Dersimiz İngilizce

The great Pyramid

The Great Pyramids were built between 2650-2500. It is said that they were a tomb of Khufu. They are located in Giza, Egypt. The largest pyramid is 756 feet long on each side and 450 feet high. It is made up of 2,300,000 blocks, that each weigh two and a half tons. It took 20 years for 100,000 slaves to build it. It required 112 men to lift each separate block.
Men that were great thieves wanted to get the hidden treasure that was hidden in the tomb.They found a small square room called the Queen’s Chamber. It is a passageway. The Grand Gallery is another passageway to the King’s Chamber. It is 34 feet long, 17 feet wide, and 19 feet tall. After not finding the treasure, the men got angry and tried to destroy the tomb but stopped after taking out 30 feet of stone.
No one knows what happened to King Khufu and his treasure.
Some people think that it was just an observatory, but we can’t be quite sure because when people stated that, it was already over 2,000 years old. An astronomer observed a descending passageway above the Grand Gallery that could have been used for mapping the sky.
Now, except for parts of the Mausoleum and the Temple of Artemis, the Great Pyramids are the only things left standing of the 7 Ancient Wonders.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

In some stories, people say that the Hanging Gardens went hundreds of feet into the air, but through archaeological explorations people now think were probably weren’t that big. The ancient city of Babylon, which was under King Nebuchadnezzar II, must have been a wonder to a travelers. In 450 B.C., a historian named Herodotus wrote, “In addition to it’s size, Babylon surpasses any city in the known world.” Herodotus said the outer walls were 80 feet thick, 320 feet high, and 56 miles in length. He said that it was wide enough for a four-horse chariot to turn. Fortresses and temples containing immense statues of solid gold were inside the inner walls.
Above the city was the famous tower of Babel, which was a temple to the God Marduk. It looked like it reached the heavens.
Archaeological examination has found that some of Herodotus’s claims (the outer walls seem to be only 10 miles long, and not nearly as high) might not be true. But his story does tell us how cool the features of the city appeared to those who visited it.
Accounts indicate that King Nebuchadnezzar built the garden. He ruled the city for 43 years starting in 605 B.C. According to accounts, the Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzer to cheer up his homesick wife. Where she came from, there was green grass and mountainous plains. She found the dry, flat ground of Mesopotamia depressing. The King wanted to recreate her homeland.
Babylon rarely got rain and for the gardens to survive, it would have to have been irrigated by using water from the Euphrates River. People would have probably had to lift water very far into the air at each level. A chain pump was probably used to help. A chain pump is two large wheels on top of each other. Buckets are hung on a chain that connects the wheels. The bucket goes into the water then comes up and goes into a new pool.The empty buckets go back into the water to be refilled. The water at the top is then emptied through into a channel gate that is like a artificial stream to water the gardens.
Construction of the garden wasn’t only complicated by getting water to the top, but also by having to avoid having the water wreck the foundation once it was released. Stone was difficult to get in Mesopotamian. Most of the buildings in Babel used brick.

The Temple of Zeus

The Olympic Games were made in honor of the God Zeus. They were held in the shrine to Zeus located near the west edge of Greece in a city called Peloponnesus. The statue was simple at first, but as the games became more popular everyone could tell that they would need a new, larger temple that was worthy to the king of the Gods. Between 470 B.C. and 460 B.C. a new temple was started. The maker was Libon of Elis and the masterpiece he created, The Temple of Zeus, was finished in 456 B.C. It was built on a raised rectangular platform. The sides were supported by 13 large columns and six on each end.
Though the temple was considered great, many thought that it wasn’t good enough for the King of Gods.
Inside they placed a statue of Zeus, created of ivory and gold over wooden frame. The statue was 22 feet by 40 feet tall. Zeus, placed on a throne, almost touched the ceiling.
None but a few pieces of the statue remain today. They are on display at a museum.
So with everything that I have talked about, the magnificence of the temple was so great it became a landmark, therefore making it so magnificent that it became what it is known to us as one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Colossus of Rhodes

It is sometimes called “Modern Colossus,” but more often called the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is somewhat like Colossus. Both were built as a celebration of freedom.
Originally, Colossus stood over 2,000 years ago at the Islands of Rhodes. It is located off of the southwestern tip is Asia Minor, where the Agean Sea meets the Mediterranean Sea. The capitol city, Rhodes, was built in 408 B.C.
In 357 B.C the island which was conquered by Mausolus of Halicarnassus (one of the other seven wonders) fell to the Persians in 340 B.C. and was finally captured by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.
The Statue of Liberty, which is the same size as Colossus, weighs 225 tons! Colossus weighed a little more. Inside the statue were several stone columns, which acted as the main supports.
In the 7th century (A.D.) the Arabs conquered Rhodes and broke up Colossus, and sold it as scrap metal. It took 900 camels to take away the statue. It was a sad ending for what was a majestic work of art.
When Alexander died at an early age people could not decide who would reign. Three people: Ptolemy, Seleucus, and Antigous divided the kingdom between themselves. Antigous sent his son Semetrious to capture and punish Rhodes. The war was very long and painful. The city was protected by a strong wall. The attackers were forced to use siege towers and try to climb over it. Diameters had a second tower built. The second tower stood 150 feet high and 70 feet square at the base. It carried water tanks that were used to fight fires. The tower was mounted on iron wheels, and could be rolled. When Demetrious attacked the city, defenders stopped the machine by flooding a ditch outside the wall and moving the heavy machine in the mud.
To celebrate their freedom, the Rhodians built a giant statue of their patriot God Helious. Colossus was a Latin word, meaning any statue that is larger than life size.
They spelled it “Colossos” but then changed it to “Colossus.” Colossus was built in 304 B.C. and it took twelve years to build it. The statue was 110 feet high and stood on the pedestal. Colossus was posed in a traditional Greek manner: nude, wearing a spiky crown, with his eyes shaded from the bright sun with his right hand while holding a cloak over his left hand.
Colossus stood shining in the sun for 56 years. Sadly, an earthquake hit Rhodes, and the statue collapsed. Huge pieces lay in the harbor for a long time. An Egyptian king decided to pay for reconstruction, but the people of Rhodes refused. They had feared that somehow, they had offended Helious who had used the earthquake to tear it down. Out of all of the wonders, Colossus was the one that stood the least amount of time. It stood for only 56 years, but in brief time won fame throughout the entire civilized world.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria

Alexander the Great had seventeen cities named after him. Most of them are no longer around except for Alexandria, Egypt. This city is where the Lighthouse of Alexandria stood. Alexander died in 323 B. C. The city was completed by Ptolemy Soter, the new ruler of Egypt. The city soon became rich. The city needed a symbol and a mechanism to guide the trade ships into its harbor. Ptolemy started building the lighthouse in 290 B.C. It was completed 20 years later and was the first lighthouse of the world. It was also the tallest building with the exception of the Great Pyramid.
A man named Sostrates of Knidos designed the lighthouse. He thought it needed to have his name carved in the foundation. But Ptollemy II, who ruled after his father, refused and wanted his own name carved in. Sostrates, being a clever man, had this inscription put on the lighthouse: SOSTRATES SON OF DEXIPHANES OF KNIDOS ON BEHALF OF ALL MARINERS TO THE SAVIOR GODS. Then he covered it with plaster. Then they put Ptolemy’s name into the plaster. As years passed, the plaster chipped away, leaving Sostrates declaration.
The lighthouse was built on the island of Pharos. ‘Pharos’ became the word ‘lighthouse’ in French, Italian, Spanish, and Romanian languages.
In the 10th century A.D., the lighthouse stood about 300 cubits high. That means that the lighthouse stood between 450 to 600 feet high. Wow!
This lighthouse was designed differently than modern lighthouses. It was more like a 20th century sky scraper. There were three stages which were piled on top of each other. The lowest level was about 200 feet square and was shaped like a huge box. The blocks on which the lighthouse was built were marble. There was a staircase in the lighthouse that led the keepers to the beacon chamber. In there, was a curved mirror. It was used to project a fire’s light into a beam. Ships could detect the beam from the tower at night or the smoke from it could be seen during the day from up to 100 miles away.
I bet you’re wondering what happened to the world’s first lighthouse. Most accounts say that, like other ancient buildings, it was probably the victim of an earthquake. It stood for 1,500 years but was damaged by tremors in 365 and 1303 A.D. The final collapse came in 1326.

