outingturkey

deneme1

2008-01-20T15:24:00.003-08:00

deneme1

deneme

2008-01-20T15:24:00.001-08:00

deneme

İstanbul

2007-11-30T01:42:00.001-08:00

Introduction

The city which divides Asia and Europe is truly a place which has a lot of culture, tradition, the new meeting the old and history and a lot more perhaps.

Sights and Activities

The open air theatre, near the Hilton, is an excellent place to go to, with a great ambience.
Any trip to Istanbul would be incomplete without going to Taksim and Beyoglu, the heart of Istanbuli nightlife. Passing through Taksim with its different souks and the performers and jugglers demonstrating their skills, is a free treat. The small streets unwind into great coffee places and the party area. The clubs are mostly empty on regular days and only fill up on weekends, though the coffee places generally are full, especially with young Turks.
The area around the bosphorous is a treat especially if you if book a cheap ferry ride from the local companies on the terminal. Once on the ferry, you can easily savour the different architecture of the Anatolian and the European side, highlighting the way in which the enmeshing of these two cultures underpins the nature of Istanbul. The bridge over the bosphorous is also a great landmark.

Once you are finished with the ferry trip you can easily go around the area where there are lots of small clothing stores and electronic outlets as well as restaurants. The food tastes great and so do the Turkish desserts like baklawa. The Turks love their ice cream and you can easily observe the ubiquitous ice cream stalls.

The top Kapi palace is a big landmark to visit. The articles on display are simply amazing and mind boggling. Most of the articles on display are off limits to taking pictures which is why I believe they are full of mystery and opulence. If the sultans lived in such times they would have been the most ingenuous and crafty people to say the least and the fact that these have been preserved very well is testament to the Turks' ability to take care about their legacy.

Sleep

A good idea is to stay over in the Sultan Ahmet area, since this is the heart of where most backpackers stay. It can also be classified as the centre of the city as most of the monuments in Istanbul are within walking distance or easily accessible through the transport network.

Göreme

2007-11-30T01:39:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Hut formations - Goreme, Cappadocia
© All Rights Reserved Barney
Goreme is the main hub of Cappadocia, a region in Turkey. Strange rock formations and underground cities make this an alluring stop for any visitor to Turkey.

Sights and Activities
Fairy Chimney Rock Formations. Houses were carved out of these rock formations.
Ballooning. A popular way to see Capadoccia is by balloon.
The Historical Museum is definitely worth a visit. It has a lot of fairy mountains which have been used by the Christians, as well as quite a few frescoes, though some of these had been removed.

The night scene is laid back with a few clubs but not a lot of people, though Pacha Bar is a decent place to visit. Most of the places usually close by 8 pm. In the evening, the best thing you can do is watch the sunset from the hills where one can also view the colourful background of the land below.

The Underground City of Kaymakli. It has nine levels beneath the ground with its ingenious exhaust systems, food storage places and ventilation spots. These were made by the people as a means of defence. When the levels go beneath the ground, they narrow, which is how the people protected themselves from mass attack, since the narrowness made it extremely difficult for attackers to get in with large numbers. That said, it's not the nicest place to visit if you're claustrophobic! The multitude of different passages were meant to hoodwink the enemy. The place also has a well and numerous ventilation ducts, some of which are hidden to the naked eye while others can be seen. The kitchen and the storage chambers are also worth looking at.
The Pigeon Valley is an amazing place where one can see a lot of pigeons. The valley also has red coloured hills which at the time of sunset look extra-terrestrial. There is also a craftsmen workshop, where you can buy souvenirs. Please note you can also bargain here - start with a third of what they ask and you could get something for an excellent price.

The Rose Valley and surroundings should be visited in the evening partly because of the unrelenting sun at noon time and also because the best views can be had in the evening, as the valley's red hills change colour at sunset.

Avanos is a city where there are many locals. You can a lot of carpet weavers and workshops, as well as restaurants.

Bursa

2007-11-30T01:38:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Bursa is the winter skiing capital of Turkey. It has few monuments when compared with Istanbul, but then most visitors are attracted by Uludağ, the mountain that stands tall behind Bursa.
Though Uludağ is not that difficult to climb, one should not begin climbing unless there is some local guide or someone who has gone on the top because the trails are not properly marked.
Some of the other monuments around the old city include some mosques and the surrounding areas. Tophane is a fort-like structure where you can get a bird’s eye view of Bursa at night.

Turkey

2007-11-30T01:30:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Blue Mosque
© All Rights Reserved jza80
With one foot in the Middle East and one foot (a smaller foot, granted) in Europe, Turkey emerges on the tourist map as a fascinating cultural mystery, with ancient cities and towns as frequent as freckles and a history that's as long as it is complicated. Istanbul's pronounced prominence in the ancient world made it and Turkey the center of numerous great civilizations. As it passed through Byzantine and Roman hands, it sported the names Byzantine and Constantinople, eventually adopting its current name under Ottoman rule. The city is the country's tourist center, but Turkey is certainly no one-hit wonder. Mt Ararat, the ancient Biblical towns of Ephesus and Antakya (Antioch) and cultured beach towns along the Mediterranean coast make up further ammo for the Turkish arsenal of touristy delights. Excellent cuisine and a friendly, hospitable manner underscore the Turkish way of life.

Regions

Turkey consists of 7 administrative regions, divided into 81 provinces and 923 districts! The 7 administrative regions and its provinces are:
Marmara Region: Edirne, Kirklareli, Istanbul, Tekirdag, Çanakkale, Balikesir, Bursa, Yalova, Kocaeli, Sakarya and Bilecik;
Aegean Region: Izmir, Manisa, Kütahya, Usak, Afyonkarahisar, Aydin, Denizli and Mugla;
Mediterranean Region: Burdur, Isparta, Antalya, Mersin, Adana, Hatay, Osmaniye and Kahraman Maras;
Black Sea Region: Bolu, Düzce, Zonguldak, Bartin, Karabük, Kastamonu, Sinop, Samsun, Çorum, Amasya, Tokat, Ordu, Giresun, Trabzon, Gümüshane, Bayburt, Rizne and Artvin;
Central Anatolia Region: Eskisehir, Çankiri, Ankara, Kirikkale, Yozgat, Sivas, Kirsehir, Kayseri, Nevsehir, Aksaray, Nidge, Karaman and Konya.
Eastern Anatolia Region: Malatya, Erzincan, Tunceli, Elazig, Bingöl, Erzurum, Bitlis, Mus, Hakkari, Van, Agri, Igdir, Kars and Ardahan.
Southeastern Anatolia Region: Gilis, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Batman, Siirt and Sirnak.
Most provinces have the same name as their capital, with just a few exceptions to this rule, being Hatay (capital Antakya), Kocaeli (capital Izmit) and Sakarya (Adapazari).