REGIONS (1)

STORY REGIONS& CULTURES TRAVEL TEAMS

GREECE LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN GREECE Teacher's Name Student's Name Eda Acar /Sudenur/Rojda/Pınar Tuğba Kaçak Beyza.oml Selen Aras /Kerem.bal.1 Nazlı Caner Bölücü /Zeynepbetüle.ncb Veronika Rudzikova /Lea Fatima Fernanses /Ana Leonor Mar Burcu Sönmez /Halil Emre

My eyes were so dazzled by the sun that I couldn't open them. Thanks to the coolness coming from the sea, I wanted to sleep more. Although we are in May, the weather is warm enough to swim in the sea. This beautiful sea and beach fascinated me. Everyone knows the beauty of the Greek beaches. I wanted to start my trip in this city from here. On my journey that started in Kavala, I head towards Drama. I think I will be there in about 1 hour and the first thing I will do is eat ;) Mousaka is a dish similar to the dishes of Turkish culture. I can't wait to taste it :)

Moussaka was delicious. I continue my drama tour. Its natural beauties and parks are very impressive. It's peaceful. One of the impressive legends of Greek Mythology, Hercules comes to my mind while sitting in a place to relax and watching the magnificent view. I think he is a very strong character who killed the two poisonous snakes sent by Hera and the famous monster living in the forests of Kitharion. While sitting in the park, men and women dressed in local clothes pass by me. I learn that these colorful and beautiful women's clothes are called Zipouna or Zoupouna, and the ones worn by men are called Zipka. After a short break, I continue to visit this beautiful city.

The Acropolis of Athens was awesome. Now I decided to go to the Short Film Festival. I've seen some pictures about it. They have been doing this festival since 1978. When I went I noticed that the building is very beautiful. I watched the movie and it was great. After wandering around a bit. It started to get dark. Then I realized that I was hungry and I started to think about what to eat. I found a restaurant and entered. The waiter came and asked for my order. I thought for a while and said I only wanted Souvlaki. It looked like pieces of meat dipped on a stick and then my food arrived. So I started to enjoy my dinner.

The dinner was yummy. One of the best dishes I've ever tasted. After dinner I wandered around and came across with an activity in Syntagma Square. There was a big crowd of audience. On the stage there were professional story tellers in traditional costumes. Women were wearing white shirts with long and large sleeves and colourful waistcoats and skirts. Men were wearing also white shirts and black vests and trousers. They were telling one of the Fables of Aesop's, \"The Lion and The Mouse\" It was a great didactical story. The audience and I were charmed by their performance. I was so delighed at the end of the night. I started to walk to my hotel where I can have a good sleep after this amazing day.

Next day, I woke up at 8 am. Immediatelly, I started to feel a little bit hungry so I decided to go to Aegli Zappeio. I ordered again Greek Moussaka and Greek salad. Then I was struggling where to go. I went to Byzants church of CAPNIKAREA. It was beautiful and I had a great time there. I always wanted to get to know the culture of Greece. On the corner of the street I found a lovely patisserie. I came in and my eyes went straight to Baklava which I tried also in Turkey, I wanted to compare them if it taste different in Greece. I really don't know which of them was better because I love deserts. After a short rest I asked myself. ''Where should I go now when I want to meet local people?''

I left the most important tourist sites and walked around the city. I wanted to discover the “other” Greece, the one that is not in the Greek mythology or in the tourist attractions. I walked in the streets, went to supermarkets, took the bus and spoke to people. I felt the atmosphere and the scents of the city and I found out a friendly, caring, hospitable people, with a lot of energy and will to live.

After the discovery of the \"other\" Greece. I was really tired. I didn't want to eat anything so I went to bed early. The next day, I realized that I had to go, but first I had to eat something. I looked around a bit.Then I got a cup of coffee and a Koulouri. If I have to introduce koulouri, I would say dough cooked in circles. The food was good and filled me up. Now I have to pack my suitcase. My Greece trip was a great expeirement that I will never forget.

SLOVAKIA LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN SLOVAKIA Teacher's Name Student's Name Rana Şahinoğlu /Orhan Sibel Yılmaz / Seycan.sy Seniha Güler/ Elif.Başak.sg Semin Duban /Ebrary.sd Fatima Fernandes /Mariana Sr Kyrıakı Fotıadou / Konstantinos.kf

Today I am in Slovakia, which I consider to be one of the most beautiful and amazing countries I have ever seen. It was my first time in the country and I was very impressed with everything. I loved their city and traveling made me very hungry. While I was here, of course I wanted to eat one of the most famous dishes, Bryndzové halušky. I found a friendly and welcoming restaurant, sat down and placed my order. I've never had it before and I'm very curious. I ate the food and it was really delicious. I love anything with potatoes and dough in it. Now that I have eaten my meal, I can continue my journey from where I left off.

