Ankara is about as European as
Turkey gets. There are touches of the mystical east if you know where to look but the vast
majority of the city is 20th century through and through. Ankara is a huge university town
and you'll find the streets of Kizilay and the bars of Sakarya thronged with students for
most of the year. Capital city status and the presence of language schools and the above
mentioned universities has brought a sizeable ex pat community to Ankara and all this adds
to the western feel of the place. All the wings of the military are based here and
Saturday afternoon finds Genclik Park (fountains, funfair, boat rides) full of strolling
conscripts in their various uniforms.
A lot of foreigners are
here on business but tourism is beginning to have an impact on various aspects of the
city. Ankara is a reasonably convenient place to base yourself if you want to travel
Anatolia, Cappadocia or the Black Sea coast and a growing number of tour operators and
related service industries are catering to tourists. There is accommodation here at all
levels, with prices pegged below those of Istanbul or the south coast, and the new bus
station (ASTI) is probably the most useful transport hub in Turkey with services to just
about anywhere that's feasible (The Lebanon is only 16 hours away if you're feeling
adventurous). |