A stunning photo and a poem, courtesy of Aretz Photo Visions Artez Venice Carnival -

Listen to the sunset,
Hear its silent sigh
As it falls down the horisen
Warning, the moon is nigh

Listen to the sunset
Hear its silent threat
That darkness will be upon us
It makes everyone upset

Listen to the sunset
The vanity of its words
How beautiful this sunset is
With its colour, and birds

Listen to the sunset
See its pretty hue
But I cant enjoy the sunset
If I am not with you

All the pretty colours are meaningless
So are the birds, and the sounds
Because it all means nothing to me
If you are not around

Just remember this though,
Promise you wont forget,
Even if your far away,
We’ll be watching the same sunset

So listen to the sunset
Enjoy its beauty true
When you see it, think of me
And I will think of you

Izmir is Turkey’s largest port after Istanbul and is located along the coast of the Aegean Sea in the Gulf of Izmir. This Gulf, which was earlier known as Gulf of Smyrna is now known as Izmir Korfezi. Izmir, which was known as Smyrna in the olden days, is Turkey’s third most thickly populated city and Turkey’s second largest port city.

The city of Izmir was once famous for figs, but today it is a major port and commercial center. The city that you see today is the new Izmir – a fire had wiped out most of the old city. You will find the city has good hotels and restaurants, a big bus terminal known as Otogar, and a busy airport.

The Aegean coast’s tallest building, the Hilton Izmir, is 32 storey’s tall and is located over the Izmir Bay, and very close to the Izmir International Fairgrounds. Some of the other hotels here are the Residence Comfort Izmir, the Movenpick Hotel Izmir, the Anemon Hotel, Hotel Beyond, and the Crowne Plaza.

Izmir offers you an excellent selection of restaurants which offers your choice gourmet cuisine. Some of these restaurants are:

•    Asansor: Excellent food with live Turkish music and a stunning view of the city.
•    Balik Pisiricisi: A place for good seafood. The queues outside vouch for this fact.
•    Deniz Restaurant: This is another wonderful seafood restaurant.
•    Dort Mevsim Et Lokantasi: This is a famous restaurant – try their Ocakbasi, Stuffed Aubergine Kebab, or the Kofte.

Izmir is a city where you will find a lot of interesting things. You have excellent hotels where you can stay in comfort and enjoy your stay in Izmir. The Izmir Adnan Menderes International Airport is close by. There are many beautiful things to see in this amazing town of Izmir. Go and see the beautiful Clock Tower, the Archaeological Museum, the Konak Yali Mosque, the Jewish Synagogue, and the Kadifekale Castle. These are only some of the sights, but there are a few more which you can explore.

The game of Golf was introduced in Turkey in the early 1800s. And, since then golf tourism has developed here quite rapidly, and Izmir is a city where golf is quite popular. The first golf club was started in Istanbul in 1895, and this was followed by a number of clubs in other places. There are a number of golf courses as well as a number of golf resorts in and around Izmir. A couple of famous golf resorts near Izmir are the Vita Park Golf Resort and the Kusadasi Golf Resort. Come and explore Izmir – you might fall in love with it.

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and one of the large cities in the world. In the olden days, it was also known by the names of Byzantium and Constantinople. Istanbul, which is a megacity, is also the cultural and financial nerve center of Turkey. Golf is a very popular sport in Turkey and Istanbul is one of the places where Golf is quite popular.

Istanbul is a very old city where you will be able to see the remains of many ancient civilizations. It would take a few days for you to see Istanbul thoroughly, so do take the time to see everything. The places which are interesting and worth seeing are the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Beyazit area, the Eminonu Docks, the Galata Tower, and the Taksim Square.

There are a number of things that you should not miss while in Istanbul:

You can go and shop at the Grand Bazar. It is a unique experience and the thrill of bargaining is absolutely wonderful. You can also visit the Hamman and enjoy the Turkish Baths or visit Istiklal Street, which has several interesting shops and a number of entertainment avenues. You can even see the Hippodrome, which was an ancient amphitheater and which had hosted many social events in the ancient times.

You should enjoy the local cuisine here. You can enjoy the Turkish kekabs or a have a bite of the Doner Kebab. You can even try the succulent fish and the sea food here, and try Raki with it (Raki is traditional alcoholic beverage). And do not forget the Turkish coffee, you will simply love it! Some of the famous restaurants are Huzur restaurant, Hasanaki, Asir, and the Kasibeyaz.

