The Hustle and The Bustle.

The Bustle

The second day of my Istanbul Adventure would definitely be described as the Bustle. It was a busy full day of seeing the major historic sights the city has to offer. I feel as though I don't want to go into too much detail though. I am realizing that after seeing so many churches, cathedrals, mosques, castles and palaces that you start comparing them to one another instead of seeing them for what they are in and of themselves. Over the course of my travels and this travel blog I have encountered  lot of historic sights, and frankly enjoyed all of them to some extant. Today though I don't feel like going into great detail. But for those of you reading that may visit this beautiful city one day I will sum them up for you. On day two I covered the Topkapi Palace, The Blue Mosque, The Basilica Cistern, The Grand Bazaar, and the Hagia Sophia. All of which make the list of must see sites not just in Turkey but in eastern Europe in general. Here is the rank and the rundown;

#1. The Basilica Cistern: a pretty unique site with some cool history behind it.

#2. The Grand Bazaar: Although much different than expected still a great market experience.

#3. The Blue Mosque: I enjoyed this one because it's still an active mosque. And it's free.

#4. Hagia Sophia: The Sheer size inside is astounding. But under construction and pretty empty.

#5. Topkapi Palace: Compared to other empires palaces it seems less taken care of and interesting to be in.

The area called Sultanahmet which all of these sites are located in is a cool place to be, and eat, and chill. I might consider it my favorite part of the city so far.

The Hustle

The third day contained far less activities than the first. Just two to be exact. There was a World Championship Rally Cross in town that looked like fun. I have never attending an event like this before and thought it would be cool to check out. As a first timer I quite enjoyed myself, The Rally Racing and Drifting were very entertaining. Definitely something I would attend again somewhere else... maybe where it would be in English.

The second activity of the day was a football match! There are three big clubs in Istanbul, and I was hoping that while i was here i would get to see one of them play. I wanted to see Galatasary play a champions league game but our window was short and so I settled for a Fenerbace match whose lineup touts the like of Van Persie, Nani, and Diego. I'll get to the game, but first, the Hustle. Getting tickets was the most ridiculous process ever. I tried buying them online multiple times before I went but had no luck. So naturally I went to the stadium to buy tickets at the door but I guess that's not how it works. Not only can you not buy tickets at the door but you cant even obtain tickets or yourself without whats called a Passolig card. All of this information was given to me by some fine gentleman on the street. Him and his friends could be described as next level scalpers, very sketchy. The next three hours were spend signing up for the Passolig Card at a dingy Internet cafe and haggling over getting the tickets. It was ridiculous, and almost not worth it... almost. After finally getting into the stadium My two starving friends and I go to get some stadium grub only to realize we had barely enough money to get home after and nothing more. Shame on us I guess.

The game itself was a blast. The loudest sporting event I have ever attended. The home crowd was raucous and rowdy, singing and chanting their hearts out all game pulling for their squad. It was quite the experience. I imagine it was the same kind of atmosphere found in gladiator coliseums back in the day.

We ended the day at Dominos because they took credit card and were still open by the time we got home.

Quite the adventure indeed.

Kings, Colours, and Kebab.

Well, Im back. Travelling the world again and writing about it for your perusal. Sort of. Its mostly for me. Anyway. I am in Turkey, or Istanbul more specifically for the better part of a week. This place has been really high on my list of must see places for the last little while. So much excitement, history and culture to experience and explore. Thus far it has not been a disappointment. My first full day in Istanbul contained a visit to the world famous Spice Bazaar, a Traditional Turkish Hamam Bath House and a delicious Dinner at the Hamdi.

The Bazaar was everything I had expected it to be; loud, crowded, and packed with exciting things to try. To be honest all the pictures online make it look more colourful than it actually was, this however did not take away from the excitement of it all. Bartering for tea and dried fruit while making friends with one of vendors was definitely the highlight. Street markets are a favourite stop of mine in any country. Its a place that if you're lucky, you can often immerse yourself in the culture and experience new great things.

