Turkey 2016: Closing Thoughts

I’m currently somewhere over the Atlantic as I type this, on my flight from Frankfurt to New York, from where I will ultimately connect to Detroit. I’ve gathered together some of my some final thoughts on Turkey and this trip: There are wards against the evil eye everywhere, especially along the coast, but in Istanbul too. […]

The Post In Which I’m Ready to Go Home

I think I’m spent. This is a week – no, not even a week, really – that has had me sightseeing nearly nonstop. I had a few things to check off the list, and then I am done. First stop is the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque. Built in the 16th […]

But What Did I Do In The Afternoon?

I’m in Istanbul. Just think about that – I’m in Istanbul, where East meets West. I’ve now been in both capitals of the Roman Empire, and in many this city reminds me of Rome, with its narrow crowded streets, it’s ancient buildings, and its mass of humanity. Istanbul has over 2000 mosques, and while the […]

The Post In Which It Is Clear That Some Jokes Just Don’t Work

My time on the Aegean Coast is coming to an end, so I was up before the sun and packing. I had breakfast, as I have every day, at the restaurant downstairs. The couple who run the restaurant speak little English, so I use a translator app to communicate to them that I did not […]

Continuing Our Tour of Ancient Greece. In Turkey

I had a new guide today, Y. He went to school with N, and both of them are very informative and helpful. Today, however, I am on a private tour, not a group tour, so it was just the two of us and a driver. So far on this trip, I have been to some […]

The Post In Which I Throw Caution To The Wind

You knew it was going to happen sometime. I have a penchant for extreme heights (and depths) when I travel, and why should this trip be any different? Well… Today was the trip to Pamukkale. It started with a three hour drive from Kusadasi to the ancient city of Hieropolis and the cotton castle, where […]