Todays post was supposed to be tittled “And just like that I said goodbye to the best kisser on my trip so far.” If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you know a bit about what I am talking about because I have mentioned it. Well I have it saved in my drafts… & at the moment I do not want to publish it. At least not right now… it really was a great moment in my trip and want to keep it to my self for now. I will eventually share it. Hope y’all understand. In the mean time I am not going to make changes to this post that I had scheduled for next week and am going to publish it now.
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I spent 18 days in Turkey, 5 of which I spent on a short adventure visiting some amazing sites. The rest I spent in amazing Istanbul. I am sure you are probably wondering what in the world did I do there during my time there. Well aside from the AMAZING NEW YEARS and making out with the Turkish man of my dreams I also managed to see and do A LOT. Here are some photos of what I did while I was there. I also think these photos will give you insight as to why I am now in love with this city. It is really the greatest city in the world.
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THE STREET SIGN AT TAKSIM SQUARE… ONE OF THE MAIN SQUARES OF ISTANBUL.
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AHH MY BARCELONA GIRLS & I HAVING SOME FRESH ORANGE JUICE.
VIRGINIA TE EXTRANMOS MUCHO!!!
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YET ANOTHER SHOT OF SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE.
YOU CAN LITERALLY TAKE A MILLION PHOTOS OF THIS.
IT IS JUST AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL.
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ON THE ASIAN SIDE OF ISTANBUL… LOVED SEEING FLOWER VENDORS EVERYWHERE.
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ONE OF THE MANY CEMETERIES AROUND THE CITY.
I LOVE THE STONES AND OF COURSE THE WRITING.
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A MAN WASHING HIS FEET & FACE BEFORE ENTERING THE MOSQUE.
EVEN IN FREEZING COLD WEATHER.
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I VISITED 3 MOSQUE’S & AT EACH OF THEM HAD TO TAKE OFF MY SHOES.
I LOVED THAT THEY GIVE YOU A BAGGY TO PUT THEM IN.
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AHHH IT KILLS ME TO NOT KNOW THE NAME OF THIS MOSQUE.
IT’S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOSQUE I HAVE EVER VISITED.
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WHEN IN ISTANBUL ONE OF THE MUST IS TO VISIT THE BASILICA CISTERN & WELL I DID!
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I ADORE THIS PHOTO… HUMANS WE ARE ALL THE SAME!!!
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INSIDE THE GRAND BAZAAR… IT IS FUCKING HUGE AND SO CLEAN!
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THE GALATA TOWER!!!
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MY BARCELONA GIRLS & I ATOP OF THE GALATA TOWER WATCHING THE SUNSET.
BEAUTIFUL ISTANBUL BEHIND US!!!
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TURKISH FOOD IS SO DAMN GOOD!!! I LOVED EVERYTHING I ATE HERE.
THIS IS KOFTE WITH FRIES & VEGETABLES.
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SOME OF THE MANY CERAMIC ITEMS THEY MAKE HERE IN TURKEY.
AHH THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.
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THE BEST WAFFLE I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE.
IT’S A MIX OF HEALTHY AND SUGAR OVER DOSE.
YUUUUUMMMMMMMMM
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YOU WILL SEE A MILLION CATS IN ISTANBUL AND THIS ONE HERE WAS THE CUTEST.
LOOK AT HIM or HER I HATE CATS BUT HOW COULD I HATE THIS BEAUTY!!!
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THE FAMOUS DONER KEPAB MEAT.
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THE SPICE BAZAAR… MY FAVORITE BAZAAR OF THE CITY.
I LOVE THE COLORS, THE SMELL, THE EVERYTHING!
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LOOK AT THIS… ISN’T ARABIC JUST BEAUTIFUL???
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SO YEAH I HAVE THING FOR COPS & WELL I LOVE THE UNIFORM.
MY FAVORITE COLORS.
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I’M SURE THESE HAVE A REAL NAME, BUT I AM NOT SURE.
SO I WILL CALL THEM SHISHA PIPES.
I WANT ONE AND I DON’T EVEN SMOKE!!!
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A NEIGHBORHOOD IN ISTANBUL.
IT WAS SO PEACEFUL BUT FOR SOME REASON IT LOOKS LIKE A WAR ZONE.
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THE FAMOUS TRAMS OF ISTIKLALE ST.
SEE I TOLD YA PEOPLE JUMP ON THEM TO CATCH A RIDE.
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WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHENTIC TURKISH RESTAURANT BY ONE OF MY READERS.
WAS SO DAMN GOOD!!!
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ONE OF MY READERS AND I.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.
I HAD SO MUCH FUN & WILL SEE YOU SOON!!!
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ONE OF THE BARS SHE TOOK ME TOO.
I LOVED THE CEILING IS MIRRORS.
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HER FRIENDS AND I!!! I WILL SEE Y’ALL SOON.
OH & SEE I TOLD YA TURKISH MEN = HOT!!!
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INSIDE ONE OF THE MALLS ON ISTIKLALE STREET.
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TAKSIM SQUARE AT 3AM!!!
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WAITING FOR THE RED MAN TO TURN GREEN.
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TARKAN ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS TURKISH POP SINGERS.
I’M IN LOVE WITH HIS MUSIC. THIS IS HOW I AM GOING TO LEARN TURKISH.
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MY LAST SUNSET IN ISTANBUL FOR NOW…
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Ahhhhh I KNOW RIGHT… A-FUCKING-MAZING!!! I AM SERIOUSLY IN LOVE… okay I will drop the caps now… sorry I was just so excited when I wrote this. So this is ISTANBUL… a city I honestly didn’t know much about before I arrived and a city I never thought anything of other than oh I know it’s a major city… I want to visit.
