Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Tripping Homer

So I'm trying to sort out my plans for this coming Spring Break. There are a lot of options up in the air right now, most of them involving the Mediterranean. I think my number 1 destination is going to be Istanbul - I've always wanted to go there, and it seems like a truly amazing, cosmopolitan city. Lots to see and do, not too far away, and fairly welcoming to Westerners.

Some of my friends are lobbying for another trip after Istanbul - to Beirut. I have to confess, I'm kind of nervous about the prospect. As amazing as Beirut may be, I can't get away from its automatic associations with the kind of violence that plagued it both in the 1980s and last year. I want to go - I want to be able to say that I've gone, and I don't want fear to deter me - but commonsense keeps butting its head in.

Another thing that seems to interest only me is seeing more of the Aegean and the Greek and Turkish coast after seeing Istanbul for 4 or 5 days. There are a lot of interesting, beautiful little sights and places tucked in amongst the coves and crags of that part of the world. But everyone else is focused on seeing the Middle East, so if I did that, I'd probably have to do it alone.

This probably sounds like an embarrassment of riches rather than a dilemma, but I would appreciate anyone's advice on the matter. People who have been, people who know the deal...anything would help.

I am, however, going to be spending this weekend in a desert oasis called Bahriyah. Should be a blast!

1 comment:

Water Lilies said...

dude. go to istanbul. It's pretty.
http://english.istanbul.com/photogallery.asp