3 Amazing Days in Istanbul – Part I
Istanbul, the city of two continents, the place where Europe and Asia are entwined. It’s grand, surprising, full of flavor and color.
It’s a must see destination for any serious traveler and it has anything and everything you’d want to see: old, new, art, trade masters, great food, amazing tea, jewelry that makes all women sigh and lights sparkles of desire in the corner of their eyes, parties, belly dancing, burial sites and holy places. Add two seas, great sunsets and quite a few towers to see the city from up top. It is mesmerizing and it crawls up your veins like a drug, turning into an addiction, making you always want to come back. Sure, the traffic is there to provide your everyday near-death experience, but that’s not a big thing, is it?
As it happens, we rarely have enough time to explore a city. Sometimes we’ve planned a tour and we need to see the best of everything. And as Istanbul is a really accessible destination for a wide number of countries, many travelers may choose to dedicate a long weekend to it! As I have been to Istanbul three times already and it’s always been for a maximum of four days, I thought I’d share the tricks I learned with you. That is why I created a three day guide suggesting you how to mix tourist landmarks with places to eat so that you can see as much of Istanbul as possible.
This guide is not meant to tell you why you should see these marvels, as the Internet is full of such info and the local guide books that you can get, well, everywhere, will tell you the stories behind them! My goal is to help you turn into a happy and effective little tourist and experience as much of Istanbul as you can.
The first day is dedicated to the old city, with ancient palaces, mosques and tombs. The first thing you need to do is wake up early and never, ever skip breakfast! Turkish hotels are pretty good at arranging buffet. Make sure you try everything! The bread, cheese, meat, cookies, coffee and helva! They have really good honey as well. Now drag yourself out of the chair and the hotel, get a tourist map, they are cheap and will help you through the city, and head out to see the Topkapi Palace!
Travel, Culture and the Taste of Food
Did you notice how a country-specific cuisine tasted differently in said country and abroad? Chinese food tastes differently in Germany than it does in China. Italian pizza you have at your local Italian restaurant is rarely the same as the one you have in Italy. Basically because foods and drinks are tailored to meet the specific preferences of each country. Just make a simple experiment on your next trip, try the Coca Cola drink in your country and the one they sell in the country you visit. You most likely will notice the difference!
Same with large fast-food chains! I love McDonald’s salads in Romania, I hated them in the US. I hated Burger King in Turkey, loved it in other countries. I used to go to Pizza Hut once a month, I went once in Toronto and I still regret it.
What does this have to do with travel? It’s simple, when you’re traveling, just because you know and like a brand in your home country, it really does not mean you will like it in another country you are visiting. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s wise to go there prepared, cause nothing makes a trip worse than a disappointment that could have easily been prevented!
Hotel Review: DoubleTree – Chicago/O’Hare
Rosemont was my next stop in the US ever. I had come to the States for an industry event held near Chicago, in the Donald E. Stephens Convention and Conference Center, which is practically across the street from the hotel I stayed in: DoubleTree.
It was a heart warming welcome, as the young woman at the reception desk was born, yes, you guessed it, in Romania! Although she only spent a few years there, she still remembered a few words and we had a nice conversation. And they also gave us some nice, chocolate filled warm cookies that simply made us forget about the 16 or so hours that had passed since we left our homes in Bucharest.
DoubleTree is extremely close to the O’Hare airport and that’s both an advantage and disadvantage. We all know there’s nothing better than a cookie and a nice shower after a flight, especially a long one. But hearing airplanes taking off and landing all the time might have some impact on your sleep, especially if it’s helped by the jet lag.
Having breakfast there was a bliss. Although I am used to more types of cheese and vegetables for breakfast, it was my first time experiencing American bacon and waffles! And the restaurant staff was hilarious! Everything you needed for a good morning start.
As the whole Rosemont seems to be dedicated to business travelers, displaying convention centers and lots of hotels, most of them above 3 stars by European standards, DoubleTree is a wonderful choice for business events, conferences or business meetings. The only problem is if you come with European electronics, you won’t be able to plug them in and have them charged and the hotel won’t be able to help you. Your solution is going to the nearby mall and buy what you need. You’ll get a full package, allowing you to travel around the world and have no problem charging your laptop.
If you’re there as a tourist, beware: it takes quite a while to get to downtown Chicago and back. So if you’re hoping to mix some fun with the work assignments, don’t waste any free time on resting! Otherwise you won’t get to see anything!
Photos from the DoubleTree site.
Hotel Review – Omni Shoreham, Washington DC
I’ve spent three great days at Omni Shoreham in May, while attending an IT&C summit organized by a virtualization company. As the conference kept us for quite a while close to the hotel, I got well acquainted with what it had to offer. I thought I’d share my views with all of you traveling to Washington for business or pleasure and for those looking for a place to throw a party.
The hotel looks amazing and the rooms are placed in such a way that their overwhelming majority has a nice view to offer. The architect coming up with this hotel was really client oriented! The hotel might look like a little labyrinth at times, but there are enough signs to help you find your way.
The rooms are huge, the beds are extraordinary and their bathrooms are impeccable. Yet in the room I stayed there was no mini bar. There’s no vending machine on each floor either, so if you get really thirsty in the middle of the night, you have to get dressed and go downstairs. I think this is an aspect they should really work on, given their clear position of a luxury hotel. Read more…
How to Become a Fanatic Baseball Fan
For most people coming from outside the US, baseball is this weird looking sport that they know nothing of. This is also true for Romanians, although their local Oina is thought to be the “ancestor” of baseball. If we start at the dawns of Oina, baseball is a really old sport. Oina was first mentioned around 1346, meaning it had been around for a long time before that.
Bun enough history lessons! Baseball is played on these huge stadiums and fans are wild and everything seems fascinating to a clueless outsider. But would you watch TV long enough to understand it, get to love it then join a fan club? I doubt it.
There are a few things you need to instantly fall in love with baseball. The first thing that would help is seeing your first game live. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll see it as I did, from a nice little VIP suite. Try to get decent seats. But after my experience, I don’t recommend the high class ones. You need to be at the heart of things to really feel the passion of this game. So concentrate on a good view and get mixed in the local cultural blend.
The next important thing is the right company. You need someone who knows baseball to explain the rules and everything. If you’re lucky, they’ll tell you a little about the history of the teams, trends and stadium costs. Yes, building one costs a huge fortune.
Don’t even try to understand why there’s a World Series! An almost exclusively US game (there’s one team in Canada) should not have a World Series. It sounds way to condescending for the rest of the countries who are not part of the game 
.
The third thing: food! You need the right food, bought from the right place. So take a stroll around the stadium and get yourself a hot dog or the spicier version, a chilly dog. And drink some coke or a Bud, or anything very, very American.
Team branded gifts! Yes, the all touristy activity is to buy Washington Nationals or Philadelphia Phillies t-shirts when it’s your first game and you have no idea who you support! But it’s a great part of a game, especially when you’re a rather short girl and want a t-shirts that at least tries to fit you.
So, on your next trip to the US, find out if there’s a baseball team near by, preferably major league, check the game schedule and get some tickets. You won’t regret it, not even for a second! Oh, and if you know a certain someone that can get you on the field, to run around like crazy, please, please give me his/her number!