Well now I am in love… this city has skyrocketed to being my favorite city of my trip so far. Sorry Granada, Playa del Carmen, Barcelona & Berlin. Not just cus I had a lil fling, but because it is truly amazing. It has it all and I love that West meets East… North meets South… it’s a city filled with so much culture and history and thriving and so alive. Okay and I will admit I loved the men too… I mean fucking shit they are some of the most beautiful men I have ever seen in my life no joke. So yes I will be Istanbul Dreaming… until I return in the summer.
Wait what I am returning… um yes. The thing is after India I was not sure what to do. I didn’t want to head straight to South East Asia, because it will be monsoon season and the truth is after 3 months of being in India I am sure I am going to want to settle down for a bit and well 3 months in Turkey sounds just about right. It will be summer and I will be able to hit up some of the beaches and explore a bit more of this amazing country and of course live in Istanbul for a month or two!!!
So have you been to Istanbul? Did you love it or hate it? What city have you visited that you didn’t know much about and in the end fell in love?
Wow!!! I love this. I get so excited each time I read about it lol! The pics are amazing as usual and yes the guys are so hot! Lol!
Thanks Rubi, I’m so excited you are going… You are going to love it!!!
I am so stupid, my father works in Istanbul and there is a direct flight from my city but I never took advantage of it -___- Now I want to go!!!
Giulia recently posted..January 25th, 2012: Egyptian Revolution’s first anniversary
Giulia, I wouldnt say stupid, but I would be mad…lol. You should go it’s really just an amazing city… it has blown my mind. I think nothing will trump it, but we’ll see!!!
Amazing!! This makes me want to hop on a plane for Istanbul right now! Those mosques are just beautiful, and jumping on a tram to catch a ride sounds fun 🙂
Patricia GW recently posted..The Brooklyn Bridge
Patricia you should, but wait until I am back that way you get to see the city & me!!!
We would tear it up!! I hope our travel paths cross in the future 🙂
Patricia GW recently posted..The Brooklyn Bridge
Yes we would!!!
GREAT pics! I’m so glad you fell in love with Istanbul — you know I enjoyed it too! For me, I think Berlin is the one place I’ve been where I wasn’t expecting to feel any particular way and I totally fell in love. I will either be in London or at home this summer, but I wish I could join you (I know I sound like a broken record).
Heather recently posted..The time I went to…Istanbul
Heather… ah I just can’t believe it. I would have NEVER though it. I can see how you fell in love with Berlin… I enjoyed it so much too it’s just a quirky city that has it all too. I hope you can join me while I am there that would be so much fun!!!
Love the photos. I’ve never been to Istanbul but it looks like an amazing city. I think if you loved it so much this first time, you should definitely look into going back after India.
Alouise recently posted..Around Edmonton – The Ukranian Cultural Heritage Village
Thanks Alouise and yes I agree… I have to go back cus I loved it that much!
Amazing photos! I really like the one of the man washing his feet. I went to Istanbul a few years ago and now I feel like I need to go back!
Elizabeth Bird recently posted..Throwing in the towel
Thanks Elizabeth & I hope you do I think its a city that I’m sure everytime you go back you discover something new.
What a great overview of pictures. The cistern is definitely on my list to see. That and the markets with all the colors. Months in Turkey sound awesome.
Andrew recently posted..One Day in Hong Kong
Thanks Andrew y’all are going to love it… it’s just an amazing city. You will have so much to see… you could spend weeks there and find something new every day!!! Can’t wait for y’all to go.
Awesome shots!!! How on earth could you leave the “best kisser”??? Go back and find him and never stop kissing him!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andi of My Beautiful Adventures recently posted..France & Italy With Trafalgar Tours: Day 6 (Part 5)
I know I don’t know why I left him… it was so strange. I’ll have to explain later. I am going back though I am..lol!!!
I am seriously in love with Istanbul as well. You got some really, really great shots of it too! I only had a few days there but am desperate to get back. It has EVERYTHING! Loved it!
Andrea recently posted..On being Authentic. Part 1
Andrea, I don’t blame you it seriously is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and it really does have it all. I spent 10 days there already and that was not enough so going back for 10 more days.
Jaime, you are preaching to the choir – I lived there for 2 1/2 years (left this past January), now live in Doha and I think of Istanbul EVERY SINGLE DAY. Looking at your photos on this post almost caused me to cry out in joy/anguish….I used to live in Cihangir, just a four-minute walk downhill from Taksim Square.
I’m sooo glad (and yet not surprised) that you loved ‘Bul so much.
(and yes, the men. Just….I can’t even right now).
Thanks Simon so much, it really is just an amazing city. I can’t get enough of it and am excited to go back soon. I can so imagine living there for a while and never getting tired of it. Sorry I almost made you cry, but so happy you enjoyed the post and that it can bring back some good memories.
One day i will be there..i just feel it…hope i’m with someone i know then!
Ahh I hope so… and I hope its with me. It’s an amazing city that I love so much & am happy it’s so close to Cairo so I can fly between the two so easily.
I’m so in love with Istanbul! Like, literally, in love in love. Can’t wait to go back at least 10 more times.
acrosstheneversky recently posted..yet another Chinatown to see
Oh Istanbul is the most beautiful city I have ever visited it’s seriously just so damn beautiful. I can’t wait to go back one day.