Wordless Wednesday :- Connection

Macro Monday :- Purity

Scenery Sunday :- Fatih Wednesday Market (Istanbul, Turkey)

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is blend in with the locals. This time in Istanbul, I stayed outside of the typical touristic neighborhoods and lived among locals.

On a rainy Wednesday, I stepped into the supersized outdoor market in the Fatih neighborhood of Istanbul, Turkey. I brought along my camera, shopped with the locals and walked shoulder to shoulder with them all.

Weekly markets around the world feed my curiosity; visually, mentally and physically. From the way people dress, what they eat, how they bargain and buy, how they socialize, how they react to the weather, it’s all part of the local culture.

Travel Thought Thursday :- Reality as a Refugee

Throughout my life, I’ve seen countless people living on the streets of various cities – asking for assistance, asking for money, asking for food, asking for clothes. Some ask for a ride home. Some ask for money to buy drugs or alcohol.

They all have stories to tell.

How often have I stopped to listen, to care? Sadly, horribly – not many times.

On my recent travel through the Southeastern region of Turkey, I came across many refugees from nearby Syria. While riding long distance buses between Turkish cities of Antakya (Hatay), Sanliurfa (Urfa), Gaziantep (Antep) and Harran – I’ve seen refugee camps from afar and up close.

Wordless Wednesday :- Go Forward

Wordless Wednesday :- Winter Warmth

Wordless Wednesday :- Wonderment

Macro Monday :- Turkish Tea Blossoms

Scenery Sunday :- Humans of Turkey

Turkey – a country filled with diverse citizens. They are Curious, Friendly, Unique.

(The title of this post was inspired by the infamous Humans of New York – Thanks Brandon!)

Turkish children in Rize, Turkey having fun

Travel Tuesday :- Quirky Travel Tips from Turkey

My first visit to Turkey was in 2010, at that point I was part of a tour group. The tour focused on the Western side of Turkey. During that time, most of my meals was taken cared of by the tour company. I didn’t get to choose the restaurant or budget. There was menus in Turkish and English. The tour company looked after the logistics of hotels and transportation. I just followed the leader and took lots of photos.

This time in 2014, I spent 2 months (cumulatively) in Turkey. I traveled alone, met fellow travelers along the way, some we simply connected in the hostel others we toured the location together. One travel friend met up with me in 5 different cities within Turkey, it was quite the experience of separation and reunion over the span of 2 weeks.