5 Things You Never Knew About Turkey

The Name 'Turkey' Comes From an Old Chinese Word...

...Tu-kin. Apparently applied as early as 177 BCE, it was used by the Chinese to describe the people living south of the Atlas mountains of central Asia. Whether by accident or design, the word Türk in old Turkic meant 'Strong' and was aptly self-applied by the inhabitants of modern day Turkey. In addition to this, turk in Persian can mean 'a beautiful youth', 'a barbarian' and 'a robber'. A mingling of compliments and criticisms in there, but who would like to live a life without controversy...?

The Turks Introduced Coffee to Europe

Picking up on the trend from the Middle East and Eastern Africa, the 16th century saw the arrival of Coffee into Turkish culture. The Ottoman historian 0brahim Peçevi said of the opening of the first coffeehouse in Istanbul:
"Until the year 962 (1554-55), in the High, God-Guarded city of Constantinople, as well as in Ottoman lands generally, coffee and coffeehouses did not exist. About that year, a fellow called Hâkem (Hakam) from Aleppo and a wag called ^ems (Shams) from Damascus, came to the city: they each opened a large shop in the district called Tahtelkal'e, and began to purvey coffee."
Trying the local coffee is now a ubiquitous part of any holidays to Turkey, and has affected Turkish culture so much that the Turkish word for breakfast, kahvalt1, literally means "before coffee" (kahve means "coffee" and alt1 "under").

Turkey is the Supposed Resting Place of Noah's Ark

Based on interpretations of the scriptures, the resting place of Noah's Ark described in the Old Testament is widely accepted to be Mt.Ararat, the highest point in Turkey. Though no conclusive evidence has ever been found of this, a number of sites have been suggested and investigated, with enough intriguing leads discovered to keep the myth alive. A technical climb that requires the use of a local guide, few holidays to Turkey are aimed at hiking its snowy peak in search of religious remains.

Istanbul Straddles Two Continents

The Bosporus Bridge in Istanbul, the 15th longest suspension bridge in the world, connects not only the two halves of the city, but the continents of Europe and Asia. Illuminated by a computerised LED light system, allowing it to glow its way through a variety of colours during the night, the bridge is a photographic highlight of many holidays in Turkey. It also attracts a host of curious publicity stunts, such as Venus Williams' cross-continental tennis match against 0pek ^enolu in 2005 which occurred in the centre of the bridge and lasted a mere 5 minutes before the balls were knocked into the Bosphorus...

Turkey Was Here Before Turkeys

Turkeys were first imported to Europe from Madagascar and via Turkey and the merchants responsible became known as turkey traders. Even when the birds began to be imported from the New World by the Spanish the trade route passed through North Africa, which in the 16th century was under Ottoman rule. This may help explain the peculiar homonym of Turkeys in the English language. Even more bizarrely, the Turkish name for the type of fowl is hindi, meaning Indian, and based on the misconception that the New World was in eastern Asia. Avoid confusion on your holidays in Turkey and have the lamb instead.

Shereena Lingiah is the Marketing Manager for Anatolian Sky, a specialist travel company that provide the very best holidays to Turkey at extremely competitive prices. They provide tailor-made holidays to Turkey and North Cyprus, including the entire Anatolian region.

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Holidays to Turkey

As it is very well known, holidays are special times in our lives that help us relax and get away from the stress that our busy lifestyles bring upon us. We sometimes feel the need to get away from everything. Going abroad is a great way to escape. This is why many people in United Kingdom and European goes holidays to Turkey summer months. Turkey is one of the most popular holiday destinations around the world. If you have experienced a holiday in Turkey, you probably know why it is so popular but if you have not, I shall let you know a bit about this paradise on earth which is only a flight away.

Turkey is an extremely beautiful country thanks to its natural resources. It is surrounded by the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Due to this, there are numerous beaches and when they are met with the beautiful sunshine, they create a wonderful spot for a relaxing holiday. Of course there is more than the sea and the sun. There is history in Turkey.

Turkey has been a home to the glorious Ottoman Empire. Even by the traces that are left, you can still feel its glory thanks to all the cultural richness. The city of Istanbul with its amazing location works as a bridge uniting Europe and Asia. It is an amazing city as it preserves the old whilst welcoming all that is new and modern. It is one peculiar place where you can find both the West and the East.

