Guest Post by Barbara L. Alvarez: 'My Love to Antalya & Turkey'

When Antalya City Blog asked me a couple weeks ago to write about my love and connection to Turkey, a place that I have never ever been before had me thinking a lot, for days if am honest, because what could I write? What could I say of a culture that I really don't know like a native does, then I said why not? Maybe this is my chance to finally put the pieces together. Pieces that I'm trying to figure it out day by day. 

So here I go, my first attempt to write in my own words why my love, respect and connection with Turkey and for Turkey. 

Let's start saying that if you're a believer of past life's or DNA testing like I do, I'm the perfect candidate for a research because I'm 99.9% sure that I was Turkish in the past, even people ask me Are you Turkish? Have you been there before? Do you have Turkish descendants in your family? How do you know that? Did you really understand what they're saying? Well those questions are very normal to me specially these days where I let myself go after the answers I need to get. 

So saying that which other way you can explain me that I know, I feel, I understand, I respect and I love the culture, the language, the costumes, the land, the food, the people, the places, how can you explain me then? Maybe is deja vu or whatever you want to call it, how can you explain it to me that I feel peace deep within when I think of plant my roots in a land that to many people is not safe or good enough these day... What a joke right? because let's be honest who's safe now? NOBODY right? So every time I read or I hear the news saying something negative about a country that's not even mine hurts me deeply inside, when attacks or vicious news try to put down a population that in majority are so kind, warm and totally awesome hurts me, it really does, so not because a group of insurgents trying to destroy what's good means that everybody is the same way. So no that's totally wrong in my book that bothers me as much as people saying that all Muslims are terrorists or support terrorism, oh god give me patience to deal with those ignorant comments. 

Now let's not even talk about people, because who would it have told me that I was going to love my good friends Ceren, Nigar, Oznur and some others names I can't mention here, the way I love and care for them like they're my own family, nobody really because what started as a connection thought Instagram look where it took us. Oh did I mentioned before that we don't know each other personally yet? No? Well now you know .. That's the power of FaceTime, love or God's perfect plans of reason and lesson in life. Who would it have thought that I'm working my ways to learn a third language just because I'm going there next year on vacations and then when I finish some stuff here and there maybe plan a possible moving to Antalya or Istanbul ... Inşallah!! Yes, you did read correctly, move to Turkey. My family and friends believe I'm crazy, I really don't care what they think because if one thing i have learned in my almost 34 years of life is that you do what makes you whole and happy without worry about what others think, you can't pleased others and sacrifice your happiness just because. 

So that been said I do desperately want to move there, know how is it feels to enjoy a cup of tea by the ocean while a balmy breeze blows my hair, I want to feel how is it to wake up in Asia and end up your day in Europe, I want to know how is it feels to enjoy a real baklava with coffee while my friends are sitting next to me chatting by the peer, I want to know how is it feels to swing in the crystal waters of the sea and then lay down and enjoy the sun under a cabana in Antalya, I want to know how is it feels to be able to order a meal on a restaurant in fluent Turkish, I want to walk Beyoğlu, Bebek Ortaköy, ride a ferry, feed the birds and cats and dogs, i want to open my own business and develop my career there, I want to buy a house, I want to enjoy the sunsets by the ocean I am even open to the possibility of know what is it feels to fall in love, i want to teach my son to love and respect turkey the same way I do, in general i want so many things and all of them I want them there. 

So when you think of a woman that was born in Venezuela raised in Colombia and proud American that dream of living in Turkey so she can spend the rest of her adult years, think of me, because that's one of my dreams and I know I'll make it real. So Turkey, wait for me, stay strong and free because one day soon I'll be proud of calling you my home, my heart, my country...inşallah!!!!

Thank you so much for the opportunity again. 

You can follow Barbara on Twitter: 

@Barbylore 

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Serbian TV star Ivana Djordjevic supports Antalya City Blog & Antalya on social media

Famous Serbian TV star Ivana Djordjevic supports Antalya City Blog & Antalya on social media. She is really a great lady who loves Antalya and gave her support to Antalya City Blog's new hashtags #ExploreAntalya & #LoveAntalya.

Here are the amazing photos from Ivana's Antalya vacation:

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Antalya City Blog introduce new hashtags for Antalya's promotion

Antalya City Blog introduce new hashtags for Antalya's promotion. These are #LoveAntalya & #ExploreAntalya

No major campaign today is complete without a hashtag.