The Temple of Artemis

The Temple of Artemis was one of Seven of the Wonders of the ancient world. It was so big that it took 120 years to make the temple. It’s hard to believe but it was one of the largest temples built in the ancient times.
The temple was built in 550 B.C. It’s foundation measured at 377 by 40 feet. It stood in the Greek city of Aphasias, on the west coast which we all know as Turkey. The whole temple was entirely marble except for its tile covered wooden roof. It was built as a dedication to the Greek Goddess Artemis.
The architects who made this temple were known as Chersiphron and his son Metagenes.
This temple didn’t last long. In 550 B.C. King Cruesus of Lydia conquered Ephesus and other Greek cites of Asia Minor. During the fight, the temple was destroyed. Another temple was built in place of the first one.Then a man named Croesus Ephesian wanted to have his name in history. He managed to do exactly this by burning the temple to ashes. The citizens of Ephesus were so appalled that they said anyone who spoke of Herostratus would be put to death.
The temple also held many works of art. Four bronze statues of Amazon women are held in the Temple of Artemis. The length of this temple was 425 feet and the width was 225 feet. It has a sum of 127 columns, 60 feet in height that supported the roof.
Today the site of this temple is a marshy field. A single column has been erected to remind visitors that there once stood a Wonder of the Ancient World.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

In 377 B.C the city of Halicarnassus was the capitol of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor in Turkey. It was that year that Hecatomnus of Mylasa, died and left control of his kingdom to his son Mausolus. Mausolus in his life extended the territory even further so that it finally included most of Asia Minor. Mausolus, with his queen Artimisia, ruled over Halicarnassus and the surrounding territory for 24 years. Mausolus, though he was descending from the local people, spoke Greek and admired the Greek government and their ways of life. He founded many cities of Greek design along the coast and encouraged Greek democratic traditions.
Then in 353 B.C, Mausolus died, leaving Artimisia brokenhearted. As a tribute to him, she decided to build him a splendid tomb. It became a structure so famous that Mausolus’s name is now associated with all tombs throughout our modern world – “mausoleum.” The building was so beautiful and unique it became one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the world!
Artemisia then decided that no money was to be spared on this wondrous tomb. She sent messengers to Greece to find the most talented artist of their time. The man who supervised the building of the temple was Scopas. Other famous artists who
helped were, Braxis, Leochares, and Timotheus joined him as well as several hundred others. The tomb was built on a hill overlooking the city. The whole structure sat in an enclosed courtyard. At the center of the courtyard was a stone platform on which the tomb sat. The staircase was flanked by stone lions to the top of the platform. Along the outer wall of the temple there were many statues of gods and goddesses. At each corner were statues of warriors mounted on horseback, guarding the tomb.
At the center of the platform was the tomb itself. Made mostly of marble, it formed a square block which tapered to about 1/3 of the size of the mausoleums 140 foot height. This section was covered with relief sculptures showing action scenes from Greek
myth/history. One statue showed the Greeks in combat with the Amazons, a race of the Warrior Women.
On top of this section of the tomb were 36 slim columns, nine per side, that rose another 1/3 of the height. Standing between each column was another statue. Behind the columns was a solid block that carried the weight of the tombs ceiling. The ceiling, which made up most of the final 1/3 of the height, was in the form of a stepped pyramid. Perched on top was the tomb’s most important work of art. There were four massive horses pulling a chariot in which images of Mausolus and his queen Artimisia rode.
Soon after construction of the tomb started, Artimisia found herself in crisis.
Rhodes (an island in the Aegean sea) had been conquered by Mausolus and when they heard of Mausolus’s death the Rhodians sent a fleet of ships to capture the city of Halicarnassus. Artimisia knew the Rhodians plan and she hid a fleet of her own ships at a secret location on the east end of the city’s harbor. After the troops from Rhodes got off the ship to attack, Artimisia’s fleet made a surprise raid, and captured the Rhodians fleet and towed them out to sea.
Artimisia put her own soldiers on the invading ship and sent it back to Rhodes . Fooled into thinking it was their own ship, the Rhodians where tricked into thinking the ship was coming back from Halicarnassus with victory. Surprisingly the soldiers on the ship where people from Halicarnassus and the Rhodians didn’t put up defenses against the soldiers from Halicarnassus.
So Rhodes was easily captured again.
Artimisia lived only two years longer than Mausolus, both would be buried in the finished temple . According to the historian Pliny, the craftsman decided to stay and finish the tomb even after their leaders’ deaths.
The tomb overlooked the city for many centuries, and was untouched until about 1404 A.D. It was ruined from a series of earthquakes. All that could be recognized as the Mausoleum was the large stone base.
Crusaders used the left over parts of the tomb to finish their castle.
One night a party of knights entered the tomb and found a huge coffin. It was too late to open it so they came back the next day to take any treasures that were there. The next day they were surprised to see the bodies missing. So the knights blamed the incident on the Moslem Village.
Today most of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus can be seen in the mausoleum room at the British Museum. There, the images of Mausolus and Artimisia watch over the beautiful tomb Artimisia built for Mausolus

İzmir/Selçuk/Şirince

The village of Sirince referred in ancient sources as the “Ephesus on the Mountain” suggests long established settlement. Although there seems to be no concrete indication of how it came onto the stage of history, the dominant theory is that a small group of people resettled on the mountain, following the fall of the city of Ephesus and its harbour being moved to Kusadası (Scala Nova). The people might have preferred to move and settle in the mountains due to problems caused by the silting and the flooding of the river Meander.
It is told in the village today that this new village on the mountain was called Cirkince, meaning “rather ugly”, with the intention of drawing less attention and interest of outsiders, thus ensuring security. One of the principal anecdote abput naming of the village tells that a group of Byzantine Greeks who were freed from the dominion of Aydınogulları and sent away for re-settlement, were asked by the neighbouring villagers whether the new place they had settled was nice or not. The answer was “rather ugly”.

The oldest building in Sirince is from theHellenistic period, initially built as a tower initially, and most probably left from the Lysimakhos era corresponding to the time when the city of Ephesus was established. It was part of an early warning system built in the Klasseas Valley which was of strategic military importance. The building has had some alterations during the Byzantine period and is locally thought to have been a monastery.
A ceramic seal with the name of Georgeos used to brand bread in a bakery was found in a peach garden indicating the existence of a community life in the region in the Byzantine period.
The oldest travel notes about Kirkica are in the book of memories called “A Visit to Turkey and Return to Britain”, written by a scholar priest Edmund D. Chishull , who lived in Izmir during 1698-1702. Leaving Tire, Chishull reached the ancient city of Ephesus on April 30,1699. As the book reveals, the place to stay for the night around Ephesus is the village of Kirkidje. Chishull and his guide arrived in the village at around eight o’clock in the evening tracing along the Klassen Valley in the east of Ayasuluk hill. Let’s now listen to Chishull’s words:
“ … Accompanied by our guide and on horseback, we went along a river with small springs, a long but pleasant journey of about an hour and a half, riding between the two hills below the Ephesus fortress and accompanied by the cooling shadows of myrtles, oleanders, Judas trees, Scots brooms, lilacs and others.”
Spending the night in the tents of the muleteers, they visited the village on the next day, on May 1st. Chishull states that all the inhabitants were Christian.
“ … The village priest wanted to show us the supposedly hand-written pages of the Bible. It was a Bible believed to have been written by Prochorus who was one of the seven assistant priests mentioned in the book called “The Achievements of the Apostles”. We examined it and found out that it was either a copy of the Bible or a prayer book from the 6th or 7th centuries.”
It is recorded that Chishull and the group left Kirkinca village for Ephesus the same day in the afternoon.
Kirkinca was a village of 1800 households of Byzantine Greeks during the Ottoman reign in the 19th century.

World War I started in 1914 with all its violence in Anatolia. The Ottoman government registers the young Byzantine Greeks of the Kirkica Village to join the Worksmen Battalion. However, those running away from the battalion either go to he mountains to live as a gang of brigands or took refuge in Greece to boycott. Those who could survive the war return to their village when the war ends. Dido Sotiriyu reflects about those years in her novel called “Farewell Anatolıa” writing:
“ The Germans had left behind their munitions stores in the ancient Ephesus. The Turkish gendarme appointed by the Mondros Armistice to hand them over to the allies had run away. Following the night fall, the villagers of Kirkinca carried all the weapons and explosive materials to the village pacing the roads of Ephesus. It was then that they felt independent. Hunchbacks immediately became straight.”

On May 15, 1919 the Greek army occupying İzmir was welcomed with excitement in the village of Kirkica. Identifying themselves as Greek, the young people of Kirkica, Urla, Bornova and Kusadasi volunteered to join the independent regiments headed by Greek officers. The Sevr Agreement signed on 10 August 1920 encouraged these young people with the hope to share the eastern Anatolia with the allies.However, the success of the Great Assault ending the Turkish Independence War, and the rescuing of İzmir from the Greek occupation on 9 September 1922, caused the Byzantine Greek villagers of the region to migrate to Greece. Kirkica then turned into a deserted village like the others, with a few elderly inhabitants left behind.
In 1924, a Population Exchange Agreement was signed between Turkish and Greek governments. Thus,the post-war Kirkica was revitalized with Turkish newcomers from Salonika, Kavala and Provusta. The words of Kazim Dirik Pasha, the governor of İzmir at the time, about the name of the village are still quoted in the region. During the first years of the Turkish Republic, he visited the village and suggested changing its name from Cirkince -meaning “rather ugly” to Sirince –meaning “charming”, saying “such a nice place should not be called “ugly”, but could only be called “pretty”.

Natural environment
Sirince stands at the end of the valley which goes along the Çirkince mountain-pass from Selçuk to the east. The river flowing in the valley was called Klasseas in antiquity. The mountains in the north are called Elemen. Selahattin Mountain is the current name given to the hills stretching to the east. Beylik Hill, 508 meters in height, is to the west of Şirince, overlooking the sea and the Selcuk plain.
The hills around Sirince are covered with pine trees and on the rocky cliffs with scrub. Marshmallows with violet flowers are the most striking plants on the climb to Şirince. The town is surrounded by olive groves, tangerine and fig gardens, and vineyards.

Antalya

Antalya is a holiday paradise in a lovely natural setting. The pine-clad Toros Mountains sweep down to the crystal clear sea forming an irregular coastline of rocky headlands and secluded caves.

The region is bathed in sunshine for 300 days of the year and is thus perfect for a lazy holiday of sunbathing and swimming, or for sporting activities such as windsurfing, water-skiing, sailing, mountain climbing, hunting and spelunking. Those who vacation in March and April can ski in the mornings and in the afternoons swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean. The coast is lined with magnificent beaches lapped by clear blue waters, and surrounded by pine forests, olive and citrus groves, palm trees, avocado trees and banana plantations. Important historical sites await discovery in these marvellous surroundings, which are home to a rich variety of plant and wildlife, and which are now protected as a conservation area. Holidaymakers will find everything here they can imagine for a perfect vocation.

The Turkish Riviera is the tourist capitol of Turkey. With its wide ranging accomadition, from tourist class to deluxe hotels, the hospitable people of Antalya are always ready to welcome you.

