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Turkey is an awesome destination to visit. Being the bridge between Europe and Asia, it has always been an interesting, multicultural and multi-ethnical place. Out of its 74 million inhabitants, roughly three quarters are Turks, while around 15 percent are Kurds. The rest are largely Greeks, Jews and Armenians. In the past, these ethnicities lived together quite peacefully. With the rise of the anti-Semitic regime in Germany, the treatment of Jews in Turkey changed, worsened by the introduction of the Varlık (wealth tax) in 1942.
Since its foundation by Atatürk in 1923, Turkey emerged into a secular, yet Islamic, republic, with ties both to Europe and the Middle East. It’s reputation in Arabic countries soared over the past two years (see also The Turkish model: A hard act to follow). This year, the country finally untied itself from the grip of the army (see also Turkey’s army: At ease). It’s model is generally seen as well-functioning; the country has the 16th largest economy worldwide, just below Indonesia and Canada. It ranks high on the Human Development Index and boasts several global corporate players, for instance Turkish Airlines, which won this year’s Skytrax Best Airline award (yet made a net loss in 2010).
Although the country is quite developed and prices are somewhere in between, say, Swiss and Mexican prices (a decent meal for two at a restaurant costs roughly 30 Swiss francs), GDP per person still lies at $13,577, which is below Mexico or neighboring Lebanon. In comparison, GDP per person in Switzerland (at price parity) is about three times as high.
Infrastructure in general was very good. Since the country is very large, the best way to get around is by plane for larger distances, or by bus for short trips. The country’s budget airline is Pegasus, which brought us from Istanbul to Antalya for less than 100 francs. Antalya is a beautiful spot at the beach, with warm weather throughout the year, little rain and cultural sites to visit. We stayed at the Tekeli Konaklari Hotel, located right at the shore at the old harbor. It’s just a few steps away from Mermelin Beach, a private beach with a small cover fee. Antalya has more than 1 million inhabitants, up from a bit more than 300,000 in 1990. Yet, its old core, Kaleiçi, still looks very pretty with its narrow streets, çayhanes (tea houses), and tourist shops.
Turkish çayhanes are a sensational place. Tea usually is served in vase-shaped glasses, where the red color of the tea gleams through. You accompany your (healthy) drinking with a Narghile (hookah) and with a round of tabla (Backgammon). The tea keeps you awake, while the Nargileh calms you down, which is especially useful when you’re facing a unconquerable opponent. Drinking alcohol is not very common, although Turkey has a quite good beer, Efes. I honestly appreciated the cheerful atmosphere in these tea houses, where it’s easy to start a chat with a waiter; we met quite a few who have lived in Germany (and who would prefer living there again). Their wanting to leave Turkey surprised me a bit, since the economy is growing quite rapidly, the country seemed rather safe, and the lifestyle much more relaxed than in Western Europe, not to speak of the weather.
Some Turkish people do enjoy their beautiful country; while being in and around Antalya, the majority of the tourists were Turks, many coming from Istanbul. A taxi driver told us that Antalya’s population nearly doubles during high season in July. September probably was a much calmer time to travel, also since temperatures are down a bit from their 40 degrees peak in mid-Summer. A great way to cool down is by joining a Kayak trip to the sunk city of Kenkova, close to Kas, which, in turn, is a few hours drive from Antalya. Although their is no real sunk city (the ruins are merely on the shore), it’s a nice way to get in touch with Turkey’s history, by visiting some old villages and by climbing to a castle on top of the hill (yes, the view is awesome). You might want to avoid going to Ölüdeniz, unless you’re willing to take on hordes of Englishmen.
Istanbul, the capital, is the busiest and most diverse place. To me it seemed to be more exotic than the beaches, since religion was more present in daily life. A friend told me that veils are more common in Istanbul because it has a higher percentage of Kurds living there. Turkey traditionally banned women holding public jobs from wearing veils. This ban has recently been lifted, alongside a general trend towards a more Islam-oriented government. I reckon that there shouldn’t be room for much concern. The sounds of the prayers echoing from the Minarets generate a spiritual atmosphere and a certain tranquility, that transform the moments into something very exotic and special. Maybe it’s also because I don’t understand what is being sung.
There are hundreds of impressive mosques, the most famous being the Blue Mosque (unfortunately it was closed during my visit as it was praying time). Next to it is the Aya Sophia, probably the most formidable building in town. Then there is the Topkapi Palace, where you should plan a whole day, first due to its size (a must visit is the Harlem), and second due to long queues at the ticket counter. In Turkey I was impressed by their ticketing system at touristic sites. Even at the most remote place, there was an electronic barrier with a standardized ticket, which can be scanned upon entrance (almost all visitors failed to scan their own ticket–an aide was present to help people hold their barcode to the right spot). Other great spots include a walk through Beyoglu with a visit to Galata Tower (nice for a sunset view), the Grand Bazaar, the Valens Aqueduct, among others. A great way to explore the city was to buy a Lonely Planet city guide and do the walking tours. It’s a nice way to ‘feel’ the vibe and to get in touch with locals.
Turkish people in general seemed to be very friendly. I once thought to have been tricked by a Taxi driver when going to the airport. I thought that he took a longer route and thus charged me double. I then realized that we went to a different airport (Sabiha Gokcen), which indeed is much farther away than Atatürk Airport. When standing on a corner to read your map, you’re quickly approached by somebody asking where you’re going. The people spoke English quite well and never lured me into buying something. Yet, staying on the safe side is probably a good idea; when offered a ride, I politely declined the offer. Children might also want you to show around, of course for some pennies. If you don’t have any change, simply go to the next mama-papa-store.
One obscure thing I observed in Turkey was the Evil Eye. This blue and white eye stares at you from bars, souvenir stores, boats and even T-Shirts. A local explained me that it means good luck; yet, I found that generally you can have a very safe trip even without it. I was approached multiple times by strangers, usually when looking on my map at a street corner. One time I was offered a ride, which I politely declined. Most likely, however, the intentions were good. But better stay safe, with or without your blue little companion.