Istanbul: Definitely not the Middle East

I still don't really feel like writing a blog. So here's a link to my photo album for Istanbul. Highlights include the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia (pictured above), the Dolmabache Palace, and the Grand Rue de Pera. Make sure to check out the three videos at the end, taken from the famous Galata Tower.

I'm at a hotel in Izmir right now. Off to Selcuk and the ancient ruins of Ephesus tomorrow.

Birthday Turkey...

Just two things:

1. Happy 20th birthday, William! No embarassing photo display is necessary. If people want to see those kinds of pictures all they have to do is check out that "Awkward Prom" photo album on Facebook. Anyway, have a good one kiddo.

2. I will be in Turkey, one of the three countries I said I wanted to go to when I was in seventh grade (the other two were Indian and Ireland), in about 5 hours.

That is all.

Memorial Day in Masr...

It's amazing how much more you appreciate your country and those who've fought for it when you're in a foreign country, especially one like Egypt (don't take it personally, Masr). Ironically, despite the fact that I feel more compelled than ever to pay my respects to those who've laid down their lives for their country, my opportunities to do so are limited. No memorial gatherings to attend, no cemeteries to honor with flowers, no battlefields to visit, and no commemorative TV programs to watch. Fortunately, I discovered episodes from the HBO miniseries The Pacific on YouTube, and watched them all before they were taken down for copyright infringement.

The sacrifices these men made nearly 70 years ago, as well as the ones our armed forces make today, get me every time. Simply put, I feel inadequate, and a small part of me hates myself for not doing ROTC. But we make decisions and we go from there. Who knows, maybe I'll get my chance to serve in the future.

Anyway,  I'm certainly not in some position of moral authority to demand it of anyone else, but please do something special to observe Memorial Day. Take if from me, America is an extraordinary nation and we are all extremely blessed to be citizens of it. The least we can do today is reflect upon the sacrifices of individuals who've laid down their lives in defense of a land that is truly a City upon a Hill.

What goes around comes around...

If you've been following this blog, you know that I've been able to explore some pretty incredible landscapes during my time here in the Middle East. I've hiked the plateaus of Petra, traversed the lush, scenic valleys of Lebanon, snorkeled in the pristine waters of the Red Sea, camped in the moonscape-like White Desert, and climbed to the summit of Mount Sinai. All of these experiences have made me rediscover my fondness for nature's beauty, something that I definitely had as a kid, but seemingly lost as I grew older.

Well, I'm here to say that I still have it, and I'm not going to let a return to the US make it slip away again. In fact, seeing some of the Middle East's most impressive natural locales has actually made me realize that we've got a lot of amazing landscapes back in the States as well, many of which I haven't seen. I'm now inspired to check them all out.

Here are five destinations I'd like to visit i the near future. The first two are in Minnesota, but I think it'd be really neat to go on some epic road trip out west to see the rest.

The Boundary Waters

G

Gooseberry Falls

The Badlands

 

Yellowstone National Park

Yosemite National Park