Turkey: Culture

Usages

The use of control wear clothes discrete and remove their shoes when entering a mosque. Women should also be careful to cover their heads, their shoulders and legs (to the knee). Avoid visiting a religious building on Friday, the day sacred to Muslims. Never point someone with the soles of your feet. Offer wine only if your host drinks alcohol. Finally, note that punctuality is important.

Language

Sentence structure and verb formation make the rather difficult learning Turkish for fans of Indo-European languages. The pronunciation, however, is quite simple.

Hello: Merhaba
Goodbye: Hosçakal (person from) Güle güle (who else)
What is your name? : ? Adiniz nedir
Yes: Evet
No: Hayir
Please: Lütfen
Thanks: Teşekkür ederim
Excuse me Bakar misiniz
What? : ? Then
Where? : ? Nerede
Where is the hotel? : ? Bir Nerede motel
room: Kisilik
Toilets: Tuvalet 
Restaurant cheap: Lokanta

Food

The kebab was born in Turkey. You can find all the corners of streets. Most Turks are big meat eaters. Fish is also very popular, but it can be expensive. A big plate of mezze (excluding various works) can itself constitute a succulent meal. Eggplant is the leading vegetable in Turkey. It is the basic ingredient of a delicious local specialty: Imam bayildi (eggplant, olive oil, tomatoes, onion, garlic). The desserts (often pastries made ​​with honey, nuts and fruits ) have a place in this country, how can we not mention baklava and Turkish delight famous? The national drink is tea ( çai ), but there are beer almost anywhere. Turkish wines, often overlooked, are a very good outfit. Finally, you can not visit Turkey without trying to raki , the aniseed wish to local alcohol.

Religion

Turkey is 99% Muslim. Sunnis dominate with Shia and Alawite communities in the east and southeast of the country. The Alevi (heterodox Muslims) make up about 19% of the population.

Arts

Literature and music were essentially religious inspiration in the Ottoman period. The weight of Islam in this society has for centuries prohibited any art figurative. Non-figurative art experienced, Countdown, development and exceptional refinement. Turkish museums are filled with vases and beautiful pottery, jewelry and costumes of unparalleled wealth. The ornament doors of mosques is a feast for the eyes. The coming to power of Ataturk revolutionized the position and appearance of art in Turkey. Suddenly, painting and sculpture have obtained citizenship and expanded rapidly. The father of modern Turkey has also strongly encouraged the penetration of Western music (he was an opera lover).

The introduction of the Latin alphabet also gave a boost to Turkish literature. His best known today representatives are: Yasar Kemal, Orhan Pamuk Nazim Hikmet or. Weaving carpets still , from time immemorial, an art in itself in Turkey. Similarly, the music has changed dramatically in this country. Turkish pop recently filled the airwaves, relegating to the background the old folk songs from the troubadour tradition. Cinema is very popular. Local production took off after the Second World War (especially in 1960-1970). Among its famous ambassadors abroad: Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Fatih Akin, Ferzan Ozpetek and Reha Erdem. Highly respected photographer, Ara Güler immortalized for more than half a century the many facets of Turkish culture.