Besides my 25-hr Grecian adventure last summer, I don’t think I’ve ever planned less for a trip.

We reserved our ferry tickets to Turkey’s province of Izmir the night before. That was it. Then we awoke at dawn the next day, packed an overnight bag and shuffled to the ferry in the darkness.

After sleepily crawling to the bus a couple hours later, my cosmopolitan world for the last year-and-a-half of sleek skyscrapers, unrelenting traffic and faceless masses of people slipped away and was gradually replaced with a more pastoral one — village homes, grassy meadows and horses and goats and cows. The only thing towering here was the jagged mountains on the horizon. My eyes drooped drowsily, but I couldn’t sleep…tree, shrub, goat, mountain, olive farm, creek. My eyes darted back and forth in awe as we chugged along.

Somehow I had forgotten there was a Turkey outside the metropolis.

I guess you could say we faced a bit of a setback. The ferry ride to Samos, for example, was more than 150 euros…and while it hurt not being able to cross “Greek isles” off our “life lists,” we settled for an unexpected but, in the end, equally soothing and beautiful adventure.

We roamed about the sparkling coast, sipping tea here and stopping for fresh-squeezed juices there along the way. We played backgammon late into the night (William luckily defeated me) with the twinkling night sky and crashing jet black waves as our backdrop. We strolled along the ancient Greek and Roman ruins of Ephesus, one of the largest Mediterranean cities of its time. I narrated made-up stories of Ephesus’ past, William pretended to fight lions in the amphitheater (much to onlookers’ delight) and stood in awe of the rich history beneath our feet.

Of course, then we got lost…but it ended up being our favorite part of the trip. We landed in Selcuk, an adorable, laid-back city with the largest daily local market I’ve ever seen. We weaved in and out of the throngs of playing children and cart-toting teyzes until we found what can only be described as the most delicious dried figs my taste buds have ever touched. Plump, juicy and covered in a sort of magical sugar dust, we took our treat to the leafy cay bahcesi (tea garden), where we kicked back and people watched.

We spent our final morning on the water with one of the grandest breakfast spreads I’ve ever seen. Menemen (eggs with tomatoes) followed borek (butter pastries) which followed sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Lemon and rosemary-soaked olives, assortments of sweet and salty cheeses, heaps of crisp greens and three types of homemade jams sat perched before us as well. Mounds of toasted bread tempted us…but as William expertly strategized, “It’s a filler. We can only conquer without it.”

We splashed in the sea and raced across the sand before saying goodbye to a truly lovely weekend.

“Nobody said that it would be easy…they just said that it would be worth it.” 

Among my musings as I ponder what’s next…

(Source: Flickr / unraveleddesign)

On my mind as I plan my next adventure — see northern Turkey, hop the Greek isles, travel western Europe?

(Source: becomingroux)

The Bosphorus at dusk is one of the most enchanting sights I’ve ever laids eyes on.

(Source: magicalnaturetour)

Istanbul roof-top BBQ. Need I say more?

The sun was shining, and there was a light breeze when we climbed atop Noah’s roof in the backstreets of Taksim. Sprawled across a large wooden table were mounds of colorful vegetables, an array of spices and a lovely display of wine. We had the fresh hummus and lemon-spritzed tabbouleh in tote.

We pieced together veggie kebabs (which was a tricky affair, mind you), sopped up  tomato-and-onion salad with crusty bread and grilled halloumi cheese (a unique, semi-hard Cypriot cheese that is pure divinity when grilled) as new and old friends got better acquainted. 

As the sun sank below the Bosphorus sealine, Noah masterfully rubbed lamb chops in mint and garlic cloves. The food seemed to disappear as soon as each batch of grilled goodness touched the plate.

There was even a little cutting of the rug beneath the Istanbul night sky…

In all, a truly excellent evening that bears repetition, if you ask me.