Don't Judge The Book Til You've Read It

When I imagined Turkey, I'm pretty sure I was thinking a modern Iraq. Women in burkas, men in long robes (some with turbans), outrageous poverty, and really weird local foods. Boy was I wrong. Not only are men and women extremely fashionable (even if some heads are covered), but the food is all delicious! I have a new affinity for tomatoes and lamb of all kinds. And when it comes to poverty, I have learned that the Turkish hospitality extends to them too. The women on the streets cradling their children and extending a plastic cup with a bowed head uttering incoherent pleas, for the most part, have friends or family to offer them a roof or a warm meal. Poverty may be a problem as it is anywhere in the world, but homelessness is surprisingly not. I love that everyone is so helpful. For instance, in the airport on the way to a weekend getaway in Kas, we asked a woman behind the counter at check-in where the nearest place was to buy food and we got a wonderful response. She did not just grunt and point or shrug and say "over there" as someone might in the states, but she actually climbed over the luggage conveyer and personally led us to a little bakery. It was so sweet.

Another thing I didn't anticipate was the drastic change of landscapes. Our "vacation" in Kas was fantastic. It is a quaint little hidden oasis along the Mediterranean that is yet to be discovered by many tourists. We had our time on a boat and laying lazily by the water basking in the sun, but we also had the opportunity to experience some sporty endeavors. The group went canyoning through Saklikant Gorge and got chest deep in mud and a few rapids. It was a crazy experience that I never would have thought to do, especially in the states. The next day we went kayaking over a sunken city along the Sea that had been destroyed by a series of earthquakes back in the day. The only encounter I have had with a kayak was at summer camp when I was thirteen and it was on quite a calm lake. So this was a bit of a challenge for me. It was an intense five miles on the water and I conquered it like a champ. I did reward myself with some homemade peach ice cream though.

This entire trip in Turkey has been a total change from everything I'm used to. It is incomparable to any other traveling I have done in the past. I have done things I didn't expect to ever do, and have seen things I didn't expect to ever see. So far... so good...