The energy that came with my stomach was telling me that I should travel and get to know Slovakia. The streets were great. People passing by were smiling as if they knew me. I stopped suddenly. Aa!! What shall I see? People walking around in Slovakian folk costumes. They wore shirts with embroidered sleeves, skirts with colorful flowers underneath, and what they called krpc shoes on their feet. I think there is a festival a little further on. Very nice music sounds too. I have to go there right away.

When I went a little further, people in different and beautiful costumes greeted me. They were all dancing to the rhythm of the music and greeting people with a smile. I saw colorful eggs in baskets that I had never seen before. Bought colorful eggs for my family and friends. As I continued walking, I began to hear screaming voices. What is this! People were throwing water at each other. To avoid getting wet, I took a few steps back and encountered an old man watching them with a smile. I asked him why they did such a thing. He said that there is such a tradition to live a healthy and beautiful life. I was very surprised, it was the first time I had seen something like this. When I went a little further, I saw a booth selling books ahead. It caught my attention. While examining the books, I saw a red rose and an arrow passing through the middle. Interesting! What story was this?

I turned the book pages of the book and i started reading. \"Ondrej was once a rich rose.\" I later realized that name (Rusemberok) was derived from this. \"One day of his wedding the prince of Likavy Castle went hunting in the nearby forests. On the way back from there,he passed a hill. But he noticed a movement in the bushes.He half-bowed with an arrow and fired toward the undergrowth where. He apporoached and realized that the arrow had hit his fiancee.\" I learned that the arrow passes through the rose that forms the coat of arms of the town of Rusemberok. This story make me sad but i bought the book because this story is touched me. I left that place and ı kept walking down the street. But I'm tired and i feel i'm hungry again.

I needed to eat, of couse. What better dish to have than Kapustnica the famous Slovakian soup made from cabbage? It has a wonderful flavour and I immediately felt invigorated and ready to continue my trip. Well, I decided to walk by the river Váh, the largest river in Slovakia. I saw the beautiful landscapes as well as people fishing and enjoying the fresh air. What beautiful sights! Such friendly people! What a beautiful country!

To be honest those kinds of landscapes that i saw were a masterpice. However, I'm very tired from this beautiful trip but i gain a uniqe experience from this country. I'm very lucky that i visit to Slovakia.

PORTUGAL LET'S LEARN WHAT HAPPENED IN PORTUGAL Teacher's Name Student's Name Yasemin Uyar/ Beyza.yu Selen Aras /Yasemin.bal Tuğba Kaçak /İlayda.oml Veronika Rudzikova /Lydia/Terezka Nazlı Caner Bölücü /Asiye.ncb Theodora Ketsetsidou/Stavros.tk

Aww!!! I am in Portugal today.I don't know anywhere and I am very hungry.Aww!! There is a restaruant across the street.I am in the restaruant now.The meals on the menu look delicious.From our e-Twinning project,I remember that Tripe Stew is one of the most famous and traditional meal here.I want to order it.There are a lot of people here and most of them are eating Tripe Stew.Aww! Yes! The waitress is coming with my meal.I am very excitied to taste it.

Yess! Tripe Stew was so delicious. Now it is time for me to go north of Porto to learn the story about Barcelos Roster. I am so excited about it because learning about mysterious stories is one of my favorite thing to do. Now I learned about it. It is so mysterious like how did that Rooster Stood up on the table. Can it be real, I want to believe that it is real. I really wonder who committed the crime. If I continue about wondering that crime I am going to be crazy. Best thing is to continue to my journey...

I continue on my way to go to the city of Porto. I'm coming to Porto. There is a movement here. Wonderful!! Sao João Festival. I coincide with Portugal's traditional favorite festival. I am very lucky. The festival continues with concerts, dances and fireworks in the following hours. I am having hours of fun.

While I'm at the festival I'm experiencing a lot of new things. I saw people eating sardines and joking with plastic hammers so I joined them. But the most amazing thing was when hot air balloons were released. It was AMAZING!!!! Now I am waiting till the midnight because the fireworks it's going to blow out. In the morning my way continue to the city center. I see women wearing a vest with a rich embroided floral motives, red skirt with floral embroidery, long white socks and dancing shoes. They were very beautifiul.

