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.
Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, is famous mainly due to the Mausoleum once located there, a tomb, the Persian satrap of Caria King Mausolus II. erected during his lifetime. The huge mausoleum was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The centre of Muğla is situated on a plain surrounded by mountains stretching from the foot of the Asar Mountain (Castle). Some of the most famous and impressive tourist centres are within the boundaries of the region of Muğla.
After the Euphrates and Tigris, Seyhan and Ceyhan rivers, the Great Menderes River also belongs to the group of rivers that are extremely important for agriculture and thus for the development of humanity, because when people became sedentary, they were dependent on fertile soil and a constant supply of water.
Miletus is located (an hour away from Didim) in the city of Soke's Balat village. In ancient times it was on the western coast of Anatolia (currently the province of Aydın), near the Maeander River in ancient Caria.
Akbük is a place with a beautiful bay and surrounded by protected forests and olive groves. Located on the south west coast of the Aegean Region, approximately 19km from the lively resort of Altınkum, 65km from Kuşadası and about 70km from the Bodrum Airport.
Bafa Lake is situated in southwest Turkey, part of it within the boundaries of Milas district of Muğla Province and the northern part within Aydın Province's Soke district, approx. 30 km from Didim.
Euromos, one of the antique cities of Carian lands, located between Lake Bafa and Milas town, is about 12 km away from the town center of Milas.
The small Turkish town of Söke is located on the A 525 between Kuşadası and Milas. Located as both a city and a district in the province of Aydın on the Turkish Aegean coast, the district had a population of 115,490 in 2008.
During our visit at some friends in Didim we had the opportunity to see some places next to the touristic spots of Didim. We heard about an old Greek village with old stone houses, we would like to see.
Our journey takes us along the country road between Selcuk and Söke near Izmir, where the ruins of the old Hellenistic settlement town of Magnesia can be seen from afar.
Priene rises just behind the small town of Güllübahçe on the road from Söke to Milet and is one of the most magnificent and best-preserved cities of ancient Ionia and is one of the most beautiful archaeological sites and sights in the region.
The Apollo temple of Didyma (the Didymaion) is located within the boundaries of the Yenihisar (Didim) district which is in the province of Aydın.
Our tour into the valley of the Phrygians (Frig) in Afyon, the valley extending from Döğer (in İhsaniye district) over Alanyurt until after Seydiler, should also lead us to the famous monuments of the Phrygians, the Lion- and the Serpent stone.
Sirince is a small Aegean village visited by many people because it preserves its historical architecture. It became famous as being the location where the story of the novel called “Farewell Anatolia” takes place. The novel was written by Greek author Dido Satiriou.
The idyllic fishing town of Foca, just 70 kilometres from Izmir, is a popular holiday destination with beautiful and clean sandy beaches, well-kept restaurants, accommodation and several other attractions.
It is possible to find various sandy or rocky beaches all around the town of Kuşadası. Some of them are private beach clubs where you have to pay an entrance fee to use the facilities and some are free public beaches.
The centuries-old tradition of camel fighting in Western Anatolia has its origins in the time when nomadic peoples led their caravans thousands of kilometres across the country on their way from the Orient to the West.
Decades ago, a prehistoric settlement from the Bronze Age was found near the city of Limantepe, now Urla, on the west coast of Turkey, which also had an artificial, ancient harbour.
The ruins of the ancient cities of Klazomenai and Erythrai lie not far from the modern city of Urla, around 30 and 50 kilometers from the gates of Izmir.
We have just received another short interim report by email from Sylvia and Anselm, who set off from Pamucak towards Izmir in their motorhome early in the morning. They had asked for tips on parking and a city tour in Izmir, which we were of course happy to pass on.