Speaking of new great things. Have you ever experienced a Turkish bath house? It is life changing. In case you have never heard of what goes on, let me break it down for you. The particular bathhouse we chose has been around for roughly 500 years. Its located in a old rugged stone building that looks particularly unassuming. Once you step inside however you really are in a whole new world (ALADDIN REFERENCE! #BOOMNAILEDIT). Its a place designed with ultimate relaxation in mind. Before you set out on this adventure you partake in some kind of delicious and refreshing juice. When it is time you put on your towel, and only your towel. When ready you are brought into this large lavish marble room where you are soaked in hot water. Once thoroughly drenched you lie down on a gigantic heated marble table and take a quick nap. Once heated and relaxed your personal bather brings you to a basin where they begin to give you this one of a kind relaxing cleansing exfoliating magical massage-like process. You are rinsed, shampooed, lathered with ludicrous amounts of bubbles and then dried off. It really is a process fit for a king. After the traditional service we elected for massages and then napped in the the great room where we were served fresh squeezed lemonade. I seriously wish this was a thing you could do everyday. I have never felt more relaxed in my life. If you are ever in this part of the world, it is a must try.

Finally, near the end of the day it was time for dinner. The Hamdi was the place of choice for tonight thanks to some rave trip advisor reviews. The food was great, The kebabs were tasty and juicy and surprisingly reasonably priced. It was a little disappointing not to eat on the roof because it was too busy but hey, you cant win em all.

I have to say that originally I had been planning a trip here by myself for a little while now. But being able to share these experiences with a couple friends has made the adventure that much more spectacular!

So far Turkey has been great. Cant wait for more!

This is me not blogging about New York.

There is a scene in the movie Zoolander where the Reporter Matilda quotes an Aboriginal Legend about how they believe that every time a picture is taken of you it may steal part of your soul. She subsequently asks Zoolander what he thinks about this as someone who gets his picture taken for a living, he responds in a classic Zoolander fashion and she is left confounded at his profound lack of intelligence. It is hilarious.

While in no way do I believe that photography can steal your soul, I do believe that the Abodiginals quoted by Matilda may have been on to something.

If you happen to be a child of the 80’s or earlier you will remember people going on vacation, taking their Kodak camera and 6 extra rolls of film and coming back to share them in your living room. Sitting around with family and friends whether that be through an album you threw together or if you’re old enough, clicking through a clunker of a projector. It was in fact a part of the vacation experience. You could probably call it the after party? With open faced buns. There is something about sharing your experiences with loved ones. Telling them about where you’ve been so they can laugh with you, share similar stories with you, and maybe be a little jealous of you. Today, this whole vacation rite of passage is currently done on social media. Except not at all, besides maybe the jealousy part.

Gathering is a dying concept. Actually I think connecting with people in general has been on the decline. Everything is on a computer or automated in some way, quick and easy. If you know me you know that I prefer people. I will always choose to go to the teller instead of the ATM, to catch up with someone in person instead of phone or text, and just experiences in general I find more enjoyable with others.

There are two reasons why I left my camera at home when I went to New York as well as why I am not laying out all the exciting details in a new entry of my travel blog.

First is that my philosophy on travelling is slowly changing. I’m tired of living behind a lens. Taking a million pictures of everything I encounter just to have something to look at later or to make everyone else jealous.

Yes I cheated and Instagrammed from my phone… get over it. I like it.

I am choosing more and more when I travel to live in the moment and own the experience for the here and now.

The second reason is that I want to talk to you. If you look at all my pictures and read about all my experiences on a blog, you have no reason to have an actual conversation with me about my trip. No reason for you to meet up with me and ask about that time I saw Sting, two feet in front of me. We no longer have an excuse to gather and connect because you already know everything I’m doing with a few short clicks sitting on your computer. And I don’t like that.

I think that every time you pull out your camera, or every blog you post about your trip, takes away from the vacation experience.

So this is me not blogging about New York.

See you around.

Save a Cow, Eat a Vegetarian.

Yes. This blog is about Food. I have decided to put together a best restaurant list for your dining pleasure. The only drawback for some of you is that this is not a local list, it has been inspired by my recent trip to the greater Vancouver area. I must preface this by saying that I have not eaten at every single restaurant and nor will i ever accomplish that. I simply wish to convey to you five of the best dining experiences in my visits to the greater Vancouver area. So in no Particular order from my taste buds to yours...





The Eatery
http://www.theeatery.ca/

As far as I am concerned this was the some of the best sushi I have ever partaken. The restaurant layout was contrast to what you might think a delicious sushi restaurant might look like. Shenanigans (not a real restaurant) or a Japanese version of The Hard Rock Cafe. Weird Japanese knick knacks and memorabilia littered the walls, ceilings and the menu. It was definitely a different dining experience to say the least. The food was unreal, the menu albeit wacky and in your face was full with traditional and personalized takes on sushi. The portions were more than enough and the prices were quite reasonable. if your not that into sushi the menu is chalked full items that may tantalize your taste buds, but if you do choose to visit this Diamond in the rough I highly recommend you try the Green Hornet.