What Exactly Is A Hashtag?

A hashtag is a word with a “#” symbol in front of it. In the social media world, these words become a search function, that connects the searcher to conversations and content based on the hashtag they’ve looked up. Even emojis can now be used as searchable hashtags on particular networks (Instagram and Twitter). Hashtags are often used for novelty or to group content for others to find. On various networks, you can click on a hashtag, and it will bring up all posts that contain that specific hashtag.

A timeline of the evolution of the hashtag:

• August 2007 – Hashtags first proposed for use on Twitter
• July 2009 – Twitter officially embraces the hashtag linking to a list of all tweets for anything proceeded by #
• January 2011 – Instagram add hashtag support
• Spring 2011 – Twitter plays a role in the Civil unrest of the Arab Spring. #Bahrain becomes one of the most used hashtags of all time
• October 2011 – Google+ begins automatically linking all hashtags in posts
• January 2013 – Half of Superbowl ads include a hashtag
• June 2013 – Facebook begins supporting hashtags
• October 2013 – The Advertising Standards Authority (UK) and the FTC (USA) state that adverts made via a celebrities Twitter page should incorporate the hashtag “#ad

The purpose of Hashtags

Hashtags can help make the connection in the consumer's mind between a social media concept and a brand and its campaigns such as an offer or regular content. Some social media users follow specialist hashtags so they can help a little in increasing visibility.  So, our new hashtags can help to promote Antalya on social media.

Please use our new #hashtags for #Antalya:

#LoveAntalya

#ExploreAntalya

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How to visit Expo 2016 Antalya: Tickets and Tips

Due to the World Expo 2016 Antalya City is full of interesting events and in our opinion this is an additional reason to visit the city. Expo Antalya 2016 in a certain way changed the life of citizens: new highways and subways were opened due to Expo2016 and Antalya is full of life and tourists from all over the world.

To be onest in order to visit Expo Antalya 2016 you need more than a day! So much so that you would like to come back soon, this time bringing all the family!

We  would like to leave you some practical information for visiting Expo 2016 Antalya. Why it’s worth it, at least in our opinion.

Expo 2016 Antalya Tickets: Costs and Where to Buy Them

Daily Entrance Fees
Adult (14 - 64 Years old)	60 ₺
Student, 65+ years old	30 ₺
Child 7-13 years old	15 ₺
Child (0 - 6 years old), Disabled	Free
Family	% 20 Discount

There are discounts for students, families and old people. We are now looking for the best option – or cheaper – to go for a whole day! 

Expo 2016 Antalya tickets can be bought on site at the ticket office, or from authorized resellers or online at the website of Expo 2016 in Antalya -->https://expoant.com/bilet/expo_tickets_en.html

Go to Expo 2016 Antalya with kids

In 2016, one of the most important worldwide organizations, A1 Category Botanical Expo, is going to be held in Antalya with the theme of “Flowers and Children”. So, children are very important for Expo 2016 Antalya. It made sense to go with the kids at the Expo in Milan. The answer for us is positive: children are having fun at the Expo 2016, there is an island dedicated to them. There are also some “baby point” for change and even the Strollers Rent Point. 

How To Get There

TRANSPORTATION TO THE EXPO 2016 ANTALYA HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION AREA

EXPO 2016 ANTALYA horticultural exhibition site is located in the City of Antalya, Aksu District, within the limits of the Solak Village, directly across from the West Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute (BATEM), 17 km from the city centre.

Transportation to EXPOcentre, after reaching Konyaaltı Region or Antalya Bus Terminal. 2016 Antalya from the City Centre

After passing the Antalya airport on Aspendos Boulevard, continue driving straight for about 11 km. The EXPO 2016 Antalya exhibition site is located on the D400 Antalya/Mersin highway.

Alternative means of transportation; Buses, taxis, private service buses and private automobiles.

A light rail transportation system running from the city centre of Antalya to the EXPO 2016 ANTALYA Botanic exhibition site is currently under construction. Upon completion of the new system, visitors are expected to be able to access the expo site via a faster, more comfortable transportation option.

Arriving to EXPO 2016 Antalya from Gazipaşa 

After reaching Alanya, located 44km from Gazipaşa, it is possible to access the EXPO 2016 Antalya exhibition site via intercity buses departing which depart from Antalya every thirty minutes. 

