General Information Entry requirements Provided that they have a valid passport, citizens of most countries do not need a visa or visas can be issued at entry points. For EU citizens, it is recommended that they obtain their visa before arrival, to avoid waiting time upon arrival. We may provide the visa stamps once we have the name list and send them to you. A Listing Of Visa Requirements Is Available Click Here If In Any Doubt, Please Consult Your Travel Agent, Or The Turkish Embassy Or Consulate In Your Country. Customs Duty-free allowance: 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 gr tobacco; up to 7 bottles of spirit, of 70 cc each, of which not more than three bottles can be of the same kind. Antiques and electronic equipment will be registered in the owner's passport upon arrival and checked at exit. It is strictly forbidden to take antiques out of the country. For this is reason It Is Necessary to Obtain a Certificate for carpets or other valuables purchased in the country as proof that it is not an antique. Time Zone Turkey is 7 hours before Japan local time, and 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Currency The Turkish Lira is available in notes and coins. The exchange rate is determined daily; several banks and exchange offices are available. Traveler's checks can be cashed in most banks. Hotels and many shops and restaurants accept foreign currency. There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency that travelers can bring cash. Hotels, most restaurants and shops accept all major credit cards (American Express, VISA, MasterCard /Euro card, Diners' Club). Language Turkish; it is written with the Latin alphabet. English, French and German are spoken in hotels, major restaurants and many shops. Weight and measures Turkey uses the metric system for weight and measures. Electricity 220 volt, 50 cycle. Most hotels have a receptacle with 110 volts. Socket type is European standards. Business, Banking & Shopping Hours Offices and banks are generally open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM from Monday to Friday, with a break between 12:30 to 1:30 PM Official Holidays April 23rd - National Sovereignty and Children's Day May 19th - Youth and Sports Day August 30th - Victory Day October 29th - Republic Day Apart from those mentioned above, there are religious holidays that the dates are changed every year according to the lunar calendar. Mail Service There are fixed postage rates for letters and postcards. Post offices (PTT) are open between 9:00 AM to 12:30 and 1:30 to 5:00 PM. Hotel concierges also take the mail. Communication Public telephones operate with tokens or cards, sold at post offices or some booths. Through some of the public phones, there is access to AT&T and some other telecommunication networks - please check with your operator for the latest information. Fax messages can be sent from major post offices, or from the hotel. Cellular telephones can be hired. Taxis Available at taxi stands or hailed on the street. All are yellow and have meters. Religion 98 % of the population is Muslim. In the large cities and especially in Istanbul, there are also many churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Armenian, Protestant.) and Synagogues. Clothing The dress is generally informal in Turkey; however for special evenings ladies compete to wear the latest fashion. For the visitors, it is advisable to bring comfortable shoes and pant suits for daytime visits. The organizers can set the tone for the evenings; in any case it is recommended to bring a cocktail dress. In most restaurants, gentlemen will feel more comfortable with a jacket and tie in the evening and some require formal dress. In southern Turkey where the summers are hot, shorts, T-shirts and summer hats are recommended. It can be also noted that, to enter a mosque, it is necessary to take off the shoes. Turkish Cuisine Turkish food is famous throughout the world, the range is enormous, from a number of soups to an astonishing variety of meze (appetizers), followed by meat and fish dishes, many famous Turkish sweets and pastries and Turkish coffee. The traditional breakfast is a scrumptious combination of tastes comprising bread, olives, tomato, cucumber, white cheese, butter, jam/honey, yoghurt, and sweet black tea. Tea is the main drink in Turkey, served without milk in small bulbous glasses with sugar lumps on the saucer. For a very refreshing long drink try Ayran, a mix of yoghurt, water and salt. There are also the normal soft drinks and a wonderful range of squeezed fruit juices. Among alcoholic drinks are light Turkish beer, excellent wines, and the national drink, raki (an anisette), which clouds when water is added giving it the popular name of 'lion's milk'. Weather in Antalya Antalya is dominated by two climates. The coastal area is typically Mediterranean with hot dry summers and mild rainy winters. The interior region has a transitional climate affected by Central Anatolia and the Mediterranean. In July and August, the temperature can reach up to 38 degrees, with minimal rainfall. Winters can get down to 4 degrees, and very rarely reaches freezing point. The wettest months are December and January, with 250mm of rain per month. The average annual humidity is 61%. Credit Cards /Cash Major credit cards including American Express, Diners, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted in large hotels, car rental companies and major stores. You will need cash (YTL) to pay for taxi fares, restaurants and coffee shops. Tipping At most establishments like hotels, restaurants, etc. 5% to 15% of the total is common. Water Although tap water is safe to drink, It is recommended to seek advice from the hotels. Insurance It is recommended to arrange your own health and travel insurance. The conference organizers are not liable for any injuries or damages that may occur during the conference.

Ovation Travel Grant

To help doctors, from less strong economic countries, to participate in future EACTA meetings Ovation and the Directory Board has decided to offer of to 10 Travel grants.

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Chairman EACTA 2008
Zuhal Aykac
E-mail:
aykaczuhal@hotmail.com

General info EACTA 2008
Anna Keating (MCI Dublin)
E-mail:
Anna.Keating@mci-group.com

Abstracts:
Mandfred Seeberger
E-mail:
mseeberger@uhbs.ch

• Transfusion update
• TEA in CABG
• Advancing the care of CABG patients
• HIT
• What is new in Hemodynamic Monitoring ?
• Techniques of CPB
• Congenital Cardiac Surgery
• Congenital Heart Disease for Noncardiac Surgery
• Pulmonary Hypertension in Adult Cardiac Surgery
• Pharmacological support of myocardial contractility
• Evaluation and Management of risk in Cardiac Surgery: Improving Outcomes
• Postoperative Organ Failure
• Thoracic Anaesthesia and Analgesia
• Vascular Anaesthesia
• Special Techniques in Anaesthesia
• "Hands on" Thoracic Anaesthesia Workshop
• Echo Workshop