WINTER 2018
Who goes to Istanbul, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Kosovo in the dead of winter? Europe Nerd! Istanbul pushed me out of my comfort zone, but ultimately charmed me. I’ll show you the best way to see the Hagia Sophia and why you should skip the Blue Mosque for a stunning smaller mosque. I avoided getting thrown into a Turkish prison while exploring the residential neighborhoods away from tourists.
Bulgaria sounds like a dreadful place. I’ll show you why you must go to Plovdiv, a magical little city where strangers invited me to eat and drink, and why Sofia can be magical even when it’s frigid. I discovered pre-Renaissance Art in a monastery high in the mountains of Macedonia. And came face to face with the rising tensions between Serbs and Muslims in Kosovo.
Fascinating history, memorable experiences, a longing to return.
