Is it time to sell up?

[Colwyn]

But at least admit you were wrong! It's nowhere near the top name for boys.

What? Make an apology? This is Sleuth you are talking about here - Mr "I am not a racist, but ...". I'll have to break off here. I've got to see how we are doing in turning the village church spire into a minaret. I'm fed up with getting the call to prayer via phone.

[Jack13]

excellent post rims. totally agree. until such times it effects us lets get on with it and enjoy OUR love of turkey.

[JohnF]

I've absolutely no science to back this statement up, but based on conversations we have with close friends and many of the ex-pats we speak with on a day to day basis, I wouldn't think more than 1% have "selling up and leaving" at the forefront of their minds.

For the first two years here, I (maybe naively) made a conscious effort to avoid what was going on politically, what's that saying about Ignorance is bliss? Of late and mainly because of the terrorism happening in Syria and Iraq, I wanted to understand more about Turkey's attitude to I.S. but in the process, I've become a little more aware of the complicated agenda of one RTE.

The conclusion is my life hasn't changed one bit since becoming aware of RTE, surely he was active lets say five years ago. Maybe he's taken a recent dramatic turn towards eradicating the secular culture and installing a purely Islamist agenda? But hey, many Brits live happily in countries that are far less liberal than here, their wives or daughters are not required to wear scarves or the hijab and believe me, good friends of mine who work in the construction industry in countries where alcohol is banned, easily circumvent prohibition.

I don't think any country is perfect, I know the UK is far from from perfect. I could live in Spain, Portugal, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, China or Canada where we have friends and family and as I'm not a prisoner here, I may exercise one of those options in the future, but in the meantime we intend to carry on enjoying what one contributor described very eloquently as the  'Fethiye Bubble'

A good, measured response.

The Fethiye bubble isn't such a bad thing you know.  As I said in a previous post "I do think if you're in it for the long haul then its a case of sitting tight and just letting the politicians get on with it."  And for most folks who live/visit the Fethiye area they wont see a tremendous difference to their lives as it is a tourist area, and unless there is a radical change of attitude, its likely to stay that way. 

JF

[johntaylor49]

We are assuming the tourist industry in Turkey is of no value then?

The Tourist Industry is very small Beer (if allowed to speak of Alchohol) as a percentage of the whole Turkish Economy and religious
zealots never care, they know that if they force every one to pray 5 times a day and dress their female family members like Guiness Bottles and implement every hateful extremist fundamentalist principle they will go to Heaven and be given 72 Virgins!

[Anne]

Lot's of food for thought.  Thanks everyone who has taken the time to respond

[Scunner]

The Tourist Industry is very small Beer (if allowed to speak of Alchohol) as a percentage of the whole Turkish Economy

Do you have any facts to back that up John? Ok, let me provide some.

In 2008, the number of visitors rose to 30,929,192, who contributed $21.9 billion to Turkey's revenues. For 2011, the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) reported 34,654,000 arrivals and US$25 billion in receipts for Turkey. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, in 2012 travel and tourism made a total contribution of 10.9% to Turkish GDP and supported 8.3% of all jobs in the country.

Quite large beer then.

[Colwyn]

in 2012 travel and tourism made a total contribution of 10.9% to Turkish GDP and supported 8.3% of all jobs in the country.

But, perhaps more importantly, what percentage has tourism contributed to the construction boom (e.g. hotel building) from which Erdogan and his chums seem to have done so well - allegedly.

Quite large beer then.

Thanks very much!

[lance]

Now im back from russia my next job is selling up it just aint the same anymore .  

[Anne]

What do you mean Lance?  What is not the same? 

[JohnF]

Very confusing if "Mohammod" is the most popular Christian name. It is political correctness interfaith dialogue gone mad!

Neither Mohammed or Muhammed are in the top ten. You been reading the Daily Hate Mail Sleuth   

http://www.ukbabynames.com/boys/top

Actually, Muhammad (and its various associated spelling) is the second most common forename in England and Wales.  The reason it isn't listed as that is because the Office of National Statistics lists names by exact spelling.  Given that Muhammed and Mohammed are essentially the same name, albeit spelled slightly differently, it would be pedantic to suggest it is not the second most popular forename (whoops... nearly said christian name!) for boys in England and Wales. 

Interestly, the statistics for Scotland show that neither make the top twenty.

Top 50 boys' baby names England & Wales 2013


The most popular first forenames in Scotland, 2013

JF