Today we'll tell you about a country that's a favorite destination for people in the former Soviet Union. Here are ten interesting facts about Turkey.
1. Running could decide life or death
For many centuries, Turkey was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, which collapsed in 1922. Nobles and high-ranking officials who somehow interfered with the Sultan were regularly executed. However, in the 18th century, an interesting custom emerged. A person sentenced to death could challenge the executioner to a race from the main gate of the city to the market square, where executions took place. If the condemned man won the race, instead of being executed, he was simply banished from the Empire forever.
2. Keeper of the two wonders of the world
Turkey was home to two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, namely the Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The legendary city of Troy was also located here.
3. Istanbul – one between two continents
The Turkish city of Istanbul has been the capital of various empires for 2,000 years. Formerly known as Constantinople, it was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires. Incidentally, Istanbul is a city that straddles two continents. 3% of its territory is in Europe, and the rest is in Asia. Istanbul is the largest and most populous city in Turkey, home to almost 14 million people. However, the country's capital, Ankara, is several times smaller.
4. Legal counterfeiting of the brand
In Turkey, counterfeit items are not considered fake if they differ from the original in at least four ways. This mostly applies to clothing and electronics, so it's perfectly legal to buy good quality counterfeit brand-name items at Turkish markets, which is precisely what tourists do there.
5. Missing letters
The Turkish language uses the Latin alphabet we are all familiar with. However, it lacks the letters Q, W, and X.
6. Türkiye or turkey?
In English, Türkiye is called "Turkey." It's funny that "turkey" is also called "turkey" in English.
7. Cats that love to swim
Cats generally dislike swimming in water, but in Turkey there's a lake called Van. A special breed of cat called the Van lives around it. This cat breed loves to spend time in the shallows and fish. On particularly hot days, they even sleep in the lake, nestling in the shallows. This breed often has different-colored eyes: one orange and one blue. So, if you enjoy bathing your cats, consider the Turkish Van; they love bathing.
8. Dondurma – ice cream like chewing gum
Dondurma is one of Turkey's national dishes. It's a dessert similar to ice cream. A special edible resin is added to it, making it runny and stretchy, like chewing gum. Vendors sell dondurma on the streets from special carts, constantly stirring the mixture in a barrel. Using a special stick, they lift the long, sticky piece of dondurma up high and then lower it back into the barrel, tempting potential customers.
9. Be sure to buy a souvenir to protect yourself from the evil eye.
If you visit Turkey, you'll see special blue eye-shaped medallions sold everywhere. This medallion is the most popular souvenir from Turkey, and it's called a Nazar Boncuk. Turks claim it wards off the evil eye and are eager to sell as many of these amulets to tourists as possible.
10. You can legally buy your way out of the army.
In Turkey, every man is required to serve in the army, with the term varying from six months to 15 months, depending on his education. However, every man can legally "buy his way out" of this service by paying 17,000 Turkish lira into the national budget.