My Favorite Istanbul Guided Tour – Dinner With a Local Family I know I’ve only recently decried the ‘proper-tourist-trail’ thing, but one experience in Istanbul left me thinking about whether or not a guide can be a good thing on occasion. After all don’t we oftentimes need a translator? Someone […]
Tag: Food
Samarkand’s Urgut Bazaar
Samarkand’s Urgut Bazaar There are so many things to do in Samarkand that I didn’t make time to explore the surrounding region on my first visit to the city – it was only on my second trip to Central Asia that I was able to visit one of Uzbekistan‘s best […]
Fatih Neighborhood: an Istanbul Guide
Exploring Istanbul’s Fatih Neighborhood Does anybody else walk around new cities wondering in the back of their minds where the coolest spot to get an apartment for a few months would be? No? In Istanbul the Fatih neighborhood is without doubt the choice so far. The name means ‘conquerer’ and […]
Ain’t No Party Like an Uzbek Party
Did you know that circumcision parties are a thing? Nope, me neither. Uzbekistan being what it is, though, even serious religious rites can serve as an excuse to get to together with friends and family a tables full of food and bottles full of vodka. Shortly after we walked by […]
Istanbul Galata Neighborhood Guide
Going to Galata Galata, to most tourists in Istanbul, seems to mean little more than “the place with the tower and the bridge”. And it is both of these things. It also, conveniently, happens to be a GREAT district (perhaps the favorite I’ve found in the city) for street food […]
The Spicy side of Istanbul
Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar If you ever find yourself with the immediate need to buy a restaurant kitchen’s worth of spices, Istanbul is one of the highest recommendations I can give. If you just need to indulge your inner child with sweets galore and whole mountains of Turkish Delight, even […]
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.