Reflections on Istanbul

Now that we're back, I just wanted to share some thoughts I had about our trip. The fact that we were going to Turkey definitely brought out a chorus of concern from many of the people we knew, and to some degree, I understand. In retrospect, the worries were completely unfounded (hindsight is such a beautiful thing), but you begin to realize that in the midst of all this skepticism and anxiety, it is incredibly easy to give in and not do the things you want to do. In fact, it takes a fair amount of strength and resolve to forge ahead in the face of such negative scrutiny.

When I had first told people we were going to Turkey, most people were supportive or at least feigned interest, but a few people definitely thought it was a bad idea, with our kids, no less. I have to confess, I understood their concern, but also felt it was expressed without really knowing the facts. Turkey is a fairly exotic location and I'd only met one person who had actually been there. He loved it, and was extremely supportive about the trip. Otherwise, I think most people see Turkey in the same light as Iraq/Iran, extremist countries where they hate America. Turkey is in fact a secular, albeit Muslim, country, and one that is trying really hard to become part of the European Union. So far, they are doing a great job, but don't ask me, I'm not European.

To add to the drama (like we need more), we departed the day after bin Laden was killed, increasing the level of concern. When I saw the headline, even I asked, "Why now?" However, Turkey was such a nice place, the people were amazingly warm and friendly, and I was a little embarrassed that I thought that our lives might be in danger. If anything, I felt safer in Istanbul than I do in LA. There were even people in Turkey who expressed support for the US for eliminating bin Laden and intervening in Libya. Whatever be the case, it really highlights the strong desire to never leave the borders of this country, where it's safe and comfortable. There is an incredible amount of inertia that you have to overcome to travel abroad, and that's a shame, because it prevents most of us from every making that trip, and the rewards are immeasurable. Plus, there are places in the US where my life would be in much greater jeopardy than most cities in Europe and Asia.

On our second go-around of Istanbul, we felt much more comfortable and aware of the city, and that made it really fun and exciting. There were still mountains of things to learn about Turkey and Turkish culture, but at least we'd been there before, and had some sense of how things worked. We finally managed to find a place to eat where it was cheap and there were no surprises, and where it appeared the locals ate. We wanted to get some Turkish souvenirs, but were turned off by the persistent nature of the vendors trying to get you to buy their wares, but finally mustered the courage to go in and not only browse, but drive a hard bargain. In retrospect, we talked the guy down, but then felt a little ashamed that we were nickel and dime-ing the guy over a dollar or two, when in fact he's probably not a rich man. Then again, who knows how much money he was making on the deal.

Finally, on our last night at the hotel, we had a triumphant moment. We were swimming in the pool and N's tooth, which had been loose for what seemed like months, finally popped out. The problem was, it popped out in the pool, and he had no idea where it might be. How funny is that? Now we could have simply said it was lost and we'd work something out with the tooth fairy, but such actions are not part of our playbook. We were going to search for that tooth, even if we had to stay another night. We all had swim goggles, and we must have been quite a sight as all four of us scoured the bottom of the pool looking for that tooth. In the end, R scored and found it, it was amazing. Literally finding the needle in the haystack, kudos to her.

With the tooth in hand, we could now return home with good vibes all around from our amazing trip, which we would never have known about had we not taken the plunge, in the face of skepticism, and gone for it. It wasn't a radical event, where we threw caution to the wind, because believe me when I tell you, nobody is more neurotic and overbearing as a parent than me. It's just that when you get below the surface of it, most fear is based on nothing more than fear itself, and yet it holds such a strong influence over us. I wish it weren't so, though the media doesn't help, but that's an issue for another time.

Until then, thanks for reading.