Ever since the tragic death of Sarai Sierra, a 33-year old New York mom traveling solo in Istanbul, the solo female travel experience has received harsh criticism: of how women shouldn’t travel alone, of how it’s dangerous to travel outside the US, of how women shouldn’t go to a third-world country in the Middle East, […]
Following my exploration of Istanbul’s mosques, I was taking a break from the outside heat. I briefly sat on the steps of the stunning Sultanahmet Blue Mosque courtyard, when I suddenly see a wedding party step inside. It was clearly a Turkish wedding, that went by the traditional Muslim customs. The bride was fully covered […]
As any respectable Middle Eastern culture, I knew going to the local bazaars would make for the best time of my entire trip. In fact, apart from the mosques and the alluring Istanbul mysticism that so unequivocally fascinates me, visiting the bazaars is my most desired activity in this part of the world. I ventured into both […]
I’ve been dreaming of Istanbul for several years now. And as life has it, I had visited Turkey before: Efes, Troy and Kusadasi, in a whirlwind trip with my father alone, when I was a mere thirteen year old teenager. For some reason, though, we never stopped in Istanbul. And so, over the years, I built a cult like […]
I’ve been yearning to visit Istanbul for some time now, and here I am now! Enjoying a cup of hot Turkish coffee, enjoying the view of the Bosphorus and hearing enchanting from the Blue Mosque right in front of me … I am utterly fascinated by the Middle Eastern architecture, the food, the music and […]
