From a world-view mirror

Istanbul's best cultural cafés & eateries

2012-01-17T15:01:00.000-08:00

Winter is the perfect time to catch up on all the indoor cultural events you missed during the busy summer months. Stock up on Istanbul's cultural heritage while enjoying the finest cuisine. E. Zeynep Güler-Tuck and Gizem Ünsalan have sought out the best museum and gallery eateries for your enjoyment

ISTANBUL MODERN CAFÉ - ISTANBUL MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

Located in the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, the stylish Istanbul Modern Café has a spacious terrace with a breathtaking view of theBosphorus. The museum, with its permanent and temporary exhibits ranging from local to international art, is one of Turkey’s best collections of contemporary art. The exhibition touches upon the relationship between nature, inanimate objects and people. When you want to take a break on your next visit, stop by the Istanbul Modern Café, which sits at the entrance beside the souvenir shop and is a great place to enjoy a glass from their select wine list. The menu consists of authentic Turkish dishes like Akçaabat köfte, served with Aegean-style sautéed vegetables and wrapped Swiss chard in olive oil, alongside international dishes like smoked salmon and pappardelle with fresh coriander. (0212) 292 2612. Meclis-i MebusanCaddesi, Liman Işletmeleri, Sahası, Antrepo 4, Karaköy. Open daily from10.00-24.00, Monday-Saturday, andfrom 10.00-18.00 on Sunday.www.istanbulmodern.org/en

KARAKOL RESTAURANT - TOPKAPI PALACE MUSEUM

Dine like the sultans at Karakol Restaurant, located between Hagia Irene and the Imperial Walls in the First Yard of the Topkapı Palace Museum. This museum is where the most salient examples of Ottoman opulence, from copper- and silverware to weaponry, the imperial treasury to the portraits and clothes of the sultans, are on display today. With four main courtyards, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Fully equipped with a Harem, Turkish baths, Imperial Hall, a Circumcision Room, Kiosk,Pavilions, Private Apartments, Mosques, Privy Chambers and gates galore, the minimum time it takes to drink the palace grounds in is 3 hours. In which case, it might be a good idea to either grab a bite before-hand or rest your weary feet at the on-site restaurant, Karakol, after your visit. The building where Karakol Restaurant is located used to be an exterior guard post of the palace during the Ottoman era.Today, Karakol serves authentic Turkish dishes on its a la carte menu and Mediterranean cuisine on its café menu. Take your pick!
(0212) 514 9494. Karakol Building,next to Hagia Irene, Sultanahmet.Open daily from 10.00-23.00.www.karakolrestaurant.com

MÜZEDECHANGA - SAKIP SABANCI MUSEUM
In 2005, the award-winning Changa restaurant in Taksim opened its spin-off restaurant, MüzedeChanga, in the garden of the Sakıp Sabancı Museum in Emirgan. Visitors of the temporary and permanent galleries of this modern museum can enjoy light repasts during the day, or even decide to return to the grounds at night when the restaurant serves Turkish-Mediterranean dishes with a modern twist. The menu is supervised by consultant Chef Peter Gordon, while the restaurant is right beside the Horse Mansion and sits on land that boasts one of the most stunning views of the Bosphorus. The décor of this eatery is a mixture of glass, wood and steel, with custom-made furniture created by renowned local designing firm, Autoban.
(0212) 323 0901. Sakıp Sabanc›Caddesi 42, Emirgan. Open dailyfrom 10.30-01.00, except onMondays. Call to make reservationsbefore 18.00 for dinner.www.changa-istanbul.com

CAFÉ DU LEVANT, DEMLIK KAFE, HALAT RESTAURANT AND BAR BAR ROSSA - RAHMI M. KOÇ MUSEUM

Café du Levant

Café Du Levant, Demlik Kafe, Halat Restaurant and Bar Bar Rossa are all housed in the Rahmi M. Koç Museum, which served as the anchor moulding workshop for the Haliç Shipyard during the Ottoman reign in the 19th century. It currently holds a reputation for being Turkey’s first museum dedicated to Transport, Communications and Industry. The main dining hall on the museum property is Café Du Levant, which takes you back to 1930s Paris with its décor, romantic details and French cuisine. Located in the museum’s garden, Café Du Levant is a great place to have coffee with mousse au chocolat or to enjoy a thoroughly French meal with a glass of wine. Another ideal location to taste light snacks during your visit to the museum is Demlik Kafe, located inside the Automobile gallery. Decorated with antique tea sets and porcelains, Demlik Kafe offers coffee, tea and sandwiches during the hours that the museum is in operation. With its sailor-inspired décor and Mediterranean menu, Halat Restaurant is another eatery located in the Rahmi M. Koç Museum. Taste Turkish and foreign wines along with dishes like the roasted lamb chops with yogurt served with vegetable tart and potatoes, and enjoy the beautiful Haliç view from Halat’s terrace in the summer. Bar Bar Rossa, an English pub located on the museum grounds that provides alcoholic beverages to Halat Restaurant, was decorated with antiques from Rahmi M. Koç’s private collection and is open throughout the year.
All venues are located at: Kumbarhane Caddesi 2, Hasköy, Sütlüce. www.cafedulevant.com
Café Du Levant - (0212) 369 6607. cafedulevant.com Open daily from10.00-17.00, except Mondays.
Demlik Kafe - (0212) 369 6600. Open from 10.00-17.00 on weekdays and from 10.00-19.00 on the weekends.
Halat Restaurant - (0212) 369 6616. halatrestaurant.com Open daily from 10.00-22.00, except Mondays.
Bar Bar Rossa- (0212) 369 6616. Open nightly, except Mondays.

IKBAL KAHVE - ORHAN KEMAL MUSEUM AND BOOKSTORE
Orhan Kemal was one of Turkey’s most prominent 20th-century authors. The Orhan Kemal Museum and Bookstore, where the author’s life is chronicled through photographs, letters and personal belongings, and where fans can purchase Kemal’s works, opened in 2000. Since Kemal wrote his booksand conversed with his friends at the Ikbal Kahve in Eminönü, his son converted the bottom floor of the Cihangir museum into Ikbal Kahve. Stop by here to enjoy a cup of tea and chances are you’ll find the son there, always willing to talk about his father’s work.
(0212) 292 9245-1213. Akarsu Caddesi 32 Cihangir, Taksim. Open on weekdays from 10.00-19.00. www.orhankemal.org

OTTO SANTRAL AND TAMIRANE SANTRAL ISTANBUL

Tamirane

SantralIstanbul is a cultural, arts and education centre located in the Silahtarağa Power Plant in Haliç, which was renovated by Istanbul Bilgi University. This multi-faceted centre has something for everyone, with workshops for kids, teens and adults. It’s been in operation since 2007. Otto, which is well-known for its Asmalımescit and Çeşme, Alaçatı venues, opened up an indoor location in SantralIstanbul. The menu offers international flavours (they’re especially well-known for their hazelnut vodka). They serve everything from the Otto Burger to Salmon Tagliatelle to lahmacun (Turkish Pizza). Grab a seat after your gallery visit and enjoy the Cheesecake of the Day. Otto Santral also hosts musicians and DJs. Time Out Istanbu lawarded Otto Santral the “Best Interior Design” award in 2007. As for Tamirane, with metal lamps dangling from its high ceilings and its vintage-inspired DJ booth, it may seem more like a nightlife venue, but it’s actually an ambitious restaurant. The menu is comprised of mostly Mediterranean flavours with a unique presentation.
Tamirane’s bar is the place to go for cocktails, with classics such as the “Pear Margarita” and drinks you won’t find anywhere else, like the “30-spiced Tamirane Vodka.”
Both venues are located at: Eski Silahtarağa, Elektrik Santralı, Kazım Karabekir Caddesi 2/6, Eyüp.
Otto Santral - (0212) 427 1889. Open from 10.00-02.00 on weekdays and from 10.00-04.00 on the weekends. www.otto-restaurant.com
Tamirane - (0212) 311 7309. Open from 10.00-24.00 Monday-Thursday, from 10.00-02.00 Friday-Saturday and from 10.00-22.00 on Sunday. www.tamirane.com

CAFÉ ARTE - ARTE ISTANBUL ART GALLERY
Opened in 2008, the Arte Istanbul Art Gallery (Arte Istanbul Sanat Galerisi) is the city’s first sculpture gallery, located in the heart of Beyoğlu. While you’re enjoying the sculptures in the garden (weather-permitting), grab a seat at Café Arte for a light snack or stay for a while and sample from their delicious daily lunch specials.
(0212) 292 8045. Kumbaracı Yokuşu, Tercüman Çıkmazı 16/1, Beyoğlu. Open daily from 09.00-18.00, except Sunday.www.arteistanbul.com

SAAT KULESI KAFE - DOLMABAHÇE PALACE MUSEUM
Located in the well-manicured garden of the Dolmabahçe Palace, next to the Clock Tower, the café offers reasonably priced dishes like tost (grilled cheese sandwiches) and hamburgers, though their beverage menu is more extensive. After touring the beautiful gardens of the former residence of the Ottoman Sultans and then the President of theTurkish Republic, enjoy the Bosphorus view for as long as the weather permits.
(0212) 236 9000/1279. Dolmabahçe Caddesi, Beﬂiktaş. Open daily from 09.00-22.00. www.dolmabahcepalace.com

Originally published in the Novembe 2010 issue of Time Out Istanbul in English.

Refika’s fusion recipes for the soul

2011-09-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

From psychology to culinary arts, Turkish chef Refika Birgül’s life has taken her on quite a journey. She shares her love for life and cooking, her fusion recipes and the perfect mistakes she’s made along the way. Erin Zeynep Güler-Tuck

Istanbul has been a home-sweet-home to many civilizations, their cultures and their cuisine. It would be a shame not to embrace all these cuisines under one roof. Chef Refika Birgül seems to have done just that in her kitchen, and in her bilingual cooking book, Refika’nın Mutfağı/Cooking New Istanbul Style. Embracing her love for cooking at a young age with the encouragement of her mother and older brother, she took to an undergraduate education in psychology, then a job in advertising, and straight into medicine, until she landed back where she had started: in the kitchen, simmering on her past and fulfilling the culinary creations of her dreams.

When and how did your love affair with cooking begin?
My love affair with cooking started at the age of 15. But I really got into it three years ago when I got my own house. When you are with your parents, it’s hard to cook food and do a lot of things, because they’ll like it or won’t like it, but friends accept you as you are, you have time, you want to entertain. Basically, after I moved into my house, all I had was an IKEA bedroom, cushions and towels, and the kitchen was complete. I wrote my first business plan on opening a restaurant when I was 22, while I was working with ifPeople, Pelin Serra. We were planning on opening a meze place like Wagamamas. I think that’s still a very nice plan. What I realized through interviews is that in Turkey, some mothers don’t let their kids in the kitchen, and I really didn’t understand why...maybe because [the mother] wants to make things as perfect as possible. And the girl, let’s say, can’t dice the tomatoes properly, and the mother says “ah, leave it, I’ll do it.” I think this is something that takes away from the kitchen. Luckily, I didn’t have that experience, plus my mom was working so hard and it was a gift to her to have someone else cook. Actually, the first person that led me into imaginative cooking was my brother. He’s 4 years older than me.

Have you ever made a mistake in the kitchen? What do you do about these mistakes and what happens when you don’t get the desired outcome of your recipes?
I think we have to embrace making mistakes in every aspect of our lives. It’s how people learn how to walk. In order to move on in life, as real as moving on, making mistakes is a part of it. When I want to make something perfect, I really go crazyand just can’t do it. When I want to make something nice, then I make it great. Perfectionism is in my soul. I want everything to be in my control. But I don’t believe there is the perfect chicken or perfect stir-fry, there are so many variables there, and those variables are so interchangeable.When you ruin something, you learn more than you’d learn had you made it great the first time. You start to learn what you did wrong, and in the kitchen, to be able to make something out of the ruins is also a part of pushing yourself to be better. Also, my business strategy teacher, HasanYılmaz, the youngest CEO of Unilever, said he wouldn’t hire a guy who always had successes in life, but rather, a guy who instead had a failure and came back from it. That is the spirit of the journey itself.

