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 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

Antalya is known for its beaches, ancient ruins, and dramatic cliffs… but nobody warned me about its shopping . And by “shopping,” I mean the kind of wandering that starts with “let’s just look around,” and ends with me adopting a neon green creature with pom-pom hair who now lives on my backpack like a tiny, absolutely unhinged guardian angel. Welcome to my Antalya haul. No, not the responsible kind with handmade textiles and historically relevant souvenirs. I mean yes, thos