Posts by Rick Juliusson
Just the Two of Us (in Morocco’s Blue City)
We don’t know what to do. Our boys have left us – off to Portugal for four days of Bro Time (our Christmas gift to them) then back to their real lives – and we’re feeling once again the Empty Nesting Blues and trying to get our travel mojo back. Morocco has been great for…
Read MoreParenting, Still (and Joyfully) in Fez
“Papa, hold me!” My little boy would look up at me plaintively, arms upstretched, wide teary eyes, clearly and unabashedly expressing his need for comfort and connection. I vowed then and there to always respond. Once in a while the response had to be a deferral to a later time that I would be careful…
Read MoreRELAX! It’s just the Sahara…
Africa is embedded deep within me. A childhood of African dreaming after cousin Sharon came back from Peace Corps with drums and jewelry and tie-dyed cement-bag robes. Backpacking through Egypt-Kenya-Uganda-Zaire after college grad. Seven years there with Habitat for Humanity then another four back&forth to Kenya with ACCES. But of course, Morocco ain’t Zaire, and…
Read MoreChristmas in Casablanca
With two of us in Turkey and one child (Zekiah) flying to Europe anyways to start a semester of Urban Design studies in Copenhagen, it was cheaper and wilder to bring the boys here for Christmas instead of us flying back across the pond. After much deliberation, we agreed to give them their first taste…
Read MoreIgnorance is a Miss – Cyprus
This isn’t the first time I’ve gone somewhere in complete ignorance. Sitting on an airplane in 1989 on my way to Costa Rica I couldn’t find it on the airplane magazine map – I thought it was an island (and didn’t know they spoke Spanish, nor how to find a hotel when we arrived at…
Read MoreCappadocia – Fairy Chimneys and Cave Churches
Remember those drip sand castles we used to make at the beach? Let some very wet sand dribble through your little kid fingers to form little plop chimneys. Well, imagine valley after valley filled with those chimneys, and you’ve got Cappadocia Turkey. Now remember that God uses a much bigger sand bucket, and was smart…
Read MoreOnly one “n” in Istanbul
Four weeks living in the Turkish capital and I still sometimes spell it Instanbul – like it’s an Add Water & Stir cow mix. Four weeks in a place where Rick Steeves recommends 2-4 days, and I’m still discovering and reaching and wondering. Where have all the churches gone? After a month on the Camino…
Read MoreHere’s to Crazy Aunts (and Rock-Solid Uncles)
Everyone deserves a crazy aunt. The one in the movies who pushes the boundaries, buys outlandish presents and wears outlandish clothes, travels to exotic places, drinks with flair, and uses the word “Sex” in everyday conversation. I was blessed with two. Aunt Sally Aunt Sally, whose laugh was as full and real and nourishing as…
Read MoreWinter Swim in the Black Sea
Stimulating or overstim? After 2 weeks of Istanbul delights and Turkish markets, our souls are crying out for fresh air (today’s air quality index is 71: “The air quality is generally acceptable for most individuals. However, sensitive groups may experience minor to moderate symptoms from long-term exposure.”) We hastily pack an overnight bag and head…
Read MoreTurkish Markets
Today I’m going to take you on a photographic tour of the many markets we’ve enjoyed around Istanbul. Each outing includes a long walk there and back where we stumble upon other sights and discoveries about Turkey. Fish Market Just 10 minutes downhill from our AirBnB, winding through steep narrow streets filled with electric lights…
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