Eight Things I Learned on Our Trip to Turkey and France
Last September, my boyfriend and I traveled to Turkey and France. Our planes, trains, and automobiles journey took us to the vibrant city of Istanbul where the west collides with the east; to the otherworldly terrain of Cappadocia where we rode Arabian horses through the fairy chimneys; to Selcuk where we explored ancient ruins in Ephesus, Priene, Didim, and Miletus; to Urla near the Aegean coast to taste Turkish wines; to Aslace where we marveled at the gothic cathedral in Strasbourg and cycled through medieval towns to Colmar; to Reims to taste champagne and visit the site where the Germans surrendered to the Allies to end WWII; to Verdun to visit the WWI battlefield and pay homage to the sacrifices made by French and British troops; and to Nancy to enjoy the Art Nouveau architecture.
Looking back on our glorious adventure, eight random musings and observations spring to mind:
It is a privilege to be a citizen of the world, and I’m grateful to be able to travel. Those inevitable moments of uncertainty and discomfort are welcome opportunities for learning and growth – it’s all about how you frame it.
People are kind and friendly everywhere you go. If you lead with kindness and patience, people will almost always respond the same way. In Cappadocia, our fellow riders were from Turkey, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and England. Interactions with our new friends made our journey much more personal and meaningful.
The best way, IMHO, to get up close and personal in a country is on horseback. One caveat: Horses are mortally afraid of camels, so plan accordingly.
Every country has challenges. Turkey has over 3 million Syrian refugees that it is struggling to accommodate, high inflation, and is overflowing with single-use plastic bottles and bags. France (and most of western Europe) has high inflation, income taxes >40%, and gas is $8/gallon. The delights of Turkey and France were abundant, but the glossy travel photos inside the tourist bubbles don’t tell the whole story.
Experiencing sites where history was made helps put the present in context and deepens understanding.
English was widely spoken, but my frequent attempts to converse in French were appreciated and met with smiles and encouragement.
You really can wear that shirt eight times without washing it.
It’s a big, beautiful, complicated world out there – go explore!
