The bazaar in Urfa…

Dinner in Urfa…and then this happened.

The Lycian coast: ancient ruins by the Mediterranean…

Gaziantep is the pistachio capital of Turkey and also has the best baklava in the country, so maybe the best baklava in the world. This is my baklava face (and the tiger says yum).

Hunkering down to some kebab…

Weird and wonderful Cappadocia…

Ballooning over the fairy chimneys…

Indeed.

We went for a scrubdown at a Turkish bath. You know your business is 500 years old when your wall of famous customers includes both Kaiser Wilhelm II and John Travolta (alongside Franz Liszt and Steve Erwin).

Our first (and last) Turkish coffee. I’m sticking with the tea, and Julia is rocking the Nescafe.

There may be buildings more beautiful than the mosques in Istanbul, but I haven’t seen them.

Man, I love this picture. This beauty resides in Harran, one of the oldest continuously inhabited spots on earth, a place where Abraham cooled his heels for a while. We’re about 10 miles from the border with Syria.

Julia riding the ‘death train’ in Thailand, so-called because it was built by POWs and indentured servants from Burma and Malaysia. Grim history aside, it’s a lovely ride…

Me with tigers. Yes, this type of potted animal encounter is supremely silly, but it can also be hazardous. The little bastard in the second picture bit my leg…

Pool at the base of the Erawan waterfall near Kanchanaburi, Thailand