Istanbul

I was supposed to be in Albania +2.  I ended up solo in Istanbul, staring down Putin from across the Black Sea.  Peace talks began in Istanbul a few days after I left, but the war rages on in Ukraine.

A lot of Americans aren't aware of Istanbul's incredible history.  The Istanbul tourism board should be amping up the fact that Constantinople (now Istanbul) was actually part of the Roman empire and was the eastern capital of Rome.  

The Grand Bazaar was hilarious and walking out of there after a two day negotiation for an antique Turkish rug was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Learned a lot about Turkish rugs and the history of Kurdistan.

Went all-in on HR McMaster on this trip.  From his book Battlegrounds to his podcasts for the Hoover Institute, I absolutely love the guy.  He brings so much fascinating insight to history and how it impacts the geo political world today.

Going to take a breather, let the airline mask mandate end and then I'll get back out there.  May just have to be solo again :)