Boarding our ferry from Eminönü. If you ever feel like your life needs a dramatic turning point, something cinematic, reflective, slightly chaotic, and preferably under $2, just hop on a ferry from Europe to Asia in Istanbul. That’s it. That’s the whole prescription. It turns out you don’t need a therapist; you just need public transportation that crosses beautiful continents. Step 1: Buy a Ticket and Question Your Entire Existence You tap your Istanbulkart (the equivalent of

If you’ve traveled for more than five minutes, you’ve probably met that  taxi driver. The one who smiles warmly, helps with your bag… and then, somewhere between your hotel and your sanity, suddenly announces: “Sorry, meter broken.” Ah yes. The international phrase meaning: Prepare your wallet, you sad adventurer. But fear not. Here are the tricks I use to avoid taxi scams in an attempt to keep both my money and my dignity intact. A taxi with Yeni Camii (New Mosque) in the ba

If you’ve ever wanted to test your confidence, your acting skills, your poker face, and your blood pressure all at once, just walk into the Grand Bazaar. Haggle culture is alive, well, and fueled by espresso-strength charisma and chain smoking. And here’s the thing nobody tells you until it’s too late: The shopkeepers are Olympic-level negotiators. You are not. You are a sweet summer child with a tote bag taking pictures of the ceiling. But don’t worry, I made the mistakes s