Sunday, 7 September 2008

Dikili Videos


To get an idea of what Dikili is like you can view the following videos. These videos were not taken by us and some of the places in the first are not only of Dikili but nearby Ayvalik too but they will give you a little taster of what to expect.http://web.archive.org/web/20070614133722/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G54lTFmBPkThe second is of a beach shot near sunset. The lighting on this video is not great as you will see but it will give you an idea of the gentle sea you can expect to be dipping your toes into when on holiday at Villa Hanorah.http://web.archive.org/web/20070614133722/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DUwyFWMK20

Midnight Express

No blog on travel to Turkey worth its salt would failt to mention Midnight Express and the effect this film has had on peoples view on Turkey.People forget that although based on a true story much of what was documented in the film never actually happened. To find out the real story from the horses mouth see this video at youtube.

http://web.archive.org/web/20070614133722/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TweU77cDrgE

The film gives the impression that the turks are a cruel and brutal race when in fact this could not be further from the truth. Yes expect to receive a prison term which might not be very nice if you are a drug smuggler but and ordinary visitor will be hard pushed to find a more friendly or beautiful place.

Your Holiday Matters

You might have noticed this logo on the front page of my site. It lets you know Iam a member of a holiday rental site with a difference, your holiday really matters to us. Along with 30 other people I was a founding member of this site and we hope to include more like minded owners in the near future and in time become one of the premier listing sites. See our recent press release below which will give you a deeper insight into the creation and ethos of the site. Make sure you bookmark the site so you can access it when you book your next holiday.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Marcus Smith Your Holiday Matters Ltd Fonguillères 47210 Rives France www.yourholidaymatters.com smith.marcus@wanadoo.fr 00 33 (0)5 53 36 78 07 "Your Holiday Matters!" say rental owners New holiday rental site lets you book with owners who care ______________________________________________________ A newly launched holiday rental website aims to eliminate unpleasant surprises when holiday makers arrive at their destination. YourHolidayMatters.com is a direct booking holiday rental listing site with a fresh approach, developed by the property owners themselves. Your Holiday Matters is the brainchild of Marcus Smith, a holiday home owner with gites in the Dordogne, France. "Infinity pools and hi-tech kitchens are not everything'" is his view. "Commitment of the owner to the interests of the holiday maker, from the time of the initial inquiry, through to arrival and beyond, is what really counts". Inspired by TV programmes like 'Holidays from Hell' and a growing awareness of what can await the unsuspecting, he felt it was time to provide a service which takes the doubt out of booking, and offers travellers the reassurance they need and deserve. On conventional internet listing sites, holiday home owners simply pay an annual fee to advertise. With YourHolidayMatters.com, owners need to apply for their listing to be approved. Only properties and owners that meet certain standards are accepted, the main criteria being attitudes to customer care and satisfaction. Fellow owners work with new applicants to ensure that both host and property meet the required level. This includes seeking recommendations from at least three previous guests to establish a track record of happy visitors. There is a Charter of Quality which prospective advertisers undertake to follow: for example, same-day response to a booking inquiry where practicable, plus honest descriptions of their properties in respect of location, availability, condition and amenities, and what the rental rate does and does not include. Members of Your Holiday Matters must have personal websites, so holiday makers can make a more informed choice. There is also a strong emphasis on descriptive content of the areas carrying properties, to guide those who are undecided on their next holiday location: to date the areas represented range from Long Island/New York, to Thailand, Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Malta, France (including Corsica), Spain, Portugal and the UK. Marcus created the site with 31 members of an internet forum, developed to support and disseminate information to owners of holiday rental properties worldwide. "My colleagues had previously been happily engaged in exploring the merits of fluffy towels, pool safety and yet more ways to improve the rental experience for guests" he explained. "Our project just seemed a natural progression." So now, when you are looking for a holiday home, there is one site out there that can give you peace of mind from the first click: www.YourHolidayMatters.com This unique boutique site, with its hand-picked holiday properties, may soon be raising the bar for rentals at home and abroad. _______________________________________________________________________________ For more information, visit the web at http://web.archive.org/web/20070614133722/http://yourholidaymatters.com/ . Marcus Smith can be reached by calling 00 33 (0)5 53 36 78 07, or by email at smith.marcus@wanadoo.fr

Can the real Mrs Egin please stand up


My name is Mrs Egin and imagine my surprise to hear about another Mrs Egin written in a book called Demon Thief by best selling childrens writer Darren Shan. http://web.archive.org/web/20070614133722/http://darrenshan.com/Apparantly his "Mrs Egin" is a witch who explodes in a frenzy in the book after frightening the children of the Town.The truth is sometimes stranger than fiction and funny enough said Mr Shan lives in the same village where my mother Hanorah Griffen was born - Pallas Kenry, Co Limerick, Ireland. Surely this is a co-incidence I hear you ask - well it might be but its a small village Pallas Kenry, in fact its the kind of place where everyone knows each other just ask at the Corner House. So is the character based on me? I couldn't possibly say!

Blogging the blogger


As I have only recently started this blog I thought I would search to see if google was picking it up. Imagine my delight when I came accross the following site that had listed www.villahanorah.co.uk as an inspirational site for renter owners.http://web.archive.org/web/20070614133722/http://www.holiday-home-expert.com/2006/11/a_turkish_delig.htmlI must say that it is rather nice to receive such praise though I am a little surprised. I have often thought my own website lacking especially in design when I look at others which have been professionally done.

Dikili Plays a Part in talks between Greece and Turkey


For a small place that not many people have heard of you might be surprised to hear that last year Dikili hosted peaqce talks between Turkey and Greece. Opposite the Greek island of Lesbos and located in the Northern Aegean, Dikili has an unusually good relationship with Greece. This might be explained by history as Dikili was previously inhabited by Greeks and many family ties still remain. On Tuesdays the Greeks come over via ferry to shop in the local Dikili market which European prices have not pushed up and the two nations spend some with each other. The inhabidents of Dikili provide a great example of how barriers can be broken down which can only help Turkeys European dreams.