Traveling is work. Schlepping your bags is just one part of the job and for anyone who has travelled; I know you agree with me. Yes, traveling is fun and inspiring with memories that last a lifetime, but the effort that goes into making those memories is sometimes questionable. When we arrived in Paris, we were all a little worse for the wear. Traveling hadn’t gotten the best of us, but it was starting to wear thin. So when everyone started to get sick and the days were filled with fewer sights to see, I was a little relived. Plus…
Très Magnifique
The next time I visit France, it will be difficult to top this trip. Sleeping in a chateau in the Bourgogne region that Edith Wharton and Julia Childs stayed in (not at the same time though…). Actually, Edith Wharton saved this particular chateau from ruin but that is another story. J’aime la France. In this particular region, every blink of the eye was a photograph. Each field was a Van Gogh where vivid fields of gold contrasted a blue, blue sky. Forests with sunlit green leaves floated above us while bales of hay lined the fields. Vineyards sprawled out onto…
Yearbook – Cruising the Baltic
In order to go through all of the places I visited this summer without putting my dear readers to sleep (and then we walked into the palace door to a vast array of gold statues and billowing curtains. As I walked up the stairs, I could almost feel the presence of Catherine as she prepared for her guests, waiting for her in the Amber room…), I thought I might break things down into a yearbook type summer: Most Stylish: London, England Men in suits and women in business causal drinking outside of the pubs – everyone just looks put together…
Thugs Need Not Apply
As a guest, I want to be respectful and understanding of my position within Turkey. I want to be sensitive about what I say regarding the current political situation. Just as I would question anyone who might comment on my country who is not from there, I want to be careful and well, polite. However, I want to make one thing clear. The protesters have been called thugs, Çapulcu (which I think means loser), criminals and other inflammatory names by the current administration. From my point of view, this simply is not the case. I have been to Gezi Park…
Grace in the Face of Brutality
“May you live in interesting times’ is a quote that kept going through my mind this week as both sides in this Turkish conflict seem to be digging in deeper to what they each hold true. Well, It turns out that this quote is actually considered to be a curse… yikes. My heart goes out to the people of Turkey who are fighting so courageously for their voices to be heard. Many ex-pats are going to Taksim Square/Gezi Park and discussing how peaceful it is and that there is this utopian community that has sprung up so quickly. This aspect…
Polish Turkey
Last Saturday, the school’s social committee organized a trip to Polonezkoy. For me it’s one of the nicer things about teaching abroad… there is a built in community of teachers. This Polish village is about 45 minutes from Istanbul, but you need to hire a bus or car since no public transportation goes there. Not ideal, but workable. What a lovely day. I was expecting more of a main street vibe, but it was smaller which gave it a quieter feel. There are trails for hiking and biking as well as a Catholic church (which was closed) and a cemetery. From…
Dear Istanbul
Dear Istanbul, The other day someone was telling me that they didn’t like you so much. Look, I understand how someone is simply not a good fit for a place (see pretty much all my blogs on China), but it made me really think about what it is that I like about you. Yes, your traffic is rage inducing and your store aisles are ridiculously tiny. Also, it wouldn’t hurt if people here were more aware of others around them (this is my personal space bubble, that is yours). And there isn’t so much green space; a few more parks…
Tourist and Time
While reading a book about a graffiti artist, I started thinking about life and time. And well, my dream about a horrible, world ending, global nuclear war didn’t help. In the dream, I was watching my computer screen with the continents lighting up and I had just enough time to think… well, this is it. The dream ended peacefully but it left me with a feeling of uncertainty, the type that only a scary dream can leave you with. Again, must stop reading The Economist before bedtime. Ugh, North Korea… just stop it already. In this book about Banksy, the…
I Was Wrong
I didn’t think Istanbul could get any more beautiful… but then came the tulips. This morning, I visited Emirgan Park with some friends to see the tulips. The only thing I can say is that it was just lovely. All of the colors… so pretty. Plus the weather is just perfect this weekend. Not too hot, not too cold – just right. Afterwards, I went on a bit of a walk and discovered Beşiktaş Bazaar. It’s a great market place for vegetables, spices and other things like clothing and some (fake) designer goods! I have a week off at the…
Time Thief
About 100 years ago, I was visiting a friend in Germany. After my bags were packed, goodbyes were said, hug given, I arrived at the airport only to find out that my plane didn’t leave until the next day. I got the dates wrong. This weekend the reverse happened. I booked my flight for Pamukkale, Turkey for the wrong dates. When I called to try and rectify the situation, the difference in price was too great to justify for an overnight. I swear I have some form of dyslexia because I find that when I look at numbers, many times,…
traveling with claire 