Several people have asked my why I am so interested in Turkey and why I have gone to so much effort to promote it. I don't really have an answer to this other than to say I don't know why I like beer or curries, rugby or chocolate - I just do!

I guess I am fascinated by the sheer diversity of Turkey, from the very western tip of the Bodrum Peninsula to the eastern border with Iraq, Iran and Syria. Its mountains, rivers, beaches and of course, its history and artefacts. Troy, Ephesus, & Side conjure a 1000 years of bright civilisation while we here in the UK were suffering the Dark Ages.

Of course, Turkey has its problems like any modern country but it also has a willingness to seek new horizons and to join it's western allies in builder a bigger and brighter Europe. Whether these goals will be met is down to politics and the whims of statesmen but I suspect that Turkey will not give up this struggle without a fight.

For most people when they think of Turkey they think of holidays and beaches and sun - lot's of sun. For others the lure of cheap property is simply too much to endure. With house prices in the UK touching an average of £200K and mortgages £150K, places like Turkey are an obvious choice when considering "a foot on the ladder". With property prices starting at the price of a standard family saloon car the opportunity of home ownership - even if abroad - is compelling. And what better place to have a home or second home than in a country with 10 months of sunshine, low cost of living and affordable, well built homes. Ten years ago this might have been Spain but now with that particular housing market over-heating, Turkey is looking more and more attractive.

For the European tourist, the Turkey we know is basically the western and southern coastline from Izmir to Antalya. Inland, Cappadocia with it's unusual "fairy chimneys", lunar landscape, cave dwellings and hot air balloons offer an attractive and very different view of Turkey. And then there's wonderful, striking Istanbul - gateway to the east. A vibrant and attractive city with a diverse culture - a true meeting point for east and west.

Whether in this rambling text you have learnt anything about Turkey (or me) is doubtful. I look forward to my next visit in May and again later in the year. I also hope to get to Istanbul some time this year - god bless airmiles - and hopefully enjoy a long, lazy weekend drinking coffee and watching the world go by.