The principal holiday resort of the Mediterranean is the lovely region of Antalya with a majestic coastline of beaches and rocky coves where the towering Toros (Taurus) Mountains provide a magnificent backdrop. Antalya is an attractive city, at an altitude of only about 50 metres, with shady, palm-lined boulevards, a prize-winning marina and a picturesque old quarter called Kaleici which has narrow, winding streets and quaint, old, wooden houses next to the city walls. Since its founding in the 2nd century B.C. by Attalus II, a king of Pergamon who named the city Attaleia after himself, it has had a continuous history. The Romans, Byzantines and Seljuks occupied the city before it came under Ottoman rule.

PLACES OF INTEREST IN THE CITY

MUSEUMS

Archaeology Museum: With remains from the Paleolithic Age to Ottoman Times, this is one of the most important museums in the Mediterranean region. (Open daily except Mondays.)
Ataturk Museum: This museum displays objects used by Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic. (Open daily except Mondays.)
Suna-Inan Kirac Museum: This museum is connected to the Research Institute for Mediterranean Cultures.

HISTORICAL SITES AND MONUMENTS

Ancient City Walls: Since its founding in the 2nd century B.C., Antalya has had a continuous history. The ancient walls flank the city and other sections of the walls are still standing near the marina.
Clock Tower: Situated by the ancient city walls, it was part of the old city fortifications in the Kalekapisi Square.
Hadrian’s Gate: The beautifully decorated, three-arched gate was built in honour of Hadrian when he visited the city in 130 A.D.
Hidirlik Tower: This tower was probably first built as a lighthouse in the 2nd century.
Karatay Medrese: This theological school dates from the 13th century and is situated in the Kaleici neighbourhood. The stone carvings on the portal and mihrap (prayer niche) are fine examples of Seljuk art.
Ataturk Monuments: One of the largest and most interesting monuments is located in Cumhuriyet Square within the city centre. The other one is in the center of Vatan Square.
Kaleici Quarter: This quaint area surrounding the Kaleici Marina is full of small hotels, pensions and restaurants as well as restored houses that all help to create the atmosphere for which the city is famous.

PARKS AND NATURAL BEAUTY

Karaalioglu: A magnificient view of Antalya awaits visitors here with colourful exotic flowers, vivid in the sunlight with the shimmering water of the bay and the mountains in the background.
Mermerli: Situated just above the marina at the southeast comer of the Kaleici district, this park is the best place for relaxation with a wonderful view of the mountains.
Ataturk: This park also has a wonderful view of the city, displaying gorgeous flowers and an incredible scenic view.
Genclik: Situated on a peninsula, en route to Lara Beach you can see Duden Waterfalls from this vantage point, a most breathtaking view of the falls as they cascade into the sea.
Yavuz Ozcan: A peaceful respite within Antalya’s city centre. This park is delightful with its pools, miniature waterfalls and beautiful fountains which display colourful lights in the evening.
Recep Bilgin: This park, located not far from Yavuz Ozcan Park is situated within the city center and is worth a visit to see its architectural design.
Konyaalti Woods: Situated behind Konyaalti Beach, this park provides a nice, shady, cool place for rest and relaxation outside the city.
The Upper Duden Waterfalls, 14 km to the northeast, are unique because you can walk behind the cascade. On the way to Lara Beach, 10 km to the east, are the Lower Duden Waterfalls that plunge straight into the sea. The nearby rest area offers an excellent view of the falls but the view is most spectacular from the sea. Kursunlu Waterfalls and Nilufer Lake, both 18 km from Antalya, are two more places where nature displays her beauty.

BEACHES

Lara: This sandy beach is about 12 km to the east of Antalya city centre.
Adalar: Situated on the lower side of Karaalioglu Park, there are steps leading down to the beach which consists of little rocky islands. Beach facilities are available.
Mermerli: Situated near the Antalya Marina in the Kaleici district and located adjacent to Mermerli Park.
Konyaalti: This long, pebbled beach lies west of Antalya, where a breathtaking view of the mountains can clearly be seen.
Topcam: This beautiful beach is situated at Olympos National Park, across from Sican Island.

ART, CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT

Antalya is full of exciting cultural activities and entertainment possibilities. The annual Altin Portakal Film and Art Festival held in the autumn and Antalya’s annual jewellery festival are just a few of the many events available. Antalya’s Fine Arts Gallery offers performance exhibitions. The Aspendos Open Air Theater is a wonderful place to see international opera, ballet and symphony orchestras. Every year special classical performances are held here as well as performances by the most popular Turkish enter- tainers. For evening entertainment, Antalya’s Kaleici Marina and Leisure Centre is the best place in the city with many beautiful restaurants, cafes, bars, parks and discos in this area. Near Setur Marina, dining is available on floating seafood restaurants in an unpretentious and nautical atmosphere. For a pano- ramic view of the area there is a holiday complex and revolving restaurant, 15 km from Antalya, on top of Tunektepe Hill. One can also have a good time at the two water recreation parks Aqualand and Aquapark near the Culture Park.
A Culture, Exhibition and Congress Center was opened in 1996 in the Konyaalti Quarter. The Congress hall itself is in a glass pyramid.

SHOPPING

Some of the best shopping may be found in the Kaleici district, near the city walls. Meander down through the side streets in the old quarters where it’s possible to find anything your heart desires. Old Turkish kilims, original gold jewellery, leather products, natural cotton clothing, handmade wood items as well as traditional Turkish handicrafts abound here. Ataturk, Cumhuriyet and Isiklar are the three other shopping avenues. Don’t miss the colourful open air vegetable and fruit market, the place for food shopping as well as a great place for capturing that perfect picture.

MARINAS

The Turban Kaleici Marina has won several awards and is considered one of the loveliest marinas in Turkey with an extraordinary blend of ancient and modern environmental design together with numerous shrubs, trees and exotic flowers. A peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle is Setur Marina located 10 km west of Antalya, offering all types of yacht services.

Aphrodisias

The ancient city of Aphrodisias, dedicated to the goddess of love Aphrodite, was a Hellenistic city which also flourished under Roman and Byzantine rule. Excavations in the 24-meter-high (78 ft) theater hill have revealed layers of settlement going back to the Bronze Age (c. 2800-2200 BC). It was founded in the 5th c. BC and flourished under the Roman Empire (1st c. BC-4th c. AD). Mark Antony recognized the autonomy of Aphrodisias in the 1st c. BC. In the Byzantine period it was first the seat of an archbishopric, then of the metropolitan of Caria. In the 6th c. AD the name of Aphrodisias was changed to Stavropolis, the city of the Cross, to erase the pagan goddess of love from peopleís minds. As the capital of Caria Aphrodisias was finally called Caria which then became Geyre in Turkish. Later in the 13th century it was abandoned. The city was buried by a series of earthquakes.

Temple of AphroditeAphrodisias was primarily known as a center for the arts, specifically sculpture. The Aphrodisias School of Sculpture had a distinctive style and was very well circulated throughout the Greek and Roman world. Statues with corresponding signatures were discovered from Spain to present day Germany and virtually everywhere in the Roman world. The existence of Aphrodisias was almost forgotten until a Turkish professor, Dr. Kenan Erim, of New York University received a grant from National Geographic to excavate the site in the 1960ís. His archaeological work revealed a city of vast importance.

a view of TetrapylonThe ruins are numerous and well preserved. A two mile long Byzantine wall still surrounds the city. The Temple of Aphrodite, eventually converted to a Christian basilica, is excellently preserved. The Tetrapylon, the gate which was leading people to their great temple, was re-erected by Kenan Erim, where he’s buried in front of it with a special permission of the Government after his death. The Baths of Hadrian are still partially standing. The theatre and the stadium are one of the best preserved in all eastern Mediterranean. The nearby museum contains many beautiful statues and portrait sculpture.

Aphrodisias today is only 1.5 hrs driving from Pamukkale in the Aegean region of Turkey. Nearby and along the road there are several small restaurants where you can taste local dishes prepared especially with home made olive oil.

PRIENE

The ancient harbor city of Priene probably changed its location when the silt of the Meander River threatened to bury it. Now it is nearly 16 km / 10 mi from the sea. The original place of the city has never been found but it was probably a peninsula with two harbors. Priene was laid out on a Hippodamian system of grid plan at the foot of a spectacular cliff on Mount Mycale and contained many famous examples of Hellenistic art and architecture. All the streets intersect at right angles. Remaining small with about 4 or 5 thousand inhabitants and never of great political significance it shared the same history as the other Ionian cities.

History of Priene

It was founded on the Ionian coast by the inhabitants of an abandoned Ionian city of the same name in c.350 BC. It participated in the Battle of Lade with 12 ships in 494 BC. Alexander the Great assigned the city to watch the unreliable city of Miletus. He also lived in the city and paid for the construction of the Athena Temple. After flourishing during the Hellenistic and passing through the Pergamene Kingdom periods the city declined under Roman rule and was later abandoned. Excavation began at the site in the early years of the 20C and the city has been partially restored.

The Site

The city is organized in four districts, the religious (Athena Temple), the political (bouleterion and prytaneion), the cultural (Theater) and the commercial (agora). In addition to the Athena Temple, the people of Priene built shrines dedicated to Zeus, Demeter and Egyptian gods.

The Theater is a 4 or 3C BC building and one of the finest extant theaters of the Hellenistic world. Although it was rebuilt in the Roman period it still remains as typically Hellenistic as the city of Priene itself. The theater was carved into the hillside and held a capacity of 5,000 people. Five marble seats with arms were provided for priests and dignitaries. In the middle of the prohedria there was an altar which was sacred to Dionysus. Performances used to start with sacrificial rites. The proskene is well-preserved and consists of a colonnade supported with 12 Doric half-columns. The skene had an upper floor which no longer stands.

