Dede Sophie

This historical city located in south eastern Turkey is the gateway to Mesopotamia. It lies at the center of the homeland of the Syriacs, an ancient race who trace their origin to the Akkadian empire, established in Mesopotamia around 2200 BCE. It also served as the capital of the Turkic Artuqid dynasty between the 12th and the 15th centuries. I am talking about the offbeat cultural gem of Mardin that lies on the southern slopes of a 3,450 feet tall highland and that overlooks extensive limestone plateaus. A lot of you might not have heard of Mardin as it was unofficially closed for tourism throughout the 1990s due to long lasting Turkey-PKK conflict in the surrounding countryside. Things are still iffy at the borders, but Mardin is welcoming tourists these days. It is the kind of place that rewards fearless travelers with a keen sense of discovery. And this holds especially true for the Mardin old town that is officially under the protection of UNESCO. This old town is known for its f

Peugeot’s new 308 small family car is the latest version of the hugely successful nameplate with more than seven million worldwide sales over the generations, writes Trish Whelan.  The new 308 is built on a multi-power platform developed to incorporate a petrol engine along with an electric motor whilst preserving space on board and boot volume. Particular attention was given to weight reduction and balance to make sure the driving experience is as rewarding as possible.  The 308 has always been one of the best-looking small cars on the market but with this latest model the Lion brand has dared to change the body shape quite dramatically. Peugeot were very brave in their design continuing the model as a hatchback and bucking the current trend of upscaling cars to crossovers or SUVs. The result is a car that looks dynamic from every angle. And gorgeous!  The change in style includes an extended wheelbase that stretches the car’s silhouette and offers more space for rear passengers. A 20