Tourists paddle in a lake at Uzungol, Trabzon
Photographer: Kerem Uzel/BloombergSaudis Can’t Resist Turkey’s Cultural Invasion
Turkey is trying to gain greater influence in the Arab world—and it’s winning Saudis over with TV dramas and seaside resorts.
The mountaintop lake and cool breeze couldn’t be more different to the baking desert sands that surround Noura’s town. Yet as the Saudi tourist nibbled on chips at a cafe in Turkey’s lush Trabzon province, she said it felt just like home.
There’s the mosque next to the water and restaurants offering the Saudi lamb and rice dishes she likes. Cafes stop music for prayers the way she’s used to, and nobody gives her black robe and niqab face cover a second glance.