Istanbul: Grand Bazaar I’m a sucker for markets, of every shape size color sound and smell. With a market in Istanbul styling itself the Grand Bazaar, then, how could I not go? In terms of a market, the places honestly wasn’t that great. I swear I only saw 10 different […]
Middle East
Burj Khalifa by Night
There’s honestly not a whole lot that I like about the flashy new high-rise part of Dubai, but the Burj Khalifa is the one obvious exception. No matter where I see it from at whatever time of day, I always seem to go straight for the camera to try and […]
Chora Church in Istanbul – Not a Chora to Visit!
Chora Church in Istanbul: Magic and Mosaics Ok, so it might not be magic. Though it doesn’t seem to get nearly the acclaim of the Sultanahmet hotspots like the Hagia Sophia or Blue Mosque, the Byzantine-era Chora Church and surrounding area make for an excellent day in Istanbul. The church nearly […]
Istanbul’s Sunday Pigeon Market
Istanbul Sunday Pigeon Market One of the things I really like about lingering in places longer than absolutely necessary to see all the big tourist sites is that I can generally be open to a lot more aimless wandering. Instead of rushing from church to market to church, I also […]
Islamic Art Museum, Istanbul
Islamic Art Museum Istanbul I know it may seem like I wont stop talking about this recently, but I’m really stoked to be heading back to Central Asia. One of the first touristy things I’ve done in Istanbul is the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. A lot of the […]
Abu Dhabi Palace Hotel
Abu Dhabi Palace Hotel If the beach is the natural highlight of Abu Dhabi and the Heritage Village the cultural highlight, then the Palace Hotel is some sort of ostentatious absurdity highlight. Walking up, of course, the presentation is grand as you approach the main entrance via an alleyway of […]
Hey there! I'm Stephen, this is my travel blog, and that's me in the poofy hat.
I'm a photographer / writer traveling since 2008, and I've been doing my best to visit amazing places.
My current focus is Central Asia, because for a hiking and camping enthusiast it's as good as it gets.