The Bouleterion is the most intact in Anatolia today. It was used for meetings of the town council. The bouleterion consisted of seats on three sides with a capacity of 640 people, and was covered with a wide wooden roof. The sacrificial altar was placed in the middle of the arc of seats.

The Prytaneion is located to the east of the bouleterion. It was the seat of the elected city administration and housed official receptions. Rooms were set around the courtyard. The shrine of Hestia was in an inner chamber where the eternal sacred flame was burned.

The Temple of Athena Polias was rebuilt in 334 BC as a gift from Alexander the Great and was a standard Ionic structure with eleven columns along its sides, six at the ends and two in antis. Athena Polias was the goddess of Priene and protectress of the city. The proportions of this temple were taken as a classical model or pattern by the Roman architect Vitruvius. The architect of the Athena Temple was Pytheos who also built the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

MILETUS

Miletus, an ancient city located near the present Akkoy at the mouth of the Buyuk Menderes (Meander) River, owed its importance to its position on trade routes. It was one of the largest cities in Anatolia with a population of between 80,000 and 100,000. Highly prosperous, it founded many colonies and was the home of the 6C BC philosophers Anaximander, Anaximenes, and Thales, the town planner Hippodamus and architect Isidorus. Miletus seems to have produced geniuses the way Aphrodisias produced sculptors.

History of Miletus

According to legend, the city was founded by Neleus, son of King Codrus of Athens. Neleus came to settle with his men and killed the resident males compelling the women to marry the newcomers. After this took place the women swore not to sit at the same table with their husbands and also not to call them by their names.

In the 11C BC Ionians came to Miletus, and by the 7C BC Miletus was at its peak which was to last for more than two centuries. With other cities of Ionia in 499 BC, Miletus rebelled against the Persians, who had captured, burned it to the ground and enslaved its surviving population. This last battle was that of Lade in 494 BC, just outside the harbor of Miletus where the Persian fleet of 600 warships defeated the Ionian force. The destruction was so bad that when the play of Phrynichus, The Capture of Miletus was performed in Athens, as Herodotus reported, “the whole theater burst into tears, and the people sentenced the playwright to pay a fine”. The role of Miletus was significant in the defeat of the Persians at the Mycale battle in 479 BC. Shortly after the battle, Miletus joined the Delian Confederacy with a contribution larger than that of Ephesus. Upon an agreement between the Persian Satrap and Athens, Miletus and other Ionian cities of Anatolia came under the rule of the Persians again. At the end of the 5C BC Miletus was ruled by the Carian satraps.

Captured by Alexander the Great after a siege in 334 BC and ruled by the Seleucid Dynasty in the following years, Miletus remained an important trade center into Roman times.

St. Paul stopped there in 57 AD on his way back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey. In Miletus Paul sent word to his friends in Ephesus to join him, and after speaking with them for the last time he bade them an emotional farewell, boarded his ship in Miletus and sailed off via Cos and Rhodes to Patara.

The Roman period was followed by Byzantine and Turkish periods.

The Site

Miletus was a major port city located on a peninsula with four harbors. With the silting of the Buyuk Menderes (Meander) River the ruins of the ancient city today are a few kilometers away from the sea.

The city had a grid plan which was developed by Hippodamus when it was rebuilt in the 5C BC after the Persians had sacked it.

The Theater was a small Hellenistic theater with a seating capacity of 5,300, but in the beginning of the 2C AD it was modified to a Roman theater and held about 15,000 people. The lower section was built onto a natural hillside, and the upper is supported by vaulted substructures up to a height of 40 m / 131 ft. The facade facing the harbor is 140 m / 460 ft long. During the Roman period the stage building had three stories and was 34 m / 111 ft wide. In front of the stage building it is still possible to see pieces depicting hunting scenes of Eros.

At the top of the theater hill was a Byzantine fortress which is thought to have been built mostly with the stones of the theater in the 7C AD but restored later by the Seljuks. Harbor monuments stood in front of the Lions� Harbor. There were two of them; different in size but similar in style. The large piece was 7.5 m / 25 ft high, mounted on a three-cornered base built on a round foundation with a diameter of 11 m / 36 ft. The smaller one was only 5.3 m / 17.5 ft.

The Delphinium was a Hellenistic open air shrine surrounded by stoas on four sides with a 6C BC altar in the center. Together with Apollo, the dolphin was sacred for the Milesians as they believed that when the first settlers sailed they were guided by god in the form of a dolphin. The annual festival and celebrations of Didyma were started here. An Ionic Stoa lay parallel to the processional road on the south of the Delphinium. It is a 1C AD structure which had 35 Ionic columns and 19 shops behind the columns.

The Bouleterion was a 2C BC building which consisted of a propylon, a courtyard and an auditorium. The propylon had three Corinthian columns and friezes depicting war scenes. It opened into a courtyard with a monumental tomb in the middle. There were four gates that opened into the main hall. The auditorium seated 1,500 people and had a wooden roof. The Nymphaeum was first built in the 2C AD and rebuilt in the following century. It faced the bouleterion across the processional road and had three stories with statues of gods placed in niches and water spouting from the mouths of bronze fish.

The South Agora lay behind the bouleterion. It was a Hellenistic structure which was later remodeled in the Roman period. Today the North Gate is unfortunately another of the gems from Anatolia currently housed in the Pergamum Museum in Berlin. The South Gate was 180 m by 150 m (196 yards by 164 yards) and destroyed during the construction of Ilyas Bey mosque.

The Temple of Serapis lay between the south agora and the Faustina baths. It consisted of a pronaos and a naos with Corinthian columns and a relief of Serapis on the pediment. The temple was a 3C BC building which was rebuilt in the 3C AD with a donation by Emperor Julius Aurelius.

The Baths of Faustina were 2C AD Roman baths which were built by Faustina, Marcus Aurelius�s wife who usually accompanied her husband on his journeys through the Empire. The frigidarium had a reclining statue of the river god probably personifying the Meander River.

Ilyas Bey Camisi (The Ilyas Bey Mosque) was part of a complex which consisted of a mosque, medrese, cemetery and an imaret. It was built in the early 15C by Ilyas Bey, the regional Ottoman military commander. The dome of the mosque was made of bricks. At the entrance are three arched partitions separated by two columns. The entrance is through the center arch. The mosque was destroyed in 1955.

The Caravansary is a 15C building built by the Mentese Principality which had a lower floor for animals and an upper for people.

DIDYMA

The word Didyma meant “twins” and was associated by some as being the meeting place of Zeus and Leto to have their twins Apollo and Artemis.

Didyma was famed as a prophecy center dedicated to Apollo which served a similar purpose as the Delphi of Anatolia. It was not a city but a sanctuary linked to Miletus by Milesians with a 19 km / 12 mi sacred road. However, this road may not have been constructed until the end of the 1C AD. In addition to pilgrimages made by sea, some festivals of drama, music and sports were held there every four years.

Apollo Temple

Even though it is thought that there was a shrine there before the Ionians came in the 10C BC, a temple at the same site was built in the 6C BC, and later destroyed by the Persians in 494 BC. In the 4C BC Milesians started to rebuild the temple but could not complete it because of financial problems. In the 1C and 4C AD Roman emperors tried but could not complete the construction either. Later in the Byzantine period Theodosius II had a church built in the open air courtyard which was destroyed by an earthquake in the 15C AD. Even in its unfinished state the Apollo Temple was regarded as one of the largest temples of the Hellenistic world, comparable to the Artemis Temple in Ephesus or the Heraion at Samos.

The temple was 110 m / 360 ft long and 51 m / 167 ft wide with a height of 24 m / 78 ft. It is a dipteros in Ionic order with 120 columns 108 of them surrounding the building by a double row and 12 in the pronaos. As George Bean points out in Aegean Turkey, the Apollo Temple “serves as a reminder that vastness in architecture was not purely a monopoly of the Romans”. It was an unusual temple, not only because of its huge size but also for its antechamber with two Corinthian columns and two tunnels that led into the cella. The antechamber which was also termed as Cresmographeion probably served as an oracle office where prophecies were written out and delivered to people. In the middle of the temple there is an open air courtyard (adyton) with another Ionic shrine which housed the cult statue of Apollo. There were a few hot springs where the priestess of Didyma immersed her feet or inhaled the water�s vapors for inspiration before prophesying.

The huge Medusa relief standing next to the temple is a 2C AD piece which has fallen off the frieze. A little further stand the remains of an altar and a well. Before asking for a prophesy from the priests in the pronaos, people purified themselves with water from the well and gave votive offerings in the altar.

Serif Yenen
turkishodyssey.com

and I recommend you to have look Şerif Yenen’s book, Turkish Odyssey.this book informs about culture,history etc. of Turkey.

Bolu is on the western black sea region of Turkey.Bolu is called 14th. Century by Turks.Bolu is famaus with green forests,love singing rivers,living lakes,natural cold spring water resourceses and ski centers.

Bolu connects Ankara to İstanbul.It’s 190km.from Ankara and 260km. from İstanbul.The forests cover 55% of all surface area of Bolu.The climate features of Bolu are usually of the black sea .The area of Bolu is 8458 km² ,The population is 280,000.

NATURAL BEAUTIES

LAKES

YEDİGÖLLER:
This national park is on the 42 km. nort of BOLU.There are seven lakes in there.All of lakes are in different sizes.The ministry of forests took under protection as a national park in 1968. There are a lot kinds of trees in there for example; pines,lindens,oaks.The wild animals here are bears,wolfs,foxes.Sportive fishing is another enjoying facility of Yedigöller.Only you can go by your private car.

ABANT:
This lake is 34 km. far from Bolu.There are two luxurious hotels in here.It is very wide and the underground water resources feed the lake.Adding that;people can fish,camp,picnic and ride horse.

