I am going to be on a plane for thanksgiving this year.
So I am going to try and give my thanks here and there to try and make the most of this holiday {because I love it and think it's great and it's going to be kind of crazy to be eating airplane food instead}.
And I've been looking for an excuse to blog about my incredible, trip of a lifetime to the med.
So I am going to start with Turkey (wink wink)
Turkey is insanely awesome.
.
It was such a unique experience to be in the midst of a culture/people that is 98% Muslim.
The people were so welcoming, kind, and friendly. The kids in Turkey are fascinated by Americans. Loads of kids flocked towards us and wanted to practice their English. They would hug us, laugh with us, and tell us we were "so beautiful". It was adorable, they love Americans!
It was just so different for us. Nothing what we expected honestly. It was better, in so many ways.
The design is amazing. The textures, patterns, and color was perfect. They know what's up. So pretty. It seems so updated even though these buildings were built hundreds and hundreds of years ago. I also have grown to just love the Muslim people. Starting with my family in D.C
here,
here, and
here. I think one of the biggest eye openers for me with traveling is just learning first hand the way things really are...not the way the media portrays them to be.
I also admire their dedication and respect towards their religion. Turkey was really peaceful while we were there. I think that's what surprised me the most. I was expecting chaos and confusion in such a MASSIVE city. But near the mosques and holy places it was so quite and comfortable (it was crazy in other areas for sure, but not in a lot of the areas we visited).
**Photo Disclaimer. A lot of the photo cred goes to the other half. I was in the middle of my 80 hr back to back wedding work weeks. And honestly, wanted to bury my camera for a bit. So I just tried to take it all in through my eyes not my lens. Kind of sad, but probably good at the same time. But don't get me wrong, I still took A LOT of photos. Just giving credit where credit is due.
Ephesus was our first Turkey stop.
It was so cool to see where ancient prophets like John and Paul taught (and wrote ephesians "ephesus", galatians, Corinthians, and Phillipians). It is believed by most Christian scholars that after Christs death Mary and these apostles went to Ephesus to teach and live. It was super interesting to experience their way of life. So advanced, the plumbing system, the market, the library, the stadium everything was so well preserved it was incredible. It was also crazy to see where the mother mary supposedly lived. Not sure if I believe that part it but that's what they say. It was super interesting to see all of signs and symbols around the town.
Offering my prayers to Mary
Instanbul
Here we saw every artifact that belonged in the Bible and the Koran. For REAL. haha. Moses Staff, Tooth of Mohamad, etc, etc, etc. Again who knows? But we can say we did. What we did for sure get to see however was jewlery from past sultans, purses, crowns, amazing. The tile, design, and architecture here was my favorite.
Topkapi Palace
Hagia Sophia
So excited to finally see this. I studied it quite a bit in my art history class and was so excited that I really got to see it in real life.
Blue Mosque
Serious?!! I think this is the prettiest tile work ever.
Blue Mosque
Courts of Topkapi Palace
![Image]()
Grand Baazar
Sister Canfield greeting us. She was so excited to see and American that she leaped toward Ben and said, "AMERICA". I love that I somehow got this picture. Priceless. She is so adorable. They got called to this mission as a non proselyting mission. Their primary goal is to open this mission. Turkey is the gateway to the middle east so it is huge. How cool would that be?!
Turkish kids loving the American.
