by Ian | Apr 27, 2021 | Turkey
The Scent of Apple Tea Istanbul residents scurried out into the streets on a Monday morning after the heavy hand of government had kept all but the most essential workers indoors over the weekend. Up the hill from the Sultanahmet and across the bridges from Galata and...
by Ian | May 6, 2021 | Turkey
HES Code There is an unshakable unease that comes with crossing a border. Some border guards are welcoming and full of cheer while others are sullen and appear to be carrying the weight of the world. There was a time when waiting in line at customs brought more...
by Ian | May 11, 2021 | Turkey
The Fisher Boy Dark particulate matter spewing from the Payas refinery clung to the moisture in the air creating a haze that threatened to choke Iskenderun’s empty waterfront. The suffocating carbons of heavy industry made it difficult to breathe and trying to enjoy a...
by Ian | May 22, 2021 | Turkey
Amasya to Ankara to Istanbul That is loud! I guess that’s what I get for booking a hotel so close to the mosque. What time is it? Just after 4. I’m pretty buzzed. When did I fall asleep? That’s what, six hours? That doesn’t seem like enough sleep. Who am I kidding?...
by Ian | May 25, 2021 | Turkey
The City In March 2020, I could not have imagined a more dramatic change to the world order than being forced home by border closures and flight cancellations as I experienced. It seemed the world had been tipped upside down, but everything we used to do and the way...
by Ian | May 26, 2021 | Indonesia, Turkey
The Airport With all of the new travel regulations in place, I was taking no chances. I wanted to give myself ample amounts of time in case I ran into any roadblocks or covid-related red tape. I had no other pressing matters for the day and my sole objective was to...
