1—The Food

***"Kahvaltı" or breakfast al fresco in a village***

It is no secret that Leslie and I enjoy a good meal, and the food that Turkey has to offer never disappoints. While we like eating out (Adana Kebab is the best in the country), our favorite foods usually end up being homemade. The women here are experts in the kitchen, and can whip up some mouth-watering dishes in less time than I can make boxed mac-and-cheese. Some of our favorites include sarma (grape leaves or cabbage stuffed with rice, meat, and spices), sarımsaklı köfte (tiny balls of bulgur and tomato paste kneaded with other spices, boiled, and served with a garlic yogurt sauce), and mercimek çorbası, or lentil soup (it may sound plain—I assure you it is anything but). The list could go on, but you’ll have to come and taste for yourself (or find a Turkish restaurant near you).

2—The History

***The ancient Pisidian city of Termessos near Antalya, Turkey***

Almost every major civilization from the beginning of the world has a significant footprint in Anatolia, the part of geography that we know as modern-day Turkey. From the Hittites to the Ottoman Empire and most everything in between, evidence of each civilization lies scattered across Turkey’s landscape. The best part? Whereas in Europe these centuries’ (sometimes millennia) old remnants could be seen from behind a red-velvet rope and a “don’t touch” sign, in Turkey you can get up-close and personal without anyone taking a second glance. While it has its share of museums and protected spaces, (and we love to visit them), there is simply too much here to put it all behind glass. We have scrambled over more ancient ruins than we can count, traced our fingers along fresco-designs from the early days of the Christian church, even seen a Roman gravestone propping open a door. Pretty cool.

3—Baklava

***Who can resist that ooey-gooey deliciousness!?!***

Now I know what you’re thinking. Baklava is a food, right? Well, we thought it deserved its own category, because it’s that good. The more layers baklava has, the better the quality, and some women have boasted to me that their baklava contains over 40 layers! The dough is rolled out impossibly thin and stacked on top of itself with plenty of butter and nuts, then baked and topped off with a hot sugar syrup that makes the whole thing literally melt in your mouth. Baklava from the southeast city of Gaziantep, widely regarded as the best Turkey has to offer, is made with pistachios. However, you can find baklava made with walnuts if you don’t prefer the distinct pistachio flavor. Best eaten with a slice of goats-milk plain ice cream, baklava is definitely a top reason to love this country.

4—The Natural Beauty

Whether you are a mountain person or a beach person, Turkey has plenty of both. It is surrounded by four different seas on three of its sides, and it is home to four major mountain ranges. Where we live in Adana, depending on our mood we can get our fill of either. A 45-minute drive in one direction takes us to the Mediterranean coastline, and the same amount of time going the opposite direction takes us into the heart of the Taurus mountains. Turkey has a wide variety of climates, from the rainy, lush Black Sea region to arid flat Central Anatolia. With an abundance of ski slopes, mineral hot springs, lush green forests, waterfalls, rivers, and both fresh and salt-water lakes, there is no end to the places to be explored. Of course no list of natural wonders in Turkey would be complete without the other-worldly Cappadocia—truly an awesome sight. In short, for those who love the great outdoors, this place is a gem.

5—The People

Finally, and most importantly, the people here have treated us with more warmth and kindness than we could have ever asked for. Turkish people take great pride in their hospitality, and this extends beyond their homes. As foreigners, we have been welcomed to this country by taxi drivers, neighbors, even the man who pumps our gasoline. There is no favor too big or small—Turkish people enjoy helping out, and they will drop everything to do so. If we ask a neighbor for help finding a plumber, chances are their brother-in-law is a plumber and they will call him up immediately (asking for a discounted rate of course), or they will call around to their friends until they find someone. If we ask a random stranger for directions, they usually end up taking us there personally. We love the people of Turkey!

So there you have it, five of the top reasons we love this place. What are your favorite things about Turkey? Want to know more? Reach out and ask, we’d love to hear from you.

5 Reasons We Love Turkey

1—The Food

2—The History

3—Baklava

4—The Natural Beauty

5—The People

To our friends in the West, keep looking East!

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