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   The tree largest cities are Turkey's foci. Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir have become major urban centres by history as well as design. Following the foundation of the Turkish Republic after World War I,these cities became the focus for social and business life. Industry and business clustered in the established commercial centers of Istanbul and Izmir while the apparatus of the government built itself a new capital inland in Ankara. These cities contain the country's most respected universities, conservatories, theaters, and concert halls. Jewish and Christian communities, and immigrants from different parts of the Ottoman Empire add diversity to the cities, contributing to the human mosaic so characteristic of Anatolia. Artists, actors, poets and journalists hang out in pubs and taverns.Present day Young Turks plot alternative futures for the country in coffee houses and reading rooms. The harried working class intellectuals from the 1960s lament what might have been over wine and vodka in familiar restaurants. Young urbanites consume the fruits of modernity in glittering shopping malls and discos. The typical Turkish intellectual urbanite men and women have many commonalities with their kind elsewhere in the world and they can be easy going, fun loving companions in your expeditions. They are well travelled, bilingual, have a high degree of tolerance for differences, yet are ready to voice opinions on issues. However, you should also know that deep down, they share values common to all the Turkish people, such as belief in the integrity of the family, loyalty and obligations to country and community, hospitality, compassion and fairness in dealing with other fellow beings, and respect for tradition.
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