Thoughts on a Turkish Holiday

Author Date
Comments: 2 Comments

OK… some photos from a 10 day break in Turkey… yes I know, I feel like a bit of a hypocrite. I’ve never had anything nice to say about either the country, its Government, Turkey joining the EU (wrong on so many levels), or the prevalence of Islam there, and my opinions on these matters remain unchanged or reinforced.

I do have, at last, something positive to say about the place – the weather was fantastic, the coast is beautiful with crystal clear waters, and the apartment was magnificent.

Comments and observations will be following shortly, just wanted to get the photos up first. Had a good time but would have been good to have had a sniper rifle with which to take out the loud-speakers of the nearby mosques…

Previous Image
Next Image

info heading

info content

On the down-side:

  • Turkish flags and photos of Abdullah G?l (Turkish President) are everywhere – in Turkey it would seem nobody complains that flying the flag is offensive to minorities.
  • Rampant 3rd world conditions away from Tourist areas.
  • Interesting places to visit leaflets with the advisory notice ‘please be aware this is a rural Muslim community’.
  • In a town and being charged to take advantage of possibly the worst toilet in the world.
  • Internet Censorship, allowing only state approved sites (even block youtube).
  • Arrogant humourless officials
  • They are looking forward to joining the EU
2 comments to “Thoughts on a Turkish Holiday”

  1. Comment 1: Do you really consider yourself a MINORITY, in a country deprived of human dignity and forced into poverty and violence! Or would you consider yourself as they perceive you…! a bloody tourist with buckets of money looking at them as though they are a beneath you…!

    Comment 2: As a UK citizen your choice is to visit a muslim state, please respect the belief of that country!

    Comment 3: Toilets in apparently 3rd world countries are very similar to the toilets in Jillys…! can actually speak from experience here.

    Comment 4: Joining the EU for a poverty stricken country where the citizens are not considered as citizens of the state… but are farmed liked animals, where they crave the freedom and the human rights that you take for granted… Please tell me you do not really see this country or any 3rd world country from one dimension eyes…. William

    Reply

    • Well, Zee, where to start..?

      The article is an old one so I had to revisit it and confirm exactly what I’d said.

      Having done so I have to conclude that your reasoning and judgement were somewhat clouded when you read it and commented. A surprise as your arguments have always been coherent and well reasoned historically, yet here you seem to have both misinterpreted and read your own agenda into the article, reaching emotional and poorly reasoned conclusions.

      I was tempted to write a lengthier response but have opted not to do so at this time, so in response to your comments:

      Comment 1:
      You have completely misunderstood the reference. Of course I do not consider myself a minority in Turkey..!

      It was a reference to the fact that England seems to be the only Nation that fails to celebrate its National Day (St George’s Day) in any significant way, where flying the flag of St George at almost any time is likely to get you branded as a racist, that on St George’s day I was asked to remove the small St George flag from my motorcycle as ‘some employees’ had found it offensive.

      A reference to the fact that thanks to the machinations of the controlled press and the spectre of Political Correctness it is now almost anathema to be pro-actively ‘English’.

      In almost any other country in the World (including Turkey, hence my comment) having your own Country’s interests at heart, or any other expression of Nationalism such as ‘Flying the Flag’, is seen as a positive.

      I consider no victim of unfortunate circumstance to be beneath me, and am surprised that you believe this to be the case.

      Comment 2
      Correct – accordingly, since that last visit and despite the fact that my holidays there were free (except for flights) I have not returned. I have also declined lucrative job offers in Dubai and other UAE. My choice.

      Comment 3
      I agree – there are many flaws with predominantly Christian Western Democracies. The toilets in Jillys may well have been one of them.

      Comment 4
      Your naivety astounds me. As a founding Nation of the EC, Turkey is already (allegedly) subject to rulings of the European Court of Human Rights. Try telling that to the remaining 0.2% of the population that remains Judaeo-Christian (down from 20% as recently as 1914, thanks to the Armenian Genocide and mass exodus of non-Muslims in fear of their lives).

      Full membership of the EU has been declined thus far based on Turkey’s dubious political stances and record on human rights. If it were granted we would see a further influx of immigrants (here) and little change in Human Rights abuses in Turkey.

      In recent years I have studied Islam extensively, and I do mean extensively. Certainly I have a better grasp on the birth and life of its Prophet, it’s history and spread, the various sects, the First and Second waves of Jihad, the birth of the Muslim Brotherhood etc than most Muslims I have discussed it with. I can respect Muslims… I cannot respect Islam. I’m also familiar with Turkey’s history since the Anatolian civilisations.

      It was, however, nice to hear from you 😉

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.