You have a choice of some excellent hotels here in Istanbul which are comfortable, luxurious, and centrally located. Some of them are given here:

•    Lady Diana Hotel, which is within a stone’s throw from the famous sights.
•    Romance Hotel, which is elegant and comfortable and is one of the luxurious hotels in Istanbul.
•    Orsep Royal Hotel, that is located in old Istanbul, and which is close to all the shopping malls. It commands a beautiful view of the sea and Bosphorus.

Istanbul is an excellent golf destination and there are a number of superb golf courses here. Some of the famous ones are:

Kemer Country Golf Club: It has an 18-hole golf course in a beautiful forest area.

Istanbul Golf Club: It is the oldest golf club in Turkey and this par 65 course conducts many open tournaments.

Klassis Golf & Country Club: This club, which also has a hotel on its grounds, is the first international PGA standard 18-hole club of Turkey.

Antalya City, which is located on Turkey’s south west coast of the Mediterranean region, is the capital of the Antalya province. The cities that you will find closest to this city are Fethiye, Mersin, and Konya.

Antalya city, which is home to about two million people, is a golfing paradise, with a number of golf courses and golf resorts. The area is well known for its long summers and short winters, and you are assured of at least 300 days of bright sunlight in a year. The temperatures in the winter months from December to March are not very cold and you will find that the temperature is around 12-13°C. The regions in and around Antalya are famed for their natural beauty. On your way to the Lara Beach, you will see an amazing sight – the Lower Duden Waterfalls, which plunges straight into the sea. The Kursunlu Waterfalls and the Nilufer Lake, which are quite close to Antalya, are places of exceptional beauty.

Sakkikent is a winter sports resort which is just 50 km from Antalya and is located on the slopes of the Bakirli Mountains. You can enjoy a delicious lunch of fresh fish at Antalya’s marina – you will find the most succulent and tasty fishes here.

If you are a history buff, you would be interested in the Karain Cave, which is said to belong to the Paleolithic Ages (about 50,000, year B.C.) and is the oldest settlement in Turkey. The ancient city of Aspendos is located at a distance of 50 km from Antalya.

Turkey has become a serious golfing destination and the coastal areas of southern Turkey are much sought after as they have become a haven for golf and golf tournaments. Some of the famous golf courses which are located near Antalya are:

• Gloria Golf Resort: This course is located at the foot of the Toras Mountains and surrounded by pine forests.
• Nobilis Golf Otel: The excellent climate of the region permits you to play golf throughout the year. The course is located next to a pine forest near the Acisu River.
• National Golf Club: This is an excellent golf course and you can play golf here almost throughout the year because of the good climate.
• Tat golf: This golf course is situated near the ancient cities of Perge, Side, Aspendos, Kekova, and Myra.

There are excellent hotels in and around Antalya, with all ultra-modern facilities, which cater to the needs of the golfing enthusiasts.

Belek is a township in Turkey’s Antalya province and it is located on the Mediterranean coast. It is one of the most important tourist destinations in Turkey, and this is evident from the fact that there are more than thirty 4-star and 5-star hotels found here. Another thing that will confirm its popularity as a tourist destination is the host of amenities and tourist facilities made available in this area. One such facility that is made available to tourists in Belek is – Golf. Golf lovers can have a great time here in Belek, because Belek is one of the most famous golf centers of Turkey.

Belek Turkey Golf

Belek is an amazing place and has everything wonderful to offer to the tourists. It has a beautiful environment, stunning beaches, and amazing flora and fauna. You will love Belek at first sight when you see the palm tree-lined streets. The best thing about Belek is that it is quite sunny most of the time in the year and the atmosphere is rather comfortable with relatively less humidity than other places. It is conveniently located near the Antalya International Airport, barely a twenty-minute drive from here.

Belek is a fairly well developed town with beautiful villas and posh apartments. You will find that the town has a number of shops, hotels, restaurants, and a moderately exciting nightlife for your entertainment. The Sakikent Ski Resort is close by and you can reach there by driving just for about 90 minutes. If you go to the old part of the town of Belek, you will get a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean Sea. If you are interested in history, you can add to your knowledge and visit the ancient cities of Perge, Side, and Aspendos, which are within an hour’s drive from Belek.

Belek is a very important destination for golf, and people predict that it is destined to become the golf capital of Europe. At present, there are 9 PGA approved golfing clubs having 11 regular golf courses with 3 more under construction. The thirty hotels in the region are quite adequate to meet the demands of the golfers who come here.

