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Travel is my favorite kind of bug.

Welcome to my travel blog!  I quit my job in NYC to go on a 100-day travel adventure, and I will be documenting, inspiring and sharing as I go.

Today I am in:  New York City

More about me

TURKEY & AUSTRIA PHOTOS ARE UPLOADED!

6/22/2014

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Photos from Istanbul, Cappadocia and Antalya, Turkey

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Photos from Vienna, Grunau im Almtal and Salzburg, Austria

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DAY 54:  A TALE OF TWO CONTINENTS

6/11/2014

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Saturday, June 7 (Istanbul – Asian and European sides) – It’s not every day that you get to take a boat and then a bridge between two continents.  But for me, today was that day.  Istanbul is a huge city spread across both the European and Asian continents, separated by the Bosphorus.  Tali and I signed up for a two-hour ferry tour that took us along both sides of the Bosphorus as well as up along the Golden Horn, the body of water that separates 'old' Istanbul from the rest of the city.  Here are some photos from the journey.
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Small, beautiful mosque along the European side of Istanbul
TIP:  Don't pay more than 25 Turkish lire for the two-hour tour (in fact, you can probably get it for about 20).  However, while we had a great time, I don't highly recommend this boat ride unless you have plenty of time in Istanbul.  The reason is that you have no guarantee that your tour guide speaks good English or if you will be able to understand him on the sound system.  Unfortunately we couldn't understand a word so we were just watching the views for two hours which was very nice, but it would have been more meaningful if we knew what we were seeing.  Just food for thought.
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The Bosphorus bridge connecting Asia and Europe
After the excitement of our maritime adventure, and our final lunch in Istanbul, it was time to head to the airport for the second leg of our trip.  Instead of flying out of the airport we flew into, we were leaving from the other Istanbul airport on the Asian side of the city.  So for the second time in the span of a few hours, we got to take a ride (over a bridge this time) from Europe to Asia.
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View from the bridge: Asia on the left, Europe on the right
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DAY 53:  WHAT TO DO ON A RAINY DAY IN ISTANBUL

6/11/2014

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Friday, June 6 (Istanbul) - Throughout my travels, I have been extremely lucky with weather.  Other than a 10-minute rain and hailstorm in Ireland and short-lived downpour in Italy, I have had sunshine just about every day.  Then I arrived in Istanbul and the rain began.  I was originally going to take a trip over to the Asian side of Istanbul, but with the rain and choppy water, I felt that was not the best idea.  But there are a lot of things to do when it rains in this city, so here are my recommendations.  (I didn’t have time to do all of them, but they were all recommended!)

Mosques:  Blue Mosque & Aga Sofia

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Ceiling in the Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque and Aga Sofya are both indoor sites, so those are good bets and must-sees, as long as you didn’t do them already.  There is a line at Aga Sofya because there is an admission fee (the Blue Mosque is free and no line) so keep that in mind if you are umbrella-less.  Fore more tips about these places and others, read this post about what to do in Istanbul.

Museums:  Istanbul Modern

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Random, fun art in the Istanbul Modern
I really enjoyed Istanbul Modern Art Museum, especially their permanent exhibit “Past and Future” which looks at the evolution of contemporary and modern art in Turkey since its inception.  Not all of the pieces are what you would consider ‘modern art’ because it is more of a stroll through Turkish art history, so there is definitely something for everyone. 

One of their current exhibitions is a photography collection called “On the Road:  Images of Turkey from the Nar Photos Archive” that documents current events in Turkey – political, social, lifestyle – in unique, thought-provoking ways.  I wasn’t allowed to take any photos in that room, but some of the prints were extremely powerful.

Some other museums to check out (that I would have visited with more time) include the Istanbul Archeology Museum and the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.

Turkish Bath / Hamam

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A very nice Turkish bathhouse (not where I went)
You may remember my post about my first Hamam experience in Morocco… well, I tried again on this rainy day in Istanbul.  Tali and I were recommended a place by a woman who worked at the café where we had breakfast, so we went to check it out.  Maybe we should have known by the dead cockroach on the floor, but it wasn’t the nicest of places.  Long story short, we sat in a hot, humid room with a bunch of men and women – including one towel-covered gentleman who was getting a soapy bath – for about 20 minutes before deciding to bail.  We will try again in a TripAdvisor-approved Hamam in either Cappadocia or Antalya.  BUT, there are tons of reputable, beautiful spas to get a Hamam treatment in Istanbul, and it is the perfect thing to do on a rainy day.  Just do your homework a little better than we did!

Live Music

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Local band rehearsing at a bar
Istanbul – particularly the Taksim area – is filled with live music!  When the weather is dreary and you don’t want to sit outside, live music is a great reason to go inside and have fun.  Modern Turkish rock is really great and regardless of the genre, who doesn’t love a man with a guitar?
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DAY 52:  MOSQUES, BAZAARS & EFES BEER IN ISTANBUL

6/10/2014

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Thursday, June 5 (Istanbul) - Istanbul is awesome, I love it!  The city is huge and there are many different areas and neighborhoods, but overall it is a lot more modern than I expected, with delicious food, helpful and kind people, tons of live music, and a welcomingly different culture.

