Hoşçakal, Turkey: Thoughts on my time split between Europe and Asia

Another country complete, and now I head firmly for Central Europe. But first, a couple of thoughts on my three-ish weeks in Turkey.

A food culture focused on local, fresh, and simple: The food, at its best, was very fresh and often composed of only a handful of ingredients. One of my favorite meals was the plate of kofte meatballs paired with grilled tomatoes and peppers on top of the hill on Buyukada. Indeed, the fancier that Turkish cuisine tried to get, the more it struggled to retain great flavor. The virtue of this approach is that great meals could be had nearly everywhere and there was no need to pay a premium for preparation, only for freshness.

A unique place seriously straddling two very different parts of the world: I come away fascinated by the one of a kind history and current situation Turkey plays in the world. In the past, it was the meeting place of people from all over, the center of a very tolerant Ottoman Empire that didn't know much nationalism. Now, it finds itself between Europe and the Middle East, and the tensions are apparent. It seemed to me to be at its best when it took the best parts of each of these traditions and made it into something specifically Turkish.

A great chance to travel with family: It was excellent that, in the middle of my trip, I had the opportunity to meet up with all of my immediate family. There were great group experiences and lots of fun one on one moments. And, of course, more time with my giggly niece!

And, with that, the Turkey chapter of this trip is complete. To Berlin!