The truth of Ankara

by Celia Terán (Spain)

A leap into the unknown Turkey

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The trip of my life began on September 6, 2019 when a plane from Bilbao would take me to what was going to be my home for 6 months, Ankara. Despite not having completed the ERASMUS, I have traveled to many cities in Turkey, however, my heart is in Ankara, the capital of the country in which I am living. It is not a tourist city but it hides beautiful places that, accompanied by my new friends, we have gradually discovered. The name of Ankara comes from the word anchor. This name was given because it used to be a trade route between Persians and Romans. It is an area that mixes the modern with the most traditional. It is located in the center of the country and despite what it may seem at the beginning, it is a very safe and hospitable place. Among it’s points of interest are: Museum of the Ancient Civilizations of Anatolia, which is undoubtedly perfect for those interested in ancient history as it contains a large number of archaeological and historical artifacts. They usually bring different exhibits that rotate, but of course, the most beautiful is a fragment of the Neolithic wall with more than 8000 years. Without a doubt, mosques have a charm and beauty worth seeing in person. Personally, the prettiest is Kocatepe, a recent construction of 1987, has 4 minarets and is the largest in the city. Prayer calls are something you will hear several times a day. With this you can observe the believers on the way to the mosque. You will not leave Turkey without knowing who Ataturk is because everywhere there are images of this Turkish military who led the liberation of the country. The Mausoleum of Ataturk is a mandatory stop. It’s large structure, the museum tells the history of the country very well and without a doubt seeing the changing of the guard is impressive. To enjoy a good view of the sunset it is clear that Ankara Castle is ideal, not only for the beautiful views of the immense city, but for the previous tour full of typical stalls. Another option is to go to the funicular that takes you to one of the highest areas of Ankara. The magic that the sun gives off when setting between the most modern buildings and the houses of a traditional turkey will leave you with your mouth open. Getting lost in the streets and discovering all its markets is something you can do if you have time. But one of the best is that of Ulus, where you can see traditional food, the freshest fruit and vegetables, millions of sweets, nuts and tea. Ideal to do your shops. However, if you want fakes of both clothes, shoes, bags ... the ideal is to go to Kizilay and go around the shops. You can also find many hippy shops with very cheap handmade products. Ankara is very cheap, and you will find millions of good restaurants where you will eat to swell for less than 7 euros per head. The Aspava is a restaurant that you should not miss as they have a wide menu where vegetarians can also enjoy food. Not everything is the kebab and durum (although of course you have to try it), its meatballs with many spices called kofte,the simit that is a circle-shaped bread similar to the beagle but with sesame, hummus… and don't forget the traditional Turkish breakfast with different dishes small scrambled eggs, smoked eggplant, bread, chocolate, jams, cheese, butter, cucumber, etc. Without a doubt, the dish that I like the most is the corbasi (soup) of lentils, really delicious. To finish your meal, a good classic tea or if you are more daring, a good bitter Turkish coffee accompanied with Turkish delicacies. Turkey is a wonderful country, a place that hides a lot of beauty inside and that you have to discover little by little. Getting away from Istanbul and meeting its people in the capital should be a mandatory stop on every trip to Turkey. Without a doubt, living here lets you know what life is really like in Turkey, what its people and customs really are. I am sure that it has become my second home and that I have learned many things from it that have helped me to see the world in a more open way.