"Turkey: Spans Both Europe and Asia" Turkey by deecat

Turkey Travel Guide: 24,334 reviews and 69,589 photos

Charming Country, Kind Locals, Fascinating History

In March of 1995, I joined my sister-in-law, Jayne Glass, on a tour of Greece and Turkey. Before we began this trip, I thought for sure that I would love Greece & tolerate Turkey. How wrong I was about Turkey. To tell the truth, I think I enjoyed Turkey the most of the two countries. Why? The fascinating history, the kind people (dignified and helpful), the varied and beautiful country, the cleanliness, the wonderful ruins, and the unique locations that we visited.

This trip was called, "Following in the Footsteps of Paul" and was comprised of church members from the Methodist Church in Munster, Indiana. I was the only one who did not live in Indiana and did not belong to the church. I went as my sister-in-law's guest.

I discovered so much about this incredible country. The big and little Meandering Rivers run through Turkey, making it a very fertile country. People from all over come to live here, combining cultures and customs. The Turks originally came from central Asia.
On the plains, olive, apricot , and almond trees abound. Cotton, vegetables and tobacco are also grown.

At the time we were there, trouble was surfacing....many banks had been bombed, and the military and their guns were obvious everywhere we traveled. Ironically, I never was frightened.

Istanbul: Remarkable Architecture

Hippodrom, Blue Mosque, & St. Sophia

Istanbul is quite a remarkable city. I had no idea that it would be so beautiful, so vibrant, so modern.

This picture captured three of the most famous sites in Istanbul: The Hippodrom, The Blue Mosque, and St. Sophia Museum.

Anyone who visits Istanbul, I feel, is impressed by the mixture of cultures, architecture, and the scenery. It's definitely a combination of antiquity and modernism.%f*%s*

Tours Can Be Fun

Our Tour Guide & our Group in Istabul

I was very reluctant to make this trip because I always thought that I would HATE organized trips. However, I really wanted to see Greece and Turkey, and this was my opportunity.

I'm so glad that I was flexible enough to change my mind and go. It was a small group...in Turkey, there were only eleven of us, which made it great on that huge bus, at mealtime, and on the tour itself.

Our guide told us this interesting information about Turkey. He said that the Turks believe that an Oracle told the head of the tribes to take their people near the land of the blind. The people came here (what is now Turkey), but the Greeks had already settled on the Asian side, so they crossed the strait to settle on the other side.

They could not understand why the Greeks settled where they did as this side was better...THEY MUST BE BLIND! Thus, the Oracle was correct.

In the second century, Istabul was a Roman city. In 325 to 330, Constantine the Great reconstructed the city and its walls. It was made the capital and called Constantinople. In 1453, the Ottomens from central Asia conquered the city. The Ottoman Empire lasted 600 years.

Jayne and I were the youngest on the tour. The whole time of our trip, Jayne and I were referred to as "the girls". Imagine, a retired school teacher with a college graduate daughter and a grandmother of six being called "girls". We get no respect!

Pros and Cons

Pros:Beauty of nature and man-made momuments
Cons:Tension within the country of a political nature
In a nutshell:Both Asian and European in its Culture and Style

Last visit to Turkey: Mar 1995
Intro Updated Mar 6, 2007
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Reviews (39)

The Capital City: Ankara Things to Do (13)

Note: Photo is not mine On our tour of Turkey, we found that on the Anatolian plateau, all roads lead to Ankara...so do... more travel advice

The Beautiful Flowers of Turkey Favorites (9)

Because I love flowers so much, I was completely amazed by the volume and variety of flowers grown in Turkey. The... more travel advice

Map shows Number of Quakes in Turkey Since 1965 - Turkey

Be Aware Of Earthquakes in Turkey Warnings and Dangers (3)

Unfortunately, Turkey is well known for its earthquakes. It is located directly on a major fault zone and has... more travel advice

A Wide Array of Food Local Customs (5)

Our guide told us that Turkey is nicknamed the "Bread Basket of the World." It produces enough food to feed its citizens... more travel advice

Travelogues (1)

Written May 6, 2005

1 photo

Revisiting Turkey Vicariously

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Comments (112)

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TheWanderingCamel Apr 30, 2012 at 7:29 PM

Like you I've long thought other peoples' tours are best avoided but,wanting so much to visit eastern Turkey, we signed up on one last year and it was wonderful. Revisiting your page here, lovely to see you found pleasure and interest in many of the same things I did. We were in Van just a three weeks before the recent earthquake, now the people we met are very much in my thoughts as the region slowly recovers. Hope you're feeling really well again and all set to enjoy the coming summer. Leyle
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Yaqui Nov 30, 2011 at 6:16 PM

The ruins of Ephesus looks marvelous. To be able to see such ancient cities. Turkey is fascinating. They are so rich with so many cultures. Excellent page Dee!
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ettiewyn Mar 23, 2011 at 6:26 AM

Wow, great page, Dee - so much detail, a great overview of the country. I love your style of writing, so informative but also personal. Thank you!
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mvtouring Jul 18, 2010 at 2:05 PM

It seems like your trip did a lot of the sites that we did on the Treasures of Turkey trip. thanks for the walk down memory lane and I love the way you right your tips ;-)
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misterrabbit May 27, 2010 at 12:29 PM

A delightful read with just wonderful photos. Sure changes my mind about tours. This one is small, comprehensive, and fun. Wonderful information and photographs.
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balhannah May 11, 2010 at 9:14 PM

Dee, It sounds like you had a wonderful time here! I loved Turkey! Ephesus was amazing, and like you, sat in the stadium and let the imagination run wild. I didn't realize how steep they were until I climbed to the top and looked down, it was a long way!
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jillzi Apr 21, 2010 at 11:54 AM

If I ever went on an organized trip, this would be a good one. Comprehensive tips about Turkey, but what makes these tips so good is the respect and joy you exhibit in your writing.
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mindcrime Mar 5, 2010 at 2:06 AM

so many informative tips with personal point of view. good job here Dee!
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Mikebb Jan 30, 2010 at 3:38 PM

Excellent information on your page. Will hel when we visit late Sept/Oct'10. Have 18 days, 3 in Istanbul by ourselves then join a tour. This trip should be "enormous".
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Trekki Jan 20, 2010 at 10:11 AM

Oh wow, I love your historic and mythological notes, especially the one about Asclepion :-)) And also your local customs, especially the one about the rug weavers. How true! And I get hungry now.... :-)