The Ottoman Empire

BBC 4

The Ottoman Europes last Muslim Empire .

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I desperately need to visit Turkey, that's next on my list. I was thinking Cambodia next but Turkey has to be first. It looks amazing. Have you been there Muddy?

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We have been going to Turkey regularly for the past 30 years. There was a very good programme about Turkey tonight on BBC4.

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No I have never been there it's does look interesting .

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We went to Turkey about 8 years ago, stayed in Icemeler for two weeks. Beautiful scenery, terrific lightening storms in the mountains, I would love to visit again but not while there is so much unrest in the world,

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I went to Turkey a few times in the 70's. Didn't like Istanbul, apart from the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. The Grand Bazzar was huge and full of live chickens hanging upside down ready to be chopped. Got a nice sheepskin coat though and they sold brass by the ton. Turkey was quite different then to what it is now, I'm sure.
Izmir, was more of a western tourist location and Ephesus was incredible to visit (but I like those sort of places) . Ephesus , although streaming with tourists now, then there were 4 of us together and 2 others in the whole place, when we visited.
Roads were like dust tracks and smelly , Istanbul had masses of fish hauled in and dumped on the roads and pavements by the Bosphorus Bridge and the women at that time were all wearing the niqab and burka. At that point, something I had not experienced before.
The best part was coming up the Bosphorus and seeing Istanbul from a distance. The worst part was nearly being shipwrecked in the Bosphorus a few days before.
No inclination to go back , although I bet the tourist places are nice to stay in now.
I didn't stay in any location as I was on Merchant Navy cargo ships ,travelling with my husband.

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Turkey is beautiful and the history fascinating and compelling.

The people less so.......Apart from a small number of liberal minded individuals.

The majority make their contempt for Westerners tangible.....especially for Western women.

Any length of time in Turkey makes the UK a wonderful place to return home to.

I've been a couple of times but will not rush back there anytime soon.

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I love Turkey and I have never felt uncomfortable there or experienced anti western feelings. I m not sure what Ataturk would make of the present political regime there now I expect he is turning in his grave.

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I enjoyed Turkey & it's interesting historical sites, but the people were just like everywhere else....mixed personalities! Some were criminals and would steal all they could from you, some would try to sell you anything and some were warm and welcoming. One pair of grocery shop owners made us a coffee and invited us to sit and chat with them.
We experienced lots of things in Turkey, both good and bad, back in the 90's but I am not sure I would go back now as they they are making the country go back to the strict rules of Islam.

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My experience of Turkey is more akin to Summers then Moscows

I love Turkey, it's like my spiritual home. Even after 12 hours travelling, I feel totally relaxed on arrival. My favourite time is sitting on the balcony in the early hours waiting for the sunrise, then walking down to the town and buying fresh just that minute baked bread and just laid eggs, before heading back for a swim before anyone else is up

I love the history of the country. There is history everywhere you look. I love the beauty of the country. I love the people, never in my life have I met such hospital people. Never have I felt any anti western hostility whatsoever

It's a secular country

When we first started going, the roads away from the cities were pretty non existent and cars were really old rust buckets, barely road worthy. Like most developing countries the wealth takes a while to filter through and rural life is still pretty basic.

The cuisine is one of the finest in the world. Truly wonderful. Even a humble meal from a village lokanta which is just a canteen,is beautiful with tasty meat, freshest of veg and salad and bread

Yes when you go to the butchers, the cow might be tied up outside waiting a halal slaughter and yes the chickens are live till you pick which one you want, the U.K. it certainly isn't.

Its a hot and dusty country to be sure, but every where I've been, resturaunts, shops, hotels people homes etc, all been spotless

There is what we call hassle in the markets, they call it offering you in to try . There's no harm meant and a polite no is all it takes

Yep, I love the place and hopefully I will get back there one day