My good friend Tali met me in Istanbul for a week and a half of traveling throughout Turkey.  That may sound like a lot of time, but I already know it will barely scratch the surface of what Turkey has to offer.  On our first day in Istanbul, we checked out some of the main attractions including the Blue Mosque, Aga Sofya (or Hagia Sophia), the Grand Bazaar / Spice Market, and Galata Tower area.  After spending some time in the city, I have some highlights, tips and recommendations to share! 

Sightseeing in Istanbul

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Wishing Column in Aga Sofya
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The Blue Mosque
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Aga Sofya
  • The main sites in Istanbul are on the European side of the city, in the old city called Sultanahmet.  I stayed in Taksim (which I recommend) and from there you can walk over the bridge or take a tram to the sites.  Taxis are available but not preferred because there is a lot of traffic in the city from all the car-less pedestrian streets.
  • The Blue Mosque (officially the Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is probably the most famous site in Istanbul.  It is completely free to enter and still functions as a place of prayer.  Make sure you check the hours before you go as they limit entry to specified times in order to preserve the holy place and hold prayers.
  • Hagia Sophia (Aga Sofya in Turkish) is right across from the Blue Mosque - they actually stand facing one another.  This site used to be a church and then a mosque, but is now solely a museum.  It is interesting to see imagery from both Christianity and Islam still intact.  When you walk in, make a left and you'll find a large column with a hole in it.  It is called the Wishing Column and if you rub your thumb in the hole, if it comes out moist your wish will come true.  Gross, but kind of cool.
  • The Galata Tower is across the water from Sultanahmet that offers views of the city.  But we didn't walk to the top, instead we walked around the neighborhood which is filled with cafes, restaurants and shops.  As you'll read below, there is another view of the city that I recommend - cocktails at the rooftop bar Mikla.

Shopping in Istanbul

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  • You will definitely want to check out the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market, but the better prices are actually found in the markets outside the main bazaars.  These shops are outdoors and some appear to be wholesale shops that sell to shop owners in the main markets (but they are all happy to take your money).  For evil eye and hand of Fatima souvenirs, you will definitely want to go to (I will fill this in when I find the business card!) which was a gem in terms of variety and prices.  Also, if you leave the market area, cross over the river to the area around the Galata tower, you will find many shops (and cute cafes) with better prices
  • Unlike other places I've traveled (such as Morocco), haggling is not always an option.  Many of the stalls within the Grand Bazaar have fixed prices and the shop owners aren't interested in negotiating.  So be prepared to walk away without being followed and offered a lower price.
  • The main souvenirs you will find include Turkish Delight candies, tea, spices, hookahs, just about everything with the evil eye and/or hand of Fatima, wooden backgammon boards, cushions, carpets, and ceramic plates.

Eating in Istanbul

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Cafeteria-style dining in Istanbul
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Pide (or pita pizzas) in Istanbul
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Cold starters to choose from at Eleos
  • Local food includes kabobs, pide (their version of pizza) and fresh fish.  Meze is the Turkish version of tapas or small plates, and they can become a meal of their own!  Often times a waiter will bring over a tray of small plates that you can choose from as appetizers.  Common items include eggplant dishes, beans and yogurt dishes.
  • There are many restaurants that look more like cafeterias with plates of different types of prepared food that you can take.  These places are generally busy with locals and are quite good.
  • Some of my favorite restaurants in Istanbul are Eleos (fresh fish with a beautiful view of the water, and a whole lot of freebies at the table), Cafe Privado, which is geared more for tourists but it is a cute cafe with a full Turkish breakfast (lots of little plates of jams, pancakes, eggs, and salad) and Akin Balik (a low-key outdoor restaurant just beside the fish market where there is no menu, you just go look at the daily catch!).
  • Local drinks include tea (in cute hourglass-shaped glasses), raki which is a licorice-flavored liquor that can be mixed with water or lemonade in a shot glass, and Turkish coffee which is way too strong and thick for me, but worth trying! Also, their local beers are Efes (a light lager, yum!) and Bomonti (a 100% malt beer, not my favorite).

Nightlife in Istanbul

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Sunset at the rooftop bar Mikla
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Bustling Istiklal street in Taksim
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Enjoying our first Efes beer
  • For a fancy rooftop cocktail, you must visit Mikla on top of the Marmara Pera hotel.  Make sure you go at sunset for the full effect.  The panoramic city views are incredible and the service is great, but be warned:  there is no cocktail menu and we were shocked when our bill came showing about $20 per drink.  You may want to inquire ahead of time before you order.
  • There is an abundance of bars in the city, especially in the Taksim / Beyoglu area, and every night seems to be a party.  Many places are geared more for tourists, but my favorite local spot is Vosvos  It is a low-key bar with great Turkish rock music playing.  Every time we tried to get up and leave, we heard another good song and stayed longer and longer!
  • We didn't do much dancing, but we did pop into a bar-turned-dance party that was recommended to us called Eskici
  • Live music is extremely popular not just at bars, but at restaurants as well.  When you sit outside, you can often hear music coming from different restaurants and bars which helps you pick your next spot.
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    Author

    Hi! I'm Stacy, a 28 year old Manhattanite who quit her job to go on a 100-day journey across the world.  Follow me as I hot air balloon in Turkey, hike the Todra Gorge in Morocco, horseback ride across Ireland, and take part in all the other active adventures I can find!

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