What is it about Istanbul’s food that makes it so authentic and unique? The cultures within it probably are what [make] it so unique. I see Ottomans as the first and the best fusion kitchen ever. The fusion, in fact, evolved in 500-600 years because it was also on the Spice Road. The culture that dominates the world basically gets all the best things from the world, it was once England, and then it was America. The word 'fusion' came from California because a lot of people were immigrating there, and there were lots of different foods. London is now, gastronomically, the best place. As we know, they never had great food. But basically, what happened was that other cultures poured in, and then contracted the culture. Istanbul has always been the most appealing city. The Ottomans brought the whole world here. The food was always a mixture of religions and cultures. They go together. When we walk around [the Kuzguncuk neighbourhood], there’s a church, synagogue and a mosque, all near each other. You cannot find such a thing anywhere in the world. Very naturally, I think this affects the food. I think this is what makes Istanbul food fascinating. What happened was, after the Ottoman Empire collapsed, Turkey closed its borders in order to heal its wound. Very recently, the new generation went abroad and saw and brought many [things back with them]. What they also discovered when they ate abroad, was how good [the local] food is and how fascinating it is. At some point, it [seemed that] when you [went] to a very good restaurant, you [ate] French food or Italian food in Turkey; it was something that displeased me and made me very sad. Now people started to realize this, and you are starting to see cool Turkish food in cool restaurants, like Çanga, the one that started it.

What is “fusion” andwhat role does itplay in your cookingstyle and the dishesyou prepare? I’m one of those people who has been abroad and whose had an American education in Turkey, so, what basically happens is that you can look at [your culture] as a person who is born into it, and as a foreigner - we have the chance to look at it both ways. My fusion is Turkish food fused with world [cuisine], and food with life. It is in my nature to mix things. I like food being a basic, but a beautiful part of life. That’s why the food is not only recipes, that is why the ingredients are so important; the kitchen and how you present [the food] is so important. Because it’s all a part of the joy you get out of cooking. For things to be able to continue, like a company to survive by making money, a tradition can survive if it brings joy and happiness. It’s probably like your mother tongue. Even if you learn 5 languages, the language that you learned from ages 1-5 is the mother tongue, it’s the language you can grasp things easily in. I think food is a similar thing. The food you eat when you are a child, it’s the taste that we have had for years and years, so if you relate to that, that gives you a deeper, more genuine experience.

How do emotions and your feelings for those you cook for become a part of your cooking? What is the "Invisible Ingredient"?
Some chefs, or people who like to cook never go out and see the reactions of the people who eat their food. That, I personally do not understand. People’s reactions to my cooking intrigue me, and they really feed me. My own emotions feed my way of cooking. It’s really the 'Invisible Ingredient,' you don’t add anything different to the food. I think it’s magical; I don’t have much to say about how it works. It’s really magical and it happens. The relationship between the one that cooks and the one that eats is very important. That’s why I don’t think about opening a restaurant anymore, because you lose that at some point.

Do you mostly focus on cooking with local ingredients or can people all over the world enjoy cooking your fusion recipes? The beautiful thing about globalization is, in most of the big cities, you can find [lots of different] ingredients. If I want an Arabic ingredient, I can find it, Japanese, Chinese. They bring it via the Internet. But some of the ingredients in the book are very locally made. It’s important to have a specific filo dough. To find that, it might be a bit hard. We almost know the basics of Italian or French cooking, even though we don’t know how to cook it on our own. But Turkish cooking is really different, maybe not as different as Arabic cooking. For a Lebanese person, they can find all this ingredients; it does depend on the country. But basically, it is the idea, the spirit that [people] can be inspired by.

Your cookbook doesn’t look like other cookbooks? What was the inspiration for the eccentric design? When I was in university, I thought I’d get into advertising. When I was 18, I started to work with Medina Turgul DDB, one of the best advertising agencies ever. It was a great experience. I think it’s those times that helped me to look at things and how they can be easily read, the colours etc. The design of the book - to find someone who would do that was a process [in] itself. And it took a year to settle the design. [For] every page, there were at least 10-15 revisions.

What are some words of wisdom to novice cooks just starting out? Never push yourself. Do the things you love; if you like making bread, just make bread for a while. Do not ask 'Why?' ask 'Why not?' Never throw anything away. I hate throwing food away. Push yourself to find other uses for it and be happy not throwing it away. I put stale bread into pudding and make dessert out of it.

Not many people know that you are an avid photographer. Did you also contribute photographs to the book? Half of the photographs are mine, but the other half - the magical photographs of the book - are from Alp Korfalı. He is the husband of a very good friend, and he sees me in a great way.

Quick bits about Refika
Fave Istanbul spot to cook? My mom’s house, my mom’s garden, actually. In that garden, when I was 15, I designed a lahmacun oven (similar to a pizza oven).
If you could, where would you want to cook in Istanbul? In the public space at the foot of Galata Tower.
Fave tool to use in the kitchen? Knives, I guess.
Fave Istanbul moment? Hanging out in my neighbourhood café chatting with people I know and just being - that is the ultimate freedom.
Something funny we should know about you. I am dyslexic. I cannot even write my own name from time to time. For me to have written a book was really pushing my boundaries. It’s all thanks to Microsoft Word!
Fave ingredients? Yufka (filo dough) – it’s a miracle!
Fave TV Show? This BBC 1 game show Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook really helped a lot of Brits to cook and develop their skills. And today, if London is one of the world’s culinary centres, I believe all those experiences helped.

Make a fusion meal in less than 30 minutes:
CHICKEN WITH PASTRAMI

•Chicken breast, 1 whole piece
•Turkish String Cheese, 1 big strip
•Pastrami, thick and with side paste, 6 slices
•Mint, 1 pinch
•Large toothpicks
•Teriyaki sauce
Prep and cook time: 25 minutes.
Instructions:
• Pound the chicken breast in order to make it a little larger than an A4-sized paper. If you are not experienced with pounding meat, you can ask your neighborhood butcher to do it for you.
• If you are going to do it by yourself: place a fridge bag on the chopping board, lay the chicken breast on the bag and add another layer of fridge bag over it.
• Place the pounded chicken breast in a flat-bottomed but deep bowl.
• Add the teriyaki sauce. To make sure the breast absorbs the sauce, make very thin scratches along both sides with a knife. Think of the chicken as an A4-sized paper that you will fold from the long side: lay 3 pastrami pieces on one half.
• Put the string cheese and mint on the pastrami and add another layer of pastrami.
• Fold the chicken as if you are sealing an envelope, and attach the edges together with the toothpicks.
• Pour a little oil in a pan. Cook the chicken on medium heat, covering then uncovering the lid - on and off with 2-minute intervals for 10-12 minutes, so that the insides will be cooked but it will not be too juicy.
Enjoy!

The Refika’nın Mutfağı/Cooking New Istanbul Style cookbook can be purchased at all major bookstores in Istanbul and on idefix.net. Visit Refika’s fun-filled, user-friendly website for more recipes and tips in the kitchen, www.refikaninmutfagi.com

Previously published in the July 2010 issue of Time Out Istanbul in English.

Breaking the electronic sound barrier

2011-09-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

From asking her fans to vote on the set lists for her current world tour to receiving fan tweets on her collar while walking down the red carpet at the Grammys, Imogen Heap’s original style, journey and passion for engineering sound has put her in an electronic league of her own. Zeynep Guler-Tuck & Seda Pekçelen

You won a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for your last album "Ellipse." What was that like? I got told while I was doing a gig in New York. It was November, at the end of my last tour. It came as a surprise when they told me on stage,and I was beside myself with excitement. The audience’s first question was 'what are you going to wear?' That’s what a girl thinks about when she’s told she is going to a special night. I wanted to include the social media side as well as the fans that helped me through the process. This award really meant something to me. I had funded my last record by re-mortgaging my flat and now I had the money to buy my old family house. It was quite a transformation. Winning for engineering made it all really worthwhile since it was done in the basement of that house where I built my studio. I had worked amongst professionals in the studios for years,and I had learned how to do it on my own. They listened to my record and thought it sounded great. I almost felt embarrassed for winning it because I’m not a 60-year old engineer, I’m still in the early stages.

Tell us more about this Twitter dress that you wore at the Grammys…I wanted a theme with the dress. I had never watched the show or knew what they were about till about 4-5 years ago. Last Grammys, I wore something outrageous. It was a dress made by a fan. I thought it would be a rock n’ roll affair, but it was hyper-commercial, and everyone was taking it seriously. I wore a frog in my hair on the red carpet. This time around, I was aware of what I was going to be facing. I wanted to walk down the red carpet with something interesting. I wanted it to be a combination of tech and engineering, with LED lights and screens because I was proud of the engineering nomination. I also wanted to bring the fans down the carpet with me. On the red carpet, I wasn’t alone, fans were sending constant messages to the collar of my dress, the plastic handbag allowed fans to load images to my Twitpic account. It was so much fun being able to look down at my bag and see photos of my fans. I was just about to go onto the red carpet and still couldn’t figure out the wi-fi problem, this was right before receiving the award. So we just closed the laptop that I was syncing with and it suddenly started to work. Tweets started to feed around my neck. We had to bypass the red carpet and go directly to the award ceremony. We got in the door and they said my name and I asked, 'What’s going on,' and my manager said 'you’ve won!' I ran down the aisle like a streak of lightening and got onto the stage all flustered. I didn’t know where I was supposed to be. I fumbled something about not making the Twitter dress work, thanked everyone and walked off stage. Then everyone shouted,'You’re going the wrong way.' I hada biodegradable umbrella, when I reversed backward, I got the umbrella caught in a girl’s hair.

You are an avid blogger and you have written about the recording process for ‘Ellipse.’ What do you think about the relationship between social media, blogs and music? My love affair with blogging and being connected to people who make my career possible - the fans – started 7 years ago. I was talking to my Webmaster, James, and he said 'you should start blogging and talking online to fans, they’d love to hear about your process and stuff.' So I set up a blog and after writing a post, within minutes I had a response back, and suddenly everything changed. It seemed like there was a physical war and a barrier between the fans and me, and I didn’t know who they were. I felt misrepresented in the press, I didn’t enjoy that side of it. I enjoyed being online and experiencing the recording side of things with people online, that struck a chord with me. People buying records should hear about the process of making them. Some people didn’t want to spoil the surprise, others relished in the fact that they could go through the ups and downs and struggles with the artist. They helped me get through the making of the record. I did it on my own, and was sharing it with people along the way.

Was your family interested in music and arts while you were growing up? For instance, what were your parents listening to at home while you were growing up? We kind of made our own music. We had two pianos in the living room, and my sister, brother and I all played on the piano. My mom was quite good on the guitar. My dad couldn’t improvise for the life of him. He would play musicals, some Scott Joplin, and would sight-read jazz or classical music. I would say we were a musical family, yeah. We didn’t listen to popular music. It was perfectly normal for me to gravitate toward the piano. That was my thing. My real passion was improvisation on the piano and making pieces of music. At twelve, I discovered an Atari computer with music software on it. My brain exploded with the possibilities. Now I could hear these pieces that were in my head without having to get an orchestra to play them for me. Then, in high school, at 16, I got involved with the end of year CD. Typical me decided I didn’t need help. Since our school had a recording studio, I learned how to record and make some songs. You can still listen to them, 'Alien,' and, 'Missing You.' My current manager heard these songs and drove me around to a few different record labels, and I just got started. I wasn’t interested in being a singer. I decided I’d give it a go for a year, cause I thought it’d be nice to earn some money and not have to rely on my family anymore. I was 17, I had my own place, and I was making records.

You have aneducation inclassical musicbut you decided tobranch out intoalternative music. Howdid this happen? What was your influence? When I was studying classical music, it didn’t go any further than school. I just got my grades on the three instruments I played - clarinet, cello and piano - and that’s all. My goal was to travel the world with my own orchestra and make my own music. When the element of voice and the songwriting side of things got involved, I started enjoying the scope and using technology. I started seeing that there were other sounds I could use, and that they didn’t fit into classical or pop anymore. I made songs using these sounds. It was never band-driven, or like anything you hear on the radio.

