Words Edel Cassidy
The country we’ve always known as Turkey has been officially renamed Türkiye (pronounced turkey-YAY), with the approval of the United Nations. It had called itself Türkiye since its independence in 1923, but it’s only recently, following a request from its government, that it has been recognised internationally by that name.
When news broke in February that massive earthquakes had struck the south-east of the country, I was devastated to hear of the enormous loss of life and destruction in cities that I had visited just weeks earlier. I was also concerned about the impact this would have on the livelihoods of many there who are dependent on tourism. However, I have been assured that much of Türkiye is safe and remains open, and visitors continue to be welcomed with warmth and appreciation.
The highlight of my trip was a visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Mount Nemrut and the surrounding region, which has a wealth of archaeological sites, ancient cities and historic structures that tell the stories of earlier civilisations and traditions.
