#45 Turkish experiences

We have now been on the road for about two weeks.^[1] As we planned it, we are speeding through the first few destinations: Vienna, Bucharest, Istanbul.

These cities and countries are closer to home and easier to access by train for a future trip. As we have a deadline by the end of this month^[2], we are prioritizing the regions that are farther away — where we are less likely coming back to.

Needless to say, night trains and eight-hour bus trips are now our best friends. We take breaks here and there for a couple of nights, enough time to cool down, get a sense of a place.

At the moment, we are in Türkiye, just leaving Amasya — a small town by the river, tucked in between mountains. Cats are everywhere, people are often welcoming even though hard to communicate with, we drink tea from dawn to dusk, the muezzin meditative chant echoes throughout our days.

Robin and I both got sick, from the travels, general tiredness, and are now just getting back on our feet. We are still adapting to this new rhythm, trying to find the balance between exploring, working on our creative projects, and resting. The FOMO is strong, as we go through places we will probably never come back to.

When we were in Ankara, we watched Love, Deutschmarks and Death (2022) by Cem Kaya, a documentary about the Turkish immigration to Germany in the sixties. It is about resilience, community, and how music brings it all together. Having lived in Berlin for a few years — right by the Turkish neighborhood, I regret not having seen it earlier.

We also watched a couple other Turkish movies (in buses, while on the road). I love how it adds context and depth to the experience here. I am learning new words, new non-verbal cues and social interactions.

I will definitely continue doing so whenever possible — preferably during a long bus ride of 8 hours. ⊙