Turkish Vegan Treats and Rose Water
Vegan no-bake pistachio-based energy balls infused with the delicate essence of rosewater make for a Turkish-inspired treat. Continue Reading →
Category: Travel
In the Streets of Istanbul, Turkey
(If you’re just joining us, this is the last of a series of posts about our travels to Istanbul and Barcelona. Check prior posts for more info.) We spent two-plus unforgettable days wandering the streets of Istanbul. We took a bus from the old sector over the Galata Bridge, through Continue Reading →
Istanbul: The Turkish Bath
There’s one thing that a visitor to Istanbul must not miss: the Turkish bath! Suleymaniye Hammam On the evening before our flight out of Istanbul, we moseyed into a Turkish bathhouse that we’d seen advertised. It was the Suleymaniye Hammam next to the Suleymaniye Mosque in old Istanbul. It was Continue Reading →
Istanbul: Mosques
I don’t know much about mosques, but their immense proportions, sweeping arches, majestic domes, towering minarets, intricate tile work, and auras of devotion inspire awe and quiet contemplation. The major mosques we visited in Istanbul permitted visitor access between the five prayer times, when the Islamic call to prayer echoes Continue Reading →
Exploring Istanbul: The Bazaar District
Some of the most fascinating aspects of Istanbul are its bazaars, and once we had our breakfast at the hotel, we were set to go out into the streets and discover them. But first, a few words about the breakfast buffet that was included in the Agan Hotel room price. Continue Reading →
Istanbul: Our Arrival
After our visit to Barcelona, we boarded another Turkish Airlines flight back to Istanbul, where we were scheduled to spend three nights and nearly two and a half days before flying home. It was our first visit, other than having spent three or four hours in the Ataturk airport on Continue Reading →
Monastery of Montserrat, Spain
Santa Maria de Montserrat Monastery lies about 48 kilometers (30 miles) outside of Barcelona, Spain, and is accessible by train or by road. Trains from Barcelona to Montserrat leave from both the Plaça de Espanya and the Plaça de Catalunya stations. The train ride from Barcelona takes approximately one and Continue Reading →
Barcelona Food and Markets
Spain means paella and Spain means tapas, with a lot of seafood, cheese, and meat products mixed in. Eating vegan in Barcelona was a hard nut to crack Continue Reading →
First Stop: Streets of Barcelona
First stop: The streets of Barcelona. Barcelona bustles day and night. It is a walker’s joy, with wide, tree-lined promenades, frequent watering holes for the hungry and thirsty, and fascinating architecture in styles that span the ages.There are people out walking their dogs at all hours; the old and the Continue Reading →
Travels to Barcelona and Istanbul, Intro
We’re just back from some wonderful travels. Our original destination this year was Barcelona, Spain. We’d been there before, and I had actually worked there during the 1992 Olympics, but we were more than willing to go back and spend some more leisurely time than what we’d experienced in the Continue Reading →