88 replies to this topic

[Noora]

Hi all

I just miss Ben & Jerrys Ice cream, I looked everywhere in Istanbul but they don't have it. Have u guys seen it anywhere? I know they have Ben & jerrys ice cream restaurant but i'm looking for something from a grocery store so I can have it at home.

I tried shopping for make up and I was pretty surprised the maybelline & loreal things they have here are like soo old.


What do you miss from back home?

[Cukurbagli]

What do I miss from UK?

Vomit on the pavements.

£75 callout fee for a plumber or electrician.

Health and Safety Nazis.

Beggars in the streets trying to sell The Big Issue

I'll let someone else continue.

[Meral]

I miss a few things like vegemite & golden syrup, but heck, we won't die from not having stuff we like. So if we can't find what we like, we have to start liking what we find. So now it's black olive paste & pekmez for me.

[sunny]

They do have Häagen-Dazs ice-cream though.

In bars I miss not being able to buy a packet of crisps (esp. cheese and onion)

Thornton's chocolate shops.

[Mimar]

I could swear I saw Ben & Jerry's at a Kipa market. It was in it's own case, sort of a vertical refrigeration unit. I'm not sure if all Kipa's have it, but you could check.

What do I miss from home ? Family, of course. Food-wise I would say that I miss the variety of ethnic markets and restaurants we have back home - Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Mexican, Chinese, etc. etc. etc. oh and McDonald's breakfast biscuits, the McMuffins are ok, but theyr'e not quite the same.

[istanbul]

I could swear I saw Ben & Jerry's at a Kipa market. It was in it's own case, sort of a vertical refrigeration unit. I'm not sure if all Kipa's have it, but you could check.

I also saw Ben and Jerry's on sale at Kipa in Oran Sitesi, Çankaya. I also saw Golden Syrup there too, sold in a can... Although there is a lot of foreigners, diplomats, etc living in Çankaya so it could be aimed at that particular market.

[Antelope]

Cadburys chocolate and Birds custard. I used to miss bacon and pork chops but I've long since got over that.

[Mimar]

"I also saw Ben and Jerry's on sale at Kipa in Oran Sitesi, Çankaya. I also saw Golden Syrup there too, sold in a can... Although there is a lot of foreigners, diplomats, etc living in Çankaya so it could be aimed at that particular market."

Bravo İstanbul ! That was it. I think you may be right about the particular market though.

[Abi]

Whilst there are certain things I miss like chedder cheese and twiglets and cheap books the list of things I don't miss would be much much longer.

[Meral]

I saw Ben & Jerry's icecream advertised in the paper (Milliyet), in a cup (like ayran) for 4.90 lira, so presumably it can be bought as a takeaway to eat at home. No mention though, of where it could be bought.

[Vic801]

Whilst there are certain things I miss like chedder cheese and twiglets and cheap books the list of things I don't miss would be much much longer.

Definitely agree about cheap books, or just bookshops. And a real swimming pool to swim in not to paddle.
But I've had to search hard to think of things I miss which means I don't miss them that much and the really-don't-miss outweighs by far the do-miss-es! Would be nice to find Blutack though.

[Abi]

We do have a fair few bookstores here but only one sell english books and they are soo expensive. I walked in a D&G bookstore recently and they had English/American magazines like National Geo, yipee I thought then I looked at how much they were and nearly fell over, needless to say they stayed on the shelf.

[dande]

After living here for 14 years, I now miss more things when I am in the UK (not the other way round). especially Turkish tea and decent olives, to name just two.

And although Çeşme may not be the height of Turkish tourism (thankfully!), we do have Ben & Jerry's ice cream here.

[Vic801]

Yesterday I remembered something I do miss from France (which was "home" to me for 19 years) - real mustard. So I made some. So easy and you can make it up to exactly how you like it so we each have our own. Now that is far nicer than paying nearly 9 TL a small jar from Migros!

[Ken]

Big sink drains with 100 horsepower garbage disposals. My sink drain consists of six small holes which six frozen peas could clog.

[samanthaozkara]

I dont really miss much from the UK anymore except for chocolate!! At 1st I really missed bacon and pork sausages especially when I had a hangover haha but now the smell of bacon cooking makes me feel sick.

Like Abi, I also miss being able going to a bookstore and finding a bargain of a book. I bought Carrie bradshaw's Diary before SATC in Istanbul in May and nearly had a heartattack when I was charged 30tl for it and the £ price on the back only showed £6 but I had to have it.

Love Samantha xxx

[sunny]

In Izmir you can get books at the same price as the UK, the exact price depends on the exchange rate. You were ripped off in Istanbul.
If you want books, I've got hundreds and a lot of us take books we have finished with (a wrench)down to Ibo's which is not far from your office Sam.

[samanthaozkara]

I have dozens of books here that I have finished and dont no what to do with so I will take your word and bring them to ibos when I finally get a chance to call in. I may steal a few books from you aswell one day Sunny hehe xxx

[HobbitTR]

I have not missed anything since I came here. The United States is TOO convenient. And, I am home.

[atayavie]

Not to sound too American but I freaking miss my car. It was a classy VW cabrio and it really sucks living in the summer without it. Plus I sold it to some kid for 500$ and I'm pretty sure he painted it black. LAME.