“Our forefathers, who established powerful empires, were also the possessors of great and highly developed civilizations. It is our duty to seek these out, to study them and to make Turks and the Word Aware of them.”

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, father of modern Turkey

NC Sen. Tony Rand and I had not yet read this inspiring proclamation as we stood watching for our bags to drop on the conveyor belt at Istanbul airport. Like me, he was invited on this trip by the Turkish Cultural Foundation. It was 10 a.m. here, 3 a.m. at home. When the belt finally stopped and we saw weary, waiting travelers like ourselves making their way to the lost baggage office, we knew our bags had missed the tight transfer in New York. A guitar glided past and we considered singing on the street to replace our belongings.

I have been here once before, but leaving the airport I was immediately reminded of the magic and beauty of Istanbul. There was an instant familiarity to it. Mosques and minarets dotted the landscape, and I could see flashes of the sea. The wealth of historic sites and structures here still amazes me … how what is part of their recent history seems so old to us Americans. I love to ride under the ancient aqueduct that once brought water to the city and imagine how the Romans built it with all those heavy stones. I love the ancient city wall – or what is left of it – and how it disappears and reappears as you drive along the sea road.

Later I took a walk through Taksim, a more modern section of Istanbul. The Turkish people themselves are beautiful and reflect the mix of cultures and civilizations that have called Turkey home over the centuries. Their eyes are blue, brown, green and hazel, their hair blonde, brown and black, and their skin fair to olive. It makes me consider how a culture can retain its identity while constantly evolving. As cities and countries grow and take in people from other places, how does it effect who they are? And how long does it take to see a difference? We are seeing this in North Carolina as more people move in and bring their cultures with them. I can’t imagine that sweet tea and barbecue will ever not have a place at our tables, but can we just add more to the table and see our cultural identity expand rather than change?

What do you think?

This evening we took a cruise on the beautiful Bosphorous, the strait that runs from the Marmara Sea to the Black Sea. It was a nice time to become acquainted with the full group – a nice mix of people (see photos).

My suitcase is still not here. Where's that guitar? "Life is a highway, and I want to ride it ..."

I'll go with the flow, I suppose. Until next time …