Hold on to your harem pants, here are some fast facts about Turkey, where Asia meets Europe. Eight countries share the border:  Greece, Syria, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Iran.  To the north: the Black Sea, to the south: the Mediterranean Sea, to the west: the Aegean Sea.  Population is 74 million, 13 million of which live in Istanbul (known as Istanbul only since 1930).  Prior names were Constantinople, Augusta Antonina and Byzantium. 


Turkish Delight, a gel based sweet with nuts
 and dried fruit.  Always offered as dessert.  
Chocolate is rare here. 
The beautiful Blue Mosque at night.
 97% of Turkey is Muslim.  Calls to prayer
 are broadcast over loudspeakers several times
 a day, starting at the crack of dawn.  
How loud? You’d swear there is a
speaker under your bed.
Istanbul old and new – high speed train
next to a palace wall from 1465.
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