Sketches of Urfa, April 12, 2026, Sanliurfa, Turkiye
Sketches of Urfa Urfa, officially called Şanlıurfa, is a major city in Southeastern Turkiye. It is widely known as a cultural melting pot where Turkish, Kurdish, and Arabic traditions and cuisines have blended over centuries into a unique regional identity. For visitors, it is also known as the base for visiting Göbekli Tepe, the oldest known temple site in human history. Besides the usual list of “things to do” in Urfa, which already seemed impressive, I began noticing something in the earlier part of the day...
Sketches of Göbekli Tepe, 14 April 2026 Göbekli Tepe, Turkiye
Sketches of Göbekli Tepe Göbekli Tepe has been a ‘want to go’ site on my Google Maps for many years. Having been properly discovered only about 30 years ago, it is still believed to be the oldest complex of human history, dating back as far as 10,000 B.C, seriously challenging the pre-established idea about the stages of human development. Due to travel advisories the past weeks in Southeastern Turkiye, I did not originally plan to go there, but the inclement weather around Mt. Nemrut...
Self-consciousness feels different here, 8 April, 2026 Kayseri, Türkiye
Self-consciousness feels different here As much as I like traveling, I am conscious that one aspect of my character does not align well with it: I prefer to go with the flow of the environment and do not want to “raise a hand” or be the center of attention. It can be called a common aspect of human nature (we are at peace when surrounded by similar people), but staying low profile is either not an option or not ideal as a traveler, as you...
Sketches of Kosovo, 26 March 2026, Prizren, Kosovo
Sketches of Kosovo Personally, Kosovo felt like the first ‘real’ destination of this trip. It is a place I had not visited previously and a place I do not know much about, other than how the media has portrayed it for years. After having spent four nights in the area, not surprisingly, I still feel largely ignorant about this place despite some textbook knowledge I absorbed each evening. Yet, it did not feel too unfamiliar, and I will remember the warmth of the people, many...
Beginning, 14 March, 2026
I hit the road again after years. This new lifestyle began weeks ago, but I was waiting for the traveler’s energy to gradually settle in, so that I feel more authentic about what I might want to say. It is going to be a multi-month overland journey toward somewhere in Central Asia. My friend, who kept me company years ago in the Americas and Caucasus, will do so again— now covered in a new paint. Happy to give an old pal a ride (says the van!)....
Carthage ruins @Tunis, Tunisia, January 1, 2023
Tunisia boasts a very long history, and the earliest stories date back to as early as the 9th century BC when the city of Carthage was founded by Phoenicians in modern-day Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia. It is easy to notice that Tunisia is proud of being the descendant of Carthage, as the international airport and many train stations have the name “Carthage” in them. Unfortunately, many of the buildings by Carthage were later demolished by the Roman empire, and as far as I understand,...
With Salim @ Hammamet, Tunisia, December 30, 2022
With Salim Despite being a dozen years younger than myself, I connected with him like a friend of my age. His thoughtfulness, maturity and inquisitiveness kept me in a comfortable and fun environment all the while we were exploring the Southern part of the country, and the experience will be remembered for a long time with warm feelings. Feeling a lot like seeing myself in my 20s, I occasionally had to hold the urge to give him “unrequested” tips and advice of life – I hope...
Arriving in Tunisia @ Medina, Tunis, Tunisia, December 25, 2022
I have been longing for traveling to unfamiliar places. It had been over 1.5 years since the last time I had such travels, and I was becoming increasingly desperate to refresh my perspectives – a reminder that the world is a much bigger place than the “comfortable international bubble” where I settled in The Hague. I desired a humbling reminder that my constant thinking about work performance and work relationships is just a tiny and particular subject I chose to spend my energy with, until...
This website chronicles Leebong’s journey around the world for 2+ years, for the time being. To find out more, see The Travel & The Why.
To catch me, see Itinerary.
Impressions Series
