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Background: Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives, but after the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it to begin accession membership talks with the European Union.




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By Doglover
September 23rd 2009
Assos Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Ayvalik
After conferring with our Turkish hosts we decided to head north to Assos. Assos was founded in 8th century BC by colonists from the island of Lesvos. Under the rule of Hermeias, a one-time student of Plato, the city enjoyed great prosperity. Hermeias encouraged philosophers live in Assos and Aristotle himself lived there for about 3 years and married Hermeias‘ niece, Phythia. Unfortunately for Hermeias, the Persians invaded and ended up crucifying him, and forced Plato to leave. We spent the morning tromping around the ruins of the Temple of Athena. Before we left the village we [View Full Entry]

Doglover - Judith S Lear | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
104 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 10 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: September 28th 2009 | 29 Views | [diary=440347]

Our Pension in Asso
Assos View
Assos View

By Omentide
September 25th 2008
Catching up Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Ayvalik
The trip from Foca to Ayvalic was mainly uneventful. Most of it on a very good, modern highway. We didn't find a wireless connection in Ayvalic although, to be honest, we didn't look too hard. Ayvalic is serious relaxation. Well, apart from the traffic which is terrifying. We finally found a place to park the car then a hotel where no English was spoken (very good for my Turkish and my confidence in using it). After settling in we walked to the causeway to Ali Bey Island then back which made most of the taxi and dolmus drivers think we were [View Full Entry]

Omentide - Ashley and Hilary | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
634 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 0 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: September 27th 2008 | 33 Views | [diary=328151]


Ars Gratia Vitae - Homer and Us Taksiyarhis Pansiyon, Ayvalık - September 8th Oh dear. I find myself among the scattered bones of Troy, and not really certain either what to think or what I'm doing here. As the sun beats down on Troia II - how these numbers make the city sound like Tracey Island! - I find what I take to be the nearest thing to the Scaean Gate, and play a kind of sortes Homericae to pass the time between now and the next thought. Somewhat inevitably, my eye is drawn to Book XXII and the last, bloody [View Full Entry]

olivernmoody - Oliver Moody | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1882 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 0 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: September 9th 2008 | 23 Views | [diary=321605]


From Akcay it was a 50km, gently rolling ride to the town of Ayvalik, relatively quick but somewhat painful due to the level of traffic back on the big D550 highway. In Ayvalik we did a quick survey of in-town accomodations but then decided to head out to Alibey Island, a 10km ride across the harbor causeway from Ayvalik proper. After a pointless ride over the island's steep spine to the Lonely Planet's favorite Ada Camp yielded only expensive 100YTL bungalows (the punatively-priced 6YTL beers were really the deal-killers), we rode back to explore picturesque little Alibey town itself. Here [View Full Entry]

steve_hoge - Bicycling Adventures with Steve and Kate | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
2083 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 12 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: August 1st 2008 | 522 Views | [diary=307013]

Bicycling on Alibey Island
Waterfront Cafe, Alibey Island
Kate on the road to Candarli

By shn4clr
September 21st 2007
Photos, Datcha to Ayvalık Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Ayvalik
See attached photos... [View Full Entry]

shn4clr - Shane & Claire | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
3 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 28 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: September 21st 2007 | 186 Views | [diary=204214]

Aegına Boat Marmarıs
Claıre sunbathıng on deck
Aegına under saıl

16/09/2007.We left Marmaris early to travel to Selçuk. It was a fantastic journey that took us ınto the mountains wıth great vıews of the fertile plains below. Along the way there were roadsıde stalls sellıng what looked lıke stuffed donkeys or goats, not sure what that was about!Selçuk is a great little town full of Stork nests and ruıns from Greek, Roman, Byzantýne and Ottoman tımes. Claıre's most pıcturesque place so far.Whilst there we visited the ancient Greek/Roman City of Ephesus (twice). Its a vast sıte whıch I have to admit [View Full Entry]

shn4clr - Shane & Claire | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
344 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 0 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: September 21st 2007 | 117 Views | [diary=204217]


Week 1 Forest Baker and Annie Kallus[url='/Videos/3585.html' onclick='dialog("/Videos/3585.html?popped=1","tbvideo",600,600);return false;'] Istanbul Concert[url='/Videos/3586.html' onclick='dialog("/Videos/3586.html?popped=1","tbvideo",600,600);return false;'] Climbing Gallipoli Bluffs[url='/Videos/3599.html' onclick='dialog("/Videos/3599.html?popped=1","tbvideo",600,600);return false;'] Farmers near Troy[url='/Videos/3602.html' onclick='dialog("/Videos/3602.html?popped=1","tbvideo",600,600);return [View Full Entry]

Two idiots on bikes - Forest Baker and Annie Kallus | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1482 Words | 5 Comment(s) | 36 Photo(s) | 5 Video(s)
Published: June 6th 2007 | 594 Views | [diary=163620]

Pre-flight
Pre-flight
Flight

By Bernii
July 5th 2006
I Love This Town Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Ayvalik
Now, I know that I only updated my blog a couple of days ago and not that all that much has happened but what the heck. OK, from having having a gale force head wind I rounded the corner at Edmerit and had a gale force tail wind. Normally I would consider this a boon and, ofcourse I much prefer a tail wind to a head wind any ol' day, but it still makes cycling on a dual carriageway kind of tough. Especially with the truck traffic that goes past and being caught up in their wind tunnels... But, I almost [View Full Entry]

Bernii - Bernadette Wood | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1232 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 0 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 5th 2006 | 202 Views | [diary=71838]


By bedreddin
October 8th 2004
Beautiful Patricia Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Ayvalik
I ended up really liking Ayvalik so I'm still here. I think I'll leave tomorrow and head down to Izmir. Note I still claim to be on my way to Canakkale (even though I'm heading south instead of north). My first daytime assault on Cunda failed miserably, as I realized I was getting sick as soon as I arrived, and after a short face-saving walk around the town I was forced to head back and spend the rest of the day in bed. I was feeling much better the next morning. My second attack started in the early afternoon. I am [View Full Entry]

bedreddin - Ozgur Can Leonard | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1185 Words | 3 Comment(s) | 8 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: April 17th 2005 | 2965 Views | [diary=1626]

What a life...
Beautiful, yet in disrepair
Neighbors

By bedreddin
October 3rd 2004
No Greeks here... Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Ayvalik
Ayvalik. An inseperable part of the Turkish national homeland(!). Signs all over point out that it was here that the first military resistance was formed against the advancing Greeks back in 1919. I daresay I'm a bit puzzled. By all indications this was as Greek a town as any in western Anatolia. I spent all day walking down the quiet narrow alleys, among unmistakably Greek houses, spotting the occasional unmistakable church. One sign on a shop read "Rum evleri tamir ve yikimi yapilir" (lit. "We fix and demolish Greek houses"). This is yet another town fallen victim to the forced popu [View Full Entry]

bedreddin - Ozgur Can Leonard | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
508 Words | 17 Comment(s) | 6 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: April 17th 2005 | 2736 Views | [diary=1541]

Port of Ayvalik
View from Hostel
Old Houses


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