Contrary to what many people think, Istanbul is not the capital of Turkey. Ankara located in the Anatolia district is a recent capital, compared to Istanbul, which was the center of all activities, attractions and invasions up until Atatürk, the first president started bringing in his reforms. I recall a Turkish friend of mine explaining to me that the president had a strategy to have the capital city in the center, and have development spreading around it, and also ensuring the capital is secured from easy attacks. I’ll keep this post short since my stay here was mostly work and no play.

When you’ve seen the bustling and ever awake city of Istanbul, Ankara seems quieter. A lot of good restaurants and pubs, and a lot of heritage around. Most government offices and headquarters of companies are housed here. I didn’t really get a chance to explore the city in terms of history, only gastronomic escapades. A surprising fact I found out was that Turks also have the tradition of arranged marriage, much like Indian society. So for people who are constantly in awe of how people manage to commit themselves with set up partners, this is another culture for you to read about!

The Turk Telecom museum

A gorgeous mosque on my way ..

Dessert

No matter which city in Turkey you are, never miss out on Baklava and Turkish Delight (marsh mellows). The local beer too.

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