GÖLCÜK:
This lake is 13 km. to the South of Bolu .It is on the road of Seben.The lake around covered with pines and firs.The ministry of forest owns a nice building.People go there all seasons.

SÜNNET LAKE:
This lake is on the 24km east of Göynük.There are a lot of trouts in the lake .In addiction,picnic, sportive fishing,trekking,camping are some activities in fresh air in there.

GÖLKÖY BARRAGE LAKE :
THis lake is 8 km. west of Bolu .All around the lake is sorrounded with forests.There are fishing ,sporting and picnic oppurtinies.

PLATEAUS

ALADAĞ PLATEAUS:
It is between the forest areas on the mountains slopes of the South of Bolu.Good for picnic and camping sites.A lake Aladağ scouts camping exists in there.Aladağ Lake is ideal lake for sportive fishing .The main plateaus group are;değirmenözü,gölcük,saraycı k,üstyaka,at,sarıala n plateaus.Also there are a lot of plateauos in Bolu’s counties.

SEBEN PLATEAUS:
They have an average altitude of 1400mt.Some of the most important plateau is Kızık plateau. Kızık plateau differs with it’s nicely built houses.They are built using no nails but only pine trees by putting them on each other.

WINTER TOURISM

KARTALKAYA:
If you turn rigth to South from the junction10km.on the D-100 way to Ankara from Bolu city center.It is 28 km from the junction.It’s height is 2000 mt.There are 13 pists,30km and 15 lifts.Winter sporting activies go on between december and april in there.

ESENTEPE:
It is North of Gerede county with an altitude of 1300mt.It has wonderful panoramas.You can skin in winter and ski on grass in summer.Atatürk called ‘’Esentepe ‘’ because this place always windy.

HEALTHBATHING TOURISM

BOLU HOTSPRING
This hotsprings baths are in Karacasu 5km.They are on environment is completely covered with forests.A good resorts for holiday.These water hotspring bath are good for some illnesses,diseases like hearth ,skin and rheumatism diseases.This bath’s history feeds back to the Byzantium ages.It has a 45 degrees celcius hot water.There is a three star hotel .They were built beneath the historical baths.The big and the little hot spring baths can not be used unisex,but in turns for each sexes.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL VALUES

BIG MOSQUE:
This mosque is in the city center of Bolu.The mosque was built by Yıldırım Bayezıt in 1382.In the year 1899 the mosque burnt down and the building was repaired to it’s present condition. In the year 1944 earthquake, this mosque be demolished and ottoman’s sovereigh built quickly and now, It has double minarets,single dome and wonderful ornemental decoration showing the very best example of the historical arts.

MUDURNU YILDIRIM BAYEZID MOSQUE:
In The year 789, Yılırım Bayezıd built this mosque, medresseh and turkish bath in Mudurnu. These complex in city centre. These mosque built by ottoman architecture.

AKŞEMSETTİN TOMB:
The tomb of Akşemsettin in Göynük.He was the tutor of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Great Ottoman Emperor.Build in the courdyard of Gazi Süleyman Paşa Mosque with a hexagon plan.This tomb was restored in 1987 and has wonderful samples of wood art Works.

TOKAD-İ HAYRETTİN TOMB:
This is the tomb of Tokad-i Hayreddin.He died in 1535.It is 12 km on the west of the city center. Every year, first week in july, a lot of people visit tokad-i hayrettin tomb.

CIVILIZED ARCHITECTURE

SEBEN ROCK HOUSES:
These are interesting apartmens.They were digget into the high rock face of a canyon.This canyon connects all Çeltik Deresi,Hoçaş,Kaşbıyıklar,Yuva village of Seben.Seben is a famous country of Bolu for its fascinating sights worth seeing.Some these rock houses were used as deports. These deports cause these small caverns are dark,cool and dry.Good for storing food.In addiction there are similar rock houses in the Solaklar,Alpagut and Muslar villages near the county center.

THE HOUSES OF BOLU:
There are lots of houses in bolu city centre, göynük and mudurnu. In 19. century and 20. century the people of Bolu built traditional homes. Only göynük and mudurnu traditional city. In bolu city centre, there are few traditional homes, but these are be lost among big apartments. In the forest cover göynük,mudurnu and bolu so people use wooden to build. Generally, people use rock to build mosque caravansary, turkish bath. At the moment, The management of Turkey under protection as a traditional houses.

THE BOLU FOUNTAIN:
The crooked urbanization damage. The bolu fountain. In bolu there are a lot of fountain in the past. But,now,there are only fifteen or twenty fountain. Saraçhane mosque’s fountain and karacaağaç village’s fountain built in 19 century.

LOCAL KITCHEN AND QUISINE

Bolu’s kitchen and quisine is very rich.Particularly,The chefs of Bolu’s and Mengen’s are famous in the world.It is possible to see our Bolu’s chefs in the most of touristic establisment in the Turkey.Cooking is father jop is in Mengen because of this reason,a’’cooking profession school ‘’ was open in the 1985 in Mengen for developing this jop as scientific.

Fethiye reminds most of us of; ÖLÜDENIZ. The world famous and one of the most beautiful wonders in the world Ölüdeniz, worths travelling miles and miles, for the turquoise blue waters wonderful lagoon. The crysyal pure water of Ölüdeniz is so clean that it is almost cleaner than the water you drink at home -if we omit the salt-. Ölüdeniz consists of two parts: First part is Belcekiz or Belcegiz which lies too long through the bay to the lagoon. This part is the wavy part of Ölüdeniz. The second part is the real Ölüdeniz with the lagoon inside. This part is the calm and shallow part.

Ölüdeniz is 12 km. from Fethiye. Here, with all kinds of water sports (canoe, surf, skiing, banana, parashute), you can also play beach-volley.

All along the Belcekiz beach, -a bit more expensive- you can find everything to eat and drink. The bars and restaurants are everytime ready for your service. The place which is called the Blue Lagoon is a National Park, which is fee-payed passing. Again, there are lots of things to eat, drink, and again, full of entertainment like water sports and beach volley, showers and WC. Besides, Ölüdeniz, is one of the most ideal places in the world for Paragliding. To make this sport, you don’t have to be experienced. All you have to do is, to choose which company to fly with, among lots of the agencies including Turkish Aeronautical Association. If you don’t have a licence to fly, you will have your first experience with a licenced and experienced pilot. The pilots do everything for you. All you have to do is just to enjoy the beauties of Ölüdeniz and take lots of photographs from 1400-1700m. height. The flight takes about 30-45 mins. And will cost you about $100.

12 ISLANDS

Daily 12 Islands Boat Cruise in Fethiye

Once you come to Fethiye, you have to go on 12 Islands Boat Cruise. The hundreds of double-Decker boats you see in Fethiye as you wonder around the marina and the harbour, are ready to take you to this tour. Each has a capacity from 50 up to 150 people and all of them has toilets and a self-service bar; and most of them are built in the dockyards in Fethiye. They depart between 10:00-11:00 every morning and come back to Fethiye harbour about 17:30 – 18:30 in the evening. The lunch is included in the tours which is usually pasta -meatballs (sometimes chicken or fish)- salad and fruit (water melon) (a good menu if you think that you’re on water). If you want to enjoy the sun, then your place is upstairs; but be careful because, the sun burns you a bit too much and you don’t feel it since it will be quite windy on the sea. You’ll feel it at night after the shower, which usually ends up with the creams and lotions the doctor gives. But if you want to enjoy the tour in the shade and watch around, you’d better stay downstairs drinking your tea, coffee, or a cold drink (maybe playing backgammon with the crew).

I suggest you to look around carefully in this tour. Because you have the chance to see the dolphins, flying fish, and even the sea turtles!

The tour is usually made up from five stops, which are nearly as the followings:
Gobun Bay or Cavy Bay
Cleopatra’s Baths
Dockyard Island
The Flat Islands
Red Island or Samanlık Bay

Gobun Bay

The first stop, Gobun bay, is placed in the south-western coast of the Fethiye Gulf, and is a very calm bay with the crystal clear water, 7-10m. depth, and the quietness of a lake; just like all the other bays in the Fethiye Gulf. In this bay. There is also a small cafe-restaurant which is run by a local family, and the bay is one of the certain places where the sailors stop for an overnight. Gobun has another alternative called the Cavy Bay which is just next to the Gobun Bay. Here is also a fascinating place with its pure waters, and calm sea which will charm everyone who sees. On the shore, there is a small cave in the rocks, and a stairway leading the cave the strange thing is both of them are natural. So, you can now understand why they called here the Cavy Bay.

Cleopatra’a Baths

Cleopatra’s Baths, (actually The bay of Cleopatra’s Baths), is a large bay full of lots of pine trees, and has a dark blue sea which goes to light blue, as you reach the shore. In the south western part of the bay, there are some ruins which came down because of the earthquakes in Fethiye. According to the myth, in one of the visits of Cleopatra to Anatolian coasts, her close friends decided to build a Roman Bath for Cleopatra as a present. Because, they found a hot water spring in this part of the bay. The water here was very good for the skin, with the minerals and elements it contained like Calcium, Magnesium, etc. Some say that the mystery which lies behind the beauty of Cleopatra is the water here (however, it may be true). The water here, was coming from a crater lake (dry now) which was behind the mountain you see at the northern side of the bay. Even today, if you look at the bottom of the sea, where the ruins are, before the wind starts very early in the morning, you can see the sands at the bottom are still a bit moving. This means that there is still a bit amount of hot water coming out today. If you want to try your chance to be as beautiful as Cleopatra and to look 10 years younger, you are allowed to swim around and in the ruins!