What are your plans for the summer? Any plans to record a new album? This summer [2010], I’m writing music for an orchestra to be performed at Abbot Hall. It’s a film score for a project I’m putting together. When I finish the tour, I’ll announce it and make a website. Its aim is to get anyone who fancies to get involved by taking a photo of why they love earth and send it to the website. Then, over 3-4 months, we will collect the footage and edit it together to make a 30-minute piece about the earth. I want people at our shows to see this and be so in love with the planet that they will want to treat it like a family member, not just a stranger. The plan is to release it just like the French film 'Home,' where it’ll be shown to a packed theatre every night for free. It’ll be the first time I’ll be conducting an orchestra. We’ll open the show with this piece.

You have been involved with some charity work. Can you elaborate on some of these projects?
I was doing this conference called PopTech in Camden in May. I had just rehearsed 3 songs and hadn’t had the time to do any more. At the end of it, they asked if I could play anything else. I said 'no, but I can improvise something.' I asked people for a key and a melody. I made this piece of music that was like 5-6 minutes long and everyone absolutely loved it. They loved seeing the process of how a melody came about. Someone came to me after the show and asked if they could use the song for their charity. I said 'yes.' I could make something easily, inspired by the audience, and create a piece of music that could be downloaded for charity. Audiences can help their own town by inspiring a piece of music. I love this local-based charity idea. We need to help each other and our families, and treat the earth the way we want to be treated. I really believe that home is where it should start.

Previously published in the July 2010 issue of Time Out Istanbul in English.

Time Out Istanbul in Eng - July 2010

Imogen Heap Interview- Jul 2010 - Page 1

Imogen Heap Interview- Jul 2010- Page 2

Blogsherpa Carnival # 17 - "Feel Good" Travel

2010-12-31T02:45:00.000-08:00

Song and Dance for the Soul

It's no secret that Cambodia is a war-torn country riddled with extreme poverty and devastated by the legacy of a corrupt ruler and the deaths of over 3 million affluent citizens. Little bare babies play in small lakes of muddy water, unable to enjoy their backyards for fear of stepping into their doom as the mines that litter the fields across the country still echo the after effects of war. This was our “scenic” view as we entered Siem Reap, having crossed into Cambodia from the fruitful simplicity of Laos. But this tale is not a sad one. This story, what we experienced first-hand and what moved us, is a hopeful and heartfelt one - a typical narrative that emerges from countries that have teetered on the brink of complete annihilation and still survived.

Upon arriving in Siem Reap, Cambodia, we settled into a guesthouse. We had met some friends from the Netherlands en route from Laos, and decided to take a walk around the city with them. February in Cambodia was hotter than hot, with sweat dripping from our brows, we hurled ourselves into the cool solace of a nearby shopping mall. Just like any other over-consumptive society, there was more variety then you could ask for, from soft drinks to junk food, to...beer? Now there's a thought!
We managed to pry ourselves out of the frigid shopping complex and immerse ourselves, ever so modestly, into the culture for the next 4 days. That’s when we happened upon the ACODO (Assisting Cambodian Orphans and the Disabled Organization). In our 3rd day in Siem Reap, us overexcited, attention-deficit travellers were seeking something new, perhaps a traditional Khmer performance, we thought. We asked the knowledgeable owner of the guesthouse, and he pointed to a little postcard sitting on the reception desk. The ACODO Orphanage hosted a Khmer performance, and other dances, every night at 19.30 for visitors. When we agreed to go, we notified the owner, and thanked him for his suggestion. Before we left, he asked if we wouldn’t mind taking a bag of clothing and supplies along with us. This was the first hint into what would become, and continue to be, an education on Cambodian culture and society- one that we welcomed with open arms…and that apparently was ready to welcome us too... We squeezed into a tuk tuk and arrived at the orphanage, on a dark, rickety street. As we slowly took steps towards the dimly lit entrance, then opened the door, it felt like we had opened the doors to the Yellow Brick Road, as little children, between ages 2-18, came running towards us with excitement and huge smiles on their faces. Who were these little barefoot strangers who welcomed us into their home without hesitation? We later found out that many of them were the children of parents who had undergone great psychological duress in the aftermath of the Pol Pot era and the Killing Fields, and could no longer care for their children. There were also children who had been burned, disabled and needed assistance, and ACODO cared for them all.

First off, the coordinators at ACODO told us the history of the orphanage that was founded by Mr. Hengchhea Chheav. Then they took us around to see the orphanage. The two large wooden planks that sat against each wall and lines of mats along them signalled to the need for improved sleeping conditions.

The floors were damp as the children walked around barefoot, some carrying smaller kids in their arms, but always smiling. We were distracted from our surroundings to a stage. The children ushered us towards seats, and the show began. Music filled the room, and the children took the stage; dancing and singing in a perfectly choreographed performance of hope. It’s almost hard to hold the tears still. The dance show was almost professional, except for the adorable faces peeking through the curtains, watching their friends dance on stage, and they all just looked overjoyed to be performing for an audience. It didn’t seem like a chore to have to perform it each night. We were later told that there were nights when people didn’t show up to watch them. Well, you can imagine the disappointment. For a mere $10, these young orphans treated us to the most beautiful Khmer performance. After the show, all the performers proudly gathered on stage for their bows and for a farewell song.

Luckily, we got to spend some time with them afterwards. These were ten precious minutes that we’ll always remember. How can you forget the faces of almost 50 orphans smiling back at you, singing, giggling and playing? With heavy feet, we made our way out of the orphanage and back to our guesthouse. However, we knew that this wasn’t the last that we would see of these children. The effects of the feelings we had in the following days and months can only be measured by what we chose to do once we got home. After a year of travelling through some of the most exciting and uplifting countries, Cambodia was the one that compelled us to act. Once we got home, while immersing ourselves in the over-consumptive wedding sector, we made one decision. We knew that ACODO was providing the children with the care, nutritious food, education and the shelter they needed to grow up as healthy, happy people, we just wished that there were something more we could do to help out. The $10 donation we had made to ACODO that night just wasn’t enough. Instead of asking our loved ones for donations, we made a donation to ACODO on behalf of the guests who attended our wedding in lieu of wedding favours. That way, we were able to expand the web of people that knew about these children and that wanted to support them like we did. It was easy, a wire transfer later, one day we received photos from ACODO of the kids on their field trip to the beach. We now regularly updates about how they relocated to better facilities, where they were able to construct better accommodation quarters and classrooms. Every year, our family has become accustomed to supporting the ACODO Orphanage. Does it feel good? Yes. And to know that our serendipitous quest for entertainment one night along our travels led us to these kids - who taught us so much about humanity and who changed our perspectives on the world - makes it all that much more worthwhile.

I couldn’t resist including their website, because the kids' photos and stories are unbelievable. www.acodo.org

In addition to lonelyplanet.com, this posting is also featured as a part of the Lonely Planet Blogsherpa Travel Carnival. Every two weeks one of Lonely Planet's favorite bloggers becomes the editor of a series of postings all centred on the same theme. This week’s editor is Simi at See Simi and the declared theme is, "Feel Good" Travel. So visit See Simi as of December 30 to read what the Blogsherpas came up with.

For the Holidays

2010-12-12T09:23:00.000-08:00

This holiday season, I'm afraid I've got bad news for Santa...no gifts for me underneath the tree, since I've been naughty and neglected my dear blog for much too long! It's just not right and I'm ashamed. But, on the brink of a new year, my new resolution (although I hate to make promises that aren't so easy to keep, especially when "life" gets in the way), that I will update my blog more often.
Why haven't I been able to update it more regularly now that I am actually in the business of writing, publishing and all that jazz? Well, it's just that...when you do something as your job, 24/7, thinking and dreaming about it...well, you can't help but associate it with "work." I know, I know, that was a pretentious thing to say. Cause that's something I've heard musicians say. And yes, I know that I am not a rich and famous writer, actor, singer-songwriter or digital music mixer...but, if your days are constantly filled with thinking up interesting articles to write, publish or edit, and always writing, always editing and always thinking about words...
...What do you want to do when you come home, or in your spare time? Absolutely NOTHING to do with words. In my case, I choose Conan and the thousands of Hollywood movies that I would never pay to watch in the theatres, but instead rent to watch at home after a long day at work.
And what suffers? My blog. My source of communication with the rest of the world.
Well, not anymore! I'm going to be back on the horse, updating this baby until the cows come home, so keep your faith in me and stay tuned in 2011! And happy holidays to all of you and your loved ones. Thanks for following!

BUT WAIT! Before I'm off, I'd like to share a tidbit for the holiday season. A couple of years ago, my husband, Joe and I were walking down the constantly crowded and entertaining Istiklal Avenue in Istanbul, and we saw a man in a Santa outfit.
Why were we so shocked to see him? Since Turks don’t celebrate Christmas, New Year's has become the holiday of choice; a time to clink glasses with our loved ones, even a time to enjoy a turkey dinner, decorate the tree and open presents. But nowadays, since the world now deems Christmas and all the iconic imagery that comes along with it commercial rather than a part of the Christian faith, Santa and everything "Christmas" has been incorporated into the New Year's theme. Thus, Istanbul celebrates their version of Christmas, fully loaded with Christmas trees, Christmas lights, Christmas presents and of course, Christmas Santa on New Year's. So, when I saw Santa this year, standing in the same spot as before, I smiled.
What was he doing there? On New Years, the National Lottery Administration has a special New Years lottery. This year, the prize is 35 million lira. And who better to sell off these festive lottery tickets than…Turkish Santa himself. So, if you are hanging out in Istanbul during the holidays, passing through Istiklal on your way to meet up with friends for a drink, or do some last minute New Year's shopping, why not try your luck at the jolly grand prize!?!

Join the Travel Community

2010-01-30T00:03:00.000-08:00

Calling All Travellers!

Lonely Planet invites you to join our Travelers’ Pulse Panel!

Our panel is a discussion forum where we engage travelers and listen to what you have to say about travel – where to go, how to plan, and other creative travel ideas. We’ve always got interesting topics up for you to comment on, like our current survey on what you’re looking for when you take a trip to a theme park.

Joining the panel is free and if you’re accepted to be a panelist, we’ll send you a free Lonely Planet 2010 calendar as a gift to welcome you on board! Not only will you get to talk about travel, but we regularly run promotions exclusively for panelists where you can win prizes like Lonely Planet products and Amazon gift cards.

If you’d like to join this panel (numbers are limited) all you need to do is click the link below and take a short survey to register. We’ll look at your responses and depending on your age, travel experience and country of residence you might be one of the people we’re looking for! The type of people we need on the panel changes from time to time, so if you aren’t suitable for our panel this time we may contact you to participate in future.

https://www.travellerspulse.com/R.aspx?a=56&Source=BLOG

Thanks again!

Regards,

The Lonely Planet Travelers’ Pulse team

A retrospective: The journey leading to the journey

2009-11-06T17:49:00.000-08:00

“The new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global village” -Marshall McLuhan (Canadian communications theorist)

Brace yourselves, this one's going to be a little touchy feely.

