Errol.ca

The pottery trees in Cappadocia

Originally uploaded by Errol_B

Yes, today I’m in the area of Cappadocia. In the town of Gőreme. I have some time alone and I have an opportunity to reflect upon the journey that I have embarked upon. I’m satisfied, I’ve seen wonderful things, terrible things, and now I have a much deeper understanding of the beauty and ugliness of the world. I understand the experience of living by my whims. I also understand the statement.

“He that teavelleth into a country before he hath some entrance into the language goeth to school and not to travel.”

- Francis Bacon

This has been possibly one of the most intense learning experiences of my life and I’m coming out of this trip with more knowledge than I could have picked up from book, or the discovery channel. This time has been very well spent.

So, here I am. I have my plane ticket home. My trip home will have be stopping through Montréal from Istanbul on the 15th of next month. Spending 4 days in Montreal, then to Toronto for an additional 4 days, then to Vancouver for 8, then home to Edmonton. I envision a short trip to Calgary and then I’ll sit back and get my life sorted and started again.

I’ve met some wonderful people on this trip – and given the quality of the individuals that I am constantly meeting it’s difficult to go back to normal life and enter a realm where I’m not meeting new people constantly and getting new ideas and concepts introduced to me from different cultural and philosophical frameworks. I left two fascinating individuals behind today, and am traveling with another one further into eastern Turkey today. The words alone and traveling continues to be a large misnomer. I’m have barely had a moment alone since I came to Turkey.
One book closes and a new one opens.

I have gone through a great deal of soul searching and a series of serious goal setting exercises which have provided me with goals that will keep me busy and excited for some time. I am elated to face my new challenges. One of my closest friends once told me. “There is nothing I like more in life than making lists and crossing each item off one at a time!” I admit at the time I thought he was daft. However, as time has progressed I have begun to see the wisdom in such a statement.

Thus far I’ve been to 2 places in Turkey.

I’ve been to Istanbul, and it’s really big city, the metropolis has it’s own melody, and the tune changes from area to area. It’s free and liberal, while being conservative and ancient. There are buildings in use, clearly built by the Romans. To the people of Istanbul there are just using the space. However, to somebody with my eyes and experience it’s the fact that they are not ruins which makes things so incredible. I could move to Istanbul in a moment.

I’ve been all over Cappadocia as you can see from the picture, is indescribably exotic. Simple and has a village pace.
Urfa bound,

E