Prior to 1980, Turkey followed an economic policy based on the substitution of imports. Instead of importing, her goal was to manufacture products in the country which would meet the domestic demand. For long periods of time, newly established industrial branches were protected by customs tariffs and other equally effective taxes.

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.