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Istanbul residents chase the Aegean dream

Many Istanbulians dream of leaving the hustle and bustle of the city behind for a quiet life on the Aegean coast, and some are doing just that.
People walk along during sunset in the Aegean port city of Izmir, Turkey, April 15, 2017.  REUTERS/Osman Orsal - RTS12GNP

On a typical Sunday in July at Sailor’s Cafe in the Aegean resort of Alacati, three young couples are loudly debating whether they should just stay on in the Aegean for good rather than return to the rat race in Istanbul.

An older customer turns to us with a smirk, displaying the full signs of a laid-back Aegean’s disdain of the tense, competitive and loud Istanbulians. “They all say the same thing,” he whispers. “So many Istanbul residents dream of settling in Izmir or one of the pretty Aegean towns around the city.”

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