Into the first week of the Expedition 206 voting process I was attending a book reading that was part of Toronto’s literary festival, and a complete stranger approached me and said, “I know you.” I am not going to lie and say this has never happened to me before, because it’s a common occurrence when you are out and about in your hometown. You are bound to run into your old pre-school peers, ballet classmates or hockey coaches, so with this in mind, I began thinking back. Just as my brain started flying through the proverbial Rolodex of my past, trying to figure out where I knew this guy from, he offered, “You’re the Coca Cola girl.” I laughed. I guess I was, to him. He explained how he had received an email about Expedition 206 from a Turkish-Canadian Yahoo group he was a member of, and assured me that him and his friends would vote for me every day. I was smiling from ear-to-ear, almost speechless until my mouth decided to do the right thing. I thanked him, hugged him and tried, in few words, to express my humble gratitude for his gift of ‘support.’ To feel the warmth of a stranger’s words say “I support you,” was heart-warming, to say the least. As the link of people rallying for us increased, the international community we seemed to have built began to grow. From China to the USA, from Canada to Australia and all the way to Turkey, we were connecting the dots from my hometown to Greer’s to Brendan’s and back. We were creating a journey of ideas and common goals: To help Team WOW! travel around the world, all through word-of-mouth. It was almost like our name and our team was already traveling at light speed from one continent to another. How did each person come to trust our mission, who we were and what we were all about? Where did this trust come from, how did it get nurtured and how has it flourished through these 16-days? To think that through supporting Team WOW! my aunt supports Greer, Brendan’s cousin supports me, and Greer’s friends support Brendan is odd but instills the feeling of a worldwide community of sorts (in the essence of Marshall McLuhan's quote above.) With their ongoing gestures of kindness, our ever-expanding networks of devoted friends, family, co-workers, teammates, acquaintances and strangers have become a part of our realities. Is this really for real though? Although the virtual hand of each of these supporters has been extended to us in a time when we have needed it, there is no difference between real and virtual when the end result is the same: a vote, sometimes 6 votes, that could change our lives indefinitely. However, online votes were not the only form of support that we received, people got creative with how they showed their love. To hear that Brendan’s cousin had started and was managing a Facebook group on our behalf was the first step towards an understanding of how much larger this project was then just the single members of Team WOW! It continued with Coca Cola Turkey’s help with having our story published in major national newspapers across Turkey. With the recognition Greer received through her Sydneysider community, Ogilvy in Brazil and the enjoyment people around the world got from the creepy crawlies and reptiles she tamed on camera, the list goes on. To know that Team WOW! had reached out to at least 500 people worldwide who committed their time and energy to helping us achieve something outstanding may be one of the most selfless, silent fits of collective activism I’ve been involved in. I keep asking this, and sometimes I know the answer, and sometimes I have no clue, “what did we do to deserve this?” The reality was that I remember standing beside Brendan during our week in Atlanta and we said to eachother, in unison, “every thing we have ever done, all the languages we’ve learned, the places we’ve visited, the education we’ve received, the talents we’ve practiced, the people we’ve met, have all been leading up to this moment.” And we stood there, together, as a team, in silence, with the knowledge that no matter what happened, we had been allowed to partake in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. And it has been AWESOME! Haha.

We hope that you were entertained by the Daily WOW!s we shot and presented to you from our respective communities. It was the least we could do to thank each of you for having such big hearts and always reminding us that we were doing the right thing, that we deserved all of this and that you would love us no matter what. I would personally like to thank my husband, Joe. Am I ever glad I married you! Thanks for keeping me both grounded and on cloud nine all at the same time! You amaze me. My friends and family, your support throughout my life has been my greatest asset. To the Turkish community all over the world, your love and open arms is all I’ll ever need to feel connected to you wherever I go in this world. I am so proud of my heritage. Coca Cola and Ignition, this experience would not have been possible without your belief in our talents, our abilities and our teamwork. Thank you for bringing us together, we had a blast! To the Atlanta 18 (I guess I’m including myself), you rocked my pre-wedding celebrations, that week we spent together will be engraved in my mind as one of the best, most inspiring and exhilarating weeks of my life! I love you guys completely-is it possibl to feel like a family in 7 days?!? Finally, to my teammates. Greer, not only did you confirm your strengths as our willing and able project manager, but your “guerilla” tactics, fearless prowess and openness to everything truly impressed me. Am I ever lucky to have met a smart, driven, hilariously witty sweetheart like you! And Brendan, you crazy cat! Your talent in front of and behind the camera inspired me to no end. Your loveable personality and ability to make people laugh were characteristics I already knew you had, but to see your interaction with your students and your ability to enjoy the simplicity of a morning bike ride truly added a different, more profound dimension to the Sea Bass persona. I thank you both for teaching me so much in the short time we, literally and virtually, spent together.

To the Team WOW! Community (I like the ring of that), for fear of sounding cliché, you got us to where we are are! Thank you.

WOW! Takimi’ni destekleyenlere tesekkurler. Biz sizin sayenizde buradayiz!

Merci a les personnes qui on votez pour Equipe WOW! Nous sommes ici parce que vous avez nous donner une chance!

In conclusion, I repeat, and ensure that I NEVER lose sight of this one feeling: I am just happy to be here.

The world has smiled at me and I'm smiling right back!

2009-10-23T13:21:00.001-07:00

Ever since I got that email saying "CONGRATULATIONS, as you have been selected to join us in the next phase of Expedition 206", my life has gone though the spin cycle of a washing machine. Almost as if I am watching the character "Erin Zeynep Guler (now Tuck)" get launched into a series of activities that will define her for this moment in time and change her forever. It's fascinating! Scary? Not as much as I thought it would be. Exhilarating? Most definitely, and fully loaded with moments that mimic the fluttering butterflies you get in your stomach every three minutes as you soar high above, swaying in the wind while dangling from a parasail.

I wake up each morning, first look over with a sigh of relief at Joe sleeping soundly beside me, and then up at the ceiling, wondering how I got here. Disbelief likes to join me during these heavy pondering sessions. Then Peace makes its way into the session and everything calms down. I remember all the things that led up to this moment. The 22 glorious countries Joe and I traveled to from May 2008 to May 2009. The people we met along the way were some whom we still keep in touch with, and others who had a profound effect on our perspectives of the places we visited for only those moments in time. The food, smells, authenticity and truth in each country found it's spot in the Rolodex of our minds. We still remember where we had the most delicious waffles or how we felt when we took our first sip of Chinese spirits. We remember the crisp air in Grindelwald, Switzerland amongst the Swiss Alps, and we just can't forget the cool turquoise waters of Kaputas Beach along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. I am simply naming only a few highlights of a year-long commitment to "the world." 22 countries embraced us and kept us safe for that time, we felt alive, vivid and always in-tune with our surroundings. Knowing that there is even a third of a chance that I may get to be invited back to the world on this expedition sends my heart on a race and my smile begins to grow. Is the world so generous? The number "206" rings in my head. Can this be happening to me? Do I deserve it all? I must have done some wonderful things along the way...

When I think further back then last year, I know that everything that my parents provided for me, the way I persevered through adversity, the performances that moved me, all the friendships I was lucky enough to keep, the family members I gained the trust of, the languages I worked hard to learn, the education I put hours of my time into and got back tenfold from, the sports I sweat over while winning or losing, the offices I traveled to each morning and back from each night, all the music I played and created, every day I spent with my husband, and all the words that spilled onto this keyboard were all leading up to this moment. All I have said, and will continue to say is that "I am just happy to be here." So I thank those who, for the last 4 days, have come along for the ride and put timeless effort into spreading the word about our team and about this opportunity to everyone they know. I have shelter from the drizzle outside, a cozy bed to share, warm clothes to wear, food in the fridge and the support of loved ones from all over the world...what more can a girl ask for?! Today the world is smiling at me...I can't resist...of course I smile back.

I'm ready to embark on this journey...come along for the ride!

2009-10-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Here's my current life philosophy: When we are faced with a moment that makes us realize everything in our lives, from past to present, from childhood to adulthood, and from before and right now, has culminated in one moment...this is when we must sit back and just say WOW!

In one week my life changed irreversibly. In that one week I began to form a more chiseled version of myself. By no means am I a statuesque person, but we all have the ability to change and to become someone better than we were before. That's what I decided and began to do. All in one week, the decisions and changes I had made throughout my life all exploded in a cacophony of gratitude, love, joy and excitement. And of course, change.

"What happened in that week, tell us now!?" you urge. I oblige.

On October 3rd, I was flown down to Atlanta, Georgia, USA for a week-long interview with Coca Cola. Their mission was to find a team of three individuals who will travel to 192 UN-recognized countries and 14 other territories in 365 days helping spread one of the most contagious conditions known to mankind: happiness. Beginning January 1st, 2010, EXPEDITION 206's goal is to delve into the core of what makes people happy. Through daily stories, images, videos and thoughts from the travelers, as well as interviews conducted along the journey, this challenging yet incredibly rewarding mission will be shared with the world via several social media platforms.

"Then what happened that week?" you ask.

On October 11th in a converted Mason's church in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, I married the man of my dreams, my best buddy and my favourite travel partner, Joe Tuck. With a ceremony that included a 6-piece band called "Guck 75" we were wed and walked back down the aisle as husband and wife to "Lovely Day". By night we rocked and rolled, enjoyed some baklava and a bellydancer. We danced till we just couldn't dance anymore. So when I say that my life changed in one week, well, I wasn't yanking your chain!

With a newlywed glow, I am proud to say that out of the 18 people who I was lucky enough to meet and work with in Atlanta, from all across the world with backgrounds in advertising, writing, filmmaking and photography, I have been chosen to be part of 1 of the 3 teams (9 people in total) advanced to the second phase of the selection process! Can you believe it?

For this incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, my teammates and I, for the next week, will be working hard to rally our communities and the world for votes. If we get chosen, this would mean that all the work we have put in, all the overnight editing sessions, crazy things we did on camera and all the energy we put into this project will all be rewarded. This will also mean that we get to be a part of something truly unbelievable and unprecedented.

On Wednesday, October 21st, Coke launched a worldwide media campaign and a worldwide vote on videos that we made for the competition. The worldwide vote will determine the winners of the competition.

My teammates are so cool. There is the Capoeira Queen, Greer who is a gorgeous Australian with South American influence. Then there's Brendan, who, by trade, is the ultimate Rock Star in China and an extreme sports enthusiast. Oh yeah, and he will eat ANYTHING! Then there's me. I can't wait to get back on the road, living everything to its fullest and being open to whatever comes my way!

For those who love the world as much as we do and would do anything to experience, touch, feel and be part of everything it has to offer, support Team WOW! and we will represent you in 206 countries!

Here are the final details:
-Voting will began on Wednesday, October 21st at 10 am, Eastern Time (Atlanta) and end Friday, November 6th at midnight, Eastern Time (Atlanta)
-You can vote by visiting www.Expedition206.com
-We need you to vote everyday! They will count 1 vote per account (using the following accounts: Facebook, YouTube, Orkut, Twitter, Gmail, Windows Live), per browser, per day. If you have an account with each of these media sites, please vote through each of them.
-As an incentive and thanks for your support, every day we will be posting a new, whacky, crazy video called a "Daily WOW" of us doing some extraordinary things that bring us and those around us happiness. Check us out on the Team WOW! Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-WOW/169501557448#/pages/Team-WOW/169501557448

When Toronto meets Istanbul

2009-09-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

Just like a carefully woven, ornate Turkish kilim, Toronto has been blessed with the colourful woolen threads of diversity. People from all over the world collide as they call this zestfully dynamic city of lights their home. In a sense, to know this city, is to know the world. So much of our daily life, our reality and what we love about our city parallel what other people three thousand kilometers away from here love and enjoy about their own cities. In a way, we are experiencing a different version of the same moments. Knowing this breaks down the barriers of distance, making the world a bit smaller, bringing us all a little closer together.

I have written a series of articles that compare my lovely hometown city of Toronto and surrounding area to other cities I've visited throughout the world. Come along with me for the ride.

Kokorec to Street Meat

The distant cousin of the sausage, since the meat comes from similar parts of the cow instead of the pig, kokorec (pronounced “kokorech”) is a favourite among Turkish locals. The large metal dome that houses this tubular slab of meat on a skewer is either part of a restaurant’s rich offerings or can be seen moving through the busy streets of Istanbul. This tasty dish is served with or without bread, lettuce and tomatoes and is best consumed as a delicious conclusion to a night on the town.

“Street meat” or the glorified hot dog is available under umbrella covered stands across Toronto, multiplying the closer you get to major tourist attractions and the bar scene. The addition of a plethora of condiments are part of its charm, from bacon bits to sauerkraut, green olives to hot peppers along with your run-of-the-mill usual suspects, ketchup, mustard and relish. If you are tired of pimping up a boring old hot dog, Polish and Spicy Italian sausages are also cooked up to give a multi-cultural twist to this local favourite. These delightful meal replacements or grand finale’s to a weekend drinking session are a must-have for any Torontonian or tourist alike.