When it's 00:00 all the lights were turned off and I watched amazing fireworks at Dom Luis I, for nearly 20 minutes. The festival was amazing and it was to celebrate the longest day of the year. In front of almost every shop, there were big barbeques and delicious smell. At Liberty Square there was a big stage and a concert. Women and men in traditional cloths were dancing. Tastes, music,dances and people were amazing. I loved this city, country and people so much. Finally I started to walk to my hotel to have a rest and get ready for the next day.

The next day I woke up,had breakfast and took the tram to admire Porto's historic center ,the riverfront and many other emblematic sights and cultural landmarks.Then I went to the Atlantic ocean,I walked on the beach,felt the giant waves and took amazing photos. My last stop was at the cellars at the south bank of Douro river where I had the opportunity to learn the history of Port wine and buy excellent wine for my parents. My trip to Portugal was an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget!!

TURKEY/BURSA LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN BURSA Teacher's Name Student's Name Selen Aras /Nisan.bal Yasemin Uyar /İrem.yu Fatima Fernandes /Joana Fr Anastasios Salis/ Panagiotis.as

This is my first day in Bursa and I very liked here. I have traveled all around the world for foods and dessert , dessert is the most important thing for me. As far as I know “milk helvah” is Bursa’s traditional dessert. So I googled the best restaurant to eat “milk helvah” in Bursa. I went there and ordered the dessert. It was incredibly delicious I couldn’t believe that a dessert could be that perfect, it was the best amount. And I ordered a tea with the dessert and I really liked them together.I loved the milky dessert and milk helvah is the best one. Now I can say that milk helvah is my favorite dessert. It was amazing and now it is time to continue to my long journey…

I like visiting historical places and I know that there are some historical mosques in Bursa.Maybe I can visit one of them.From my e-Twinning project I remember that there is a mosque called Hüdavendigar.I should go there and learn the whole story.First I should find the mosque. Thanks to navigation I have found it.Ohh! It's a wonderfull construction.Sultan Murad I built it in the 14th century. The walls are still very high and strong.It looks magnificant.It has a large garden with beautiful trees and flowers.At this special mosque people continue praying there.I can see them in the mosque.I'm happy to be in Bursa and to see this wonderfull mosque.What else can I do?

While I was in Bursa, I read about the famous Balkan Festival, which was organised by the founder of the Modern Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. I found out that this is a very interesting festival with an amazing atmosfere. It still happens nowadays with various expressions, such as sports, fine arts and folk dances. By reading, I discovered that the festival was organised to preserve the peaceful environment after the First World War. It reminds us of the importance of the preservation of peace in the world. I also saw pictures of these donuts...

On the last day of my trip to Bursa I found the time to visit the Green tomb which is dedicated to the 5th Ottoman Sultan Mehmed I. The blue/green structure stands on a hill not far away from the city center. The Green Mausoleum is beautifully decorated with colorful tiles from the inside. Next to the Green tomb I found the Green Mosque which is a UNESCO World Heritage site constructed in 1412 by the same Sultan who is buried in the Green Tomb next door.Sultan Mehmed I constructed the mosque with the help of Persian artists from the East !I was really impressed by the city's sights.I hope I can visit Bursa again!

TURKEY/ ISTANBUL LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN İSTANBUL Teacher's Name Student's Name Tuğba Kaçak/ Nehir.oml Fatima Fernandes/ Mariana Sr Rana Şahinoğlu /Şeyma Kyrıakı Fotıadou/ Stavros.tk

Hello, I will introduce Istanbul, one of the most beautiful cities of Turkey, on this trip.It is not possible to go to Istanbul without a ferry trip to see the magnificent Bosphorus view. After the unique beauty of the Bosphorus, I got off at Karaköy Pier and proceeded towards Galata Tower. Galata Tower, built by the Genoese in Beyoğlu district, takes its name from the Galata district. I watched for a long time the unique view from the Galata Tower, one of the landmarks of Istanbul, to the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, the Golden Horn and the Islands. Thinking that Istanbul has a different beauty in every season, I left the Galata Tower.

