Turkey | turning 30 at the crossroads of the world
On choosing Turkey for reasons deeper than sunsets and what I found once I got there
I could lie and say I chose to be in Turkey in June because of the beautiful beaches, long sunny days, and cloudless skies. After all, as mentioned last week, I turned 30 and wanted to have a good time in the week leading up to and following my birthday.
Turkey is a history-rich country, home to 36 civilizations in its territory throughout time, including some of the most relevant, such as the Hittite, the Persian, the Macedonian, the Roman, the Byzantine, and the Turk Ottoman empires.
If you have been following my weekly musings, you by now know that I’m a history buff and I like to experience different cultures, especially the ones I haven’t been much exposed to.
Borderless Geographies
Take Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example. I had one of the most intense and interesting days on my trip there, and I think what made it very unique is the fact that is one of the few Muslim-majority countries in Europe.
You could argue Turkey is in Europe and, while that’s true, most of its almost 90 million people live in the Asian part of the country.
But, again, determining what is Europe and what is Asia in this part of the world is tough.
Some say that once you cross the Bosphorus Strait, you’re in Asia. Others argue that the Caucasus mountains are part of Europe, so Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are European.
There is no clear geographical barrier delineating what is what.
And that’s part of the appeal of Turkey, in my humble opinion.
Turkey is, historically, the crossroads of the world. It connects East and West, North and South. Iran is, perhaps, the only other country as relevant from that perspective.
From a geopolitical strategic perspective, Turkey is a powerful player and, in today’s multipolar world, and it perhaps punches a bit above its weight due to its connectivity.
It is also strategic, nonetheless, from the point of view of “how can my sister and mom meet me for my birthday”.
And that was a leading contributor to choosing Turkey as the country to spend my birthday this year.
Flight Paths and Family Plans
Pilar, my sister, could easily fly in from NYC. My mom could also fly directly from Brazil, though unfortunately not from Rio, since the previous mayor destroyed the city and now the international airport doesn’t have as many long-haul international flights as it should and as it had in the past.
Turkey also offered a good balance of activities that would please all. My sister, seeking to escape the NYC heat, wanted to spend time at the beach. My mom, living a 10-minute walk from the beach, didn’t see much sense in flying over 10 hours just to spend a few days seaside. But she was drawn to the history of the country, the vibrant old town, and the ancient cities of Ephesus and Hierapolis.
We settled on going to Turkey.
The Solo Part of the Story
I decided to arrive a few days prior to my sister. We met in Bodrum, the ritzy Turkish Riviera, but I wanted to have an extra couple of days by the beach to be able to fully relax and recharge.
I remember sitting at my hostel in Bratislava and ideating a game plan for May and the first week of June. I knew it would be very rushed as I would zig-zag through the Balkans and see many countries in a few days.
I believe any long-term traveler needs to get a few breaks where you just sit back and relax—by the beach, lake, or mountain. Just like I spent 5 days in Lake Bled, Slovenia, a lake I had never heard of, but it turned out to be the perfect spot for a recharge.
Being in Bodrum felt very refreshing. After 4 scorching hot days in Athens, I needed to feel the breeze on my face and see the sunset, sensing the sand below my feet, hearing the sound of the waves, and sighing as the sun transitioned from bright to light orange, with the water reflecting it as it sank in the vastness of the sea.
Sun-Soaked Nostalgia
Bodrum also seemed familiar. Though I grew up by the beach, I’d rarely go to the beach close to the apartment I spent my childhood in. It wasn’t often that it would fit in our routines. Plus, we would spend the summertime at Manguinhos, Espírito Santo, the fishermen village my dad was born in and spent a fair amount of his teenage years.
At times, we would alternate and go to Búzios for a few days, a bucolic beach town turned glamorous by famous French actress Brigitte Bardot, who would often be seen there.
I could see hints of both Manguinhos and Búzios in Bodrum.
Hostelling and Hammocking
The hostel I stayed at for the first two days was far from the city center. I tried walking there with my backpacks all the way there… but it was too hot and too far. After walking for almost one hour, I was able to figure out the bus routes, which were not available online, and took the third bus that came in the direction I wanted.
The first one the driver didn’t take me and yelled something in Turkish.
The second one didn’t stop.
The third one stopped and told me to go to the back entrance. Then, I realized the first two buses were likely more full than the one I was barely able to board. The first driver probably shouted something around those lines.
I assume. I will never know for sure.
Once I got to my hostel, an “ecofarm and camp” hostel, I took it easy.
The hostel was what it says in the name. They had fig trees lining the property, a few tents set up and outside bathrooms, some cars parked by the gate, a main building with the owner’s bedroom and female dorm, and an outside room, which was the mixed one, with a not-so-clean bathroom in it.
Mosquitos all over. A dog walking around. The gate was just open. On top? My dorm didn’t lock. There was no key and anyone could stroll in, any time of the day, or night.
