Holly Mccoach/Columnist
If you happen to be undecided on whether to visit Asia or Europe, why not visit both? Nestled in between Asia and Europe, Turkey, a country considered to hail from both of these continents, is a highly welcoming and multicultural place.
Lovers of good food, sunny weather and beautiful Mediterranean beaches will thrive here. Bilal Ciplak, president of Turkish Studies and a graduate student in politics and international relations, is very knowledgeable of the different cultural cities in Turkey. Although Ankara is the capital, his No. 1 tourist spot suggestion is Istanbul, a city that is located in two places at once—no magic involved.
“There is a bridge that connects both sides of Istanbul to Asia and Europe,” said Ciplak.
The bridge, known as the Galata Bridge, may separate both sides of the city, but the city is no different on each side. As a whole, the city is still full of hustle and bustle and full of many different cultures, much like Miami. It was even voted Cultural Capital of Europe in 2010.
Incredibly ancient and rich with various types of breathtaking architecture, Ciplak suggested visiting the Grand Bazaar (a vast mall with thousands of shops), Hagia Sophia (Istanbul’s chief mosque) and the Blue Mosque. Turkish rugs are quite famous and are popular souvenirs that can be found in the Grand Bazaar.
Food and beverage is a big part of Turkish life as well. Chai tea is a capital drink that is akin to coffee for American culture. Drunk various times throughout the day, chai tea is the principal go-to drink.
“Wherever you go, they give you tea,” said Ciplak. “We have Turkish coffee that we drink, but it is very strong.”
Despite their famous coffee, Turks stick to their tea, which is offered in various restaurants and food shops.
As for food, the Turkish live on their personal dishes. Fast foods such as Burger King and McDonald’s can be found, but it is rare to dine there, unless you are a homesick American.
Gyro stands are commonly found throughout the country, making it one of the No. 1 food dishes. However, kebabs and hamsi (made with native fish) are quite popular.
Baklava, a sweet pastry dessert, is native to the city of Gaziantep (southern Turkey), but dorma and salma (stuffed vegetables and leaves with olive oil) can be found in the Mediterranean region.
Due to a combination of Middle Eastern and European culture, fashion is quite diverse.
“The way people dress is very beautiful in Turkey. It is a very cosmopolitan city,” said Ciplak.
Fashion is very important, and it consists of a combination of religious and secular clothing.
Muslim catwalks provide clothing lines for very religious women. As for secular folk, dressing sloppily is not an option, for the Turkish take their style and fashion seriously.
Although most Turks own cars, a lack of one does not create difficulty as it would in the United States.
“We have very efficient public transportation,” said Ciplak. These forms of transportation include trains, buses, taxis, boats, ferries and so forth. Cars are more of a luxury, and since transportation is so attainable, it is normal for tourists and natives alike to travel publicly.
Although Turkey is generally very sunny, snowbirds can head to the northern border by the Black Sea for cooler weather, while beach lovers can enjoy hot weather on the southeastern border by the Mediterranean.
With rich culture and gorgeous weather, anyone with desperate traveling fetishes will not be disappointed on their Euro-Asian trip to Turkey.
Explore International is a bi-weekly travel column where Holly McCoach interviews students and alumni about their native countries.
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