Turkey

Hey, did I mention I went to Turkey? I went to Turkey!

It was a short visit, one that I made under the auspices of NWF for the annual meeting of the Young Reporters for the Environment program. We're getting ready to start this program in the U.S., so it was helpful to learn how it's being implemented in countries where it is already well established. More than twenty different countries were represented around the table, so it was pretty amazing simply to be in the company of this group!

Of course, it was also amazing to be in Turkey. The layers of history there are deep and rich. My coworker Laura and I stayed a few extra days to explore the area. The meeting was in Kusadasi, on the Aegean coast, and nearby were the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus - certainly a highlight of our adventures.

The beaches and high-rise hotels all along the coast are surely filled with throngs of tourists during the summer months, but in mid-February it was fairly quiet. The weather was cool but pleasant for walking and taking in the sights. The streets were lined with laden orange trees at this time of the year.

When it came time to warm up, tea in these pleasing curved glasses was never hard to find.

Lots more photos to be found in my Turkey photo album. And luckily for me, I didn't travel all the way across the Atlantic Ocean and the European continent for just five days. Stay tuned for the next stop!