Why Our Tour of a Turkish Rug Factory Was Almost a Disaster

I can’t blame everything on the Turkish tea. My stomach was a little off when I woke up. But I had a tour to take, so I skipped breakfast, downed a Pepto Bismol tablet, and headed out the door.

My husband, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, and I were touring Greece and Turkey as a high school graduation gift for my granddaughter. The trip was a whirlwind of food and fun that included city highlights, museums, stunning scenery, and lots of local cuisine.

Maybe it was the local cuisine that unsettled my stomach, but I refused to let a minor inconvenience interfere with our fun.

We had visited the Acropolis in Athens, marveled at the sweeping vistas of Santorini, and sailed on a pirate-themed boat in the blue waters of the Mediterranean. Today, we would walk the ancient streets of Ephesus, tour the house of the Virgin Mary, and see how Turkish rugs were made.

But our journey involved more than sight-seeing. It was an opportunity to spend time with my daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Not wanting to ruin their day by getting sick, I ignored the ominous rumblings of my stomach.