Favorite Things Turkey

• Galata Bridge
• Street food - simit, corn (boiled, grilled, or popped), pickles, mussels. The mussels.
  
• The Ottomans (Ottomen?)
• Seeing the Hagia Sophia only to decide I need to go back
• Sitting in between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque during prayer call
• Çay
• A country of dichotomies: modern & rugged, Islamic & secular, beautiful & dirty, pristine waters & overdeveloped tourist towns, Europe & Asia
• Meat.
  
• Turkish socialization: backgammon, meyhane culture on the Nevizade, tea
• The views
• A sense of adventure while never feeling too far away
• Baklava, lokum, helva
• Leb-i Derya at the Richmond
• You can find everything fairly cheap, but pay a little more and you get a lot more
• Turkish breakfast
• Swimming in the Mediterranean
• Having delicious plums grown by my bus-friend's mother in Fethiye
• Tomatoes, eggplant, cucumber
• Yogurt, Ayran, cheese
• Fun letters like ç and ü
  

Home and Photos

After a month of eight planes, countless buses, a boat or two, a bicycle, cars, trains, and metros, I'm back home, adjusting to the lovely time difference between Europe and the West Coast.

Have posted about 200 of the 800ish pictures I took - http://flickr.com/photos/acaaron816/collections/72157600532726279/

What a month - still have plenty to write about, so I think I'll start from the beginning and work my way through over the next few posts.

Blondes Ruin Everything

Just had Westvleteren's two takes on the °6 beer - the current blond and the former (1998) darker ale, known as red. Good thing I had the blond first - it was exceptional of course, probably one of the best lighter beers I've ever had.
The red though...bar none most delicate yet nuanced beer I've ever had. Unfortunately, people visiting their cafe demanded the more palatable blond style from the monks. God's work indeed.

Ohmigod I Love This Place

Did some hardcore sightseeing today so I can relax a bit tomorrow - went to Brugge and Gent, loved them both. Rented a (really nice) bike in Brugge, climbed the Belfry, and of course enjoyed the beer, freitjes, and architecture.

Then it was off to see the absolutely incredible Adoration of the Lamb altarpiece in Gent, where I also adored a 13,50 beer from the smallest of the Trappist breweries, Westvleteren. Had the Blue, number 8. Delish.

Back in Antwerp happened upon a beer festival that I had somehow glossed over last night, and was able to try the champagne of beers, Deus Brut. Also met Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster. How bout that?

Reborn in Marseille

In Marseille for a few hours while waiting for my flight to Brussels. Hated it at first - wanted to check out their supposedly great market at Place des Capucins, so I went only to find it deserted. The dirty streets and overhyped Old Port did not help my mood.
Wandering back to the internet cafe, I stumbled upon the most alive, vibrant market I've come across in my travels. Apparently it was not Place des Capucins I was looking for, but Place de Marché des Capucins.

Belle Provence

Arrived in Provence yesterday - tooled around Avignon for the afternoon, saw the Palais des Papes and the Pont d'Avignon (I did not sing the song unfortunately)
Then it was back to the villa just outside the little town of Banon, a place known mostly for its hearty goat's cheese, wrapped in a leaf of some sort. My friend's family is entertaining a crew of around 22 - that's about 1 to 1 1/2 cases of wine a night for those keeping track.
Tomorrow is market day in St-Remy-en-Provence, then picnic time and Arles.

Au Revoir Turkey

Heading out of Turkey today via Antalya - can't believe my week (+) here is over. It's been great, wish I could stay longer, but Provence will be fantastic as well. That's the hard thing about travelling: you always want to see another place, which means leaving another behind.

Just met someone from Portland, OR who's been away for 9 months and still has a few years left of seeing the world. Like, everything. Sold his house and all his belongings.

Good thing I have that return ticket, it's tempting...