Romanos Pizza
http://romanospizza.ca/

If you know me well you have heard my rant about Romanos. It was merely by happenstance that I originally stumbled upon this gem. Downtown Vancouver is littered with pizza joints offering good pizza at a cheap price. Had the Pizza place two doors down not been packed I would never have wandered into this joint and discovered what is possibly the best pizza on earth. While it looks like all the other Pizza Places around what lies inside is heads and tails above the anything else I have ever had. Everything from the toppings to the sauce and the crust, every pie is handmade and packed full of flavour. I personally tend to stick with pepperoni when it comes to Romanos however, every kind of pizza in this place is quite delicious.

Nahm Thai Bistro
http://www.nahm.ca/

My love for Thai food will be apparent when eventually I also make an Edmonton Restaurant list. This Thai Restaurant holds a special place in my heart. While this is only the second best Thai food that i have eaten It just might be my Favorite place to go. If Abi and I have a place that is "ours" this would be it.  The food is straight up delicious. The curries are a perfect balance of spicy and sweet and the Pad Thai (something by which all Thai places should be judged) passes any test you could give it. I think it might be Thai people in general but i find that the service here is super friendly and despite the sometimes repetitive music that comes with many Thai places the atmosphere is really enjoyable. As far as the curry goes Try the Red, it is a favorite of both Abi and I.

The Boathouse Surfside Grill
http://www.boathouserestaurants.ca/

Being that this is a list that is decidedly dedicated to the coast I knew that I had to include a seafood restaurant. I'm not saying that I had to force my hand on this one by any means. I thoroughly enjoyed dining at this restaurant. I first have to say that I am a sucker for a view, and the one from the second floor at this restaurant was nothing short of spectacular. The boathouse overlooks the Ocean at Whiterock and I happened to be dining just after the sun had set. Priceless. The food was really good, and the cook very accommodating to my quirky adjustments to his menu items. The prices here are a little higher but worth it. The seafood was fresh and cooked perfectly while the atmosphere was quite classy and romantic. A perfect place for an evening with that special someone.

Wings
http://www.greatwings.ca/

What can I say, I love wings, always have, always will. Is there anything better than a restaurant solely focused on wings? I think not. Their menus is full of...wings! It includes flavours that are both unique and traditional. My favorite part of this place has to be the Bobby Wing. A wing so hot it is sure to disintegrate your stomach lining if you are not up for the challenge. It was fun to try once, the entertainment truly comes when you convince a friend to try it. This is the only Chain restaurant on my list and I don't feel bad about it. Its a fun place to eat with friends or just chill and watch a game.

So my friends, that is my list. I encourage to you try them out. I am by no means finished in my quest for delicious and daring new culinary adventures on the west coast, or anywhere for that matter. On that note i would love to hear your hot eats locations, let me know in the comments section.

Bon Appetit

Through The Looking Glass

I have suddenly become keenly aware that I can not just be, that I can not just experience. Things must be immortalized, carved in stone tablets, and broad casted to the people. I fear that my journey has become not enough in itself to satisfy me. That somehow there is an inherent need for it to be put on display, envied, and idolized. Instead of simply seeing with my eyes, my camera has become my looking glass, my words have become advertisements, selling out to the masses.

I feel saddened by my Epiphany, yet the likelihood of change is slim to none. This train of thought started in my head and will end with the words on this page. Which really sounds a great deal sadder than I intend. This is my brief moment of reflection and inner critique. However, I do write this so that these thoughts are not immediately drowned out by the next but stored as to be remembered and maybe even one day learned from. Because truly I do wish to just be.

I believe it is etched in every persons DNA to be remembered. Maybe that is the underlying motivation for all of this. The hope that my journey might catapult me from nothing to notable, that by sharing my stories my humble journey becomes legend.

I realize the hypocrisy in all of this. I realize how stupid and pretentious I sound. Part of me wants to blame society, technology, and a long list of other shallow reasons. However I know that buck stops here, with me. Ergo this rant may just serve its purpose and maybe, just maybe I will eventually just be.

Now that i have spewed my random thoughts and insecurities out for all to see I will leave you to try and make sense of this, and hopefully allow you to reflect on your own slice of life. I am not sure much of this makes sense but I feel like this was necessary for some small measure of personal growth.

Goodnight.

