since we were very sad. Top it all, the fans attack on Hasan Şaş, a fact that I have never appreciated. Hasan was our crazy, sprit and blood. He rejected many contracts request from other teams, just because of the fact that he loved Galatasaray. He put signature under many cups of Galatasaray; he just put his heart to his job. In this match, he played just in the last ten minutes as a saver, but he remained inefficient since he was at the end of his career and dispirited. He was thrown mobile phone and computer in İstanbul, can you believe that?

The jersey below is from the match between Gaziantep and Galatasaray on 6 April 2009.  That is, it is one of the valuables….

The article I commenced writing for Ankara for some reason ended to be an article incident to football jerseys however this was rather due to the reason that the ways of all of these stories crossed in Ankara.

The most beautiful things I recall from the Gençlerbirliği match were the beautiful songs I heard the first time in a stadium during the half-time period. Especially, Ais Ezhel's  Gençlerbirliği anthem was perfect...  The match was finished but I was still singing the anthem going "Red-Black, here is Ankara". You can listen to the anthem at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL4u0JWjoJI

Viareggio

In Istanbul it is difficult to learn a language, which is not a world language. Italian is not a very widespread language like English which is spoken everywhere in the world. Turkey is not a rich source in terns of neither songs, films nor magazines, books etc. For that reason I decided to Viareggio thinking that I would have a chance both for refreshing my knowledge of Italian and also having a vacation. In deed I had decided to go to Viareggio long before for a period of 2 weeks but various misfortunes had led me first to go to Siena and then to Viareggio for only one week.    

Viareggio is a small coastal town affiliated to Lucca in Toscana region. It is as if a little bit on the left knee when you have a look at the boot. It is 10 min. by train to the famous oblique tower Pisa.

There are no direct flights to any city in Italy other than Milano, Rome, Torino, Venice, Genova, Bologna and Napoli. For that reason the most convenient way to go to Viareggio is to fly to Genova and then pass from there to Viareggio by train. You may have all information related to train travels like the time of departure and arrival by entering your point of departure and destination point in the web site http://www.trenitalia.com/ You may take a taxi from the airport and go to Piazza Principe, which is the nearest train station. Just like buses, trains too depart and arrive just on time. Ticket prices vary depending on the season and hour of the trip and how long ago you had bought the tickets but one might say they are in the range of 10-20 Euros. Trip lasts about 2 hours. Trains are more expensive in comparison to the buses but train is the easiest and most comfortable means of rransport from Genova to Viareggio. You will see many places along the itinerary as you see the sea on your right handisde and the natural landscape on the left handside.

Viareggios is a small town. You may go to your hotel, which is probably in the inner town, on foot if youer luggage is not heavy.

I stayed in Mirage Hotel. http://www.hotelmirageviareggio.it/ I recommend you to stay in the same hotel. It is quite advantegous in terms of transport since it is small and located on a central site. Quality of service and personnel is quite good. The restaurant just under the hotel is also quite delicious and the prices are quite reasonable.

Viareggio has a long coast. There are rows of beaches on the coastal line. There are no differences between them since they offer the same service and have a view to the same sea.

I can’t tell how dirty the sea was but I don’t know if it was so just during the season I visited there or is always so. I don’t want to disappoint anybody at the beginning of my article but never go to Viareggio for a sea vacation. We are the people who have seen the sea of Çeşme, Kaş, Kalkan and Bodrum. For that reason a moderate sea would not satisfy us. Viareggio’s sea which is only a little bit better than Ganj river had disappointed me very much, I thanked God at every chance for not having made a 2 weekly vacation plan.

There are no public beaches around the central beaches. You have to pay to enter all the private beaches. Prices may change, albeit the reason for that is not undestandable. One thing is certain, all hotels have an agreement with a beach. If you haven’t gone to the course that day, take care to go to the beach with which your hotel has a contract. Otherwise you may have to pay a double entrance fee. I went to the beach of the hotel once for half a day and paid 15 Euros; on the other hand, entrance ticket to the beach, with which the school has a contract, is 3 Euros for the whole day. Normal entrance fee is around 25-30 Euros.

Any way, if you shall go to the beach for having a sunbath, it is okey but if you think going there for swimming I would recommend you to think once more.

Viareggio is a small but unbelievably tidy city. Houses are maximum 2 story and each of them is more beautiful than other. There are very few cars. For that reason the roads are very easy going.

There are pedestrian roads more or less equal in width to the 3 lane carriage way on the coastal road. Besides there is a lane for the bicycles. You may make an excursion around the whole city with a bicycle that you may hire in the Pine Park which is called “Pineta di Ponenta”. You may also spend a good time in this cool park instead of going swimming in the hot weather. I, who didn’t touch my hand in a bicycle until 20 years of age because of an accident that I had overcome in my childhood, hired a bicycle and has an excursion with it for 4 days. I can’t tell how happy I was. By the way, please be informed that I had rided bicycle for once in Büyükada (one of the Prince Islands in Istanbul)

There are many restaurants with Michelin star in this city which has a population of 65.000. Let me say for those who don’t know that Michelin is like the Oscar of restaurant business, it is like an order of merit granted according to the menu and presentation. It is not given to the chain of restaurants as far as I know. It is a bitter fact for the Turkish restaurant sector that there is no single restaurant with a Michelin star in our country. Celal Çapa has said that Michelin star has no importance but our ancestors have produced a proverb that I don’t need to add anything to it: “The cat calls the Mouse, which it can’t catch, filthy”

