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I'm surprised by the responses here, maybe I am being to cautious? With all the turmoil in the middle east and anger toward America I just picture some kid beating her up or throwing a rock at her because she is white, "OH Sorry your Irish, my mistake... Good luck with that gash in your head" hey it can happen here if say a muslim person was walking down the street in their traditional garb.
My sister in law has been to all 7 continents and has lived in 5 different countries and she has done alot of her travelling by herself. She also speaks 4 languages and is rather worldly but I still think SHE IS NUTZ.
Thanks to the responders now I don't have to worry about her that much.
She is off to Ireland now and due back in 3 weeks. I wonder if she will still tack on Turkey or if it will be Greece?
I was in Greece this summer and was warmly welcomed and repeatedly thanked for visiting their country.
I understand your concern, but as a fellow irishwoman, I say good for her. My dh is in Ireland at the moment (not a vacation) but what we would give to be able to add a vacation when we are there.
Last year we went and had our kids stay with my sister while dh and I went to Amsterdam for a few days.
What you dont seem to understand that as an Irish person, we are born and bred to travel. Most of us just love to do it and thrive on the excitement. I was in Denmark and Russia in the summer with my kids and some american friends. The american friends had no ambition to go back to Russia. My boys just said ; wow, its a chance of a lifetime. Other friends went to China this year. Another friend has been in North Korea. Other friends of ours have lived and worked all over the world ; Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and many other sketchy areas.
Traveling is an education ; yes it can be dangerous, but I am sure she has her wits about her after all, she has lived in so many continents and speaks so many languages. Good for her.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness... Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
I wouldn't go to Egypt right now, it's just too unstable for my comfort, although there isn't a travel warning issued.
I wouldn't hesitate to go to Casablanca or Istanbul. Both are very welcoming to Western tourists, and there is no travel warning currently issued by the US Dept of State to either of those countries.
As was previously mentioned, wearing modest clothing and carrying a head scarf for visiting sacred places is a must.
Ditto all of this.
I was in Turkey recently...I am an American, traveling on a US passport and it was no big deal. Turkey is a lovely country with lovely people and I wish I was able to explore more (and eat more, the food was AWESOME). I didn't need to hide the fact that I was an American, though how would anyone know if I was from the US or Canada? The accents overlap quite a bit in many regions.
I travel safely and smartly, am ALWAYS respectful of the culture, and have never once had a problem. Most people on this earth are reasonable and don't wish ill towards you because of your citizenship.
I can't believe not one of you mentioned Turkey's current problems with Syria as a reason why it might not be a good idea to go there now. It's not JUST about being an American.
"Turkey sharply escalated its confrontation with Syria on Wednesday, forcing a Syrian passenger plane to land in Ankara on suspicion of carrying military cargo, pre-emptively banning Turkish planes from Syrian airspace and warning of increasingly forceful armed responses if Syrian artillery gunners keep lobbing shells across the border."
To LauraC's point, it is location dependent. I was referring strictly to Istanbul, which is nowhere near Syria and is as safe as any other city. I certainly wouldn't be hanging out on the Syrian/Turkey border right now. Think of it like Mexico in current times...you don't have to avoid the entire country but there are pockets where travel is not advised.
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