Sep 11, 2007 | Istanbul

My friend Daniel sent a text from Istanbul on New Year's Eve saying Turkey would be a good fit for me, and he was right. The first time someone plucked me off the street and took me home, I thought it was a miracle. The second time it happened, I thought it was a coincidence. The third, fourth, and fifth times convinced me that Turks (and especially Kurds) are some of the most hospitable people on the planet. My best times were in the eastern half of the country, near the borders with Syria and Iran. Go figure.