Dockyard Island

The next stop, Dockyard Island, is the first Island you’ll see in the tour which is called the 12 Islands Boat Cruise (the ones before were semi-islands). Here is a shallow bay where the water comes towards the land, just like a lake, and you can not realize that there’s bay in the island unless you approach. On the land, there are some ruins which belong to the early Greek people lived here in peace during the Ottoman Empire times. The bay on the island was used to build ships by the people lived here (also Turkish), because the shallow waters were very suitable for this purpose. That’s why this island is called the Dockyard Island.

Flat Islands

Flat Islands, are a group of islands so close to each other, ocated just at the opposite of the Gocek town. The property here, is the salty lake in the middle of the long sandy part of the biggest island in the group. Here is also a charming place with the clear, dark blue, and very deep waters. But there’s a passing from the biggest island to the smallest, which you can easily walk (1.5m depth). On the biggest island, further to the north, there’s a long, sandy beach leading to the lake. On the shore, there are two families selling pan-cakes and pastries, who come every morning from the Gocek town, and leave in the evening. And there’s a big boat used as a restaurant on this island. And if you want, banana, ringo and water skiing is available.

Red Island – Samanlik Bay

On the way back, your captain will choose one of the two suitable bays. If he chooses the Red Island, enjoy the clear sea and the clean shore of this red ground of the island. Anyway, you won’t be able to resist its attraction. here, you can swim to the shore, which is only a few meter to the boat; and after getting on again, you can enjoy the sunset with a Nescafe or Sunset Cocktail. If you go to the Samanlik bay, it won’t be more different than this. Again, you can jump (or dive?) from the top of the boat, and let the other watch you under the water just like an aquarium. Don’t forget that this one is your last chance to swim, and you’ll be back in the Fethiye Harbour 30 minutes later!

KAYAKÖY

Fethiye, has a wonderful historical wealth. It’s not only the far history I mean, but also the near history. In the far history, some of the civilisations which ruled Fethiye Region, are Lycian, Roman civilisations. They left lot’s of wonderful remains all around Fethiye. In the near history, (before 1. world war.) in the village called Kaya or Kayaköy (Karmylassos), Greek people used to live in peace under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. There used to be about 3000 buildings, 5 doctors, 3 pharmacies, 1 school, 2 big churches, more than 10 small monastries. The settling of this village (the Greek settlement) date the 15th century. The small church downtown, dates 1888. The other church (the bigger one up the hill) said to be built before the small one.

In January 30 1923, there was a population exchange agreement between Turkish-Greek governments. According to this agreement, the Greek people living in Turkey would be sent to Greece and the Turkish people in Greece would be sent to Turkey. The Greek people here, by this agreement, went back to Greece; but the Turkish people living in Greece didn’t want to come back to Turkey, because the Greek government did not want to pay the indemnity for any of the goods, lands, or the houses they owned in Greece. So that, the houses which were reserved for the Turkish residence, waited for a long time with allowing noone in.

Later on, the big earthquakes that shaked Fethiye Region (especially the one in 1957), really damaged the houses, and the local people used the damaged parts of the houses in their own buildings. That’s why the old city is now looking like a ghost town. A long time noone allowed to use the houses, and the local people built their own houses, keeping the old ones empty. Kayaköy is not a far place from Fethiye. It’s just 5 minutes from Hisarönü village, which is on the way to Ölüdeniz. Only 15 km. from Fethiye!

SAKLIKENT

Another day in Fethiye, (if you had enough of Ölüdeniz) you can choose a different place to see. This may be Saklikent. I advise you to be on your way in the morning time, because the roads really become bad with the sun above, and you may sweat as you never did before. Saklikent, is a huge valley and a canyon which goes inside 14 km. It is unbelievably high and narrow between two mountains. You’ll have to walk through an ice cold waters to get to the other side of the river, if you want to see the beauties inside the canyon. You can also drink this ice cold water if you want to, because it is a very cold natural spring which comes out just where you walk through! It is so cold that you feel like you are loosing your feet inside the river, even in Summer time. This place was found about 15 years ago by a goat shepherd. And rented the place from the government for 49 years. Now, he runs the cafe-restaurant in Saklikent. On the way back to Fethiye, you can have a small break to taste the home made pancakes of the local villagers with the Ayran (a mixture of yoghurt, cold water and salt), and experience the Turkish village life. When you are leaving, do not forget to leave some tip for the children helping you to be in comfort in their houses, because they really show the best hospitality you may ever see.

DALYAN

You can spend another day in Dalyan, which is about 1 hour from Fethiye. It is near the pretty Dalyan River (the ancient Calbis River), which connects the Koycegiz lake to the sea. Most of the people don’t know the name of Dalyan, even if they come to Fethiye for their Holiday. But Dalyan has a very pretty atmosphere with its ancient and natural beauties. As soon as you reach Dalyan, don’t waste time and bargain with one of the local fisherboat captains to take you to places to see. First stop is the mud-bath which is said to be very healthful for your skin because of the minerals and the elements it contains like Calcium, Magnesium and Sulphure. It will take only 10 minutes from Dalyan by the boat which will take you there among the marvellous landscape of the ancient Calbis river. After that, you can go back to town center and have a good lunch including the famous fish which was caught in Dalyan river. After lunch, you take your boat to take you to the Iztuzu Beach (The Turtle Beach) after a 30 minutes boat trip among the plants, birds (and maybe the turtles!) of the famous Dalyan river. I am sure you will be impressed after your trip on this river. This beach is one of the rare beaches on the world where the Marine Turtles come and nest. Because of that, the beaches is seriously protected by the Turkish Association of Protection of the Natural Life. As you reach the beach, please obey the rules to use the beach which are written on big plaques on the beach, to protect the Sea Turtles and to let them live. The one side of this beach is the river (fresh water), and the other side is the Sea (salty water). So you can decide where to swim as you entered the beach. I can suggest you a long walk on the sands on the Iztuzu beach, to forget all your troubles and relax. After (or before) the beach, you can also visit the ancient city of Caunos on the way back to Dalyan town center. The place to see on this hill (10 mins walk) are, the Ancient Theatre, the Roman Bath, the Temple of Apollon, and the Acropolis up the hill. Also the Carian Rock Tombs which welcomes you as you enter the town, are really amazing.

OUTDOOR
Paragliding

If I couldn’t make you interested in Fethiye so far, if you are nearly bored, if only visiting the places doesn’t make you satisfied, if you feel like adventurous, you can go to Ölüdeniz and go for a Paragliding! Climbing to the Mount Babadag (1400 – 1700m.) with the jeeps, you’ll prepare for the flight which will take about 30-45 minutes. The qualified staff and the pilots will take the care of you and you’ll be flying with a pilot tied with you to the parachute. You don’t have to be experienced and although you didn’t do this kind of thing before, the only thing you will do during the flight is, just to enjoy the scenery and take photos of the unbelievable beauty and charm of world famous Ölüdeniz Beach and Lagoon. Then you will land on the white sand of Ölüdeniz Beach. You’ll probably live your live’s most unforgetable experience. Ölüdeniz will charm you with this magic too (if you are lucky, you’ll be here during the international sky contests!)

Jeep Safari

If the thing above didn’t make you swet enough, I suggest you a Jeep Safari Tour in Fethiye. Only some of the things what you can face during the tour are; a flat tire, stuck in mud, engine stop while passing a river, etc. Approximately 20 jeeps will be in your convoy, and the speed limit is 70 km/h. To make you feel in safe, there are driver-guides and first aid staffs in the convoy. One leading the tour, second at the end, and rest of them will be in the convoy, seperate places. I don’t want to tell you the route, since it will be just a surprise for you as it is an adventure tour.

Scuba Diving

If you can swim and want to discover the depths of the cleanest part of the, mediterranean, you can join the scuba diving tours in Fethiye, which will take you to the magic of the depths with the staff all licenced and experienced (BSAC, CMAS, PADI, DIWA, SSI, IDC courses available). During this tour, -if you are lucky- you have the chance to see the dolphins and even the sea turtles passing by. But the common thing is to hand-feed the fish! While doing all these, don’t forget to smile at the cameras taking your pictures! A great feeling to see the mediterranean also under the sea. And another important thing is, to see the historical wealth of Fethiye Gulf also under the sea!

White Water Rafting!

If you can swim, (not so necessary actually!) and if your heart is strong enough, if you are not pregnant, and if you don’t have asthma, I would suggest you a White Water Rafting tour on Dalaman River which is only 90 minutes to Fethiye. Don’t miss this tour, if you want to fight with the strong bubbles, paddling down the river (sometimes falling and capsizing), and if you don’t mind getting wet. The distance is 12 km. and the lunch is given on the shore, nearly midway. If you are brave enough, you must choose the inflatable kayaks for two, and if you are not, you’ll travel on a big raft with a guide. The tour is completely safe, Noone injured (as yet). Don’t forget to smile to the cameras on the hardest rapids with the helmets, life jackets, and the paddles in your hands.

HISTORY OF FETHİYE

Fethiye, known as Telmessos in the antique period, is the most important city of LYCIA -one of the oldest Anatolian Civilisations- at the western borderline with CARIA. Despite lack of information regarding its establishment, it is stated in the history of the city reaches far back to 5th century BC. A Lycian legend explains the source of the name Telmessos as follows: “God Apollon falls in love with the youngest daughter of the King of Finike (Phoenike), Agenor. He disguises himself as a small dog and thus gains love for the shy, withdrawn daughter. After he reappears as a handsome man, they name their son ‘Telmessos’ (the land of lights). The city, with its name believed to have come from that of Telmessos, -son of God Apollon-, forms the first state of the Persians after being invaded by the Persian King Harpagos in 547 BC. along with all other Lycian and Carian cities. Telmessos then, joins the Attik-Delos Union established in mid. 5th century BC. and, although it later leaves the union as an indipendent city, continues its relations till 4th century BC. A rumor that the city, invaded by the Alexander the Great on his Asian cruise of invasion in the winter of 334-333 BC. has has yielded to him with his own will. Another legend says that Alexander the Great on a mission to invade Anatolia, enters Telmessos harbour with his fleet. Their commander Nekros asks permission of Antipatrides, ruler of the city, for his musicians and slaves to enter the city. On getting the permission, the warriors with guns hidden in the flute boxes capture the acropolis during the feasts held at night.”

