Turkey: Quite Possibly the Most Important Piece of Real Estate in the World

by Diane Wilson

In the last weeks of summer, we scooted off to Turkey, and were dazzled by the old and the new, the sobriety and the splash, the generosity of the people we met, and the unavoidable, disquieting but hopeful fact of Turkey's geography.

Turkey finds its home in both Europe and Asia. It borders Bulgaria and Greece. It also borders Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. But Turkey's longest borders are shared with Iraq, Syria and Iran. While driving through Istanbul, our guide pointed out the Iranian Consulate and noted that they have had a peaceful relationship with Iran for 300 years.

Home to a mostly Muslim population, Turkey is a secular democratic country established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923, following the demise of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish Armed Forces are the second largest standing force in NATO, and Turkey was a founding member of the United Nations. More recently, Turkey had applied for membership to the EU, and I had thought negotiations were still ongoing. When I was there, the question of membership made people bristle: "We have been rejected by the EU. The subject is now closed."

To a Westerner, the Turkey I saw feels foreign, but in a dreamy romantic sort of way. It was Ramadan and there were calls to prayer from the Blue Mosque. At nightfall, restaurant owners would put their chairs out on the street for locals, who had been observing Ramadam, but activity continued during the day. A constant stream of boats went up and down the Bosphorus. I was most struck by the graciousness of the people I met in Istanbul: "You will come back?" we were asked time and again. When we answered in the affirmative, there was satisfaction: "So you like Turkey."


I do like Turkey, but the more I saw, the less I understood it, having just scampered around Istanbul and Ephesus. What would I find elsewhere in the country? How welcome are Westerners? Come to think of it, how well does Turkey really understand the West. Even in Istanbul, which is chock a block with Four Seasons Hotels, how well do they really know us?

Turkey knows that we are suckers for clothing and handbags with names on them. Genuine Prada and Polo knock-offs are found throughout the Grand Bazaar, along with their other up-market cousins. However, The Grand Bazaar is just for the tourists, we were told. The Turkish people shop elsewhere.

I had made a reservation for dinner atop an older hotel. The selling point was its view of two continents. I was so looking forward to the excitement of seeing both Europe and Asia while dining, but our guide nixed my plan because it was in the wrong neighbourhood. Instead, he sent us to a very opulent four star affair on the Bosphorous. But my original choice still haunts me because I want to know what I missed, even if it wasn't grand luxe. Quite possibly that venue was more authentic. If the West is going to advance its relationship with Turkey, we have to understand it better, rather than having it fashioned for our consumption.

Turkey was once perhaps the most powerful empire. At the height of its power in the 16th to 17th centuries, Turkey or the Ottoman Empire comprised three continents, including much of northern Africa, western Asia and southeastern Europe.

Turkey remains a stunningly beautiful country, whose excellent climate makes it self-sustaining. But today's Turkey must grapple with double digit unemployment and staggering interest rates, realities that were largely absent during our quixotic adventures. This past September, a report entitled Turkey in Europe: Breaking the Vicious Cycle was issued. It is a call to re-engage, and mentions the resentment we noticed on the streets of Istanbul. It also talks about Turkey's key strategic location, due to oil, the Middle East, and so much more.

If the world really does subscribe to location, location, location, then Turkey ought to be the go-to country in the years ahead. With that comes the hope that religious and political divides can be bridged, and a new sharing of knowledge can occur.