Here you can browse through my blog posts prior to February 2022. Currently I'm sharing my travel experiences, candid opinions, and what's on my mind solely on my Facebook page. — Rick
All over Turkey, ice cream boys dressed in traditional outfits sell the “cut-with-a-knife,” rich and velvety ice cream from Kahramanmaraş (a city in eastern Turkey). And a simple cone is far from a simple cone. It comes with a show.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
Istanbul’s main street, İstiklal Caddesi, throbs with crowds all day and into the wee hours. I visit it almost every year, and it changes with each visit. As Turkey becomes more affluent and Western, the action here becomes more and more vibrant. This clip is actually a quieter part of the mile-long stroll. And it’s early in the evening. On weekdays the action peaks around 10 p.m., and on weekends it keeps building until about 2 a.m. The side streets are just as vibrant.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
A favorite thing for me anywhere in the Islamic world is to hear the chaotic chorus of cheaply amplified voices erupting into song as they sing the call to prayer from mosque minarets all over town at the same time. Here, just outside Istanbul’s fabled Grand Bazaar, it’s that time. People seem to ignore it, but I can’t. It’s part of the audio track of any visit to this corner of our world. Mix the sounds with the people and you get Istanbul stew.
The warbling call to prayer used to unnerve me, and now I find it actually beautiful…even comforting. What happens to you when you hear this Muslim call to worship? When it wakes me early in the morning, I remember that that prayer has an extra line in it. It roughly translates, “It’s better to pray than to sleep.”
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is a must-see on any cruiser’s sightseeing list. In fact, our ship had a free shuttle bus ready to take you there and back throughout the day. (When taking you to a place where there’s no shopping, shuttle buses are generally not free.) As you can see from this clip, the market is thriving — and it’s a hit with locals as well as tourists.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
Of course, many on the ship opt for a cruise excursion specifically so they will not have this experience (see below). But for me, feeling the crush of Istanbul’s only tram is a travel highlight. I suppose a grunge rocker who leaps into a mosh pit knows the thrill, but words can’t describe the sweaty crush of the Istanbul tram. Maybe this video can help put you there.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.