Checker Tobi - The Turkey Check: Adventure across the country
Checker Tobi is travelling across Turkey - through a wonderful, diverse, but also complicated country. More and more people are saying that President Erdogan is now ruling the country like a dictator - in other words, like a super strict autocrat and no longer like an elected head of state. Tobi wants to find out what makes the country tick beyond the TV news and what people in Turkey think.
The Checker begins his adventure trip in Istanbul, together with a friend: Merve. She grew up in Germany, but Istanbul is something like her second home. The city, which used to be called Byzantium and later Constantinople, connects two continents. Merve and Tobi find out what these are on a boat trip on the Bosphorus. Tobi even gets to steer the boat himself! Merve and Tobi also find out what a dolmus is and where you can take it. And they explore Sirkeci railway station, from where Turkish guest workers left for Germany over 40 years ago. Merve is also the granddaughter of migrant workers. On the famous Taksim Square, where there have been numerous demonstrations against the government in recent years, the two talk about the situation in the country. Merve very much hopes that peace will return soon. Finally, Merve invites them to a family celebration on a fantastic panoramic terrace. Unfortunately, as night falls, it's time to say "Güle Güle Istanbul!" - Goodbye, Istanbul!
Tobi travels further south in search of a friend of Merve's - Feri. He buys a motorbike so that he can move faster. He doesn't manage to negotiate down the price, as is typical of the country, but Tobi gets to his next destination much faster: Ephesus. A magnificent ancient Greek and Roman city, which the checker explores with archaeologist Heli. Gladiators fought in the theatre of Ephesus! Tobi and Heli slip into gladiator armour themselves and cross swords - just for fun, of course. From Ephesus, Tobi travels on to Dalyan, where he meets Feri. He comes from Braunschweig, has Turkish roots and has travelled to Turkey to visit his uncle. He hasn't seen him for three years. His destination is Safranbolu - a town near the Black Sea.
On the way there, the two experience many adventures: in a huge cotton field, they meet women who laboriously pick the prickly plant by hand. They go in search of a particularly rare animal that can only be found in very few places in Europe - the giant Caretta Caretta tortoise. And they get a good soaping in a hamam. Tobi flies over the volcanic landscapes of Cappadocia in a hot air balloon and explores its underground cities. There was room for over 5,000 inhabitants and even stables for the cattle. At the end of Tobi's long trip to Turkey, Tobi, Feri and his relatives celebrate a big family party: with great Turkish food, wonderful songs and a farewell greeting from Tobi to an exciting country - "Hosçakalin" - goodbye, Turkey!
Broadcasting on 10th of July 2024 at 07.55am on MDR/ARD - Music: POPVIRUS Library