Sailing in Turkey

The sailing paradise of Turkey is also home to the Mavi Yolculuk, or Blue Voyage, an idyllic cruise which travels to the private beach of Cleopatra, the eternal fires of Mount Olimpos and the remains of thousands of ancient civilisations.

Sailing in Turkey also allows visitors to experience the hospitality of the people in the coastal villages and towns. The tempered winds blowing from west and northwest make the long summers ideal for yachting, and seem to encourage an appreciation of nature. From some of the turquoise coast’s unspoilt and sheltered bays you can see mountain peaks rising to almost 3000 meters above the sea level.

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Denizli – Cotton castle – Pamukkale

muratc3 ’s photo

Kalksteinbecken – Limestone bowli
Unfortunately, I shot this pic with my aSLR. So I had to scan and its quality is not that good. Geotagged!

Denizli – Cotton castle – Pamukkale

Apr. 28th Press Review

Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning.

PKK dispatches suicide bombers to attack major Turkish cities- police

European Capital of Culture 2010 “Istanbul” – Terror organization PKK sent three suicide bombers to major Turkish cities, broadcaster CNNTurk reported on Tuesday, citing police officials. (UPDATED)

Dalyan Street

Alastair Montgomery ’s photo

Street near the harbour in Dalyan Turkey, the land of the civilisations

Dalyan Street

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’No preconditions to succeed in talks’

YEREVAN – The former foreign minister of Armenia, between 1991 and 1992 right after the country’s independence under the leadership of Levan Ter-Petrosyan, says that success in the reconciliation talks between Turkey (Turkish:Turkiye) and Armenia requires both sides to withdraw their preconditions

Istanbul

Istanbul, once known as the capital of capital cities, has many unique features. It is the only city in the world to straddle two continents, and the only one to have been a capital during two consecutive empires – Christian and Islamic. Once was capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul still remains the commercial, historical and cultural pulse of Turkey, and its beauty lies in its ability to embrace its contradictions. Ancient and modern, religious and secular, Asia and Europe, mystical and earthly all co-exist here.

Its variety is one of Istanbul’s greatest attractions: The ancient mosques, palaces, museums and bazaars reflect its diverse history. The thriving shopping area of Taksim buzzes with life and entertainment. And the serene beauty of the Bosphorus, Princes Islands and parks bring a touch of peace to the otherwise chaotic metropolis.

Istanbul (Turkish: İstanbul, Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολη, historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkey’s most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. The city covers 25 districts of the Istanbul province. Istanbul is located at 41° N 29° E, on the Bosphorus strait, and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. Istanbul extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) side of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world which is situated on two continents. In its long history, Istanbul (Constantinople) served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330-395), the Byzantine Empire (395-1204 and 1261-1453), the Latin Empire (1204-1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453-1922). The city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010. The "Historic Areas of Istanbul" were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

The city of Istanbul has had many names throughout its history, depending on the culture, language, and religion of its rulers. Byzantium, Constantinople, Stamboul and Tsarigrad are examples that may still be found in active use in certain countries. Among others, it has been called New Rome or Second Rome, since the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great founded it on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium as a second, and decidedly Christian, capital of the Roman Empire, in contrast to the still largely pagan Rome. Istanbul has also been nicknamed "The City on Seven Hills" because the historic peninsula, the oldest part of the city, was built by Constantine on seven hills to match the seven hills of Rome. The hills are represented in the city’s coat of arms with seven mosques, one at the top of each hill. Another old nickname of Istanbul is Vasileousa Polis (Queen of Cities) due to its importance and wealth throughout the Middle Ages.

With the Turkish Postal Service Law of March 28, 1930, the Turkish authorities officially requested foreigners to cease referring to the city with their traditional non-Turkish names (such as Constantinople, Tsarigrad, etc.) and to adopt Istanbul as the sole name also in their own languages. Letters or packages sent to "Constantinople" instead of "Istanbul" were no longer delivered by Turkey’s PTT, which contributed to the eventual worldwide adoption of the new name. Similarly, letters or packages that were sent to "Smyrna" instead of Izmir, "Angora" instead of Ankara, "Trebizond" instead of Trabzon, and other ancient city names were no longer delivered; a measure which forced the quick worldwide recognition of the modern Turkish names of every prominent city in the country.

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