Arriving to EXPO 2016 Antalya from Kalkan

It is possible to reach the exhibition area by intercity buses from Kalkan, located is 220 km from Antalya. The transportation is provided by vehicles departing to the EXPO 2016 Antalya exhibition site from the city centre, after reaching Konyaaltı Region or Antalya Bus Terminal.

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Who is going to Antalya this year to visit Expo 2016?

Expo 2016 Antalya is a non-commercial World Exposition with some very unique and innovative features. For the first time in the history of world fairs, the theme of a World Expo is flowers and children: A Green Life For Future Generations. This theme will unite over 51 participants into action around the challenges and opportunities facing our global ecological system and the sustainable development of our planet.

Running for 190 days (from 23 April to 30 October), this giant exhibition site, covering 0 hectares of Expo land, 4 main areas called Expo Hill, Expo Forest, Expo Pond and Expo Tower are going to be visited by millions of tourists. It is expected to welcome over 8 million visitors who will experience a unique journey that looks at the complex theme of nutrition.

Expo 2016 Antalya will be the first Exposition in history to be remembered not only for its entertaining pavilions, but also for its contribution towards education on ecology and the planet’s precious resources. 

 During Expo period of six months 20.000 different activities are going to be organized including panel discussions, meetings, seminars, performing arts events, concerts and most importantly children congresses. The current state of the local landscaping which is arranged by the local municipalities and the tourism sector is a positive and encouraging position for Antalya. 

Antalya is an ideal geographical location for the Expo. With its 640 km long coastline and its rich history and incredible natural beauty, Antalya spreads out right in front of your eyes. There are approximately 300 antique sites to visit such as Aspendos, Termessos, Phaselis, St. Nicholas, Perge and the ruins of the ancient city of Patara. The excellent combination of the sea and sun, beaches, breath taking waterfalls and authentic localities such as Olympos make it virtually a wonderland. Its 500.000 bed capacity with 240 five star hotels, addressing 2 billion people within a 4 hours flight distance, proves its enormous tourism potential. Antalya, with its enormous variety of beautiful geographical features, and a population approaching two million, has a temperate climate and an endemic plant structure. The flora of Turkey is relatively rich with 9.160 species and a great number of new species are still being documented.  In Turkey, the rate of endemism is relatively high when compared with other European countries. The number of endemic species in Turkey is greater than 3.300. Of these, there are 500 endemic species in Antalya. Antalya’s natural beauty has turned it into a centre of attraction.

The city's economy is founded on the 3 mainstays of: Tourism, agriculture, commerce and industry. Manufacturing companies in different fields are active alongside the organized industrial zone. Annually more than 10 million foreign visitors come to Antalya. And, of course, agriculture shows the other side of Antalya. Identified with the blue sea Antalya also has a green face. When Antalya agriculture is mentioned, the sectors that undoubtedly come to mind are fresh fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants. With 45.246 hectares of a potential vegetable production area, Antalya has 13 % of the vegetable production in Turkey and 36 % of Turkey’s total production in the cut flower sector, exporting to 57 countries, is in Antalya.

The ornamental plants sector, which is an integral part of Antalya, provides many social benefits, from the creation of employment to attaining economic value in many areas, not only at local level but also at national level. The Flower Festival which has now become a tradition is being held for the seventh time this year and international seminars, trade fairs and trade delegations continue throughout the year. These are some of the organizations which are at the heart of the ornamental plants sector in Antalya.

So, Who is going to Antalya this year to visit Expo 2016?  

For more information, visit: 
http://www.expo2016.org.tr

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The Ancient City of Sagalassos - City in the Clouds

Antalya City Blog visited The ancient city of Sagalassos and took great photos for you. You can read our recommendations before you visit Sagalassos.

Sagalassos is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in Turkey. Only 7km from Ağlasun, it has been excavated since 1990 by archaeologists from the University of Leuven, Belgium. Local people from Ağlasun have worked on the archaeological excavations and restorations since they began. The beautiful site and its restored monuments are perfect examples of their hard work and talent.

The ancient city of Sagalassos Entry Fee 10 TL per person.

Today at Sagalassos visitors can see an impressive ancient city square (agora) with a restored and functioning  monumental fountain, gateway arches and 13m high honorary columns. The site features a huge Roman bath complex, library, urban mansion with more than 80-rooms, and theatre with seating for up to 9000 people, as well as other monuments from the city’s 1000-year history. Excavated finds -some unique and famous- can be seen at the Burdur Museum.