Leb-i Derya to Panorama

After hiking down a steep hill from one of the many alleyways along Istiklal Caddesi in Beyoglu, shortly after an elevator ride up to the 5^th floor, you will find yourself walking into a cozy, romantically lit restaurant/bar with the city lights surrounding you from ceiling to floor. When you order your drinks, and they bring a spread of nuts and olives alongside, you know you have come to the right place. Though it is out of character for such a view to come at an affordable price, this feature among many others, including the great service, gives its patrons reasons to keep coming back.

Towering over the downtown core of Toronto, boasting a view that would rival the CN Tower’s, Panorama offers a 360 degree view of the city that anyone would expect from the 51^st floor of a skyscraper. This bird’s nest restaurant/bar hosts many prestigious events and has become a hangout for anyone willing to pay a good penny for a high-class dining experience. Even though this stunning view, especially at dusk when natural lights meet the glow of the city, comes with a fairly expensive price tag, it’s well worth breaking the bank to make the trip.

Black Sea Region to The Kawarthas

Along the roads that lead you from the hustle and bustle of the highly populated streets of Istanbul, the simple line of pine trees paralleling the road make for a peaceful change. As you travel eastward, the air becomes crisper with the sweet smell of pine and everything slows down a little. Following along the Black Sea coast, it all feels and looks different. Is this Turkey, with its surplus of unique flora and fauna, rolling mountains and vast farmlands? The landscape reminds us of the Scottish highlands or even the North American countryside. The evening is the perfect time to relax at a seaside café or bar, order some delectable Karadeniz pide and soak up the lights of the towns along the coast. This coast is known for the most scenic views in the country, the salty water and the kindest people you’ll ever meet.

Vast terrains of green and quaint little towns bring the landscape of Northern Ontario together in one peaceful composition. Each mini-lake takes the name of its shape, be it Elephant, Dog or Bass, as they peak through the massive cottages and lakeside homes that are the summer residence of many well-off Ontarians. If you are lucky enough to own, rent or simply be invited to one of these glorious properties, you will be spoiled by the excitement that the water traffic has to offer during the day with seadoos, motorboats, kayaks and canoes across each lake. By night, as the mosquitoes come out to play, the adjoined lakes offer a comforting serenity that will put some to sleep and entice others to celebrate around a campfire with the melodies of a guitar, some marshmallows and good Canadian beer.

When East Meets West, Istanbul Is The Literal Definition

2009-08-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

It's not easy to cast my biased aside. Afterall, I did spend six healthy and happy years in the centre of the city everyone, for some reason, regardless of the fall of the Roman Empire, still calls Constantinople. It's a nostalgia thing, I imagine. However, the Ottomans weren't the only ones who conquered Istanbul and made it their own. I can count on my two hands the number of people I know who have arrived in the pristine, shiny new Ataturk Airport, wide-eyed and hopeful that they would survive to tell truly amazing stories about their trip to Istanbul. I've heard friends call it "the most beautiful city in the world." Of course, these are the friends who actually put the effort into discovering this part of the world that seems to be more closely associated with Asia, then Europe. When people plan their trip to Europe, it seems that they go as far as the Greek Islands and then they stop. What some seem to forget is that most of Ancient Greece, geographically, is nestled along the Aegean Coast of Turkey, and boy are there enough ruins to keep your head spinning for a couple weeks. I won't even bother mentioning the turquoise shores, the navy blue deep seas and beaches that extend forever. For now, let's stick to Istanbul.

You know the feeling of complete peace that you almost never get in a bustling, busy city populated with 12 million people? The way this city of seven-hills is oddly shaped, somehow, allows you to find a nook where you can just sit at a cafe, look out onto the Bosphorus, enjoy delicious Turkish tea (what we call "cay", pronounced "chay") and just be. Turks are very proud and enthusiastic about the "views" of their country, so when they find a place with a nice view, the world is their oyster. "Simple pleasures" is their philosophy. Food, a beautiful view, family, friends and enjoyment of life is what is baked in the sweet, creamy centre of this culture. The rest is all sugar-coating. When visitors decide to test their sense of adventure by visiting Istanbul, they get layers upon layers of civilization built right on top of the other like a wedding cake. Synagogues hover peacefully beside the minarets of the local Mosque forming a spiritual triangle completed with an ancient Roman basilica right around the corner. University students pile out of their classes after having learned about economic development during the Ottoman era or Turkey's cutting-edge healthcare system, as they congregate in areas like Kadikoy, Ortakoy, Taksim or Gulhane and exchange ideas about Ataturk, the father of Turkish democracy, Western fashion, Turkish ska music, history and politics. Women dressed in head dresses, others in mini-skirts, all lounge around the cities many public spaces. A majority of youth, some who have newly emigrated from different cities all across Anatolia, populate the streets of Istanbul, adding to the diverse city life, music and style. They all adapt to the quickly developing organism that is the "modern city of Istanbul." Always changing, never settling in. Modernity has quickly infiltrated all aspects of Turkish life. Loads of shopping malls with their futuristic architecture, an always-expanding subway system that rivals North American ones, a new university being founded each year, and more and more skyscrapers to add to the lot that already litter the cityscape of the "European side." All these constant developments vouch for the progress of this ancient city. When east meets west, Istanbul is where it gets complicated.

Caressing the waves of the Bosphorus, the snaking current of water that carves its way through both continents doesn't keep the citizens of each side apart enough to create separation anxiety, since there is an abundance of travel options. The first option is sipping Ayran (a refreshing yoghurt drink) while feeding the seagulls simit (another local favourite, a baked donut-shaped bread covered in sesame seed), seated on the white, wooden seats lining the sides of the "vapur," the large boats that traverse the strait from Uskudar to Eminonu, or Cengelkoy to Bebek. If a leisurely ride on the water is not what you are searching for, a "motor" will also ferry you across, but at two times the speed and exhaust fumes. To enjoy this trip from east to west from above, taxis, "dolmus" (minivans that pack 7-9 people) and local buses on one of the two bridges suspended across the water will get you where you want to go. Problem solved!

With the Aya Sofia, Blue Mosque and Basilica Sistern, the area called Sultanahmet has become one of the most visited spots in this city. Within the square footage of this part of town, tourists come in droves to see both empires, Ottoman and Roman, crash into one another in a impressionist melange of tulips and crosses. East not only meets West, but they have been practically married for hundreds of years already. Personifying the differences between Europe and Middle East helps reduce the complex relationship to a more simplistic one of friendship. It is safe to call one side the wife and the other side the husband. Amid their arguments and their constant bickering, their love is strong, their friendship runs deep and their co-habitation explodes in colours, structures, foods and people unlike the world has ever seen. Only when east meets west, can violence be so destructive, can faith be so decisive, can passion be so explosive and celebration be so vital. Side by side, so alive, these two histories, cultures and lifestyles make Istanbul a city that is often longed for. I feel it calling out to me now, I wish I was there, devouring its delicious foods, smiling at the gypsies selling flowers on the street or the vendors hollering "100% silk scarves" or "Real Turkish kilims for sale" at the Grand Bazaar. I miss walking down brightly lit, perfectly paved, tree-lined avenues bursting with European boutiques and American clothing stores, with a taste of home every fast food chain provides at each major intersection, Istanbul satisfies my craving for it all.

When East Meets West, Bangkok Is What It Should Look Like

2009-08-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

We are in the first hour of our 15-hour train ride from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. This is an express train yet we haven't "expressed" our way very far since we have traveled a total of 15 minutes in a whole hour and we were only going 20 kilometers per hour. We are currently waiting at a station and have been for the last 20 minutes. Who are we waiting for? Perhaps a monk to arrive, who wants to catch a ride back to Chiang Mai after his long weekend in celebration of Buddha Day. Or maybe the not-so-ominous "Thai time" reveals itself at last, with all its glory as I stare out the third class window, perched on my once-was-gray-now-is-black plastic, hard seat. I can see rats devouring the remains of food stands that were bustling with people and brimming with delicious grub during the day. Abandoned, these food stalls have become a midnight feast for rodents desperate to find a pad thai noodle or leftover prawn dressed in green curry and coconut milk. Do these rats ever have it good!? This is most definitely the furthest cry from our first class train ride through Switzerland taking us from Geneva to Zurich. With a price comparison of $130 for that ride and $10 for this one, it's hard to put things into any kind of perspective. Since concepts of time are deeply rooted in each culture, the laid back feeling that permeates on this side of the world gives the people here more time to enjoy, to reflect and to listen to their surroundings. Rush, rush, rush exists, but not in the same way that it does in Europe or North America. Thai people still like to drive fast and arrive places on time, but at a different time and at a different speed then what we are used to. Here they don't worry about something being a "waste of time", or that they spent "20 minutes of my life I'll never get back." While traveling, we try not to use terms like those since everything that happens is part of our journey and that one day when we look back, we will remember a time when "time" ceased to matter. It sure felt like that in the Thai islands, less so in the bustling city of Bangkok.

Bangkok is a capital city just like any other. Well, as long as you add the 13 tonnes of pollution that drape across the trellises of each temple and apartment building, oh yes, and the 7.5 million inhabitants, the incredible sights, streets and atmosphere of the representing city of this spiritual nation. Charismatic Thai hospitality towards tourists and ex-pats (what the Thai refer to as "farang") sees no bounds, going as far as to offer up a whole quarter within the city to the "farang." Bangalampthu, in the city centre right next to Wat Pho and the Grand Palace is where visitors call their temporary home. A small stroll down Khao San Road will convince any foreigner that this Asian city is unlike any other, lined with clothing shops, restaurants, bars, "massage parlours" and whizzing colours and shades of so much more. At night, this quarter transforms into a booming centre of celebration and bohemia. If you have any inclination to stay longer, Bangkok's irresistible lights, food and atmosphere will be sure to convince you.

On the other side of the tracks, there are locals who require less glitz and glamour in their lives. Their homes lack the luster of decorative elements, shiny counter tops or the materialism that the "farang" are so accustomed to. These people whose houses adorn one side of the railway tracks are those whose laundry lines are always full of wet clothes, those whose homes are like dominos, ready to topple over during the next storm, if there ever was one; those whose stoves are never cold or empty, crowded with steaming pots and pans; and they are those who gather around a TV under 1 mosquito net, or brave the night with a few beers, friends and a guitar who fuel the real "culture" of the city. Stray dogs, cats, rats and bugs come to visit each porch reminding the Thai of the tropical climate they all endure and share in the common need for shade from the scorching heat brought in by each new day. The citizens of the Asian continent are poor, surrounded by the richness of a culture so mysterious and unknown. But they get it, and embrace it, no questions asked. Our curiosity will always be driven towards it and we will always strive to understand it. It is this juxtaposition of east and west that sets this capital apart from any other.

Bangkok's juxtaposition of opposites don't end here, they are hidden amid the nation's loyalty to its identity, indigenous culture and King. On the street corner that connects the Thieves Market to the lights and glam of Chinatown, the image of the 60-year old monarch and his Queen stand tall, glowing with stature and pride. This confidence and pride finds musical accompaniment at each street stall and shopping mall, it joins in spirit with Western philosophies and modernity, creating a smooth synergy as both cultures collide. When east meets west, a city should not look like a modern version of its former self, it should not resemble a more civilized reconstruction of its old infrastructure, that masks everything from the past. Nor should it transform and re-interpret age-old traditions, faith and customs. It should be, and already is, a healthy harmony of one opposite living alongside the other and working to build a mosaic in the essence of the greatest masterpieces of Thai cuisine, fusing the old with the new. How about some Pad thai, incorporating the old kick with a dash of zesty new spice? Mmmmm.

I see the city lights blurring behind me as the train finally decides to begin its journey. I look back at Bangkok and promise that I will return, maybe to live someday. If only to give it one more chance to charm me.

