Since the founding of the republic in 1923 as the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, Turkey has been secular and Kemalist in orientation. The country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, initiated a modernization of Turkey through social and legal reforms modelled on various European nation states.
The current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been at the helm of the country since 2003. Since around 2012, he has led the country in an increasingly authoritarian manner. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press in particular are considered to be severely restricted. The currency and debt crisis triggered by its economic policies as well as high inflation have continued since 2018, which makes Turkey quite attractive from a tourist perspective.
The culture of today's Turkey is a fusion of the ancient Turkish nomadic culture of Central Asia and Siberia, the Greco-Roman era, the culture in the Ottoman Empire with its Byzantine, Persian, Arabic, Caucasian, Armenian and Kurdish influences, as well as the strong European direction since the founding of the Republic Ataturk. The cultural centre of the country is the metropolis of Istanbul.
With the political changes, the content of Turkish literature also changed. Early representatives include Fakir Baykurt, Sabahattin Ali, Sait Faik Abasıyanık and Yaşar Kemal, who put ordinary people at the centre of their work. With the turn to describing living conditions, social and political criticism of the state is inevitable. The state reacts with censorship and political violence. Authors like Nâzım Hikmet, Yaşar Kemal and Aziz Nesin spend many years in Turkish prisons because of the persecution of their publications. Kemal therefore referred to the prison as a “school of Turkish literature”.
Turkish cuisine has also influenced Greek and the rest of the Balkan cuisine - including etymology. For example, tzaziki comes from the Turkish cacık, and Ćevapčići comes from kabapcik. Yogurt also comes from Turkish Yoğurt. Doner kebab is made from beef, veal or poultry. In Turkey, but also in other countries, the kebab is also served on a plate.
Friendly behaviour is always treated with kindness. Show some respect to elderly people and learn some Turkish words and phrases. Women should dress suitably if they don't want too much publicity and harassment.
Paragliding sport is to take off by means of running from a high hill instead of plane with a parachute similar to free style jumping parachute on the first look. Parachute, which is lied on a inclined and high hill, is filled with air with the running of pilot and take off with pilot.
All over Turkey you will see these blue wall eyes, called Nazar Boncugu. In Arabic, Nazar means view or look. This word has the same meaning in the Turkish language. There is a strange belief held by people that there are sometimes negative, bad, and even destructive forces at work. This is what they call the evil eye.
Turkey has been a republic since 1923. In the 1920s, the legal system of the Ottoman Empire was abolished and secular European continental law was adopted.
Dignity, noblesse, righteousness, enormous stamina and bravery are some of the characteristics of the Turks. They are relatively reserved and not that gossipy like some of their neighbours.
Whenever travelling to Turkey, don´t forget that Turkey belongs to the Eastern European Time zone. In relation to CET (Central European Time), you need to add one hour.
With great relish Ahmed is leaning back and blowing a thick cloud of white smoke into the air. After a gulp of tea and a few words with his neighbour he turns back to his hookah. With the help of a pair of small tongs he puts several pieces of coal into the correct position on the wooden head of the hookah.
On this date in 1920, during the War of Independence, the Turkish Grand National Assembly was established in Ankara by Mustafa Kemal and laid down the foundations of a new independent state from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.
Everywhere in ancient cities you will find "souvenirs" in the form of potsherds with the remains of decorations, amphora handles, roof tiles, processed marble lumps, pieces of glass and much more.
Relax and enjoy the panoramic views when flying between 100 to 300 metres high above the water. See the silhouette of Alanya and the sightseeing attractions from a new point of view.
Turkey is nearly completely surrounded by water. There is the Mediterranean to the south and west, the Aegaen and the Marmara Sea to the west and north, and the Black Sea to the east.
The rough rock drops down vertically into the depths. The stones seem to shine. Like the flowers of the dandelion, huge amounts of long-tentacled plate corals grow on the rocks. Starfishes of orange and red are everywhere.
Nobody spending a summer holiday on the beach would believe it, but it is true! There are lots of skiing-resorts all over Turkey. Some of the biggest ones are close to Antalya. There will always be enough snow to guarantee skiing until late spring.
We have raised the issue of "domestic violence against women in Turkish society" a number of times, when news of brutal murder of a woman shakes the world again.
Shares of the proceeds to which foreign investors are entitled from a complete or partial liquidation of a company that is subject to the Foreign Capital Promotion Act can be obtained through sale at a reasonable price.
Comparable to the Red Cross in Europe, there is an aid organization in Turkey that is independent of the state, which is called Türkiye Kızılay Derneği in the translation "Turkish Red Crescent".
Since the time of the German economic miracle with a rapidly increasing number of Turkish guest workers in the 1960s and 1970s, the amounts of monthly transfers from Germany to Turkey to support the family members who remained there had also increased continuously.
About 14 days ago we had a rather serious conversation with a long-time friend who has been married to a Turkish woman for over 20 years and lives in a house near Izmir.
Quite often we are asked if it is possible to do the trip to Turkey by car. For sure it is possible. But think about the distance you need to cover. More then 3.000 kilometres to the centre of Europe. Quite a lot.
Just a few days ago we pointed out the changed rules for using the few Turkish motorways that have been technically modernized from the KGS system (rechargeable card) to the HGS system and have therefore initially caused problems for some motorway users.