The city has been handed over to the son of Lysimachos in 240 BC. by Ptolomy III. By the treaty signed in 189 BC. after the Magnasia war, the Romans have left the city to Eumenos, the King of Bergama (Pergamon) Kingdom collapses, Telmessos, in 133 BC., joins the Lycian Federation and is one of the six most important cities in the group. In the 8th century its name as Anastasios II. The city, taken over in 1284 by Menteseogullari, receives the name MEGRI, meaning far city, after its inclusion in Ottoman land in 1424. In 1934, the city has been renamed as FETHIYE to the honor of Fethi Bey, a martyr Pilot.

Amynthas Rock Tomb, one of the most splendid examples of the Lycian civilisation, lies noble with its long years, coupled with the grandeur of the mountain whose slope it rests upon, and seems like a volunteering guide to your journey through history. This tomb is in the form of a temple built in Ion style, and has a landing with adjacent pillars at the two sides, with four steps leading to it. In the middle of the leftmost pillar, “Amynthas: son of Hermapias” is engraved in 4th century BC. letters. At the top, there is a head piece with three actoters, one in ruins, and at the bottom there is a dentile fresco.

Three stone benches go along the three walls of the flat-topped tomb chamber, with a door leading into it that has iron nail-like joints carved out of stone at its four corners. Although two of the numerous other tombs at the left of the hill look like the Amynthas tomb, they are much smaller. Within the town and in the vicinity a lot more tombs may be found, some sarcophagus tombs and some cut-out pieces of rock.

One of the best examples of these sarcophagii, is located to the east of the government building. Both sides of its arched, Gothic style lid are decorated with war scenes and the two-storey front face has carvings that look like wooden, square joists.

At the high acropolis hill behind the city a mediaveal castle, believed to be the remains of Saint John’s knights, catches the eye. There is not much in the castle except some writings carved on the walls and a cistern of unknown origin.

Another old building in Fethiye that has remained up to this day is an ancient mosque that Cezayirli Hasan Pasha has ordered to be constructed in 1791. An ancient peculiarity of the city is that it has been famous for its soothsayers. It is known that soothsayers of this city that has been devoted to God Apollon have had great impact on the course of history.

Egyptian Pyramids

The pyramids on the Giza Plateau near Cairo. At far right is the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), in the middle and closer is the pyramid of Khafre (Chephren), and on left is the smallest of the three major Giza pyramids – that of Menkaure (Mycerinus). Three small subsidiary pyramids are at the extreme left. The photograph is a montage by Mark Rigby taken from a rocky outcrop to the southeast.

There are about 110 pyramids currently known in Egypt, many in a state of great disrepair and almost unrecognisable. Some were built as burial places for kings and others for queens. A pyramid also may have represented a stairway for the king to ascend to the heavens. Another possibility is that it was symbolic of the primeval mound on which the sun god/creator was born.

How the Egyptians managed the complex organisation of labour and the physical movement of large stone blocks is still a matter for debate. Pyramid construction may have involved ramps being erected around the pyramid. Blocks of stone would have been pulled up on sledges and the ramps dismantled later. It is believed that most of the labour for the construction of the pyramids would have come from farmers who were available during the inundation season when the Nile River flooded and farmland was underwater. It would also have been an ideal time for the transportation by boat of large stone blocks from their quarries to the pyramid sites.Step Pyramid at Saqqara

The earliest pyramid was the Step Pyramid of king Djoser of the Old Kingdom’s 3rd Dynasty over 4,600 years ago. The pyramid (at right) was the largest structure ever erected at Saqqara, the necropolis that overlooked the ancient capital of Memphis. Its construction was initially in the form of a low mastaba tomb upon which extra levels were gradually added to give it a step-like appearance.

Underneath Djoser’s pyramid was a complex system of corridors with a burial chamber lined with Aswan pink granite about 28 metres underground. The entrance was sealed with a three-tonne granite plug. The pyramid’s outside would have been cased with fine limestone, but this was removed long ago. Nearby were the Mortuary Temple, a Great Court and various other structures.

Red Pyramid
The first true pyramid was developed for King Sneferu during the 4th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. It is referred to as the Red Pyramid, because of its colour, or the North Pyramid because of its position at Dashur south of Cairo. It was about 105 metres high with its sides measuring 220 metres.

The largest pyramid ever built was the Great Pyramid at Giza southwest of modern Cairo (see Giza and the Pyramids). Built for king Khufu, this pyramid was completed around 2550 BC.

It is estimated that the pyramid contains approximately 2,300,000 blocks of stone with an average weight of 2.5 tonnes each and some up to 15 tonnes. Its sides measure 230 metres in length. The structure would have towered about 146.6 metres high, but it is now a little shorter owing to the outer casing having been removed to build many of Cairo’s buildings during the Middle Ages. The interior design was changed during the pyramid’s construction and the burial chamber was relocated.

One of its most spectacular features is the enormous sloping Grand Gallery. At the Gallery’s top is a low corridor which leads into the King’s Chamber, the walls of which are made of polished granite. A large granite sarcophagus is open and no burial goods have ever been found.

To the east of the pyramid, some of the smooth basalt paving of the mortuary temple remains and the causeway which led to the river temple is now buried with the valley temple being under modern buildings. Small pyramids for queens are adjacent to the Great Pyramid, as are boat pits.

Solar boat at GizaIn 1954, a large cedar boat (pictured at left) was uncovered in one of the pits and then reassembled. It is now on display next to the pyramid. A second boat remains in pieces in another covered pit. The boats may have been provided for the deceased king to travel through the underworld.

The Giza Plateau also is home to two other large pyramids for the subsequent kings, Chephren and Menkaura. As with the Great Pyramid, both of these pyramids have valley temples and mortuary temples connected by causeways. However, next to Chephren’s valley temple is the famous 73-metre long Sphinx and its associated temple.

Despite controversy over its age, most Egyptologists believe that the Sphinx was carved from a rocky outcrop at the same time as Chephren’s pyramid.

The resources for building enormous pyramids during the rest of the Old Kingdom could not be mustered and the pyramids were both smaller and less well built. The 5th Dynasty pyramid of Unas at Saqqara is famous for its Pyramid Texts – the first funerary texts carved into the walls of any pyramid. The pyramid is located just south of the walled enclosure of the pyramid of Djoser.

During the Middle Kingdom, kings again built themselves pyramids, but being largely of mud-brick, they have not survived very well. Elaborate interior designs failed to stop ancient tomb robbers from breaking in and stealing the burial goods.

The time of large pyramids had passed, although small pyramids were used in some New Kingdom private burials as superstructures for funerary chapels. Restored examples exist at Deir el-Medina, the village of the workmen who constructed the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

Pyramids were also built south of Egypt in ancient Nubia (the northern part of today’s Sudan), where there are actually more than in Egypt. Although being influenced by the Egyptian pyramids, the pyramids in Nubia had their own style and were built on a smaller scale and with steeper sides. In the case of the Nubian pyramids, the tombs of owners were usually underground with the pyramid built on top. The last pyramid was built in Nubia in the 4th century AD.

This time our plane was headed straight for the continent of Africa to pay a visit to a country that lies in the southern hemisphere, just south of the equator.

A view of Mount Kilimanjaro

We have already visited many other African nations, but because every country has its own particular set of traditions and way of life, each one is quite different from the others. And Tanzania certainly stands out as unique, with its large national parks, the high peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro and, of course, the warmth and hospitality of its people. Interestingly, the Tanzanian climate and temperature levels don’t vary much throughout the year. The average temperature here is around 30-35 degrees Celsius. And there are basically two seasons: rainy and dry.

Tanzania lies in east Africa. It has a coastline that runs along the Indian Ocean. Tanganika, the region that forms mainland Tanzania, gained its independence in 1961, and in 1964 it united with Zanzibar, forming Tanzania. The total population of Tanzania is 40 million. After being colonized by the British, the nation was governed for about 30 years by socialist administrations.

Because of the lack of private enterprises during that period, very little development took place. It was only after 1995 that Tanzania began to develop, little by little. And these days, Tanzanian cities, especially Dar es Salaam, are undergoing rapid development and progress. The construction of infrastructure and roadways is occurring quickly. The projects are mostly undertaken by Chinese and European companies, and there is not a single Turkish firm operating in Tanzania. Because of its newly discovered natural gas resources, Tanzania’s future seems bright. In addition, Tanzania also has large reserves of gold under its soil.

There are 130 tribes in Tanzania; each has its own language. Their shared language is Swahili, and this is also the nation’s official language. Often, children first learn the language of their own tribe, and then go on to study Swahili, as well as English. African nationalism is much more prevalent than Tanzanian nationalism in this country. When two Tanzanians meet and greet each other, what they always say is “Habergani” and “Haberzagazi.” In other words, “How are you?” and “How is work going?”

The most prominent and populous city in Tanzania is Dar es Salaam. There are around 2.5 million people in this city, whose name means “house of peace.” Dar es Salaam is not only an important city for Tanzania; it is also plays a significant role in the politics, economy and trade of all of Africa.

Dar es Salaam has a large natural harbor, which makes it a perfect port city. Many large cargo ships and ocean liners dock there.

