Saturday, March 17, 2007

Ataturk City


Just back from Ankara. Not my first time there, but my first stay in Ankara's Swiss Hotel. I know that Turks like to get everything overheated, so my nice room. Took me some time to discover how to open the windows; I need fresh air during the night.
Yes, I like the residential areas of Ankara, with its streets full of trees. In Istanbul they replaced a complete forest for some apartment buildings.
But what always depress me in Ankara are the government buildings, the apartments complex for the average Turks full with Ataturk pictures, statues, flags, and so on. Ankara looks like the former East European block countries: no fantasy at all regarding design.
Nothing wrong about Ataturk and his well being soul, but is he not a little bit over exposed everywhere?
As the founder of the modern republic and the first President of Turkey, people adore him as a god. But nation states have to move one. Was and is there not any other Turkish president who did a lot for the 'well being' of Turkey?
Just a simple question...
Anyway, I baptised Ankara in Ataturk City! Not one Turk came up with this idea, so I did it...