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 […]
Two Pubs, One Fort: A-Not-Very-Sober Day in Ireland
We woke up in Kinsale to the clatter of beer barrels rolling down the cobblestone street. The ultimate Irish alarm clock! After quickly grabbing coffee and splitting a scone, we started the day in this little sleepy Irish port town by taking a highly recommended walking tour. An old, cheery […]
The Full Irish Experience
“I want to try the Full Irish Breakfast,” I said as the plane was picking up speed down the runway, “As soon as we arrive.” “You will get the Full Irish experience,” I promise you that.” Victor smiled. As the plane lifted off and I closed my eyes, a stray […]
Mexico City: Love at First Sight
I was in a dentist’s chair with my mouth wide open. The dentist, holding his hand deep in my mouth, was eager to chat. “So, where are you traveling next?” “Mmm… meiii… ko …shity,” I muttered, drooling from the side of my mouth. “Say it again.” He said, taking his […]
Mind The Gap: The Gap of Dunloe
After so many years of traveling, I know how to spot a problem in the itinerary. “Let’s talk about the Gap of Dunloe hike,” I said to Victor. “We have three hours to hike 11 kilometers through a mountain pass? Exactly three hours or we miss the boat that takes […]
Pub-Hopping, Pub-Crawling, Pub-Learning: The Truly Irish Experience
Although we repeat that we rarely drink, we finished almost every day of our recent trip to Ireland in a pub. We drank in pubs, we danced in pubs, and once we even slept above a pub. Our travel philosophy of adapting to the customs of the place we visit-and […]
All Aboard the Coffin Ship!
We stood in the queue at the Embarkation area, clutching our boarding passes. Through the windows, we could see Dunbrody, a three-masted sailing vessel, moored at the quayside, its wooden sides gleaming in the sun. A woman, dressed in a dark shawl and clutching a large bag, rushed past us, […]