The Trip to Turkey

 Travelling half way across the world takes a long time. It's amazing though once you get there to see the sights. Turkey is a beautiful place, ancient and very clean.

 I loved the coastal waters. The bridges, the gates and the amazing architecture.

 My lungs however did not fare well with the smoking. I missed the day in Ephesus, the shopping trip to the Grand Bazaar and a whole host of adventures. My camera would not work even with new batteries, it was the craziest thing.

 Turns out tulips are native from Turkey and they were everywhere. The flowers and gardens were spectacular.

 I could have shopped in the spice bazaar all day. What a plethora of fragrance and beauty. I was so aware of the difference in the freshness and quality of all their foods. Experiencing truly unprocessed foods and spices was the strongest testimony of all to the way we ruin our foods here.

 Making a type of tortilla that they fill with the most amazing goat cheese, spinach or meat, whatever you want. The flavor was fabulous. No one is in a hurry everyone eats and drinks tea for a long relaxing amount of time.

 Isn't it beautiful?

The square and many of the streets are made of cobblestones. Most people use public transportation which is very fast, efficient and cheap. Most of the streets are full of people walking not driving.
They clean the streets and everyone keeps everything lovely except for the constant cigarette smoking. Twelve year olds may legally smoke. There are also the large water pipes and the most aromatic pipe smoke ever, it smelled so wonderful I would have liked to taste a puff. Their were little carts of burning/roasting chestnuts everywhere that just billowed an awful stinky smoke.
You would think I could get some fresh air outside but I couldn't. Since I came home I was in the hospital with really bad asthma, worst ever. I'm home in the bed and sick as stink I can't even muster up the effort to shower. But I wanted to say hello and show you a little of where I was. These pictures were taken by a friend on the trip.

I bought some pretty scarves and some wonderful tea. I kept waiting for the grand bazaar day and was to sick to go. So much for shopping. If your currency is the English pound or the Euro definitely go and buy! Our dollar is in deep deep doo doo, I had to pay $7 for a coke in France. That's a reality check.

I'll write again when I feel better. your loved this is the most I have done since I came home.