We were following the main road from Dursunbey to the right towards Beyel, continued to the fire station that brought us to about 800 meters above sea level in its park-like grounds, to the Dursunbey river and to the imposing canyons and on the way back to the local Amethyst Mine.

During our exploration along the Dursunbey Cayi, we came across a small stream which was to pass by car before we could reach into a rich, green lawn that was used by backpack hikers traveling with a tent during these days.

The Sultan Ahmet Mosque or with its more popular name, the Blue Mosque, is located in the oldest part of the city İstanbul, opposite of the famous Cathedral Hagia Sophia, just a short walk from Topkapi Palace.

For many years a close friendship connects us with Rasim, operating a large furniture store in Alanya and also in construction of family houses and villas.

İstanbul is the biggest city in Turkey and the most popular due to its geographical location. To the south stretches the Marmara Sea, strewn with islands, and to the north is the Black Sea.

Tekirdağ is situated on the northern coast of the Sea of Marmara, 135 km west of Istanbul in the European part of Turkey in Thracia. The picturesque bay of Tekirdağ is enclosed by the great promontory of the mountain which gives its name to the city, Tekir Dağı (ancient Combos), a spur about 2000 ft. that rises into the hilly plateau to the north.

The town appears dreamlike at sunset. Its yellow lights blaze on the water of the Golden Horn when the sun is setting. This horn–shaped estuary, Halic, separates the old and new parts of European Istanbul in the Eminönü district. We took a bus to go to Eminönü, which is a major transport junction for trains, trams, buses and ferries.

Bursa, the fourth biggest town of Turkey and capital of the district of Bursa in the western part of Turkey, now has 1.6 million inhabitants. About 90 kilometres from Istanbul, and at the foot of the Uludağ, this fast growing town has all that modern towns can offer.

The nature reserve of the National Park next to Bursa stretches all along the southern slopes of the Ulu Dag Mountains next to Bursa. Depending on the height of between 500 and 2500 metres, there are 4 different types of vegetation.

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (IATA: SAW, ICAO: LTFJ) is one of the airports serving Istanbul, Turkey. The facility is named after Sabiha Gökçen, the first female combat pilot in the world. It is on the Asian side of the bicontinental city, Istanbul. 

Atatürk International Airport (formerly Yesilköy International Airport) (IATA: IST, ICAO: LTBA) (Turkish: Atatürk Uluslararasi Havalimani) is the major international airport in Istanbul, Turkey. Located in Yesilköy, on the European side of the city, it is 15 km (9 mi) southwest of the city centre. 

Hagia Sophia, which is located in Istanbul, was built by architects Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus in 532–537 A.D by the order of I. Emperor Justinian.

We visited Istiklal Street, probably the busiest street in Istanbul. This pedestrian street stretches between Taksim Square and the Tunel area for about 3 – 4 km in the Beyoglu district.

The other pleasant part of Istanbul is Adalar (Islands) strewn over the Marmara Sea. They are known as Princes’ Islands by foreigners because the rulers of the Byzantine Empire sent troublesome princes to these islands to rot away.

The Byzantine monument Hagia Sophia was originally known as the Great Church because of its great size compared to the other churches in the town.

The sunken place in Istanbul has a story which is told over the sounds of water. One of the charming constructions left from the Byzantine era is the Basilica Cistern located at Sultanahmet Square in old Istanbul across the street from Hagia Sophia.

The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest covered markets in the world. It contains more than 4000 shops, restaurants, streets, gates and even two mosques. This old building was built over the remains of the Old Bedesten. The building of the Grand Bazaar has hundreds of silver plated domes with many windows.

The visitor to Istanbul has not only museums and well known historic and natural sights available to him. There is also an extremely exciting night life as well as many chances for shopping, especially for silver, copper and gold jewellery and, of course, carpets.

Ongoing excavations at the Heraion-Teikhos ancient city in the western province of Tekirdağ have unearthed a temple at the city's acropolis. The temple, belonging to the ancient Thracian civilization, was thought to have disappeared in a fire that occurred in 2 BC.

İstanbul’s Journey to Becoming the European Capital of Culture: The European Capital of Culture concept was launched for the first time in the 1980’s by Melina Mercouri, the Greek Minister of Culture of the period, and approved by the European Union Council of Ministers.