The people of this city don’t use large public buses to get around; instead they travel in “dolmuş” style shared taxis. We learn quickly that the drivers of these shared taxis must wear uniforms that identify them as such and that if they don’t, they will be penalized. The non-air conditioned shared taxis are crowded full of people in Dar es Salaam, and people wind their way through traffic in a relaxed manner in front of and behind us as we sit in the crowded shared transport.

The main bus terminal in Dar es Salaam is quite crowded. Buses arrive there from every part of the country. Various bus companies compete with each other for passengers. Ramazan Omari, one of the workers trying to get passengers for his company, uses a megaphone to attract customers to his company’s bus, which is headed for Dodoma, the capital city, and Morogoro.

There are enormous golf courses in Dar es Salaam. These courses are used by both locals and foreigners. As for the beaches, one of the most popular in the city is Coco Beach, named for the abundance of coconut trees near its shores. People come to the beach in the evening to enjoy cool breezes by the water. The shoreline is crowded with ice cream sellers and people selling all sorts of other things. Vendors fry up sweet potatoes and cassava there. The air is very hot and humid, and when a breeze blows, everyone feels grateful.

Despite being home to a population that is around 55 percent Muslim, the city of Dar es Salaam doesn’t have any large mosques. There are many mosques there, but none seem fitting for a city of this size. There are, however, many large churches there, even though the Christian population is smaller. Of course, this is partially a result of the many years of British colonialism.

In terms of its natural resources, both above and below ground, Tanzania is a very wealthy country. In fact, people say that the country has the world’s third-largest gold reserves. Despite this, there is much poverty in Tanzania. In recent years, the government has attempted to address this issue.

Walking through the center of the city, one can get a glimpse into the daily lives of the denizens of Dar es Salaam. Someone is frying up some calamari for lunch. The pan is bubbling and frying in the open air, and right next to it, someone is cleaning a fish straight out of the ocean. The fish, after being cleaned, are lined up carefully to dry out. A little further on, smoke rises into the air, the crowds are thicker and an unfamiliar smell fills the air. Looking up, you can see a very modern port control tower, which was built by a Japanese firm. The contrast between these two scenes, side by side, is quite striking.

Although Turkey has long forgotten the threat of the disease malaria, this potentially deadly disease kills more than 100,000 people each year in Tanzania. Most of those struck down by malaria are children under the age of 5 and pregnant women. Malaria is the most serious disease threatening Tanzania, and it affects from 16 to 18 million people a year here. There are medicines that can treat malaria, but people sometimes have trouble gaining access to them. Other times, the medicines used are either expired or used improperly. There are all sorts of malaria medicines available, but they are not evenly distributed or widely available in Tanzania.

With its unparalleled vistas of natural beauty, its savannahs home to so many wild animals, the snowy peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro and its friendly and welcoming people, Tanzania is certainly a country worth visiting if you have the chance. As people say in Swahili, “Mungu akipenda tutaonana badai, InshaAllah,” meaning “We will see each other again, if God wills it.”

A local man selling some of the many tropical fruits in Tanzania

Tanzanian women at a public laundry area in the capital

Where urban life and nature meet: Dar es Salaam

A local man lays out fish to dry in Dar es Salaam

12 February 2009, Thursday
SAIM ORHAN
A Tour Around The World With Saim Orhan..

You can reach Finland from Turkey via a three-and-a-half hour direct flight from İstanbul. Finland is a country familiar to Turks, but is not in general well known. The nation lies between Sweden and Russia and is a neighbor of Norway. It is a clean and quiet nation.

Finland, which longs for the few sunny days it gets, has only a very brief summer. The winter days here seem as though they will never end. Conversely, during the summer months in Finland it sometimes seems like the sun never sets. This country is famous for the reindeer and sleigh-pulling huskies that live in its northern regions. With its beautiful blue lakes and rivers, Finland’s forests, which cover a good 75 percent of its land, are a gorgeous shade of green. In fact, with 23 million hectares of forest, Finland has the most forestland in all of Europe.

The industrialization of Finland began during the 19th century with the processing of its forest products. In fact, forests are still the most important source of raw materials for Finland.

The resolute efforts and hard work of the Finnish people in past years mean that they now inhabit a nation which, despite having been at one point a country of swamps, is now one of the most developed nations on earth. Finland produces internationally recognized brands of electronics and metal goods and is also famous for its engineering capabilities. Its goods sell well in world markets. Finland is a leader not only in production, but in trade as well. One of the greatest factors in this nation’s growth during the 1990s was the spread of cell phones and other telecommunications technology. Today, this nation is both modern and developed.

Finland joined the European Union in 1995 and converted its currency to euros in 2002. The country has a population of 5,250,000. Newspapers sell an average of 3 million copies per day. A majority of these sales are to regular subscribers.

There are around 6,000 Turkish citizens residing in Finland. Political relations between Finland and Turkey are quite good; in fact, Finland has government policies that strongly favor Turkey, and it officially supports Turkey’s entry into the EU. Many Finnish companies have made large investments in Turkey. Turkey, for its part, buys much of its newsprint from Finland.

Turkey comes at the top of the list of most-visited countries by Finnish citizens.

Historically there has never been a clash between Turkey and Finland, although there were some Finnish soldiers in the Russian units that fought against Turkey during the Russo-Turkish War’s Siege of Pleven. It was the Russians who were ultimately victorious at Pleven, which is why shouts like “We beat you at Pleven” can often be heard at sporting events such as soccer matches between Turkey and Finland.

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is a port city founded in 1550. It is the northernmost EU capital, and it hosted the Olympics in 1952. Helsinki is an orderly city with large parks. One of the most famous city squares here is Senate Square. This square is home to Helsinki Cathedral, a large white church with green domes, as well as a statue of Russian Czar Alexander II. The Russians ruled Finland between 1809 and 1917, and before them, the Swedes controlled these lands for many years. In fact, you can see evidence of the years of Swedish rule in the language and culture of Finland today. The official languages of Finland are both Finnish and Swedish, and in fact, both are taught in school. Of course, the Swedish spoken in Finland is a bit different from the Swedish spoken in Sweden. Around 6 percent of all Finnish citizens speak Swedish as a native language. Street and boulevard names are in both Finnish and Swedish here, as are street signs and placards.

The population of Helsinki is around 600,000. Actually, Finland, with its relatively small population, is doing what it can to encourage an increase in birth rates. Financial assistance is offered to families when they have a child, and in fact, these family payments are one of the largest expenditures of the Finnish government’s budget. It doesn’t matter how rich or poor a Finnish family may be; they will receive a special package from the government for each child they have. These packages include things like blankets, diapers, children’s clothing and even toys.

Every morning people living in Helsinki head for the large parks that dot this capital city. The city has dog parks where you can take your dog and let him run free with other dogs all day long if you wish. In fact, there are 15 dog parks in Helsinki alone. Interestingly, Finland also has cemeteries for dogs and cats. These cemeteries are well maintained; you can see dates of birth and death on the headstones at these cemeteries, and candles are lit by the gravesites.

There is an open market near the presidential palace in Helsinki that you must visit if you are in Finland. In fact, because it is near the presidential palace, even the Finnish president sometimes takes her visitors to tour the open market and drink some coffee there. One of the most unique aspects of this open market is that sellers here still use the old liter system rather than a scale to price and sell their goods. For example, when you buy foods like potatoes, peas or mushrooms here, they will measure how many liters of these foods you are buying and charge you accordingly. The price for one liter of peas here is 3 euros, for example. The EU doesn’t look warmly on this traditional form of pricing, so it appears that this method will go by the wayside and become history not long from now. The Seurasaari Open-Air Museum in Helsinki is also a very important spot for Finns. One of the first signs that you are about to head off on a historical tour through years past is that when you arrive at the museum, you are greeted by people wearing costumes from the 19th century. Inside the museum, you see examples of old Finnish homes. Visitors can experience old ways of living when they come here; the most distinctive quality of these old Finnish homes is that they are made entirely of wood. The Seurasaari Open-Air Museum is definitely a place to see if you are interested in traditional Finnish life.

Another popular spot to visit in Helsinki is Temppeliaukio Church. Carved from stone, this churched opened for services in 1969.

There are around 188,000 lakes, some large and some small, throughout Finland. Of course, it is not surprising that a country that gets as much rain as Finland does would have so many lakes. The homes that stand beside these lakes are also quite famous in Finland. Many Finns especially relish the idea of being able to spend their vacations on a quiet lakeside, leaving the crowds and chaos of city life far behind.

Another aspect of life much loved by Finns is the sauna. In fact, Finnish society adores saunas, and almost every Finnish home contains its own sauna. Apartment buildings have shared saunas that their residents use together. It is reported that there are 1,700,000 saunas in Finland, which is a lot when you consider that the nation’s population is only 5,300,000. The word “sauna” itself comes directly from Finnish. A favorite tradition of Finns vacationing at their lakeside homes is to rush from their saunas straight into a cold lake. It doesn’t matter whether it is summer or winter when they do this!

Finns are also known for their love of coffee. They are one of the top coffee consuming countries in the world, with an estimated 20 million cups of coffee drunk per day.

Following Helsinki, the second largest city in Finland is Espoo, with 240,000 residents, and the third largest Finnish city is Tampere, with a population of 200,000. There are two large lakes that lie outside Tampere. One place you must be sure to see in Tampere is the espionage museum. All sorts of interesting tools and devices used by spies are displayed there. Schools in Finland all provide lunch to their students for free. This is a service that everyone receives from preschool all the way through high school. In fact, special lunches are even offered for students from various religious backgrounds. One last note is that alcoholism is a big problem in Finland, not only for men but for women as well. And the divorce rate here is high, as is the unemployment rate. Around 7 percent of country’s population is unemployed.

A Tour Around The World With Saim Orhan
29 January 2009, Thursday