In Search of Haggis – One Day in Scotland
All the way back in 2009, we spent one day in Scotland, and I have wanted to go back ever since. This was an impromptu trip to the U.K. brought about by a random airline price mistake – $250 for a nonstop roundtrip from Chicago to London in the spring. […]
All You Can Eat: The Great China Buffet
On our first day in Beijing, we woke up at 5 am in our hotel room, jet-lagged from the long flight and starving. I tried to fall back asleep and wake up at a more reasonable hour, but the growling from my stomach was too loud to ignore. “Do you […]
The Eighth Wonder of The World
I was surrounded by people on all sides, pressing and pushing against me, the momentum of the crowd carrying me forward whether I wanted to or not. I could see Victor’s head bobbing up and down ahead of me, and I tried to keep an eye on him but couldn’t […]
Another Day, Another Istanbul Market
In two prior posts, I described our thrilling shopping adventures at the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district. Yet, the market that we fell in love with the most was located away from the tourist hordes-on the Asian side of the city. It’s hard to characterize […]
Let’s Spice it Up: More Shopping in Istanbul
In the last post, I described the fun of visiting and bargaining at the Grand Bazaar. And although my parents and I enjoyed the craziness of this behemoth ancient market, we found other markets in Istanbul that we loved even more. Several days before visiting the Grand Bazaar, we spent […]
Trying to Beat the Market: The Grand Bazaar Experience
I love markets in Asia. Bright colors, pungent smells, cacophonic sounds-visiting a market in Asia is always a chaotic and exotic experience. Every time we come to Asia, I get excited about getting lost in the labyrinths of markets and discovering local crafts, delicious and cheap food, and friendly vendors. […]