Hear Me Roar...with my Purse of Goodies in Stow

2009-08-17T16:33:00.001-07:00

I did want to break up the momentum of my photographic journal a little with a "purse" full of goodies I sometimes HEAVILY sometimes lightly relied on, depending on the day of my cycle...oh wait...for the men that are reading this part, I know you're one word away from clicking the "x" button, shutting off your computer and running for the hills with that icky, gooey feeling of knowing that you are about to hear about menstrual cycles, makeup and all the other things "us women" apparently talk about every time we get together...am I right? For the other men who have sisters or have lived in close quarters with women their whole lives, I am hoping that you are rolling your eyes, shrugging your shoulders and saying "give me the goods, I can handle anything." Oh yeah, and that "one word" that I said some men need to hear in order to continue their denial of what 50% of the population goes through every month....P-E-R-I-O-D. There, I said it and I won't ever say it again. If you're still here, along with the fearless men who can "take anything" and the ever-more fearless women who live and breath this stuff everyday, I will now divulge the contents of this said "purse" I have mentioned above.

A Purse of Goodies Every Traveling Tigress Should Carry With Her While Conquering The World

1) Wax strips. There are some women who were born sun-kissed goddesses into this world, with their beautiful blond hair, blond arm, leg and body hair...yes men, all women have body hair, ALL OVER THEIR BODIES. Now, for these bodacious beauties, this body hair is called "peach fuzz." I wish you could see the smirk on my face as I write this. So there are blondes and there are brunettes who shouldn't call themselves brunettes since they share the same shade of "fuzz" that the blondies do, then there's the darkside of the moon. Hello, I'm here, that's me!!! Those of us that have lustrous characteristics that some of those blondies compliment by saying "you have a great olive complexion" or "wow, you have such an exotic look," which is FANTASTIC! Except for the little issue of the eyebrows, upper lip (which men like to call "moustache," thanks), the underarm, the legs, the back, the bikini line etc etc etc. So I am blessed with an "exotic look" and Amazon-thick, black "fuzz" all over. I might as well have paint thrown at me by animal activists since this fur that I'm "lucky" enough to be carrying also keeps me warm when the Canadian winters keep the rest of you freezing cold. It's the least I can say to comfort myself when my monthly "grooming" bill becomes its own separate expense on top of "groceries, cable, rent...EZ's grooming"...right. ANYWAY, many of the hair-removal brands have come out with their own waxing strips that don't need to be heated at all. You pull both sides apart and wax away. Hey, I know a good bikini wax is hard to find, so if you are loving the beautiful beaches of Thailand or Vietnam, these strips come in both upper lip size and larger arm-length size for all other parts of your body. Score! No pain, no gain. Good luck finding a waxing salon or putting up with razor burn in the scorching heat, not to mention the salacious sea water!

2) This leads me to my second grooming goody: Tweezers. Eventhough the last "goody" was a total snoozer for blondies and sort-of-brunettes, this one is a universal tool for us all. I will not stress how great these little pieces of not-so-high-tech equipment are when you are having a "grooming crisis" and after you have been trekking through the jungle, or sleeping in hostels, and you don't feel so fresh, at least you won't look as gross as you feel. Plus, if you really feel like going all Macgyver, these tweezers can get splinters out, cure ingrown hairs...you know the rest.

3) Now, this is the last "icky" and "girly" part of the list, I promise. For that time of the month, if you are traveling through Asia in specific, make sure you bring enough "stuff" along with you to last through your whole trip. Unless you are comfortable wearing a diaper-like product, which is all they have in Asia and most of the Middle East. Depending on your cycles etc, BYOS (bring your own supply). There, I said my peace, now onto the fun stuff.

4) There is an ensemble that will comfort you when all you've been wearing is baggy pants and tank tops, and haven't been worrying about sweat marks or whether rolling your pants up is fashionable or not. A non-wrinkle, or scrunchable (??) summer dress and kitten-heel shoes that are the same size and weight as regular flip flops, will work wonders. As women, I always marvel at our ability to transform ourselves from one look to another, from "the mom" look to the "sex kitten" look, and so on. If you have it in you, chances are you can make it show on the outside. So go ahead, transform away. Just because you are backpacking does NOT mean you always have to look like a backpacker.

5) The next two only apply to the lot of you who will not compromise on jewelry and make-up. These were two things I was not willing to sacrifice while backpacking. I found myself two little baggies, those organza baggies are nice, and filled one with a compact that included 2 matching shades of generic pink and brown eyeshadow, cover up and charcoal liner powder. There are so many brands out there, just pick the one that looks best on you. Next is your eyeliner, mascara, lipliner and whatever else you need to look GORGEOUS! I tried to keep it to a minimum in order to seem more like a sort-of-backpacker. It worked in Europe, especially in London and Paris, where supermodels and Armani-wearing yuppies roamed the streets, and where I felt the need to wear make-up everyday. Yikes! And I was supposed to be on vacation.

6) Jewelry. It just makes me smile. My mother raised me to love all things shiny and dangly. And so I do. Her and I still exchange necklaces, earrings back and forth. It just makes me smile! I do have to admit that I was really bad on the first leg of our trip through Europe. I think that 3 kilos of my 23-kilo backpack contained my dangly, silver, faux pearl, gemstone and cosmetic jewelry. I don't like to show any favoritism when it comes to my collection, instead I take a more democratic approach by giving each one of them a chance to shine. I like to wear ALL my jewelry if I can, not all at once of course. Although, I am sure the day will come, to JT's detriment, and I will start adorning myself with all my jewelry at once when JT and I go down to meet the others for our daily bridge sessions in the lobby of our senior's home. Today, however, I bring one less shirt to make room for my "shining stars." "What a quack!" You say. I agree. We all have our little obsessions that keep us connected to home. Each piece reminds me of where I acquired it from, or who gave it to me. Of course, those little pieces of home add up to 3 kilos, but they are mine to carry. So I don't mind.

7) Deodorant! One compact size for your purse and one normal size for your backpack. Especially if you are traveling through tropical countries and you are not blessed with underachieving sweat glands. This is for your own sake and for the sake of the others that must pass you by in the street or sit beside you on the bus. Feeling self-conscious is one thing, feeling embarrassed is completely different altogether.

8) An eye-mask and ear plugs. Please trust me on this one. You will look like a princess and you will feel stupid putting the eye-mask in particular on, but if you've ridden at least one train through China, you will know how crucial these two accessories are in order to achieve a reasonable amount of beauty sleep. It also came in EXTREMELY handy when we were on a bus in Laos, watching, or rather trying NOT to watch, Lao pop videos that were on a 1-hour loop for 14 hours straight. Lao pop can be best described as a cross between a chicken being stretched and a female cat in heat. Not that Canadian Idol is any better.

9) Bathing suit and a mini quick-drying towel. This goes along with my "Always Be Prepared" motto.

10) Nail clippers. I think I realised how important this tool was when I looked at my nicely grown-out nails and wondered how I had managed to stockpile all that gunk in there, but that was when I decided that short was the way to go, and I kept my nails that way, and clean, for the following months.

11) Wet naps, more wet naps, and even more wet naps. Because on top of the anti-bacterial hand sanitizer which is a must, these wet naps are the superheroes of any trip. They even saved us from the wafting stench of my fellow countrymen in the Blue Mosque, no offense to the utter marvel of Islamic architecture that is this house of worship and its believers, but when hundreds of people remove their shoes in the heat of July, the smell does not quite resemble that of roses. So we opened some wet naps, which almost every restaurant happily distributes in Turkey (a clever marketing strategy), put them to our noses and inhaled the equally nauseating, but better of both evils, lemon scent of the wet nap.

12) I touched upon this article when talking about the MOST important items to bring along with you while backpacking, US Dollars. This is where the money belt comes into play. Instead of storing it loose in your shoes, you can use your money belt. But, you do know that money belts don't necessarily need to be carried around the waist right? Being women with a set of breasts allows us to use these objects for a few different purposes. I'm not going to list them. I will only say that placing the money belt in, around or under the breasts is a very useful tactic and adds to the versatility of these already incredible fits of mammalism (is that a word?)

13) Finally, I won't bother mentioning a bar of soap to wash your panties and other light-weight, quick-drying clothes; I also won't stress that packing "layers" of clothes you can pile one onto the other when you get cold and take off when you get hot, like lots of tank tops, T-shirts and long-sleeved, cotton shirts, instead of heavy fleece jackets or pants is smarter and less heavy. I most certainly won't bother mentioning keeping nutrition or protein bars with you that can help you get through a rough patch when you can't find a suitable place to eat or the bus isn't stopping ANYWHERE and it's 10am and the last time you ate was 9pm. So the last thing I will suggest is to make good friends with BOTH ibuprofen and acetaminophen. And carry them in bulk with you.

That's my two cents. It's funny how your threshold of pain and comfort rises as you weigh them against the life experiences you receive from traveling. Of course there is no way that I'd want to be transported back to the time when I had to pee hovering over a trough with a tiny 15''x 15'' cement partition separating my crouching neighbor and I. Nor would I ever want to worry about when my cramps (sorry men) were ever going to seize while we were hiking up to a hill tribe village in the middle of the Thai jungle, but that's just it. You take it as it comes, you let it happen because THIS IS YOUR LIFE. You are still a woman, you still go through the same trials and tribulations all other women do, except that you are traveling a couple thousand kilometers outside of your comfort zone. I just remember those times we traveled through Central China or through the Thai jungle and know that I was really living with my body and mind. And I decided to focus on the natural beauty surrounding me instead of the internal obstacles inside. Mind over matter? It doesn't really matter. Do what you want, but just remember why you are where you are and enjoy it for what it is. Because if you really want to carry those complaints around with you, I'm afraid they might weigh a little more than your 23 kilo allowance.

Been There, Done That, and Loved Every Single Minute of It-Part I, Europe

2009-08-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

I would be a terrible host if I didn't offer my guests pieces that look and sound appealing, so I have decided, with the coaxing of my beloved JT, to abandon the "Top Ten" title for something with more...pizzaz! There must be other words to describe these compact, efficient lists without having to resort to the boring, age-old "Top Ten List" apendage. Plus, what if I want to offer more than just 10? So here I go, with photographic lists of places and events I feel are worth putting the effort and time into capturing while you are traveling. I would like to re-iterate that by providing you with this online reading material, I am in no way implying my lists can beat up yours, but since you are here, I feel the inclination to offer you a cup of 'good old-fashioned Turkish hospitality' to wash down your plate of 'my perspective.'

I had started this piece with the idea that I was going to list the "Been There, Done That" photos we took while traveling through some of the world, but the list kept growing and growing so I decided to make this a trilogy instead.

I'll start with a gag, or a 'just for fun' list and then proceed with a more 'profound' approach to the photo documentation of our trip through Europe.

Our "Been There, Done That" Photographic Checklist

1) Re-enacting Spinal Tap at Stonehenge with a Brit (JT poses with our friend Charlie from Bath)

2) Mailing postcards from Vatican City, the smallest independent nation in the world (Pope Benedict was surely proud of us)

3) This is sort of a two-in-one: Drinking beer from Liechtenstein, sitting smack-dab in the middle of the Alps. ALSO, even though we didn't get this on camera, we believe that no trip through the Alps is complete without a shot of you frolicking in the meadow while singing "The Hills Are Alive" from the Sound of Music (yes, we know the movie was set in Austria, but I distinctly remember hearing the hills come "alive with the sound of music" while we were in Switzerland!) "Is she cuckoo?" You ask. I just might be!

