Go For Gözleme

The previous post about fish, bread, and never giving up on food dreams reminded me of something that happened two years ago, during a road trip from Izmir to Antalya in Türkiye. We left our Airbnb early in the morning, eager to start a long day of sightseeing, and skipped […]

Searching for Fish and Bread in Istanbul

Two years ago, when we did a road trip through southwest Türkiye, I kept looking for balık ekmek.  If you don’t know what that is, don’t worry.  Neither did I.  But Victor kept mentioning how he and his parents enjoyed a delicious balık ekmek in a restaurant by the Bosphorus […]

Our Travel Wishlist: Yemen

This will be a different kind of post. Normally, we describe places we’ve been to, but today we want to tell you about a country we want to visit. Recently, the area where we live saw a boom of Yemeni coffeehouses popping up here and there. These spacious, lavishly decorated […]

Against All Advice: Finding The Perfect Beach Near Istanbul

Planning a trip for just the two of us is now easy, as we know what we like and what kinds of trips bring us joy. But earlier this year, planning a family reunion trip to Istanbul with Victor’s father, brother, sister-in-law, and niece was a whole different story. Victor’s […]

Is Istanbul Now More Expensive Than Dubai for Tourists?

In August, we spent a week in Istanbul meeting with my family, and the city once again left us speechless. But this time, it was not for the reason you might expect. I could write about incredible sites or delicious food (of which Istanbul has plenty), but, as a travel […]

How I Became a Fashionista

By Julia / February 8, 2024

Back in 2011, when we were preparing to visit Egypt, it never even occurred to me that this would not be an average trip.  And I am not just talking about ending up in the middle of the Arab Spring with violent and deadly protests happening three blocks away from […]

Welcome to Oman!

By Julia / February 1, 2024

We arrived in Muscat early in the morning, having spent the last two nights in an airplane, the first flying from Chicago to Frankfurt, and 14 hours later, from Frankfurt to Muscat.  Unsurprisingly, we were exhausted.  We checked into the hotel, ate breakfast, and collapsed into bed.  Four hours later, […]

Christmas Miracle in Frankfurt

By Julia / January 18, 2024

It was 11:30 am and I was in the office, finishing my morning tasks and wondering what I was going to do for lunch.  It was a regular day as any other, except we had a 9 pm flight to Munich and after a 12-hour layover another flight to Muscat, […]

The Cotton Castle in Türkiye

By Julia / December 13, 2023

The first time I saw a picture of Pamukkale, I had no idea what I was looking at. Was it snow? Super white sand? White marble? Salt deposits? Was this natural or man-made?  These questions were not answered until we physically got to Pamukkale, mostly because Victor insisted that I […]

The Lycian Way: The Guide for the Unprepared.

By Victor / December 6, 2023

In moments of blissful daydreaming, I often imagine what I would do if I had unlimited time and was in better physical shape.   One thing that immediately pops into my mind is embarking on a long-distance hike.  Wouldn’t it be great to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail […]

BRAAAAINS! It’s Not Just a Zombie Snack!

By Julia / November 23, 2023

After snacking on sütlaç, Turkish coffee, and one bite of boyoz, while wandering around Kemeralti Market in Izmir, it was finally time for lunch.  After a whole morning of delicious smells coming from various food carts and small cafes, Victor and I already had our preferred meals picked out. While […]

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