The Post In Which I Abandon Initials And Embrace Names

Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love, and to hear Yavuz speak of the ancient city of Aphrodisias, he is obviously enamored. He clearly loves archaeology, history, and his job, but when describing Aphrodisias, his language changes. He speaks a little more softly and delicately, adopting the language of the poets and the romantics, and […]

That’s Three of Seven, If You’re Counting

Three years ago I came to Turkey and spent four days on the Aegean coast, walking on antique pavers, breathing ageless air, and stirring sleepy particles of ancient Greek and Roman dust. During that time my travel agent arranged for me to spend two days with Y, one of the private guides here. I found […]

Three Flights. Two Connections. One Meeting. And No Complications.

We surfed our way across the unbuffeted sky, riding the crest of a 171 mph tailwind from Detroit to Amsterdam and racing the clock at 703 mph. I tried to sleep on the flight, but mostly found myself shifting and rolling uneasily in my seat until I finally gave up and cracked my window shade […]

Answering A Call

Sometimes I want to go back to a place. No. It’s more than that: Sometimes I need to go back to a place. I feel an undeniable urge to return to a country that touches my heart and my soul, whose people are so welcoming, and whose culture and history resonate with me in a […]

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 […]