Ok, now let's get started. First of all you'll see some nice pictures of Turkey, of course it's not the same turkey you eat every Thanks Giving Day, but it's the Republic of  Turkey, a wonderful country founded on both Europe and Asia (Thrace and Anatolia).
 

This is Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938), the founder of modern Turkey and one of the greatest warriors and statesman in the history of the world. His mausoleum is currently in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. He is considered as the "Father of the Turks", we owe everything to him, and his sprite is still very much alive today. Anywhere you go in Turkey you can always see his picture, name or even a statue.

 
 

This is Cappadocia (Kapadokya in Turkish), one of the most interesting and unique places in the world. It is all volcanic formations done by nature in the heart of central Anatolia (central Turkey). That conic formations are called as "fairy chimneys" and the area is full of them, and underground cities too. First settlement in this area is dating back to the Neolithic period. It was also one of the first places in Asia Minor where early Christians settled.


 
 

This is a picture of the library in Ephesus, one of the most beautiful ancient cities in the world and it was also the largest city in Asia Minor (Asian side of Turkey) on the Aegean coast (one of the three seas surrounding Turkey). It was the largest port on the Aegean and the capital city of Asia Minor, the residence of governor of Rome. There is also the largest ancient theater of Anatolia, where an international festival is held in the summer every year. Nearby on a hill there is the House of Virgin Mary as well. Ephesus is also famous for its Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

This is Pamukkale nearby Denizli city on the Aegean region of Turkey, and those are calcium formations coming from thermal spa's in the area. There is also an ancient city called Hierapolis with the largest necropolis (graveyard) in Asia Minor (Anatolia). Even today many people go there for thermal pools and cures. Nearby it is possible to visit Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Christianity mentioned in the Book of Revelation by St. John.



 

This is Saint Sophia (Hagia Sophia in Greek or Aya Sofya in Turkish) church in Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey. It was built by Byzantine emperor Justinian I (The Great) in the 6th century A.D. as the largest church in the world and was converted into a mosque by sultan Mehmet II after the conquest of Constantinopolis in 1453 by the Ottomans. Today it's a museum where you can see great Byzantine mosaics together with the Islamic art. It's also facing to the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet mosque).

These are whirling dervishes (Dervis in Turkish). It was the largest religious order in the Near East founded by Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi in the 13th century AD in Konya, central Turkey. Nowadays they perform their dances in mid-December every year to commemorate the death of Mevlana. They also have a Mevlevihane at Galata district in Istanbul.

This is a replica of the famous Trojan horse in Troy in Canakkale (nearby Dardanelles in western Turkey). It was the place of the Homeric war which ended with the destruction of Priam's city by Greeks in the 13th century B.C. Priam's treasure was found by Schlieman at the end of the 19th century and taken to Germany (now exhibited in Moscow). Unfortunately today there is not much left of Troy but it still brings curiosity to people. Troy is also nearby Gallipoli (Gelibolu), very sad location reminding us First World War and hundred thousands of casualties on both sides.

This is Turkey's location in Europe, actually only 3% of its total area is on Europe (Thrace) and other 97% is on Asia (Anatolia). It's surrounded by the Black Sea to the North, Mediterranean to the South and Aegean and Marmara Seas to the West. Its capital city is Ankara and total population is 70million approx. Largest cities are; Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Antalya and Adana, total of 81 cities/provinces. 98% of its population is Muslim. It has a very strategic position because Turkey controls Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits which are the only passages from the Black sea to the Mediterranean and it also forms a natural land-bridge between East and West. Turkey is also a member of NATO.