You gotta go.
I love Turkey. I preferred Marmaris to Bodrum. Both are very developed as is Kusadasi. Alanya, Fethiye, Side, Kas, Olu Deniz/Hisaronou (sp?) are not quite so developed.
I would love one day to venture into the rural hinterland. Eastern Turkey looks fascinating too.
The food is excellent - so much vegan stuff. Go to a proper Turkish cafe/restaurant - not one that caters for tourists - and they will have loadsa vegan options at cheap prices. Check out the meze options at the counter and you'll soon get to know what is and isn't vegan. The staff will happily advise. You must try Iman Bayaldi. Green beans, white beans, seaweed etc etc.
Yep, the amount of culture and history and Turkey is amazing.
The locals do hassle you ( that is nothin to what I'm experincing in Goa at the moment though - the hawkers will even wake you if you are sleeping on a lounger

), but overall the Turks are very frindly and hospitable. They love to chat and welcome them to their country. They are incredibly proud of their country.
Fascinating place geo-politically, strategically etc etc. It's a shame about their treatment of the Kurds in the East, and the human rights overall is not the best, ut improvements are being made in efforts to gain EU entry.
Read the book 'Midnight Express' - the film is not a totally accurate dramatisation of the book. The book was right 30 odd years ago when the events hapened, dunno if too much has really changed for anyone trying to smuggle drugs..... Anyhow Tom, that's kinda like sayin watch the Birdman of Alcatraz or Murder in the First and you'll never want to go the US.
