ERENDIZ JOURNAL

Burak Balıca: A book, many journeys and a place in Erendiz

Civil engineer, author, musician and traveller: Burak Balıca combines his profession with a growing involvement in culture. His new book, motorcycle journeys and platform Kod: Sanat Rotası reflect that curiosity. For us, this is also the story of a dear friend.

People & Culture · October 29, 2026

Burak Balıca
Kemer
Kod: Sanat Rotası

Burak on the road with his motorcycle. From his travel recap of September 2026. © Burak Balıca / Instagram

A travel photograph to begin with

Burak is sitting on the ground beside his motorcycle. His bright vest, the helmet next to him and the open sky define the picture. It comes from his Instagram travel carousel of 22 September 2026: a pause along a longer journey. In the accompanying caption he writes about people, memories and how good it can feel to step away for a while.

The photograph shows another side of a man some know as an engineer at Kemer Municipality or a singer on stage. This autumn brings a new reason to look more closely: his second book, “Kod: Doğu Türkistan – Gizli Dünyam”, has been published. Following his work means meeting an author who connects literature, music and travel.

[6] instagram.com · [1] kodsanatrotasi.com · [5] kitapyurdu.com

The engineer who also tells stories

Burak Balıca was born in İzmir in 1988. His published biography lists construction studies at Fırat University, followed by an English-language civil engineering degree at Atılım University. His professional work has included construction inspection and project management. He has worked for Kemer Municipality since 2023, moving from cultural responsibilities into building control.

His artistic work develops alongside that profession. “Kod: Kandaki Miraslar” appeared in 2025. Its presentation describes an adventure novel about an engineer named Alparslan, coded clues and a search for origins, with settings ranging from Antalya to Ankara and Istanbul. This is a fictional plot; it does not establish that the protagonist is Burak himself.

His founder’s message helps explain why he also turned to the arts: he wanted to create a place where people from different professions could share their work and ideas. He does not describe a single turning point. Rather, he explains how literature, music and culture became part of his life over the years.

[1] kodsanatrotasi.com · [3] kodsanatrotasi.com · [2] kodsanatrotasi.com

The new book: closeness across distance

The bookseller lists “Kod: Doğu Türkistan” under Kitapyurdu Doğrudan Yayıncılık, or KDY, with a publication date of 9 September 2026 and 470 pages. Burak presents it with the subtitle “Gizli Dünyam”, roughly “My Hidden World”. According to the synopsis, the central characters are Alptuğ, a young Turkish officer, and Şatgül from the Kashgar area. Their connection is tested by distance and the social circumstances depicted in the novel.

Memory, language and belonging are themes the author explicitly identifies. In his post about presenting the book to Kemer Mayor Necati Topaloğlu, Burak explains that he wants to make the region’s culture and human stories accessible from his own perspective. The municipality also reported on the meeting on 6 October.

Burak and his project website describe a volume bringing together Turkish, English and Russian. The published book image also displays those three languages. The retailer’s language field, however, lists only Turkish; readers who need a particular language version should confirm the edition before buying. Our portrait draws on these publications and the synopsis. It is not a review based on reading the complete book, nor does it treat the fictional plot as independently verified historical documentation.

[5] kitapyurdu.com · [4] kodsanatrotasi.com · [9] instagram.com · [10] kemer.bel.tr

The new book in a staged promotional image from Burak’s own publication. © Burak Balıca / Instagram

When a story becomes music too

The book project includes a song of the same name, “Gizli Dünyam”. Burak credits himself with the lyrics and composition; his website links to music services and an official video. This gives the literary theme another form. His website describes the video as a staged narrative, and it should be understood as an artistic work.

His public appearances as a musician can also be traced beyond his own channels. The municipality documents his singing performance at the fourth Kemer Music Festival. According to an event report, he presented and coordinated the cultural programme “Bir Milletin Uyanışı” in May 2026 and sang alongside Pınar Yener Balkan. Books and stage work are both visible parts of his career.

[11] kodsanatrotasi.com · [12] kemer.bel.tr · [13] kemerhakimiyet.com

The journey: from Antalya into the interior

The motorcycle circuit he published in September started in Antalya. Burak names Ankara, Kayseri, Malatya, Elazığ, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Batman, Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Osmaniye, Adana, Niğde, Ereğli and Karaman before returning to Antalya. The list comes from his own account; that post gives neither precise travel dates nor a reliable distance in kilometres.

The project’s posts take a closer look at individual places. One reel visits Karahantepe near Şanlıurfa, another the ancient city of Dara near Mardin. Burak shares impressions of buildings and historical traces. The camera becomes a way to share something of those visits. This does not establish a journey to Kashgar or the region of his new novel: his documented tour of Turkey and the literary geography remain separate.

His interest in travel extends beyond that circuit. A January 2026 report by Okuryazarkitaplar describes an earlier, four-month project phase involving filming and conversations in 15 cities. It mentions meetings with cultural figures and contacts in Baku. This earlier account covers a different undertaking from the September recap; the two journeys are therefore not combined into a single route.

[6] instagram.com · [7] instagram.com · [8] instagram.com · [14] okuryazarkitaplar.com

A pause along the way: Burak beside a waterfall. The exact location has not been confirmed. © Burak Balıca / Instagram

A platform for more than his own voice

Kod: Sanat Rotası brings together literature, music, architecture, travel and other subjects. In his founder’s message, Burak stresses his wish to make room for other people’s work too. The website includes contributions by several authors. An interest in Turkish culture and the heritage of the Turkic-speaking world recurs in his own description of the project.

His Instagram profile reflects this range: book presentations and music sit alongside travel posts and community activities. For example, Burak reports on a pet-food donation with Motoclup Türkiye to Kemer Municipality’s animal care facility for World Animal Day. This portrait does not claim to be a complete biography, but offers a traceable picture of his publicly documented work.

[2] kodsanatrotasi.com · [15] instagram.com · [16] instagram.com

Burak Balıca (left) presenting his book to Kemer Mayor Necati Topaloğlu, October 2026. © Burak Balıca / Instagram

12 November: book conversation and signing at Akra Kemer

Burak announces a conversation about “Kod: Doğu Türkistan – Gizli Dünyam” and a book signing at Akra Kemer in Antalya on Thursday, 12 November 2026, from 17:00 to 19:00. The announcement appears on his website and is pinned to his Instagram profile.

If you would like to attend, check the current information with the venue or through Burak’s official channels. The announcement we checked does not specify admission, registration or event languages. The venue is Akra Kemer; this is not an Erendiz event.

[17] kodsanatrotasi.com

A personal afterword from Erendiz

To us, Burak is much more than an author whose new book we are introducing. He is a good friend of our house. He lived on our grounds for two years and remains one of the people especially dear to us. We miss his company in everyday life and are delighted whenever we can spend time together again.

So this portrait is also a personal greeting: dear Burak, it is lovely to follow your journey. You are always very welcome here at Erendiz.

And a question for our guests: would you enjoy an additional reading with Burak, a conversation about his travels and a book signing here at Erendiz? For now, we would like to hear whether you are interested. No date has been agreed.

A reading at Erendiz?

Tell us about your interest by email. The link opens a draft; no vote is saved automatically and no event is booked.