4) Singing along to a Beatles-cover band set at the Cavern Club in Liverpool

5) Singing the song "Oh Champs Elysees" on Avenue Champs Elysees in Paris, France

6) Enjoying some Guinness in an authentic Irish pub in southern Ireland-Doolin, Ireland

7) Trying to hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy

8) Devouring gelato, along with all the other delectable treats in Italian cuisine - Rome, Italy

9) Touring the Red Light District in Amsterdam, Holland

10) Watching a play in the rain at London's famous Globe Theatre-England

11) Reacting to the remains of the Wall in Berlin, Germany

12) Munching on a pretzel and an oversized pint of German beer in Munchen (Munich), Germany

13) Paying our respects to the Royal Family of Liechtenstein

14) Celebrating Greek-Orthodox Easter in Athens, Greece

15) Pretending to be that famous Dutch couple kissing, in front of a windmill-Stadskanaal, Netherlands

A Photo Album Worth Compiling on a Trip Through Europe (in my humble opinion, and boy did they ever humble us)

1) The sun struggling to peak through the overcast skies over Stonehenge - Amesbury, England

2) Both the Underground post and the Big Ben tower with blue skies in the backdrop-London, England

3) Buskers and street performers heralding their shows along the Royal Mile during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival & Military Tattoo-Edinburgh, Scotland

4) The headstones, amongst rose bushes, standing in tribute to fallen Soldiers of the Great War-Ypres, Belgium

5) Cows grazing in the almost-neon green fields of the well-irrigated Ireland

6) Firenze (Florence) at sunset- Firenze, Italy

7) The changing of the guards in front of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier honouring fallen Greek soldiers, Syntagma Square-Athens, Greece

8) The Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel at dusk-Paris, France

9) St. Mark's Square-Venice, Italy

10) The cliffs of the Arran Islands-Ireland

11) A lonely gondola floating on the canals of Venice, Italy

I realise that I have omitted a slew of other gorgeous and astounding photos that can be captured in Europe. I mean, how could I have forgotten to include gems like the Colliseum, l'Arc de Triomphe, the Acropolis, the Cliffs of Moher and so on and so forth? I could have gone on forever if I had tried to list all the incredible fits of architecture and Western charm. Just imagine if the world was Hollywood, then Europe would be Angelina Jolie. The romanticism, flawless design, renowned intellect and edge can get so overwhelming that there are times when you almost want to halt your insatiable thirst to photograph it for fear of tainting it with the flash of your own perspective. I said "almost."

PS: All photos are Copyright of EZ Media (owned by moi).

If you were stranded on a Beach...

2009-08-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Continuing along with the Top Ten theme, here is another Top Ten list, this time, with photo accompaniment.

Top Ten Beaches To Fall In Love With (in order of degrees of love, 1 being the strongest)

10) Athens, Greece

There are a few coastal capitals that can boast an outstanding beach, and Athens is one of them. Keep in mind though, that it's turquoise waters and waves crashing against it's silky smooth sand are not quite what you can expect from this pebbled beach that makes up for it's lagging physical beauty with it's character. We weren't up for swimming on this particular day so we decided to take a walk instead. And there they were, 4 fifty-somethings, all huddled under an umbrella, at a portable table, seated on folding chairs, sipping ouzo and munching on appetizers just enjoying this sunny day in May. Do they ever know how to enjoy life!

9) Cayo Coco, Cuba

The one time that JT and I decided to test our all-inclusive-resort legs, we chose Cayo Coco. It was December and our chubby, pasty-white bodies were no match for the flawless, white-sanded beach and towering blue-green waves of this tiny island off the coast of Cuba. We laid in the scorching sun for hours, reading and laughing at a member of the entertainment staff dressed in a jolly red costume with a fake white beard scampering across the sand to hand out gifts to children. Poor guy, he must have been boiling in that costume! But customers came here to celebrate Christmas in Cuba, so he did what he was told. Back to the beach. On one of our last days, the weather cooled down and the clouds gathered above us. We were perversely relieved since all this exposure to sun and sea during this winter month was really screwing with our systems. We really enjoyed hanging about the crashing waves and the shadows of the overcast sky.

8) Na Thrang, Vietnam

Even though JT suffered an ear infection due to an unfortunate accident in the sky-high waves of this forever-extending beach, Nha Thrang was one of the highlights of our trip. This coastal town sits between two of the busiest cities in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. The beach was empty, mostly because the waves, which we later found out, were out of control. The locals were probably laughing at us 'stupid tourists' for trying to negotiate this dangerous water, but we had just arrived from the scorching heat of the Mekong region and were desperate to cool down. It was the exchanges we had with locals trying to sell us a variety of things from delicious mangos to steamed lobsters and from bracelets made from buffalo hide to stories about their lives and hardships, that gave this sand and water combo it's charm.

7) Patara, Turkey

This beach makes it to the Top Ten list for a few reasons. The first being that they have an adorable protection program for the Loggerhead sea turtle. Second, because it reminded us of China Beach (next) in terms of it's sheer size. Third, because we had it all to ourselves in May.

6) China Beach, Hoi An, Vietnam

For those who aren't familiar with this 30 km stretch of a collection of beaches amalgamated into one, this is where American soldiers used to hang out during the Vietnam War. But that's not why we decided to hop on bikes we rented from our hostel in Hoi An and ride half an hour to this surreal destination. The thing we noticed with our travels is that everywhere we went was practically empty or frequented mostly by locals. While enjoying the never-ending layers of cascading waves on China Beach, JT recruited some local Vietnamese teenagers to help bury my body in the sand. Little did we know that this project would turn into a huge sand fight against these fully dressed, giggling teens. After taking some great photos with this group we decided to check out the other treasures of the beach-trust me, we found many. Along our walk, we were greeted by abandoned fishing boats. These adorable round wicker structures littered the entire beach for a kilometer. When we returned, just before we got back on our bikes, we sat down, at the little tables only a few meters from the shoreline to enjoy Pho Bo, a delicious soupy melange of everything that makes Vietnamese cuisine one of the tastiest in the world. Besides the soft sand and rolling waves, the local experience we earned from our visit to this beach was what made it so memorable.

5) Railay, Thailand

(Sorry for the internet photo, we are still recovering our Thai island photos from a damaged memory card)

For those who don't like traveling to an island but love the island-feel, Railay is actually on the mainland of Thailand, but in close proximity to the other Thai islands. This beach offers gorgeous sunsets but adds the thrill of rock-climbing to the mix since the natural landscape combines sand, sea and karst-like rock formations. The cliffs that shoot up at each end of the west side make this beach so picturesque, especially when peering at it from a kilometer away in a kayak. Since transportation in the region is limited to water travel only (unless you are coming in from the mainland, which we weren't), we took a long-tail boat to the shore. The boat couldn't get close enough to the sand, so we had to get out and haul our backpacks across the water to dry land on our heads. I had always wanted to do that!

4) Luang Prabang, Laos

THE BEST SUNSET WE'VE EVER SEEN! Enough said.

3) Koh Lanta, Thai Islands, Thailand

(Once again, sorry for the internet photo)

Ko Phi Phi is actually where the movie "The Beach" was shot. So most people think that it is the only island worth visiting in Thailand. Well, we found our heavenly spot on the island of Koh Lanta along what they call Long Beach. I recommend this beach to everyone since it is the perfect place to visit if you want to go beyond the "all-inclusive" Carribean one or two-week resort holiday. You really only need to worry about paying a chunk for your flight, because once you arrive, the cost of staying in a wooden hut by the water, devouring the most delicious home-made-on-the-spot-pad-thai while sun tanning on the beach will offset the cost of your flight. I would do anything to be sitting on one of those comfy canvas chairs (that line the beach) watching another sunset right now.

2) Oludeniz, Fethiye, Turkey

With a shoreline boasting the brightest shade of turquoise on the Mediterranean coast, this stretch of sand is most enjoyable when it's empty, in the months of May or late September. Slews of local and international tourists alike have known about Oludeniz for awhile now and frequent it with their families during the summer months. For the daredevils, this is Turkey's single most picturesque place to paraglide. Here is a photo I took while soaring high above this gorgeous beach.

1) Kaputas, Kas, Turkiye

I don't even want to spoil it with my impressions. This beach is the reason why JT and I would like to pack up our belongings and move to the Mediterranean. I've never seen a more devoted marriage than the one between the shallow turquoise shoreline and the deeper navy blue waves of this beach. It has everything. It is mostly frequented by boat tours that stopover for a swim break 500 meters from the shore, but otherwise it hides between those two cliffs along the road leading to Kas, ready to be discovered.

There were three beaches that didn't make the Top Ten list, two of them are in Egypt, and the other one is in Thailand. Hurghada and Dahab are the two coastal towns we visited where we soaked up the salt of the sea and the hot rays of the dessert sun. These diving Meccas were gorgeous, but if you are not diving enthusiasts, which we weren't, you just can't give them the respect they deserve. Even though Hurghada, with the mere shade of it's water and it's colourful reef, could easily replace Athens or Cayo Coco. But since we enjoyed the sea by boat instead of from the beach, I chose not to include it in this specific list. Phuket also did not make it to the list even though we fell in love with the adorable restaurant that was built into the rock face. With Phuket, though, we felt thirty years too young to fit in with the usual frequenters of this beach destination, so I passed on it.

On a final note, it wasn't just the smells, sound and enjoyment of the beach experience that we fell in love with, it was the character and charisma of each spot, it's relation to the culture and the local feel that truly captured our hearts. Awwwww!

Top Ten time

2009-08-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

Everyone from my grandma to my 6-year-old nephew loves a good Top Ten list. David Letterman loves them. And so does Nick Hornby, the writer of High Fidelity. Why bother droning on about a topic or continuing a how-to type conversation when you can offer someone a perfect little summary in a nice, compact package? These mini-lists are so self-contained and efficient, they might as well contain the truths of the big Bang Theory...or maybe not.

Now, by no means am I implying that my list can beat up yours, because I'm sure you have lovely Top Ten lists of your own. But since you're here, reading this piece, the least I can do is treat you to some traditional Turkish hospitality. I'll start by offering you a cup of 'Top Ten Items To Pack When You Are Backpacking Around The World', to see how you like it.

Here I go!

Many of you have traveled. Be it to your grandparent's cottage in North Bay; to Rome, Italy for two weeks; or to an all-inclusive Cuban resort for 7-days and 6-nights. Some of you might have spent a month or two traveling through Europe or North America. Maybe even a few of you have taken an extended trip to more than one continent. Regardless of how long you have left your home for, it requires a certain amount of planning. I'm not talking about researching the suitable itinerary, or making sure all your bills are paid while you're away. I'm talking about the one thing many of us fear when a trip is imminent: packing. This became a daily ritual for JT (the love of my life) and I along our travels since we were always on the move, so I feel like we are accustomed to figuring out what we really needed to take with us and what we didn't. Here they are in order of importance. Hey, if these are things that you think would help you out on your 2-week holiday away from home, I will be thrilled!

Top Ten Items To Pack When You Are Backpacking Around The World

10) A good book (or a few) to read.

9) A notebook and pen/pencil to document your thoughts and views on your surroundings. It's also an "old-school" alternative to an address or phone book. What an interesting concept! You'd be surprised at the things you forget if you haven't documented them. Photos can only capture instances while sentences can capture entire emotions and events. I wrote down everything we did, where we went and who we met almost each day that we were on the road. I am so glad I did because now it not only reminds me of my perspective and state-of-mind at the time, but it makes the whirlwind of world travel that we've experienced so much more real since it is there in front of me, on paper. This documentation method serves to take you back to the places you've been, and like I said, even if it is to Grandma M's cottage in North Bay, reflecting back on the written memories of your grandma's facial expressions or the way the sun set over the lake can give your emotions a positive boost when things get tough at work or at home. To know that you had the courage to leave your surroundings and seek something different and new should be a boost enough, but this is a little added-value to your holiday package.

8) This leads me to another important thing to make sure you have with you. Courage. You have saved up money, or maybe you've won the lottery and you've decided that instead of buying a new flatscreen TV, you are going to venture outside of your comfort zone to somewhere new. Already you have separated yourself from many people who would rather watch new places on their new flatscreen TV then experience them first-hand. Your travel story has just begun. Wherever you decide to go is all yours. You are where you travel.

7) Travel-sized pillow. This can be the inflatable kind or not. We went with the ones made out of synthetic materials, and they did the trick. Oh yes, and the pillow must come with, or be matched up with a scarf, pashmina or small blanket of sorts. We did alot of overnight traveling on buses and trains to save on accommodation costs. If you are traveling through tropical climates or through countries that think they are tropical (like Europe) where people insist on blasting the A/C for the entire 8 to 18 hour trip, then a blanket will definitely come in handy. In addition, pillows do not only need to be used just for your head, but can also be used to prop your leg up if you have sprained your ankle, to sit on when you have been sitting on the "hard seat" of a train for 10 hours already and can't sleep because the guy next to you has not stopped smoking cigarettes and eating fried chicken. The versatility of certain items all depend on your creativity but also on your ability to "do without." The more you try to "do without," the more you realize that you really CAN do without. To know that you don't really need all that stuff the TV says you need or all those gadgets and tools that only serve one purpose each is a liberating and de-cluttering (word????) feeling.