The Turquoise Turkish coasts attract many tourist every year from all around the world. Antalya, Bodrum, Kalkan, Marmaris and Fethiye are listed amongst the most popular family and summer Turkish Holidays destinations. There is too much to see and do in Turkey. You can be filled with the sunshine, experiencing the beauty of the nature, the amazing beaches, countless activities that make the time fly, tastes of the Turkish cuisine which is one of the richest in the world and the amazing culture and the history.

A Turkish holiday can leave you with many great memories. As many people choose to visit again, it is perfect due to various types of accommodations and affordable prices it offers. Let your escape be to the land of beauty; Turkey, a paradise on the face of the earth is only a flight away.

Tag : travel,holidays,turkey

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Bodrum Yacht Cruises - Discover the Exotic Turkish Coastline

All the people who like to go on a vacation in the exotic country of Turkey always try their best to spend a few days or even a few hours aboard Bodrum Yacht Cruises because they never miss out the city of Bodrum. This city is known for its exotic nature and though not that famous around the world, it has a lot of be proud of. It is a very popular resort in the Mediterranean area and those who like to spend their holidays in the classic Mediterranean weather always want to visit Bodrum. Located in the Gulf of Gokova, some people feel that either they can visit the resort and spend their time here, or they will not get a chance to see the cruises and this is not a fact. The fact of the matter is that all the Bodrum Yacht Cruises actually leave their port from this enchanting city only and no where else and so people worry over something they do not need to worry about.

This island also known as the island of Gokova is a place which you will not want to leave once you start liking it. The clear translucent waters that keep lapping on the sandy beaches is a treat in themselves. It also allows one to see the rich marine life that lives beneath.

A day on Bodrum Yacht cruises will always be a day full of adventure. One can do just about anything from swimming or snorkeling, fishing or cooking, or if the weather does not permit, just sit out basking in the clear warm sun, a glass of your favorite drink in one hand. The climate is soothing and relaxing and one does not feel like doing anything, but simply wants to laze around doing nothing. This wonderful feeling will always catch you on this trip and will be the perfect way to break a way from the stress that you came to escape from here. The views that surround you are also very beautiful. They will range from exotic scenes of islands, to ancient treasures and ruins of a glorious civilization. Along with this, you will also see a really rare natural beauty of the planet that is perhaps not seen anywhere else. One of the popular stops on the trip will be at Sedir Island which has a unique history behind it. It has pieces of both, the Roman and the Egyptian civilizations and it said that beaches of this island are covered with a rare golden dust that were spread by Mark Antony as a gift to his beloved Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. There are even a few Roman buildings on the island which though lie in a state of gloom, speak volumes about the place and its history.

One can go on Bodrum yacht cruises by themselves or with family and friends or can go on a trip on a bigger one; the days vary from three to seven days. In any case, you will not come back disappointed because you are sure to have the time of your life.

Gordon Banks is a cruise liner enthusiast and has been writing many cruise ship related articles to help you find the best cruises and the best deals.

Learn about the Carnival Cruise Line Ship and discover all the fun you can have, exotic locations you can visit and the relaxing time which can be had aboard the Cruise Ship Infinity.

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Top Travel Tips For 2009

Watch out for 'No Frills' Fees

Be aware of the latest schemes that 'no frills' airlines come up with to squeeze more money out of you. A new one is paying extra fees to sit next to each other; as well as the more established practices of leaving you miles from the resort, baggage allowances and high prices for a mid flight bite to eat.

Make Sure you're Insured Don't book with a travel operator unless they are ATOL/ABTA protected. Protect yourself further by booking with your credit card and having a sound travel insurance policy. If you really want to make sure your perfect holiday doesn't go up in smoke then book with a brand you trust... who knows which travel agents will still be around in July?

Go Somewhere Different With the pound plunging against the euro why not consider Egypt, Tunisia or Turkey? Then again if you are going to a traditional European resort, this year's prices should make up for any losses on the exchange rate. Leave the iPhone at Home Despite EU roaming legislation, it's easy to get carried away and spend a small fortune on mobile phone fees. Use an internet café to stay in touch or get a local SIM card.

Book Early In the current economic climate, travel operators are slashing prices to reward early bookers. Take advantage of these prices whilst there are bargains to be had. Then at least you can have the peace of mind that you are having a holiday... with the way things are looking for 2009, you're going to need one!

Find cheap holidays at Search Travel Online. http://www.searchtravelonline.co.uk/

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