I went to two of the restaurants with a Michelin star. It is true that they are somewhat more expensive than other restaurants but I might say that it was a “value for money” type of experience. Here, as in Siena, all restaurants are family enterprises. Maybe they can’t compete us about decoration and presentation but the dishes are unbelievably delicious.  Dish plates of Pino http://www.ristorantepino.it/ which was the most delicious restaurant with a Michelin star;

The other restaurant was “Da Remo” but it has no own web site. You may visit the following veb site for Da Remo and other restaurants with a Michelin star;

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Restaurants/Restaurants-Viareggio-55049-Lucca-Italy?strLocid=31NDFvem4xMGNORE11T0RjMU1UYz1jTVRBdU1qVTNNRFk9#@c4=-1

I unwittingly ordered a mixed plate of seafood all of which turned out to be raw food! At first I tried to eat some of it but the waiters saw that I couldn’t eat it and said that they would like to serve the plate cooked, for which I am thankful to them. I ate them all with big appetite after having let them grilled.  I actually like Sushi very much but the cooks who prepare sushi marinate it very good whereas these ones are raw. I don’t know if there are anybody who likes to eat raw fish but I recommend you to ask whether it is raw or cooked because these plates are very famous here.

I also discovered some good places to have lunch. There is no reason to repeat it but if you want to have a good meal in a restaurant you must keep away from the flavorless and expensive ones in the main Street. There is always a better one in a side Street. One of them is 8etti, http://www.8etti.it/    The restaurant is run by the family which you see in this web site. Its menu is good, prices are reasonable, it is neither very cheap nor very expensive. It offers a wide variety of wine alternatives. It is a beautiful place for noon but even for the evening.

Another place that I would suggest is Ristorante da Stefano. http://www.ristorantedastefano.com/

I ordered a plate of macaroni. They put a whole pan on my table and they served pasta as my plate became empty. They charged me for only one portion. Well, where shall they find such a very appetence guest? Don’t you think so too?

There is another small but beautiful town near to Viareggio which is called Pietrasanta. This town is so small that it has two main streets. What is surprising is that this tiny town is one of the most important art centers of Italy. One might say that there are almost only restaurants and art galleries in the town. Each of the tens of art galleries attracts many art lovers and brokers of art Works to this town. There was an outdoor exhibition of the famous artist Bottero in the only church square of its kind in the town. This means that places which glorifies art without depreciating it get the benefit worth of this attitude by hosting such important art activities.

There is almost no nightlife in Vireggio. Almost all nightclubs are positioned in Forte Dei Marmi which is half an hour away from Viareggio. I advise you to go to Forte Dei Marmi by bus. There are buses going there until the morning. You may learn departure&return hours at the bus stations and in the hotel. Everybody who had got on the bus seemed to have entertained quite good because he/she had went to the night clubs. Even the driver was announcing the names of the nightclubs instead of the bus stations.

In my view, Capanina is the most beautiful night club here. http://www.lacapanninadifranceschi.com/

Among other ones I may recommend Twiga  http://www.twigabeachclub.com/

Nightclubs open their doors a just at 12:00 at night. You will have to wait if you go there before. There is a normal entrance like in Turkey and a VIP entrance. No female companion etc. is required in the entrance. They take in everybody who look tidy.  Everybody is tidy anyway. If you are also one of those who don’the like to wait at the door, it is probable that they would invite you in without waiting you to ask for it,  if you show up  at VIP door for two minutes with a stylish dress on. But they charge you 30 Euros even if you pass through VIP door. One drink is included in this price. You probably didn’t think if the drink was local or foreign because here is Italy.   

You may go to a nightclub alone with peace of mind, which is something you would probably not dare easily in Turkey. Italian men immediately but politely approach you and compliment you but keep away from you if they see that you are not interested in them. In other words they don’t hang you on like in Turkey. But if any one of them hangs you on it is up to you to decide how to deal with them.  J

Let’s now come to the Italian language course which was my main purpose for going to Italy. Firenze which is a very experienced agency of language schools in Italy and Spain was very helpful to me http://www.firenze.com.tr/ They didn’t charge me any fee for their services since they are the official agency of the school. I just paid tuititon fee to them.   

http://www.centropuccini.it/  You may have detailed information about the school through this web site. It is a small and pretty school, suitable for the coastal region even if it is not as big as Dante Alighieri.

You may attend courses for periods varying between one week and much longer periods. This time I attended a more intensive course. I selected a course program which is 5 hours a day whereas the first two hours are grammer courses, subsequent two hours involves applied learning with plays and entertainment and the last hour is a one-to-one private lesson. The course began at 09:00 in the morning and finished at about 13:30. There is a food outlet where the students may eat at discounted prices just near the course site. However I must say that the dishes are not so delicious but there is nothing much to complain about for those who go there with a student’s budget. Here, as in other course programs, they give you a certificate for each course period.

I believe that this article shall be a good guide for those who are planning to go to Viareggio despite it has gained a little bit of Emine Beder kind of atmosphere by my telling quite a lot about my eating experiences as a result of hating the sea in that town to which I had traveled in order to make a sea vacation.