ARE YOU AWARE OF ISTANBUL’S LITTLE KNOWN BUT FASCINATING MINI FESTIVALS?

We could call them Istanbul’s little giants. A number of very small festivals you’ve perhaps you’ve never even heard of, but that are trail blazers in their own fields, are held in Istanbul every year. Mounted on extremely modest budgets, they nevertheless succeed in drawing prominent Turkish and international guest speakers and artists. Held since 2007, amberFestival is Turkey’s first festival of electronic art. Organized around a specific theoretical concept every year, amberFestival has as this year’s theme, Next Ecology. For more information about this festival, November 4 to 13: www.amberfestival.org Making a big splash last year when it screened the award-winning film

Logorama, which captured the Oscar for Best Short Animation Film in 2010, the Istanbul Animation Festival is awaiting animated film buffs again November 22 to 27. For more information about this fun-filled festival: www.iafistanbul.com Another small festival that manages to attract participants from countries all over the world is the Istanbul Short Film Festival, which also includes an international competition. For more information about this festival that is welcoming short film buffs November 23 to 30: www.istanbulfilmfestival.com

The 11th Sşde International Culture and Arts Festival organized by the Municipality of Side began on July 23.All activites will take place in the Temple of Apollo and the Amphitheater of Side through September 17 and be free of charge.There are three events scheduled for september during the Side International Culture and Arts Festival, whic was accepted to be a member of European Festivals Union in 2010.These events are"Ten of the Best Trumpets" in the Temple pf Apollo on September 6, the Jazz-Ist Quartet cancert again in the Temple of Apollo on September 10,and finally the Gala Concert of the Antalya State Opera and Ballet in the Amphitheater on September 17,

Online Tracking
For details information on Side International Culture and Arts Festival visit,
www.sidefestival.com

Turkey is traditionally considered to be the country where eastern culture meets west. In terms of a tourist destination Turkey has almost everything a visitor could want –a warm climate (especially in the south), fantastic scenery, great beaches and very reasonable prices.
Turkey is outside the euro zone and to an extent has been buffeted from the recent financial chaos which has affected many southern European economies such as Greece, Spain and Portugal. In 2010 nearly 30 million visitors arrived in Turkey to explore a country which has over the past 10 years invested heavily in promoting tourism.
So where and when is the best time to visit Turkey? In the summer months prices are higher, and flight prices can be particularly high when compared against more traditional holiday destinations such as Spain and Portugal. For this reason spring and autumn are a good time to visit, especially if you are looking for something other than just a beach holiday.
The temperatures will generally be warm but not unbearably hot during spring and autumn in the southern resorts such as Antalya, Dalyan (near Dalaman) and Bodrum have climates similar to southern Spain, and are good destinations to visit even during the colder winter months where temperatures are typically 15-18 degrees maximum in the daytime. If you head inland in summer the temperatures are very hot, and in wintertime can be bitterly cold, especially in the east. If you decide to head inland and wish to hire a rental car, Blue Valley Car Hire compare car hire in Dalaman, Antalya, Bodrum and all major airports in Turkey.
Although the coastal areas of Turkey are geared up to tourism, hiring a car will allow you to travel away from the tourist bubbles and see some real Turkish culture.
If you are looking for a city break then Istanbul is an interesting option. Accessible from several of the London airports via Easyjet, Istanbul offers something different to the beach resorts of the south of the country. There are many historical buildings of interest such as the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace, museums such as the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum and the famous Grand bazaar which sells an array of Turkish produce. The city is also renowned for its coffee, which can be found at any number of bars and cafes that line busy streets of this bustling city.

