Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

For any Turkophiles out there, there is a two part documentary on BBC2 tonight at 9pm UK time: Turkey with Simon Reeve.

It will not portray a realistic view, Simon Reeve is a globe trotting holiday type reviewer. It may be billed as a documentary but it will not be in the real sense.

I thought it was an excellent documentary and look forward to the second episode. Not sure where Jacob was coming from at all.

I entirely agree with Effonine. IThis was certainly not a travelogue, but a seriously thought out out programme sensitively handled. It threw interesting light on several isssues that had puzzled me, A must for anyone living as close to Turkey as we do, and also for those who have extreme views on how to handle refugees.

One of the now too few programmes that restore one's faith in the BBC>

We have previously watched Simon Reeve and found him interesting and informative. His programme on Greece was very watchable. We look forward to watching the second part of his journey round Turkey.

I really enjoyed first episode despite already knowing a lot about Turkey and learned many new things that are currently going on. Good fresh view and look forward to the second one.

Agreed and thoroughly enjoyed the programme too.

Also agree and very much enjoyed his insightful views and those of others he interviewed. Looking forward to the next one.

Turkey with Simon Reeve
Part 1
No longer available

The second part of this is on tonight BBC2 at 9pm.

Part 1 available for another 24 days on BBC iplayer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b08l56ws

Well worth watching!

Part 2 also available now. Really interesting programme...................http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... o-istanbul

A fascinating programme, I thought they could have stretched it to another episode!

polkadot wrote:A fascinating programme, I thought they could have stretched it to another episode!

Totally agree so much more to see and understand about Turkey.

Very good programme but could have done with more episodes

Totally agree should have had more episodes. Thought 2nd one was good but a little rushed and tried to cover to much.

Also agree (is this a record?) particularly that they could have done at least one more episode. And then one on Northern Cyprus?

What about the bird whistleing [language] ..... amazing !!

As for a third episode - maybe they were drawing far more attention than Erdogan would have wished, certainly some of the comments expressed to camera were contrary to his AKP party's agenda.... Remember more journalists have been imprisoned under his regime than most of the rest of the world!

It's a shame that more digging into those aggrandising themselves at the expense often of the man in the street could not have been revealing but still I did really enjoy the programme - which thankfully veered away from a mere travelogue and attempted to cover more environmental, social and political issues.

Only time will tell - the referendum on increased power for the president's office is soon and no doubt he will win - then how long I ask before he declares himself 'President for Life'... with no need to it being an elected post and with legal immunity?

Always available to watch through Kodi

I thought that they were, all things considered, fairly "kind" to Erdogan. For me the programme was invaluable if only because it explained his popularity with "ordinary " Turks and the poorer classes. At the same time the interview with the rich man (I lost count of how many houses on theBoshporous , Rolls and Bentleys) may well go some way to explaining recent developments in the TRNC. The attitude to the environment and rubbish disposal of the averageTurk may also go some way to coinciding with how things happen here.

I loved the comment by Reeve on the allegation the BBC were involved in the recent attempted coupe: "The BBC cant even get "Top Gear" right, let alone mastermind a revolution in a foreign country"!

I believe the second episode at least is still available on BBC Listen Again.

Ragged Robin wrote:I thought that they were, all things considered, fairly "kind" to Erdogan.

My point was that they often seemed to be made to feel uncomfortable by the attention of the 'security' folk following them about and maybe also in deference to safety of those who seemed willing to speak out and possibly put themselves in peril... It did go some way in explaining Erdogan's popularity with the masses... We all have asked why but they like his policies and religious stand. Is it a mask for self aggrandisement? Who knows?

One thing that struck me in the first episode and that did to a degree challenge, for me, the 'standard' narrative in most western press of Erdogan as simply an islamic, power crazed , power hungry would be tyrant was the Syrian Refugee camp that was visited. The standard of that refugee camp as provided by Turkey governed by a power crazed 'islamic' government with a population of around 90 million, a GDP per capita of around 10,000 USD and dealing with an estimated 3 million Syrian refugees, when compared with camps in EU countries governed by 'modern western democratic secular' governments, with an EU population of around 500 million, a GDP per capita of around 32,000 USD and dealing with around 1 million migrants, was to me striking.

Yes, indeed ,Erol . I had forgotten that (already, I think I must watch it again). The contrast with that disgraceful mess at Calais was indeed striking and thought provoking.