After leaving the Galata Tower, I crossed Galata Bridge to the other side, where lots of tourist attractions are found. I was very tired and needed to eat. I thought that a visit to the Grand Bazaar, with its 4.000 shops, would be the solution. I tried the Yayla Çobasi, the famous yoghurt soup. It was a big surprise for me, but, at the same time, very nourishing. After my meal, I walked around the bazaar to feel the atmosphere, and ended up buying some souvenirs, like the famous and traditional caftans of the Ottoman Period. After such a good and long experience, I left the Grand Bazaar.

After leaving the Grand Bazaar, I thought that I could not come to Istanbul without visiting the Blue Mosque. After looking at its history on the way, it's time to visit the mosque. After waiting in line for a while, I go inside and am fascinated. This place is like a tile gallery. The colors of these tiles stand out even more with the light emanating from the windows. After stopping by the Blue Mosque, I thought of the Istanbul Film Festival held around this time. I came to Kadıköy by passing through the Bosphorus. I will watch the movie \"Benediction\" which will start at 16:00 at Kadıköy Cinema. I loved Istanbul with everything. I want to learn about places I haven't visited yet, tastes I haven't tasted, all of them.

After leaving the Kadıköy Cinema, I went to see and to admire Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia, with its stunning gold mosaics dating back to Byzantine times, is one of the world’s most visited museums. After waiting in the queue for a while, when I went inside I was speechless from the grace of this church/museaum and by the way the monument is known as the “eighth wonder of the world.” I admired the centuries-old architectural flourishes. When I was going towards the main exit I saw above the exit doorway , this stunning 11th-century mosaic depicts the Virgin Mary flanked by Byzantine Emperors Constantine the Great to her right and Justinian to her left. Overall Istanbul is a very beautiful place to visit and it has lots and lots of sight. I would reccomend to visit it as soon as possible.

TURKEY/ MANISA LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN MANİSA Teacher's Name Student's Name Selen Aras /İrem.bal Veronika Rudzikova /Marek/Andrej Nazlı Caner Bölücü /Ebrart.ncb Anastasios Salis / Anargyros.as

Today I am in Manisa. It is my first time to Manisa. I liked the city very much and I have been walking around the city since morning. It made me very hungry and tired. I'm going to a popular restaurant here. I came to the restaurant and sat down to the table. Stuffed grape leaves is a very popular dish, so I ordered it. I've never eaten it before and I'm very curious. I ate the food and it was really delicious. I didn't expect the leaf to be this beautiful with the rice mix inside, and the shape was nice too. Now that I have eaten my meal, I can continue my trip from where I left off.

After a great meal, I was full of energy and desire to get to know the city and especially its history, so I decided to visit the Archaeological Museum in Manisa. In this museum you will find original monuments from prehistory to the beginning of the last century, there are many pots, statues and other very interesting monuments. For me as a history lover, this place was a really great experience. After visiting the museum I still had quite a lot of time, so I decided to visit ŞEHZADELER PARK, which contains miniatures of various Turkish monuments, mosques and other buildings, the whole park has a very pleasant atmosphere and during my visit the evening was wonderfully lit and I really I had a great tea there in the park and I decided to go to the hotel because tomorrow there are more adventures waiting for me

After breakfast I left the hotel and started walking. There was a big crowd in the city and I followed them. Around the Sultan Mosque the crowd was even greater. Traditional music and people wearing traditional clothes were everywhere. Woman were wearing cepkens and colourful skirts and colourful crowns on their foreheads. I loved the crowns. After a while some people started to throw candies from the roofs. It was Mesir Paste. I learned that it was a healing paste prepared by Merkez Efendi for ill Hafsa Sultan many years ago. It consists of 41 kind of herbs and spices. So delicios. Nearly 400 years this festival was held in Manisa and I loved it so much.

The next morning I decided to visit Niobe, the crying rock. It has a bizarre story behind it and attracts a lot of tourists. It is located in Manisa between Spil Mountain and Yamanlar. According to the Greek legends, there was a woman named Manisa da Niobe who was transformed into a rock by the god to ease her pain because she had lost her children.I was really touched by this story! Finally,I visited Magnesia shopping mall to buy souvenirs for my family and friends and do my shopping!I really enjoyed my trip to Manisa!

TURKEY/SAMSUN LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN SAMSUN Teacher's Name Student's Name Seniha Güler/ Sena.Nur.sg Semin Duban/ Esmaa.sd Rana Şahinoğlu/ Sahra Su Kyrıakı Fotıadou / Stavros.kf

It was really enjoyable to start with a stroll the cool waters of Atakum in the first light of the morning.The beach was so calm that I was at peace.After this pleasant coastal walk,I stopped by the Bandırma Ferry which is the important symbol of the national struggle that started in Samsun.It is place that I want to visit and see with excitement.It really is a place everyone should visit.Atatürk's photographs and personal belongings are exhibited in Bandırma Ship-Museum and National Struggle Open Air Museum.I was so caught in the atmosphere of the museum that I didn't even realize I was hungry.After realizing that I was hungry,I found myself in a pide shop in Bafra..