Location:Kalkan is only 27 km apart from Kaş and has developed into a modern town during the last couple of years. Shortly after kalkan a sign points to joint road which leads to Patara 10 km away.
History:Nothing is known about the establihment of Patara, one of the most important harbour cities of Lykia. Except for a mythological statement which tells us that the city was founded by Pataros who was the son of apollon and the nymph Lykia. Once it was called Patara. Patara was not only of importance because of its location,but it also had a considerable religious influence; it had an Apollonsanctuary which stil could not be located:it competed with the delphic oracles(The oracle of Patara was supposably only here during the winter months and at other times on the Island Delos).
In the 1 st century A.D the sanctuary lost its importance. After an exciting century it was supported economically by Rhodiapolis and had its prime time again. Patara did not put up resistance against Alexander the Great, but had tos hare its fate with all Lykian cities after the deccease of this hero.Thereby two historic events should be mentioned.ın the 3rd century B.C which was the Ptolemaian age, the city was named Arsione like the wife of Philadelphos II, for a short time. The second event was in 42 B.C after the heavy blow in Xanthos, whereupon the population of Patara offered Brutus valuable jewels to avoid the spilling of blood. Patara which had three voices in the Lykian league, experienced its golden age in the Roman era. Not only legal transactions of the Roman governor were proceeded, but also most of the federal assemblies took place here, so that the Lykian federal archives was transferred to Patara. Patara was also an important centre fort he Christians. Apostle paul changed his ship here during his excursion from Ephesos to Tyros; the birthplace of Saint nikolaos was also here.
Gate edifice:The gate edifice from the 1 st century A.D. with its three portals, is located directly at the entrance of Patara, amid some Lykian sarcophagae, was financed by the Lykian-Pamphylian governor Mattius Modestus and built by the natives. The bust of the governor and his family stood on corberls on the two sides of the gate.
Bath-Basilica-Temple:On the way from the gate to the sea,the ruins of a small bath and an East Roman basilica can be seen. In this part the temple has remained in quite good condition.It was built in the Korinthian style and stands on a 13x16 m large platform.
Thermal springs:Underneath the temple one sees ruin of a typically Roman bath with five rooms:the apodyterium,caldarium and sudatorium,which were all joined by doors: it was donated by Vespasian(69 to 79 A.D.). Some openings in the walls show that the bath had been decorated with marble which could have also been done at a later point in time.
Theatre:The first theatre was probably Hellenian.Due to an inscription from the year 147 A.D it was rebuilt by Velius titianus and his daughter velia procla after a heavy eartquake. The small alluvial land plain has already enclosed the largest part of the theatre and the city with sand dunes and mud so that one knows nothing about the seat rows. One has estimated that 34 rows had been there originally. The cavea of the theatre is located on the slope and was divided into two areas by a diazoma.
Grenary:This is set on the west bank of the ancient port installation and was constructed to the honour of Emperor Hadrian. Patara had the same importance as Andriake in the grain transport to Rome.

Theimiussa(Üçağız): No history is known, except for an inscription of Lykian source. It proves that a settlement was alreadyset uphere in the 4th century B.C. In grave inscriptions the decceaseds are often mentioned as citizens of Myra. Since also fines had to be paid to this city on emay assume that Theimiussa belonged to the territory of Myra.The ruins of Theimiussa are in the east of thevillage where stil a few village houses stand. There are neither ruins of a city wall, nor remainders of large buildings. The wall in thesea resembles a canal and with the graves, they are all that has remained

Kekova:The most suited landing stage is in the large bay and called Tersane(shipyard) by the natives By this bay one immediately sees the apsis of a once dimensional basilica.besides the remainder of a Hellenian tower, all ruins of the sunken city are from the East Roman age(4th to 5th centuries A.D.). Many cisterns are also in Kekova where rain water was collected, as everywhere in the region. Even today the inhabitants of the village Kale gettheir water from these cisterns by motor boats.

Location:Simena and Kekova only be reached by waterway. Coming from Kaş with a motor boat,one enjoys a very beautiful Iandspace. On the way one passes numerous small island with evenly hollowed-out, sharp reefs. Almost all of the islands are rock-falls from which gravestones in blocks have been made and brought to other areas by sea. Coming from Demre or Üçağız one sees caves where seals have lived and if one drives along the Asarli island and the sunk city infront of the east beach of Kekova island, one arrives in Simena.
Theimissacan also be reached by land. After 32 km on the Demre-Kaş route there is a road junction which leads to Üçağız 30 km further one reashes Üçağız.
Simena(Kale):Considering theLykian inscriptions found in connectian with Aperlai and the existing silver coins from Aperlai,the settlement was established inthe 4th century B.C Nevertheless,the existence of Simena is only known through its association with Aperlai. In the quite well preserved medieval fort of the interior castle, one can see the houses, ruins of the buildingsand some Stone blocks of a temple which had already beendiscovered by travellers in the 19th century. The seven seat rows of thetheatre which were made of naturalrock, are the most interesting objects in Simena. This was thesmallest lykian theatre and affered enough space for 300 people. One will see traces of three periods further west of the theatre. Abovethe Lykian rock graves, there are even blocks of the Roman wall, and some what higher, there is a fort wall with firing slits from a laterperiod. The nekropole is located outside of the fort wall, east of the akropolis. A decayed bath house can stil be seen out in the country. According to inscriptions the people of Aperlai and the city administration, together with the members of the league of cities donated it to Emperor Titus(79 to 81). A sarcophagus which is the landmark of Simena, a sunken landing stage and port installations can be seen in the ocean.