A dear friend of ours from back in New Bern, North Carolina contacted Dottie and me, and invited us to go to Istanbul. OMG. What an incredible opportunity, first to see our friend, but also to be in this amazing place. My first thought was, WOW, yes!

We leave tomorrow at 1pm and will return ~12 days later … so. What are we excited about in Turkey?

1. The Food. Cannot wait to sample everything, and write about what it’s like, how it’s prepared, and to speak with them about their culture of food.

2. The History. Istanbul, are you kidding me? This is Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire, and thousands of years of cultural heritage.

3. The Architecture. We can’t make a road that lasts 20 years. They created buildings that have withstood everything the elements and man have thrown at them for millennia.

   and …

4. The people. We have found that no matter where we have gone in this world, in the main people are gracious and kind. This is perhaps the greatest gift that our friend has given us, to be able to share their food and families and history with us as we pass through their lives over the next few days.

OH, and we’re buying clothes! I’m done with my beat-around T-shirts and look forward to shopping at the Bazaar for cool new duds. Linen is my jam!