This set-up reminded me of Manguinhos. Simple and laid back. Once I checked in, I asked to do my laundry.
Refreshingly, it was free. All hostels in Europe would charge somewhere between 5 and 10 euros for laundry, which is fair, but they start adding up after a while.
The catch was that they didn’t have a drier. So, after my wash cycle was done, I had to hang all my clothes on this line wrapped around trees and on top of the grass.
It felt like Manguinhos. I then had to wait, which meant some time reading in the hammock. Manguinhos again.
Leveling Up
Once my sister arrived, I switched to a different hostel.
No, no! Not hostel… hotel. Unlike me now, my sister has an income. So, let’s put it this way… it was a different standard.
It reminded me of places I would stay in Búzios. Hotel with a nice breakfast every morning, a good swimming pool, and steps from the beach. Similar to Búzios, it was mostly frequented by local people, with few international visitors. The hotel was booked out for the first few days, as we happened to be there during Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday, and then empty once it was over.
Turkish Echoes of Brazil
We went to different beaches so that we could see more of the town. Like Búzios, Bodrum is also a peninsula, and each beach has a different appeal. Yalikavak, for example, is the rich one. Not uncommon to see 100-footer yachts, or even larger ones, sailboats, jet skis, hydrofoils, and so on.
Bodrum city center was a port, from where boat tours depart. Bitez, where we were staying, was more touristy, while Turgutreis was nice without being too lavish. It also made me wonder if there was a Turgu-um or a Turgu-dois.
Jokes aside, there were many more similarities between Turkey and Brazil I started noticing. I may dive deeper into this some other day, but I think a few are worth mentioning:
English: it is not widely spoken as a second language, though the hotel staff, especially at reception, spoke it well. Aside from them, it was at times hard to communicate in shops, kiosks, and restaurants. Most of the staff would not speak any English and they would shout so that the one person who works there and speaks semi-ok English would come and facilitate
Cars: they had similar or same make and model as the ones I see in Brazil, both old and new. Probably related to the similar development levels in both countries over the last few decades
Mongrels: street dogs are everywhere. They mostly don’t bother and are very lazy, but if they see you running they run after you because they think you want to play. It turns out Turkish dogs are bilingual as they would listen to my frantic pleas in Portuguese “SAI! SAI! SENTA! SENTA!”
Cab drivers: also spoke little to no English. As expected, they drove assuming people would get out of their way, believing that the laws of physics aren’t laws, but suggestions. Our first cab driver seemed to be running for office, greeting people left and right, and slowing down to have small chats every time he met someone
Grocery stores: like in Brazil, there were different levels, from the fancy “everything-looks-imported” groceries to the good chains, the bad chains, and the run-down stores that sold cheap stuff. In a 5-mile radius, I was able to buy the 5-liter water bottle for 23, 40, and 50 Turkish lira. Talk about product placement and branding.
Reunion in Istanbul
From Bodrum, my sister and I flew to Istanbul, where we met our mom. It was the first time we were all together in 6 months. This may seem like a lot for some, but we are used to it by now. Even though, this one felt a bit special for me, since they flew from so far to meet me and join me for a small part of this crazy journey.
In Istanbul, however, their visiting styles clashed a bit. My sister is more of a traveler. She wants to see the local neighborhoods, to feel the daily living of the city she is in. Our mom, on the other hand, is a tourist. She wants to sightsee and go to all the major attractions.
They remained flexible, which was crucial for everyone to be happy.
On the first day, we went to the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Then, the next day, we went to Topkapi Palace. All very worth sights, but I recognize it can be draining after a few hours. Topkapi Palace is huge, and it can easily take up a whole day, for example.
On our third day, we crossed the Bosphorus to go to Kadiköy and Moda, local neighborhoods that don’t attract large crowds. We went for a stroll and even got to see a youth regatta. Not your typical sightseeing.
Our fourth and final day together was spent partially separate. My mom and I went to the Basilica Cistern, which was surprisingly beautiful and intriguing, and then we all met up to go to Balat, where I took my tripod so that we could take a good shot of the three of us.
I’ll let you guess who enjoyed each day the most!
🧭 Upcoming Itinerary
📍June 23–24 — Cappadocia, TR
📍June 25–28 — Baku, AZ*
*I do recognize this is close to Tehran and I’m monitoring the situation
💬 Which day in Istanbul would’ve been your favorite? And would you side with the traveler or the tourist? Let me know below!
Bio
Hi, I’m Guido, a Brazilian traveler who spent 13 years in the US before life nudged me toward a long-awaited dream: a year of exploring the world. I started this page to share my journey with family and friends, but if you’ve found your way here, I’m grateful you came along!
It was great to meet you and spend some days exploring Turkey!
I really enjoy spend these special days with you and your sister! It was an unforgettable birthday for both of us! Turkey is magical! ❤️❤️❤️