Conquered by Alexander the Great in 333 BC, Sagalassos flourished after joining the Roman Empire in 25 BC. The city was an export center for pottery and agricultural products throughout antiquity. Named the Metropolis of Pisidia, Sagalassos underwent a period of unprecedented building activity that began during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD) and endowed the city with the monuments visitors see today.

The city declined after earthquakes and a plague in the 600s. Sagalassos survives today in Ağlasun, whose name is derived from the ancient city. Ağlasun was established in the 13th century under the Selçuk dynasty, when a caravansaray and hamam were built near the current town square. It was a thriving center in the 16th century, when it hosted a regional market.

In 1706, Paul Lucas, traveling in southwest Turkey on a mission for the court of Louis XIV, came upon the mountaintop ruins of Sagalassos. The first Westerner to see the site, Lucas wrote that he seemed to be confronted with remains of several cities inhabited by fairies. Later, during the mid-nineteenth century, William Hamilton described it as the best preserved ancient city he had ever seen. Toward the end of that century, Sagalassos and its theater became famous among students of classical antiquity. Yet large scale excavations along the west coast at sites like Ephesos and Pergamon, attracted all the attention. Gradually Sagalassos was forgotten...until a British-Belgian team led by Stephen Mitchell started surveying the site in 1985.

Since 1990, Sagalassos has become a large-scale, interdisciplinary excavation of the Catholic University of Leuven, directed by Marc Waelkens. We are now exposing the monumental city center and have completed, or nearly completed, four major restoration projects there. We've also undertaken an intensive urban and geophysical survey, excavations in the domestic and industrial areas, and an intensive survey of its vast territory. Whereas the former document a thousand years of occupation, from Alexander the Great to the seventh century, the latter has established the changing settlement patterns, the vegetation history and farming practices, the landscape formation and climatic changes during the last 10,000 years.

How to Get There

How to Reach Ağlasun

With Your Own Transportation

Ağlasun is easy to reach with your own vehicle. Roads are good but drivers should carry tire chains between October and April in case of snow.

From Antalya City Center (115 km, 1:15): take Highway D650 towards Burdur for 83km, and then turn east toward Ağlasun on Highway D685.

From Lara or Eastern Antalya: take Highway D685 towards Isparta. After 96km, a clearly marked turnoff directs you to Ağlasun (130km, 1:30).

From Burdur (35 km, 0:45): take Highway D650 south towards Antalya until you see the left-hand turnoff for Ağlasun.

From Isparta (40 km, 0:45): take Highway D685 south towards Antalya and take the right-hand turnoff for Ağlasun.

By Public Transportation

Regular minibuses go to Ağlasun from nearby Antalya, Burdur, and Isparta. Look for the minibuses that say ‘Ağlasun/Sagalassos’.

From the Antalya Otogar: go to the İlçe Terminali (Provincial Terminal), across the outdoor breezeway from the main hall. The Ağlasun Coop buses leave at 11:00, 15:30, and 17:45. The coop doesn’t have an office, so look for the minibuses outside. You can also take the Bucak Coop minibuses to the town of Bucak (10/day, 1:30), and then from Bucak to Ağlasun (10/day, 0:45).

From Burdur: Ağlasun Coop minibuses leave from the otogar (10/day, 00:50)

From Isparta: minibuses for Ağlasun leave from the Köy Garajı (Village Terminal) 15 times per day (0:50). Note: the Köy Garajı is not at the main Otogar; take a service bus or a taxi between the two.

Enjoy the adventure! 

How to Reach Sagalassos from Ağlasun

If you arrive in Ağlasun by car or taxi, a scenic and winding road going up the mountain will guide you to the ancient city. Entrance to the archaeological site is about 7km north of the town centre.

If you arrive in Ağlasun by minibus, you can ask at the office of the minibus cooperation about the possibility of taking another one up to the site.  www.aglasunkoop.com

Usually a taxi is also available and can be found parked near the monumental plane tree in the town centre.

Another alternative to get to Sagalassos from Ağlasun is to go by foot. We recommend you take the route described in the booklet Exploring Ağlasun rather than taking the asphalt road to the site.

Note: All photos  belongs to the Antalya City Blog.  Benefited from the governor's office for information.

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