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Turkey |
Facts about country
| Capital | Ankara |
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Population |
66 Million |
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Main Languages |
Turkish |
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Electricity |
2 Plug System 220 Volts 50Hz |
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Currency |
Turkish Lira (TL) |
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Exchange Rate for US $ as of May 2001 |
1220000 TL per 1 US$ (ever changing) |
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Safe to Drink Tap Water |
No |
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Size |
779,452 sq km |
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Transport |
bus, minibus, taxi, ferries, hydrofoil |
| Cash Machines (ATMS) | Yes |
| Credit Card Usage | Yes |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Measurement System | Metric System |
Recommended Budget per Day in US $
| Total Budget per Person | Accommodation | Meals | Transportation | Other |
| 20 $ | 5 $ | 5 $ | 5 $ | 5 $ |
Main things to See (we give descriptions only on places we visited)
| Things to See | Visited | Brief Description | Recommend (10 is best 1 is don't bother) |
| Istanbul | Y | This is Turkey's unofficial capital of 12 million inhabitants. The city is split between Asia and Europe. The main attractions are the Topkapi Palace, Aya Sofya, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Uzunçarsi Caddesi, and Istiklal Caddesi. One can also take a ferry to Bosphorus Strait which connects the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea. | 8 |
| Ephesus | Y | This is Turkeys best preserved archeological site from the Greek Empire. The main sites there are the Temple of Diana, Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, Harbour Gymnasium, Arcadian Way, and the Temple of Hadrian. | 8 |
| Pergamon | Y | Pergamon is situated above Bergama (Pergamon). These ruins are the one of seven wonders of the Ancient world. | 8 |
| Pamukkale | Y | Here are where the the famous calcium ledges are located. They used to be beautiful as one sees on all the old pictures. Now there is not that much water in them and they are no longer very white. | 7 |
| Cappadocia | Y | Also known as the Valley of the Fairy Chimneys where there are collections of strange volcanic cones. In Goereme there is the Open Museum to see and many caves carved out of the rocks. There are also underground villages to visit carved out of the rock. | 8 |
| Ankara | N | Capital of Turkey | |
| Antayla | N | ||
| Bodrum | N | ||
| Gallipoli Peninsula | N | ||
| Troy | N | ||
| Harran |
Popular activities and Tours (Being not included does not mean they do not exist)
| Hiking / Trekking | x |
| Scuba Diving | x |
| Historical Sites | x |
| Sightseeing tours | x |
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Ballooning |
x |
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Bungy Jumping |
|
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Safaris |
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| Boat tours | x |
| Fishing | x |
| Horseback riding | x |
| Canoeing | x |
| Camping | x |
| River Rafting | x |
| Sky Diving | x |
| Abseiling | |
| Surfing | |
| Windsurfing | x |
| Kayaking | x |
| Sailing | x |
| Mountain biking | x |
| Rollerblading | |
| Motorbike | x |
| Sand boarding | |
| Snorkeling | x |
| Water Skiing | x |
| Others Skiing | x |
Feeling and Opinions on Turkey
Turkey is very easy to travel in and good overnight buses are plentiful, easy and cheap to use. We just visited mainly the western part of Turkey, but in the east there are some great places to trek. Turkey offers a lot from historical sites, beaches, vacation communities to skiing.
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Maren & Kirk