The people in the pide shop I went to in Bafra were very friendly. I had heard that black sea people are very good, but I did not expect this much. Pide occupies an important place in Samsun culture and pita bread is distributed in festivals. When I heard this, I got even more excited and called the waiter to order a nice pide. I ate the pide and loved it, it was amazing! After I left the restaurant, I heard a sound of music outside. I think there was a festival. I was on my way there.

When I come to Atakum from Bafra, I see people dancing in their local clothes to the accompaniment of music. It's great to chat with these warm and friendly people. They gave me information about the healing of herbs. I also taste these foods, which are very important for health. Since we are in May, I came across the Herb Food Festival, I wish I had time to attend Kapikaya festival in July and participate in nature sports.

Kapikaya Fest or International Kapikaya Outdoor Sports and Culture Festival is an international extreme nature sports festival held in Kapikaya, Bafra district of Samsun. In the festival you have the opportunity to do so manysports such us photo safari, flying, trekking, photomarathon, mountaineering activities, canoeing, scouting, salto, trampoline, etc. I personally did paintball, canoeing, jetski and windsurfing in the Kapikaya Fest of 2018.That was my experience in Samsun/Turkey.

TURKEY/TEKIRDAG LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN TEKİRDAĞ Teacher's Name Student's Name Tuğba Kaçak /Havva.oml Sibel Yılmaz / Melek.sy Theodora Ketsetsidou/Stathis.tk Burcu Sönmez /Burak

Hi friends, I am Traveler, I love to travel to countries and cities that I do not know. The most enjoyable aspects of my trips; to get to know the cultures of the cities I visited and to taste their food. My route today is Tekirdağ, which is located on the Thrace side of Turkey's Marmara Region. When Tekirdağ is mentioned, the blue flag sea, mosques, castles and a rich cuisine come to mind. Let's start to visit Tekirdag together then. While I was wandering around the bazaar in Süleymanpaşa, the central district of our city, I started to smell good smells. I felt my stomach hurt. My feet started to take me in the direction where those nice smells came from. I found myself in front of Tekirdag meatballs. As I learned later, Tekirdağ meatballs are among the most famous dishes of this region. My dear friends, my advice to you is a flavor that should not be passed without eating if you happen to be in

I also get information about Tekirdağ at the restaurants I go to. Tekirdağ was at the forefront of sunflower seed and wheat production. Along with Edirne, Tekirdağ met the sunflower oil needs of the Thrace region and Turkey. There is also a delicious festival. In fact, this festival, which is known as the most important festival of the province, was the cherry festival held in the second week of June. I just ate an important meatball made using semolina. Delicious! They said that Hayrabolu dessert and cheese halva are the most famous delicacies among desserts. I also tried the cheese halva. I need to digest my food, I went for a walk. There are 2 museums in the city center. Archaeological museum and Rakoczi museum. Rakoczi was an important prince who took refuge in the Ottoman Empire from the Hungarian Empire during the Ottoman period. The name of the street where the museum is located is Hungarian street. In addition, this city was also known as the land of 3 Kemals. Yahya Kemal, Namık Kemal and Mustafa Kemal are important personalities who lived here. The name of Tekirdağ's university is also

.....Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University.Tekirdağ combines sightseeing with shopping ,too.Tekira Shopping Center accompanied my shopping needs throughout my visit in this great city. This spacious mall had also fast-food outlets, a movie theater, arcade, and grocery store.As I mentioned earlier Tekirdağ Köftesi is Tekirdağ's most popular traditional dish. I was so amazed so I asked about the recipe.It is made of meat, usually lamb or mutton, mixed with crumble bread, minced onions, spices, shaped into little cylinders. I really loved it!I will make this dish when I return home.My family will like it! Moreover,the city is known for the amazing wines so I bought 2 bottles for my parents..

I decided to go to the Cherry Festival. I heard something about it. The festival will be 3 days and is celebrated every year in June. There were various of shows, exhibitions, competitions and concerts. I'm so excited to go. I'm planning to go the home after this event but now I have to eat some cherries. See you later...