Chilla, Thrilla, Lobsta

My beloved! Much has happened in the last few days. I am sorry it has been so long. My girlfriend told me my blog was boring so I considered a permanent hiatus. But fear not, I have returned to resume babbling on to you about things which you most likely do not care about.

One thing I forgot to mention was that on our little shopping trip into town that some guy at the market rubbed aloe on my face and then proceeded to point out bug bites on my arms and legs and rub the natural plant on such bites. Everything happened so fast I didn’t really know how to stop it. He then tried to tell me that usually he charges 30 dollars for such service but he would take 20 from me. I walked away, and he was not pleased.

Even with all the free food in the world at our fingertips my desire for seafood had not as of yet been quenched. Jordan and I moseyed down the beach and bought fresh crab and lobster from these guys who cooked it right there. It was delicious.

I have to admit my judgment on the entertainment was a bit hasty. I think maybe it was less than adequate only because it was Christmas. The last few nights have been awesome. There was an African tribal evening that told a story eerily similar to lion king. I say that mostly because they used songs from the lion king. Last night was a traveling steel drum band complete with break dancers they covered quite a few current songs including some Michael Jackson (rest in peace). Very impressive. Speaking of MJ, Tonight’s entertainment was an MJ impersonator. So good. Highly entertaining. Despite leaving out a few of my personal favorites I still really enjoyed the show.

Today we did our excursion. We got on a catamaran and set sail for a journey with three stops. The first was shopping at this marketplace. Not really that impressive because I had done all my shopping but we were only there a short while so it was ok. The second stop was snorkeling in some very cool looking caves. (One of which we were told had been used in filming the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. After seeing it for myself I realized it was a lie to up sell the tour). Despite the lies the snorkeling was sweet. The third and final stop was my favorite by far. It was the “famous” Ricks Café. The part I was looking forward to was the cliff jumping. There were guys there who I believe essentially make their living by doing crazy flips of these cliffs. There were even some kids doing some crazy stuff. Jordan and I both did jumps of the 37ft platform that was available for the tourists to jump of. Not the highest I have ever done but still fun never the less.

Tomorrow is our last day. It is as always for me bittersweet. The rest and relaxation was much needed. Jamaica was an awesome adventure to be had. One that I would recommend to anyone looking for a tropical getaway. I am more than satisfied with number 26 and am ever looking forward to that next adventure. I have some clues as to what it may be but who knows what the future holds.

For today’s song choice I had to go with one you might expect from a Jamaican vacation. A little Bob Marley. I have to say I really do enjoy reggae and it even made some of those annoying Christmas tunes enjoyable.

Iron Lion Zion – Bob Marley

Hopefully it wont be too long before I return to writing. I must say I did miss it. You never know, my next adventure could be right around the corner. Until next time…

You Stay Classy.

I ate this

Christmas in Paradise

2 for 1

Like I said, not a whole lot of goings on around here other than getting my tan on. So, two days one blog.

Christmas on the beach was very much a surreal feeling. Wind blowing in my face, the ocean breaking at my feet, it was very serene.

Best part of the day by far was eating authentic Jerk Chicken right on the beach. Straight up delicious. The food continues to be awesome all around, dinner was Brazilian food served on a sword. Pretty good stuff, makes me want to go try Pampa back home. I am really looking forward to this nice place we are eating at in a few days, you will here about it I’m sure.

On a side note they had Santa speedboat onto the beach and walk up this balloon walkway. I really did expect him to be black. Oh well.

Although most of the other entertainment has been somewhat lackluster I did appreciate this evenings entertainment. It was this guy who sang like Roy Orbison, very legit

On Boxing Day we decided to taxi into town for some shopping. There wasn’t a whole lot to actually buy, the town was pretty small. We stopped at this Jamaican Patti store and had some authentic Jamaican patties. So good. Its pretty cool growing up eating and loving them my whole life and actually tasting the real deal from the place they get their name. There will definitely have to be more of that happening in my future travels. (Buffalo wing, Philly cheese steak etc.)

The ocean is warm and just as I remember it. Its Still and will always be one of my favorite things on the planet. I wish to visit it more often.

Christmas was great and funny enough I actually shopped on Boxing Day. Tomorrow is a nothing but lay on the beach day I may or may not feel inclined to write. We will see. But for now I will leave with the song I was listening to all day.

Levels – Avicii (Skrillex Remix)

Peace

P.S. - I apologize for the lack of pics, not really lugging my camera out lots, maybe one of these days I will.