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Anatolia is home to the world's first town, a neolithic city dating
back to 6500 BC which was discovered at Çatalhöyük.Sixteen ancient
civilisations, from thi Hittites to the Ottomans, have contributed
to this exotic paradise over thousands of years. You will probably
travel along roads that great warriors, colourful silk caravans,
and couriers of mail or secret treaties passed along many centuries
ago. You will follow in the footsteps of St. Paul end the mystic
Sufis spreading divine knowledge.
Anatolia was the home of Heredotus, the Father of
History, and Homer who wrote of the Trojan wars in his Iliad.It
is also the home of the mystical'Whirling Dervishes', the birthplace
of St. Nicholas and the place where the Virgin Mary spent her last
days. There are more Greek ruins here than in Greece itself, and
indeed more Roman ruins than in Italy.
Turkey is a land steeped in myth - King Midas with
his 'golden touch', together with the Knot of Gordian that the young
Alexander was able to undo with a single strike of his sword. Cleopatra
and Mark Antony chose to honeymoon in this beautiful land under
the divinity of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love.
The remains of ancient civilisations are scattered
throughout Turkey, providing a living history lesson. The archaeological
sites of Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Miletus, Priene, Didyma, Aphrodisias,
Heraclia, Caunos, Perge , Aspendos and Cappadocia are all well wroth
visiting.
It is the unique combination of the richness of the
landscape, the friendly local people, her culture, and her history
that make Turkey a magical experience. And all of this is but a
small insight into this captivating holiday destination - there
are beautiful beaches, coastal villages, unspoilt coves and bays,
cliar turquoise waters, breathtaking scenery, mountains that appear
to rise out of the sea, cities that sparkle with life, the brilliant
sunshine, plus one of the greatest cuisines in the world - all contributing
to the holiday paradise that is Turkey.
The Turkish cuisine is one of the best in the world,
and the delicious food combined with reasonable prices will ensure
that eating out is one of the main highlights of your holiday. For
the Turks, a meal is a social event, so you can relax and take your
time over your food. Everything is freshly prepared from natural
ingredients and you will find something to suit all tastes.
An evening meal begins with the 'meze' - lots of
small plates of hot and cold starters, which can almost be a meal
in themselves. The Turks have hundreds of ways of cooking aubergines
- almost the national vegetable - including the delicious 'imam
bayildi', aubergine stuffed with tomato and onions in olive oil.
Literally translated it means 'the priest fainted' - apparently
overwhelmed by the delicious taste of the dish. There are more types
of kebab than you have ever imagined, made from succulent meat,
and there is also a huge variety of fish and seafood available in
most seaside resorts - usually freshly caught that day. To accompany
your meal try the excellent local wine, the refreshing lager - Efes
- or the national tipple, raki.You should round off your meal with
a cup of the thick, sweet Turkish coffee.
Turkey is a shoppers' paradise and prices are
very reasonable, especially since the amount of lira to the pound,
the dollars or euro almost doubled in 2003. The shopping experience
takes on a whole new meaning in Turkey - once you have lost your
inhibitions you will find that haggling over the price is half the
fun of the purchase. Bartering can be hard work and you will often
be offered a glass of tea or apple tea to assist the process. Bargains
include carpets, leatherware, textiles, silver and gold. Most carpet
- sellers are well versed in the history of he carpet, and it is
well worth setting aside some time to listen to them explaining
the tratitional craft of carpet - making and the meaning of the
different designes and patterns.
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