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MERSIN
Mark
Antony gave the lovely Cilician shores, the land
between Alanya and the Syrian Border to Cleopatra, as
a wedding present. Also associated with the region's
past is St. Paul, a native of Tarsus. Today the region
is known for its fertile soil which produces abundant
crops, and for the hospitality of the region's
denizens. Surrounded by densely cultivated market
gardens, Mersin, the provincial center lies midway on
the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey Its shady
palm-lined avenues, city park and modern hotels create
a pleasant ambience from which to visit the nearby
historical sites and numerous beaches. A rapidly
developing city and the largest freezone port on the
Turkish Mediterranean, Mersin has a regular car ferry
service to Gazimagosa (Famagusta) in the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus. In the fish market sample
the fresh catch in one of the several inexpensive
restaurants Other local delicacies include cezire, a
local confection of carrots rolled around a walnut
center, and biberli ekmek, a small pizza topped with a
spicy meatless sauce. Despite its very modern
appearance, Mersin occupies the site of an extremely
ancient city At the Yumuktepe tumulus, three
kilometers west of town, excavations have unearthed
several successive settlements dating back to the
Neolithic Age.
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