6) A companion. Even though it is really nice to travel on your own, since you only have to take pee breaks if YOU drank too much coffee, and you can go wherever you want, whenever you want, see whatever you'd like at the time that suits YOU the best, there's still something to say about having one or more travel companions. JT and I are the perfect travel companions. And when I say perfect, well, there is no such thing as "perfect." We found that it helps to reduce the stress of constant interaction with your travel partner(s) to a few irritants: fear of change, hunger, thirst, fatigue and loneliness. Once you have overcome these five obstacles, you and your travel companion(s) can conquer the world with your smiles and positive attitudes. Of course, when you are traveling alone, you have no one but yourself to worry about when it comes to those five factors, but you also don't have people to experience and share things with. It also becomes a challenge if you always need to set up the automatic timer on your camera or extend your hand out to take self-portraits. More people in a photo is both fun and practical. That is why, as a unit, JT and I sought travel companions for ourselves. The experiences of other travelers matched up against your own makes for some great conversation and a whole new perspective when you are traveling. That's why you left home in the first place, to see new places and meet new people, right? Even if you like traveling alone, picking up a few travel companions along the way definitely doesn't hurt and can only add to your own experiences. While the world is getting smaller, you'll find that your network is actually getting bigger! You never know who you'll meet along the way!

5) A travel guide. Not a human one. One made out of paper and cardboard. I will not name any specific names of guidebooks, since there are many. However, there is one brand in specific that many travelers like to call The Book, that we relied on to find the best deals on hostels, maps of small towns and cities, the best one-day itinerary if you are only passing through a city for a few hours and the location of bus and train stations. Of course, there was a lot of other information that we extracted from these useful bibles that came in handy along our travels. But there is also the benefit of deriving information from referrals and just wandering about. Thankfully, our courage, stomachs and sign language skills helped us find that authentic "local experience."

4) Proper currency for the country you are traveling to. Some places do not except credit cards and ALOT of places definitely DO NOT accept traveler's cheques. Cash is king. Especially the appropriate cash for your location. AND, when in doubt, one thing we did not do while we were traveling, but will do the next time, is keep US Dollars in our shoes or somewhere hidden just in case. No matter what country we were in, US Dollars were pretty much accepted as valid currency and could get us a room if we had arrived at the hostel early in the morning and hadn't had a chance to hit the bank or ATM to withdraw local currency.

3) A good camera. I know that some of you might think that this object is the single most important piece of equipment to carry with you along the trip, but my vote is still for the ones below. Warmth and nourishment have always taken precedence for me. In the end, I can't eat something the camera has produced, it won't keep me dry, nor can it help me get out of a sticky situation unless I am getting robbed. I am not saying that our camera was useless, I am just a little sensitive since our beautiful and expensive camera was very fragile. We found this out after it fell two times, once in Egypt and once in China and we had to get it fixed. BUT, it was all worth it because our photos were amazing! I'll try to let the photos show you how important this camera was for us during our travels. My opinion is that if you like to take photos and document ANYTHING important in your life, a camera phone just won't do. And anything shy of 12 megapixels isn't going to cut it anymore.

2)A thin, water-resistant, breathable jacket. All the outfitters have a few types, in multi-colours. I chose the slimming effects of black-not very exciting, I know. I found this black beauty at the Europe Bound outlet store at Queen and Parliament in Toronto, it was on sale for half price. This versatile, sleek black design kept me warm and dry when the weather decided to go all topsy turvy on us. When it was cold instead of hot, and vice versa, that was one less thing I complained to JT about. It kept me warm when the Rain Gods graced us with their relentless presence in Scotland for our entire two-week stay IN AUGUST. It also came in handy walking up Mount Sinai in Egypt (where Moses received the Ten Commandments) at 2 o'clock in the morning in June when the dessert decided to trick us with a temperature drop from a daily high of 54 Celsius to a nighttime chill of 10 degrees Celsius.

1) A run-of-the-mill pocket knife (the specific model we got was nothing fancy, but also nothing short of fantastic!) If only for the sharp knife, tweezers, bottle opener, can opener and corkscrew, this compact little tool was our must-have on the trip. I can't tell you how times we have used that thing. We used the knife for cutting veggies for lunches we bought at supermarkets like Dia, Tesco's and Spar in Europe. The tweezers not only kept my eyebrows from shaping themselves into a bushy Mediterranean unibrow, but we also used them to pick a couple of tiny pebbles out of JT's foot after a day at the beach. Even though we didn't go all "Survivor" and use the magnifying glass to start a fire with the sun's reflection or unscrew something that...well, needed to be unscrewed with the screwdriver head, we did end up using the corkscrew to open a tasty bottle of French wine, the bottle opener to crack open a couple bottles of German beer and the can opener...well, we still use it because we have been too lazy to go out and buy one from the dollar store. So, for those who believe that this tool or "God-sent" is only used by hard-core campers and trekkers, think again. Like the saying goes, it never hurts to "Always Be Prepared." I think they even come in funky colours to match your whole travel-wear :)

So maybe this Top Ten List wasn't as compact as I promised it would be, but I guess there was alot I had been dying to tell you. The next Top Ten list promises to be shorter.

FIH Projects #1 & #2

2009-07-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

I still haven't quite decided how I want to go about writing this blog. Is it better as a living diary of my life? Or how about a daily Top Ten list of my experiences and travels? What if I put excerpts from my novel on the site every so often to see what the feedback is? I mean, if you ask me to write, I'm going to write, it's never been difficult for me, I guess it's because, in my mind, I have alot to say. Or at least, that's what my loving, tall, dirty blond and handsome husband-to-be tells me. Awwwww! "ENOUGH WITH THE CHEESE" you say, so instead of continue to divulge the details of my very happy and exciting quasi-almost-marriage with JT, how about I tell you what's been happening to me lately that has led to the restoration of my faith in both humanity and 'meant to be'ness.

Lately, since we got back from our year-long trip of what we call "the world" but that I have amended and started to call "three continents" since we only saw a quarter of the world...not even, I have been lucky enough to have attended some great events and met some extraordinary people. It's not like I met Jesus or Moses or anything, but the people I did meet, made me realize that being back home is not so bad and that if you say "yes" more than you say "no" you'll find that you have a hell of a good time!

My childhood friend who immigrated from Toronto to Istanbul, Turkey just recently, came back to Toronto for a visit. She was kind enough to invite JT and I to a house party her high school friends organized. JT and I weren't sure we could fit it into our schedule, but with my "yes" hat on and our "let's meet new people" attitude, we made our way to the party. Well, it was a hit. Why? There's a bit of background info I have to give you so that you understand that there is actual substance to this story. During the Christmas holidays, we decided to stay put and take a break in Istanbul. During this time I wrote a book. Sounds like fun right? Well, the implications of this act have helped me make a change in paradigm and in everything I believed and strived for my whole life. It sounds dramatic, but in a sense, I decided to go from being an avid corporate ladder climber to...well, a penniless aspiring writer. For me, this is pretty nuts. Can you really transform from a corporate drone who gets paid like clockwork every other Friday, knowing where the money is coming from and how much it will be, with job security that isn't recession-proof, but pretty damn close, into someone who is convinced that she wants to share her creativity with others in the form of books, magazine articles, even ads and get paid for it even if she doesn't know when and how? YIKES! But I'm doing it, and the next step is to find a publisher. Now, this is where the "dinner party" (I hate that term, it sounds so pretentious) or house party we were invited to plays a role. It took JT and I a few hours to get over the shock of having conversations with people who were actually interested when we comfortably said things like "when I was in Paris" or "When we were riding an elephant in the Thai jungle" and who could also add "yes, Paris was nice" or "Where else did you visit in Vietnam? Hoi An was my favourite." We are usually used to causing friend's eyes to glaze over, or give us the silent treatment or the "business as usual" conversations about their lives instead. Then amidst all this incredible conversation, I found an answer that I had been looking for. I thought I had had my whole process of publishing this book mapped out. I was going to edit it three times, get three people to see it, then send it off to publishers. Well, when I met this guy at the party who said he had just found an agent, and very generously gave me the name of his agent...well, you can't get more "fate" ful then that. I termed him an 'angel', a word I have been using to refer to a variety of people that I have met along the way that have helped me or guided me through life. The 'angels' I have met usually didn't have any motives except to share their knowledge or their help...is that possible? In this society, for anyone to offer anything up for free or as a gesture is unheard of, but there are some people, if you catch them at the right moment, who will offer you the world. And that's all you need to guide you along your way. Well, this guy has been promptly answering all my questions and going as far as to edit my query letter, all out of the goodness of his heart. And what does this cost him? Nothing. What does this cost me? Nothing...I promised him and his wife lunch, because that is the least I can do! So Faith In Humanity project # 1 : Complete.

Project number two is in the works. One thing I spoke to JT about today was the fear of rejection and the fact that if you are working in a cushy, nine-to-five position, quite like the one I used to work in, you don't have much fear of failure. You almost don't know what shape or form it could come in, and you probably wouldn't know what to say to it if came knocking at your door. But today, and for the past month now, I have been rejected in many different forms. I didn't get a job after a stellar interview, the first one I had had in four years. I got turned down by a few magazine editors and just had a few doors shut on me. My quest for world domination...sorry, for superstardom as an aspiring novelist has been tough. But what job isn't? I work from 9 am till 10 pm almost everyday just writing, researching and editing. But I don't get paid for it. It's an investment into...hope? I guess that's what you could call it. Which leads me to the other opportunity and 'angel' I met recently. Yesterday JT and I attended the Stag n' Doe his parents threw in our honour. We felt extremely loved since so many people came out to support us. I may talk about how the party went, what kind of silly games we were put up to and how delicious and pretty the cake was later, but for now, I want to focus on the eleventh hour. After all was said and done, and most of the guests were ushered off with a spectacular thunder storm that came very timely, at exactly 7 pm, which is when the party was set to end, JT and I stuck around with his parents for some more drinks. We were shortly joined by two members of the band that were hired to play at our party. They were fantastic, playing tunes that you don't usually hear from a cover band, we loved them! I especially loved the moment when one of the member's was leaving with the excuse that he had to write a column for the local newspaper. I did a double-take. And out of nowhere, I shouted out, "do you need an extra feature writer?" and my soon-to-be-father-in-law added, "for the travel section?" The guy turned around and said "give me a call tomorrow." Done. It was as easy as that. Long story short, we are emailing back and forth and he's given me the name and # of the Editor-in-chief. Why? Because he is an 'angel.' He can't guarantee anything, but he has volunteered a "free lunch" and I have scooped it up. Who knows what will come of this, whatever it is, be it a failure that I must add to the pile, or a success of epic proportions, I believe in miracles. "Whoa lady, what's all this talk about miracles, are you some born-again freak?" You ask. I feel like I have been born into something different than what I was before. Nothing religious or spiritually wonky, just an understanding and heightened perception of people and their ability to surprise me. Faith In Humanity project # 2 : Work In Progress.

Starting to start

2009-07-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

This is the beginning of a "work in progress." In other words, a collection of stories I have to part with, otherwise they will plague my brain with silly images and words free falling into the demise of my sanity...whoa, that is deep and I don't even know what it means. Let's just say, there are some stories I have been dying to tell you all. I am currently busting my butt to become what they call a "writer", an interesting profession since nowadays everyone writes everyday. Hundreds upon hundreds of emails, text messages, tweets (?) and PINs (???) are exchanged to create exponentially multiplying threads of dialogue in an electronic medium that is dependent on one's ability to articulate his/her thoughts on screen. I realize that I am setting myself up to be the butt of all criticism, because after all, now that we are all writers and we write everyday, I have to be damn good to get through the clutter. So why have I decided to opt for a profession on an IV, that requires me to work-24/7-until-the-book/article-is-done? Why would I set myself up for failure? Faith. Hope. Insanity. All these emotions fuel my decisions, annoying me most days, but on some days, when the moment is just right, they give me the strength to write something worth...well, reading. Here I go. You are more than welcome to follow.