Last weekend my friend invited me to spend a ski-weekend at her chalet in Switzerland, as well as attend a black-tie party held by the Rothschilds. (Yes, hosted by the European banking dynasty family that is partially royal.)
And guess what?
I couldn’t go.
When I remember my 2009 semester in Buenos Aires, too many “nevers” come to mind. I will never be 19 again. I will never drink so much malbec that I jump into a pool fully clothed. I’ll never eat choripán with chimichurri on the street with friends, laughing like crazy. And a small but deeply … Read more
“A lifetime isn’t enough to discover Rome” is an expression that also applies to its fellow former Roman capital, Istanbul, a city I found nothing short of magnificent.
I wanted to finish off my Istanbul coverage by recapping some activities that I strongly advise you not to miss. And while I hate the guilt that the word “must-see” tends to ascribe, here are some things to do in Istanbul that I really loved.
Hey everyone! Please excuse me for the week-long blog hiatus- I have not yet mastered the art of blogging while traveling. In fact I didn’t even bring my laptop to London which is where I just spent several blissful and sunny days. (Yes, sunny, warm London weather in March. Can you believe it?)
While I journeyed to London briefly in 2010, this was my first time really exploring the city and I have to admit I kind of fell in love. And took hundreds of pictures, of course.
Hey everyone! Happy Saturday. So this week’s Saturday Snapshot is actually from the last two weeks… I’ve been cozying up inside to avoid the grey, drizzly, Parisian weather and therefore have been lazy about taking pictures. On Monday I’ll be off to London to face more bad weather but hopefully enjoy more photo ops!
My first memory of the Hagia Sophia goes back to when I was an adventure-starved 15-year old learning about the Byzantine Empire in history class. As we watched a video about the Hagia Sophia, I quickly became entranced with the Hagia Sophia’s age, her golden walls and her unique melange of Byzantine, Roman and Arabic … Read more
Ever since visiting the Alhambra Palace in Grenada, Spain, when I was 16, I’ve had a serious soft spot for Arabic or Moorish architecture. I find myself fawning over the horseshoe arches, the intricate, geometric patterns, the swooping Arabic calligraphy… and there’s no better place to bask in the beauty of Arabic architecture than at … Read more
As anyone who has been reading my blog for more than 12 minutes has probably noticed, I really love food. To me food and travel are inextricably linked, and I can’t explore a new country without getting lost in the scents and flavors of its national cuisine. And Istanbul was one destination that didn’t disappoint: I … Read more
On my first backpacking trip through Europe when I was 17, my travel partner and I spent a few days at a hostel villa in Tuscany. After a few weeks of city-to-city backpacking all I wanted to do was breathe, so I plucked a VHS of Serendipity from the hostel library and spent a few happy … Read more
During my stay in Turkey my cousin Suzy, who is an Istanbul expat, took me to a restaurant so good it deserves its own post- Çinaralti. Çinaralti serves affordable, tasty Turkish food in the style of Korean barbecue. But you won’t find any kimchi here- at Çinaralti it’s traditional Turkish fare all the way. We, as in Suzy, … Read more