Turkey

Turkey is the cradle of cultures and civilizations that connectsEurope and Asia

this country has continued flourishing with the migration of varioustribes, and accumulated a large cultural heritage through a line ofsucceeding empires and civilizations. Many empires ranging fromthe Sumerians to the Hittites, the Lydians to the Byzantines and theSeljuks to the Ottomans have once thrived and expired n theTurkey.

Proud to possess numerous riches in every corner and territory thiscountry is blessed also with a wide range of climatic diversity. Youcan find different climate zones in different areas of Turkey which iscomprised of seven geographical regions.

From rituals on special days to family relations, Turkish society stilllargely adheres to native customs and traditions in many areas ofsocial life.

Birth, marriage, holiday celebrations, as

well as military service sendoff gatherings

are celebrated with great enthusiasm and

special preparations. Reflecting the rich

Anatolian culture, these traditions are

among the most precious heritages of the nation.

Location

Turkey is located in Anatolia and the Balkans, adjacent to the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia. It also borders the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea, between Greece and Syria. Its total land area is approximately 783,562 km2 of which 756,816 km2 are in Asia and 23,764 km2 in Europe.

CurrencyThe official currency of the Republicof Turkey is Turkish lira. The TurkishLira is divided into subunits calledkuruş. Paper currency comes in 5, 10,20, 50, 100 and 200 TL money notesand metal currency comes in 5, 10,25, and 50 kuruş and 1Lira coinmoney.

LanguageThe official language is Turkish but the most spoken foreign language is English

Turkish CuisineKebabs :Each region in Turkey has different and unique dishes varying from kebabs to vegetable meals with olive oil and soups to desserts, made with area-specific ingredients. Dishes made from a myriad of vegetables and herbs grown on these soils and animal products from grass-fed animals comprise the key components of the Turkish cuisine.

Soups: According to Turkish culture, an enjoyable meal begins with any of the diverse and nutritious soups of the Turkish cuisine. Soups made in various ways with ingredients such as meat, chicken, vegetables or cereals are determinant of the quality of the dinner table.These are made of entirely natural ingredients.The most common soups are Tarhana, Yayla, Mercimek (lentil soup), Ezo Gelin, Yuvalama, Sütlü Mısır unu (corn flour and milk soup) and Ayran Aşı (yoghurt soup)

Pilaf:Is an essential element of the Turkish cuisine, is made in various ways. Prepared also as inner mortar for other dishes, pilaf is an essential component of traditional meals.Made also with meat, chicken, fish and vegetables, the measure of delicious rice pilaf is that the grains are tender and do not stick together.

Vegetable dishes with Olive oil :these constitute the core of the Turkish cuisine and are served along the main course or enrich the table as the main dish.

Vegetable dishes with olive oil include a variety of delicacies such as sarma, dolma (stuffed vegetables), and similar vegetable dishes made of kidney beans, artichokes andblack-eyed peas

Desserts: the Turkish cuisine is globally famous for its delightful desserts. Made with natural ingredients ranging from legumes to fruits, Turkish desserts can be grouped as desserts made with milk, syrup and dough. Some of them are Baklava, kadayıf, fıstık sarma, aşure, sütlaç (rice pudding),kaymaklı künefe, kazandibi, revani willDrinks:• Çay, Turkish tea, is grown along the Black Sea coast but available

anywhere and drunk any time of the day. It is a hot drink that relaxes you and your stomach and helps digestion.

• Turkish coffee, a traditional drink made of special coffee beans and drunk in small coffee cups, is served especially at important meetings or after meals. Ayran It is a refreshing salty drink, prepared with yoghurt and water.

• Salep is a hot drink prepared with milk and served with cinnamon powder on top

• Şıra (cider), made from fermented grape juice, and şalgam suyu (turnip juice) obtained from the fermented red carrots, are traditional drinks served particularly alongside kebab dishes enriching the flavor of such type of meals.

Places to stayThere are many hotels in Turkey but the most famous are :

• Delphin Imperial Surmeli Efes Hotel

• Garden Of Sun Hotel Diamond Hill

Tourist Attractions

Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle” in Turkish, is an unreal landscape in western Turkey, famous for its white terraces. The terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water with a very high mineral content from the hot springs. People have bathed in its pools for thousands of years.

Pamukkale

Hagia Sophia Located in Istanbul, the HagiaSophia was originally a basilica constructed for the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I in the sixth century. A masterwork of Roman engineering, the massive dome (31 meters or 102 feet in diameter) covers what was for over 1000 years the largest enclosed space in the world. The church was looted by the fourth Crusaders in 1204, and became a mosque in the 15th century when The Ottomans conquered the city. The HagiaSophia was converted into a museum in 1935 and is now one of the top attractions in Turkey.

With its six minarets and sweeping architecture the Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque in Istanbul impresses from the outside. While still used as a mosque, the Blue Mosque has also become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul. It was built between 1609 and 1616 and like many other mosques contains the tomb of the founder. Inside the mosque, the high ceiling is lined with the 20,000 blue tiles with different patterns that give the mosque its popular name.

Blue Mosque

Olüdeniz

Ölüdeniz is a small village located on the south west coast on the Aegean Sea. It has a secluded sandy bay at the mouth of Ölüdeniz, on a blue lagoon. This beach is famous for its shades of turquoise and remains one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean. Ölüdeniz is also regarded as one of the best places in the world to paraglide due to its unique panoramic views.

ADVANTAGES• In turkey you can find a mixture of cultures and it

has a very rich history that includes many empires

• Its cuisine is very rich in new flavors and different combinations

• This country has a lot of museums and historical places where you can learn many thing from the past

• Its numerous natural landscapes make this place ideal to get in touch with nature

DISADVANTAGES • The way that some animals specially dogs or cats

are treated is bad, in this country dogs are seen as working animals and there are many of them in the street .

Conclusion Turkey is an amazing place full of history , new flavors and many museums and beautiful landscapes, its location allows this country to have a mixture of Asian and European culture. I would like to go there because I think it can be a magical experience and a place where you can learn a lot.

Glossary

• Adhere:Adherirse• Comprise :Comprender• Core: Núcleo• Cradle : Cuna• Dough: Masa• Flourish: florecer• Looted:Saqueado

BIBLIOGRAPHY • http://www.shelteroffshore.com/index.php/living/more/good-

and-bad-points-living-in-turkey• http://www.angelfire.com/ca/turkeytales/goodbad.html• http://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-turkey/• http://www.goturkey.com/

English ProjectMaria José Vasquez Mahecha11 BPresented to : Esther Gloria Gómez

2014