I feel beads of sweat roll down the nook of my back, and I think why did I come to Istanbul in July again? Maybe visiting this crowded city in the heat of the summer wasn’t the best idea – but I’ve never been one to let weather stop me from visiting somewhere. After all, […]
It was the last week of the Camino de Santiago and I had left Sarria and walked 25 km for the day to the next big town. Since I had spent a rest day in Sarria all of my familiar friends had walked ahead of me and I was once again left to make new […]
I lay on the hot marble all alone taking deep labored breaths. My breathing seems to echo throughout the white dome. The two large old women who were wearing panties only had left me about 25 minutes ago from what I could tell – or was it 10 minutes – I felt as if I […]
“We’ll have to leave early in the morning and walk to the train station tomorrow because the bus can’t pick us up. “ instructed our Intrepid Travel guide Yenner. “The Saturday market is setting up in the morning and all of the roads are closed.”I looked at the main street in front of our guest […]
I hear her whisper to herself – “Isn’t it just beautiful.” And let out a sigh of amazement. I follow her sight line and looked at the columns and ruins. I rub my eyes and try to refocus and free my mind – but I have nothing. “I can see it, don’t you see it?” […]
We arrived at the Dervish Lodge of Karabash-i Veli and I was full of anticipation. Intrepid Travel had arranged for us to see a very local experience of Turkey’s whirling dervish culture. I was busy trying to arrange my scarf over my head in order to be in compliance with the cultural norms for this religious […]
Everyone has parts of their job that they dislike – even if your job is your passion. Not everything can be lollipops and unicorns ALL the time. For me, it’s the hours spent online trying to figure out my next move, the cheapest airfare, where I will sleep, how to get around, where to find […]
The landing announcement echoes through the plane triggering the memories of 12 years ago. In 2000 I was arriving from a 17-hour flight with a virgin passport. It was the first time I had left the US – and I was more scared than excited about landing in Istanbul. This time I am arriving from […]
It took one simple question 10 years ago to change my life… “Do you want to come with me?” My co-worker and friend asked me that simple question referring to visiting his home country of Turkey. I thought about it for a little while knowing virtually nothing about the country of Turkey or where it […]
