GreaterGo

Is Istanbul the capital of Turkey? Like Sydney, Toronto, etc., even though it is the largest and most famous city in the country, it is not the capital.

Often seen on Turkey’s tourism promotion videos are colourful hot balloons flying above the bizarre rock formations.

I still remember when the Silk Road was mentioned in my secondary school class, the teacher introduced a series of countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey, etc.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is the great founder of the Republic of Turkey. He was the field marshal in what was then the Ottoman Empire. Seeing the empire declining and being all vulnerable when facing vigorous attacks from the well-equipped European powers in WWI, the field marshal insisted on launching reforms before the empire fell apart. After a provisional government was formed in Ankara, he abolished the Ottoman Sultanate. The independent and autonomous Republic of Turkey, which was smaller in size than the Ottoman Empire, practised secular and westernised policies with Kemal as its president. The resilient Turkey has become a regional power since then. Kemal, the national hero, won the hearts and respect of his people.

Castles are commonly seen in European countries. It is the royal residence as well as the city’s essential fortification. Although many of them may have already retired from the defensive system today, they still serve as a symbol of the nation.

Pamukkale’s check-in pictures showing snow-white travertine terraces, and thermal pools reflecting the blue sky are no strangers on your friends’ social media. The surreal Pamukkale truly is your dream destination to explore.