Friday, October 19, 2018
5 Unique Things to Do in Istanbul
1/ Eat your breakfast in a local cafe
A lot of people recommend specific restaurants to eat, which is great because a Turkish breakfast is an incredible spread! However, greater than the food is the true kindness of Turkish people - and sometimes you don't find this in the popular places to eat / shop. We found this cafe local to where we were staying with two very memorable aspects. (1) The incredible price! Although Turkey is cheap and going to a popular spot will not break the bank, this breakfast pictured above cost us 10 TL (AU$2.50). They're FRESHLY BAKED simit was only 1 TL! We went to some other popular places and even tried it from the carts on the street, but they weren't as fresh as in these tiny, local cafes. (2) The incredible service of the workers there who couldn't speak English but spoke in smiles, laughter and their service that doesn't come through words. The genuine kindness of Turkish people is something that can't be explained through a blog post or video travel series but something that has to be felt by yourself, and then you'll know exactly what people mean when they say Turkish hospitality is unparalleled.
2/ Visit Moda on the Asian side
Catch a ferry from the Galata over to the Asian side (Around 5 TL one way). As a whole, we loved the Asian side of Istanbul - the atmosphere was very calm and relaxed while still feeling like a city. There are a lot of restaurants and markets that are worth wandering around or visiting, however Moda was the area that we loved the most. This is where the bars and restaurants are, attracting a younger crowd with a more groovy vibe. There are tonnes of great places to eat from different cuisines matching different price points, bars for dancing or chatting, and novelty stores to galavant around. Our Air B&B host said a lot of people tend to skip over the Asian side of Istanbul however it was probably one of our favourite days spent in Istanbul!
3/ Catch a ferry to Buyukada, Princes Island
The ferry to Buyukada leaves from Kabatas port (which can be reached on the blue line on the tram). The journey is 10TL each way but it is so worth it! There are five that make up Princes Island, but Buyukada is the one that is more developed and more catered to tourists, which may sound like a bad thing, but in this case it means there is actually things to do/look at! We went later in the day and caught a sunset that we will truly never forget. You can hire a bike or walk around on your own legs, both magical experiences. There are also plenty of restaurants on the island so you can stay for dinner too. Alternatively, there are a few Carrefour supermarkets down the strip so you can buy some snacks and have a picnic while watching the colours change over Istanbul's skyline.
4/ Visit Vialand
A theme park right in the middle of Istanbul!! I LOVE theme parks. There is almost nothing that can bring out our inner children in a quicker or better way. They have an adults section, and also a children's section. It's quite small but the rides are good! We went on a Monday where it was virtually empty, so we didn't have to line up for any rides - we basically just did a marathon of our favourite rides! Entry is 140 TL. They may offer some packages when you buy your tickets that come with a food voucher, but don't worry about this - as the food inside is cheaper than the different between the package and the regular ticket. We spent all day here and loved every second of it!
5/ Watch the sunset over the water near Aqua Florya
Aqua Florya is a giant shopping centre by the water. We were desperate for a beach day so opened Google Maps and looked for the nearest body of water near to where we were staying (near the airport). We dropped a pin and walked along the coast, watching people fish, cats nap and couples holding hands while watching the another beautiful day in Istanbul turn to night. It was a bright orange sunset that turned the sky to fire - the sun looked like it was right there! We walked all the way down to Aqua Florya, munching on our gourmet Burger King dinner in their food court over the water.
In the book 'Eat, Pray, Love', Liz Gilbert tells us the story of how her Italian friend believes every city in the world has a word that encapsulates everything it is and represents. To me, there is one clear and definite word that would best describe Istanbul: and that is, magic.
Monday, August 13, 2018
South of France & Doing It Anyway
I recently spent one month in the south of France with the original goal to perfect my French... but also indulging in the European sun by the mediterranean sea. I believe this has been or is a dream of absolutely everyone in this world at some point in their lives. I barely did any research before my trip - I just booked a place on Air B&B that was close to the beach and set off. I was completely winging it, taking it day by day.
Although I was considering potentially moving to the South of France later down the track to learn more about the French lifestyle, I did find after this month that this was no longer in my plans. It was a beautiful holiday destination and I was so lucky to have spent longer than most people do for just a holiday. I may have found that this wasn't the place for me if I had done some research beforehand, however it was incredibly liberating to be able to go out of comfort zone, be completely alone in a foreign country with a language I didn't really know.
The lesson for me in this experience was that not every decision we make turns out as we think it might, but as long as you are not hurting anyone or yourself, just do it anyway! It's so much better to just DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO without overthinking the consequences, and making the most of it... without regret. This experience has made me realise I can do whatever I want to do, no matter how scary it may seem to me, despite how far it is out of my comfort zone and regardless of how many people tell me how silly I am for doing it.
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Italy & Finding My Belonging
Visiting Italy has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember, and it was the vision that I would visit this dream land one day that kickstarted and fueled my travelling passion. I had the absolute gift of visiting Italy in their scorching summer and was able to visit it with some friends, and my sister who is a master planner and packed in a visit to what felt like 100 cities in a matter of 2 weeks. We were on the go, sweating and panting the entire time, discovering the many personalities of this country that was once just a dream to me. Although I loved travelling Italy and exploring this corner of the world, it didn't feel like the homecoming I was expecting. I'd always felt like I related so well to Italian lifestyle, the food, the culture, the beautiful sites and the people... from what I'd read and heard. But you never really know until you're in the situation yourself. Italy was a dream destination for me and I am so excited to return and visit more of the different areas of the country, but as a traveller and a wanderer, and not as a resident, as I had initially intended.
The experience made me think about how I had such a grasp on 'destination happiness'. That is, I thought I would somehow feel like all the questions I had would be answered once visiting this country and fulfilling my dream. I was further confused when I came back to Sydney and felt even more displaced than when I left.
I have never really felt like I belonged, and that was not news to me. Instead I started to think about all the times I did felt like I belonged, and that was to moments and people, not to places. I feel like I'm home when I watch the sunset, taking the first dip into the ocean and then diving headfirst, walking out of the an airport into a new country and feeling the temperate in the air, falling asleep in his arms with our hands held in each other's. It was clear to me that I really don't feel like I belong very often, but in these moments I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be and that's worth holding on to. And more to the point, it's worth chasing to feel alive.
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