Continued from What I Learned in Turkey, Part I…
The human population in Turkey is ~74 million. The sheep population in Turkey is ~75 million. Holy sheep! Hence the abundance of sheep’s milk cheese and wool rugs in this country.
Olives grow on bushes. Well, bushes that look like trees. The life expectancy of an olive bush is 800 years. They’re called the “miracles of nature.” For the first 15-20 years, the bushes are very fragile and do not produce any olives.
You may be tempted to pluck an olive off a bush and eat it like a blackberry, but beware it will have a very bitter taste. Olives must be pickled for 2 months prior to consumption.
Turkish people love their tea. It is always tea time! They drink about 10 of these little glasses throughout the day/night.
Some prefer to stir in a sugar cube to sweeten it up.
My mom and I tried a glass and we both agreed it tasted like Lipton. It was good, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Along with carts serving roasted chestnuts, I’d like to bring home pomegranate juice stands and extra large fresh figs.
It took 3 whole [gigantic] pomegranates to produce ~12 oz. juice. Yes, we watched and counted.
Oh my figs.
By far the juiciest, sweetest, most luscious fresh figs I’ve ever tasted.
Pomegranate juice stands are everywhere here…even at gas stations!
People here love being photographed (or at least the people I shoot!). When they see me with my camera, they strike a pose instead of hide their faces. How fun!
See photo of pom juicer #1 above and remember this guy from the kebab restaurant?
To be continued…
Tell me: What foreign/exotic foods do you wish were grown/available in your home country?
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I love how everyone looks so excited to be photographed , like you said! How fun!
These pictures are great, Allie, they look like something from a Nat Geo travel journal 
More interesting facts! One weirdo thing that I love are fresh lychees (though I tried to avoid eating them as a kid because I felt like I was eating an eyeball), and they’re downright impossible to find here in the US.
FRO YO! It is available here but not as widely as the US/London. For me to get any, I have to drive at least 45 minutes and as you can imagine, I’ve only gone a handful of times. In London however, fro yo was like a daily occurrence!`
They should call the country Sheep instead of Turkey! Ha. Haha. Wow, lame joke, Julia.
I was actually going to comment on how people seem to photo-ready over there. All the smiles…love it!
I would love to have pomegranate juice stands where I live! I’m tempted to see if I can find whatever kind of juice press they’re using…it looks awesome.
Definitely didn’t know olives are so bitter and need to be pickled for 2 months. I totally would have grabbed one and tried to eat it off the tree. haha
Those figs…..oh my gosh!! Hahah great pics
Try the apple tea, so much better than the other option. It is very sweet but a must-have when in Turkey.
I was noticing how the people looked so pleased to be in your pictures!
I love that! …..I could stand all that fresh jiuce and other goodness. It looks so amazing and the way to people look is what stands out to me the most- they look happy 
Aww sheep! And that pomegranate juice looks awesome! I wish we had one of those! And easier access to fresh avocados. They were in such abundance in Hawaii but theyre so hard to find on the east coast!
I really love how everyone looks like they want to be photographed, too- I was noticing that in the photos you’ve been posting!
The figs (and everything else!!!) look amazing! I wonder why the fruit tastes so much better over there?
Thanks for the Turkey lesson- it really is fascinating stuff!
Chestnuts are my obsession! So happy its the season again!
They get pomegranate juice stands at their gas stations and we only get chocolate bars and soda? No fair!
Mmm I wish we could grow fresh figs here too!
Those figs look so good!
They may not seem exotic, but I sometimes wish I could grow my own coffee and bananas.
Um, fresh turkish figs and pom juice stands!!!! Dang. The Turks like their pomegranates. I forgot about sugar cubes! Ahahah they make me think of my graaaaandmaaa
I can’t believe I’m even saying this, but the figs, umm, they look like, well they look dirty if you know what I mean. lol Wow, I posted this. It’s Friday and I’m in a great mood!
Wow! You took some seriously beautiful photos! Everything looks so beautiful and delicious!
I had no idea that olives have to be pickled for two months before they are suitable for eating! I totally would have grabbed one right off the vine and popped it in my mouth! Good to know.
OMG, these figs look INSANE! Also, this explains why pom juice is so expensive
it looks they all have a lot of fun there!!
ANd that all looks SO delicious. HOLY pomegranates!!
Wow! That’s a lot of sheep! I just want to come travel with you, you go to the best places and find the most amazing food!!!