A few of the places in Belek, where you can play a good game of golf are:
•    Antalya (Pasha): This is a 5731-meter green, which has tricky dog-legs and bunkers. You have to be careful with your shots.
•    Carya: This golf course is located on the Mediterranean coast and it is said to be a championship course. And of course, this course demands your best strategy.
•    Gloria (New): This course is par 72 and 6,296 meters and has Bermuda grass. It will test both the low and high handicap players.
•    National Club: This has one of the best golf courses and it is surrounded by a forest of eucalyptus and pine trees.

From Findagolfresort – a golf hotels directory

When traveling, a well-planned trip is essential. Without proper planning your golf trip or vacation may become more of a hassle than a fun experience. This is especially true for the traveling businessman. If traveling on business, the last thing you want to do is deal with unexpected hassles, delays, and headaches. What little leisure time you spend golfing at a resort should be fun and anxiety-free.

When planning a visit to an Arizona golf resort you should consider the resort’s requirements. Some golf resorts have established a mandatory dress code and often require players to wear polo shirts and golf trousers. Many of Arizona’s golf vacation spots have rules pertaining to their courses and you should check on such requirements before planning your trip or golf vacation at any resort. While planning your golf vacation you should consider time management. You will want to find out when and for how long you will be able to play golf at the resort, so you could schedule your golfing around your business commitments. It would be a great loss to pay for a golf package only to find that you have no spare time to play.

In preparing your golf vacation ahead of time you can ensure that your golfing experience will be everything you hope it will be. There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination, only to discover that you forgot to bring your lucky club with you! There are several essential items you should bring with you: your clubs, tees, extra golf balls, markers, golf shoes, waterproof attire and sunglasses or a visor. You may also want to consider bringing sunscreen if you plan to spend long hours on the golf course.

In this weeks’ New York Times cover 36 hours in Istanbul, Turkey.

This artilce covers in many words the reason why Turkey is such a great place to visit, and imagine playing golf with all of that. The great weather and the perfect conditions for Golf also help out “regular” tourists when they visit the country, and if you are not in the mood for golf there is always plenty of other things to do.

Here is the opening paragraph of the artilce, for the rest click the link in the bottom.

FROM a skyline featuring both minarets and church spires to the call to prayer competing with lounge music in a hip cafe, Istanbul is the only major city to span two continents. While it is known for sights dating back thousands of years, it also has a fascinating, and often ignored, contemporary scene that is finally receiving international attention. As a 2010 European Capital of Culture, the city is showcasing local artists in both historic areas and new museums — yet another example of how Istanbul is among the world’s most visually stimulating cities.

More on Istanbul in NY Times Travel section

Beyond the obvious lure of Turkey’s storied past as the seat of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires and the fascinating nuances from its position as the gateway between the Asian and European continents, Turkey is a modern golf and vacation paradise and one that is quickly developing as an alternative to golf vacations in Western Europe.

Climate: Turkey’s southern coast, commonly referred to as “The Turkish Riviera” is a beautiful expanse of largely unspoiled coastline that not only provides beautiful views, diverse nature and interesting golf topography, but a temperate climate. The golf season in Antalya begins in October when it when most golf regions are winding down for the off season. Antalya is one of the few places where golf can be played right through the winter, in short sleaves.

Golf Courses: Would you go back in time to play a round at Valderrama or Costa Ballena 20 years ago, before the crowds arrived? A similar option is available to you in Turkey, with several world-class facilities and many more under way, it would be difficult to find an undiscovered golf destination of Turkey’s caliber anywhere in the world. All professional courses have been developed by international teams of Golf architects, consultants and PGA Professionals. Course maintenance is also top notch.

Prices: It won’t last long but in Turkey you can still find excellent resorts at local prices. All inclusive vacation packages for €100 per day for a family of four are not the exception, but the rule. Most resorts are a stone’s throw away from some of the best and least crowded golf courses in Europe. . Since Turkey is looking to promote golf vacations, especially to first time visitors, green fees, which are usually charged separate from packages, are quite reasonable. Prices hover around the €40 mark.

Service: Turkey is a good alternative for those tired of paying a premium for a nice vacation and receiving average service. Golf resorts are largely unspoiled by mass tourism and eager to attract visitors. Therefore service is consummate with a destination looking to bring in more visitors and leave a lasting impression on newcomers. You won’t find the kind of complacency and bad service all too common in areas that have become saturated with tourists. As a new player in the golf tourism arena, the ‘eager to please’ aspect is apparent.

Location: Turkey is no more than a 3hour flight from any point in Western Europe, close enough for even a weekend golf getaway. Australians and New Zealanders will be able to shave a few hours off of the already long journey, as Turkey is a bit closer than its Western European counterparts.