Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It's in this environment that, as a tour guide, I would introduce tour members (like my
father) to Turkish culture and Islam. I recall well-educated professionals struggling to get
things straight. People would quiz me: “So, where did they get the name Quran for their
Bible? Could it be considered a Bible?” Turkish guides love to tell stories of tourists who
ask, “So, was this church built before or after Christ?” But all guides repeat to themselves
the first rule of guiding: “There are no stupid questions.” After all, it's in environments
like Istanbul—in countries all around the world—that thoughtful travelers get out of their
comfort zones and enjoy the easy educational rewards that come with being steep on the
learning curve.
Big cities can be relatively cosmopolitan and homogenized by modern affluence. But small
towns, with their more change-averse residents, are cultural humidors—keeping fragile
traditions moist and full of local flavor.
Güzelyurt, an obscure-to-the-world but proud-of-itself village in central Turkey,
teaches me the richness and nobility of rustic village life in the developing world. Students