Leave at , ten minute break at Kutahya Station, ten minute break at Afyon, half an hour for lunch in Dazkiri, from the Denizli station I am met by the textile company driver and am driven to the hotel, where I remain until the following morning. The national council denounced the government of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet VI and announced a temporary constitution. During the War of Independence, the Grand National Assembly met in Ankara and laid down the foundations of a new, independent, secular and modern republic from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.
Following the defeat of the Allied invasion forces on 9 September and the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on 24 July , the Turkish government started the task of establishing the institutions of a state. Schools participate in week-long ceremonies marked by performances in all fields in large stadiums watched by the entire nation. Among the activities on this day, the children send their representatives to replace state officials and high ranking civil servants in their offices.
Over the years, this number grew steadily, resulting in children from about 50 countries coming to Turkey in an official ceremony every year to participate in the festival. Foreign children groups also participate in the ceremonial session of the Grand National Assembly.
If legends are not lies, then this was the site of the musical duel between the sun god Apollo and Marsyas. Such was the pride of a certain youth named Marsyas that he boasted of his skill in flute-playing and dared to proclaim himself the equal of Apollo. Now Marsyas had not always been a musician, for he was by birth a shepherd β some even say a satyr β and had never seen a flute or heard it played until one day, as he sat tending his flock on the bank of a stream, he heard sounds of music coming from some spot nearby.
He was very curious to see who the musician might be, but he dared not move lest he startle the player and make the beautiful melody cease. Presently there came floating down the stream a flute β something Marsyas had never seen before. He hurriedly snatched it out of the water and no longer hearing the beautiful music, he guessed that it came from the strange thing he held in his hand.
