I recently went on a small road trip through Eastern Turkey. Kars and Trabzon were two of the cities we visited but did not get to explore too much. Away from the 24/7 of Istanbul, I found calm, quiet, lovely spaces… along with some stunning landscapes. For me, it was like a different country! It is very difficult to condense five days into a little over five minutes, but I did my best with the video below. Enjoy!
I’ve officially been on break for a week and it’s been really nice. Maybe China ‘prepared’ me for humidity, but it’s not too bad here right now. I looked at my list from my post in May and after some research, I realized that some of these items were a bit expensive so I am rethinking the list: 1) Take an intensive Turkish language course Yes – 9am to 1pm, Monday – Friday, plus homework. Fantastic but hugely time consuming! 2) Get a swimming pool pass from one of the hotels No. Anyone have an extra $800 to $1,00US to…
My friend and I visited Warsaw and Krakow and we also ate Warsaw and Krakow. The food is delicious especially the perogies and Polish sausage. Holy all that is good in the world! I didn’t even like sauerkraut but now I love it! Plus, they have chocolate covered marshmallows and an ice cream shop every fourth store. What I didn’t know about before I got to my Fatherland was the Polish resistance in Warsaw in 1944 against the Nazis. As a result of this rebellion, the people and the city were brutalized; 85% of the city was destroyed, prisoners were…
As a friend and I were discussing our excitement about the upcoming year, she told me about this mental exercise to get me thinking about who I want to be. Essentially, think of your next significant birthday (so if you are 38, think 50) and ask yourself these three questions: What are you doing in your life? What do you have in your life? Who are you surrounded by… who is at your birthday party? And to think I just wanted a mocha and some bal kaymak! But truly, what great questions to ponder for 2014 and beyond! On a…
Since coming back from my whirlwind tour of the Baltic, I’ve been making some changes to my apartment. I purchased some new furniture and because it’s been so hot and humid here in Istanbul, staying inside and organizing my things has been a welcome relief. The political/protest situation around here has calmed down and it’s been really nice to be back in Istanbul, just hanging around. However, word is that things will most likely heat up in September when schools are back in session. On Istiklal, there is a constant police presence with full swat gear at the ready. In…
traveling with claire 