When first going to Istanbul, I never really researched much in the way of its cuisine.  The history of this great city was more then plenty to read about in the weeks leading up to our visit.  I knew about Turkish kebabs but not much else.  Then one night my wife and I happened to watch the Istanbul episode of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain.  This episode completely changed my awareness on Turkish food.  As my wife and I set out on foot across Istanbul, we made it our mission to sample as much Turkish food as possible.

Our first stop was a great restaurant named Hamdi, located near the New Mosque, Spice Bazaar and Galata Bridge at the edge of the Sultanahmet.  With the bustling action of pedestrians and traffic just below and a view of the Bosphorus Strait, this restaurant offered us a beautiful introduction to Turkish cuisine.  We sampled a variety of Turkish kebabs which were absolutely delicious.  In addition, we discovered lahmacun which is like a turkish version of pizza.  It is a thin crust of dough sprinkled with small pieces of meat (beef or lamb) and herbs which include onions and tomatoes.  Lemon juice is often sprinkled over the lahmacun.  The food at Hamdi was so good, in my opinion, that we ended up eating there twice during our three day stay in Istanbul.

One afternoon during our stay, we decided to try and retrace the steps of Anthony Bourdain.  We found the address to one of the restaurants that he visited in search of “wet hamburgers” which looked so good on television.  Not one to ever pass up a burger, it consisted of a soggy bun with a hamburger filled middle. This particular restaurant that we were in search of was called Kizilkayalar and appeared easy to find on the map.  After walking what seemed like ten kilometers, from the far end of the Sultanahment, across the Galata Bridge, through the pedestrian mall on Istiklal Avenue in the Beyoglu district,we ended up in Taksim Square.  Unfortunately, we could not find Kizilkayalar.  Finally, we showed the address to two people in Taksim Square and they pointed right across the street.  There, after over two hours, stood Kizilkayalar with hundreds of hamburgers stacked one upon another.  The hamburger was good but certainly made better by the long journey to find it.

In constrast to kebabs and hamburgers, we also enjoyed a meal of tradition Ottoman food at Haci Abdullah Lokantasi which is located just off Istiklal Avenue on the way toward Taksim Square.  Although somewhat expensive, this restaurant was recommended by the locals as a favorite of both locals and tourists alike.  Prior to ordering, you get to see the food freshly made which is nice when you are not familiar with this type of food.   Whether you wanted to sample eggplant dishes to Ottoman stew the food was excellent and provided a very satisfying meal.

After walking miles upon miles around Istanbul, we felt entitled to indulge our sweet tooth.  There are no shortage of stores selling baklava and it did not disappoint.  When you see rows upon rows of freshly prepared baklava in store windows it will surely entice even the most disciplined of eaters.  Whether you wanted regular baklava or pistachio baklava the sweet syrup oozed out the side with each bite.

Sometimes the best part of a trip ends up being something you didn’t expect.  For us, the food in Istanbul was simply amazing and something we won’t soon forget.

 

Imagine a city that straddles two continents (Europe and Asia), is separated by the Bosphorus Strait (one of the world’s busiest waterways), has been a capital of four ancient empires, and has served as a catalyst to the advancement of two major religions (Christianity and Islam) throughout its history.  This city is Istanbul, Turkey.  A city of around fourteen million people, Istanbul serves as the major economic and historical center for Turkey.  Located along the Silk Road (historical trade routes connecting Europe to Asia), Istanbul is positioned along the only sea route that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea.  This strategic location has been a major impetus in the massive population and economic growth that Istanbul is currently sustaining.

When planning a visit to Istanbul, access to this great city has been made much easier by the recent emergence of Turkish Airlines.  As part of the Star Alliance, Turkish Airlines has rapidly expanded its operations from its hub at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport with flights to over ninety countries.  On recent visit through Ataturk Airport, the growth of this airlines was evident.  The terminal was extremely busy with people bustling from one end to the other, catching flights to one of over two hundred destinations that Turkish Airlines currently serves.  Given the massive growth of Turkish Airlines and an increasing number of carriers that fly into Istanbul, airfares are generally reasonable which makes a visit to Istanbul even more appealing.  At the time of this writing, an airfare of $833 US was noted when flying from Chicago to Istanbul in October of 2013.

Istanbul is a rather large city by area but luckily most major attractions are closely condensed which makes visiting the city easy and very enjoyable. For our three day visit, we chose to stay in the Sultanahmet (Old City of Istanbul).  We were able to walk to almost every attraction that we visited.  As you walk around the city, it seems someone is selling something on every corner.  From beautiful hand stitched carpets to children’s toys, there are no shortage of merchants throughout the city.  Highlights around the Sultanahmet include the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace.

The architecture of the Blue Mosque is simply stunning with its six minarets rising high atop this building.  Entrance is free to the Blue Mosque but women are required to wear head scarves and all shoulders and legs must be covered.  The Blue Mosque is a functional mosque so visitors will observe people streaming into the mosque during the call to prayer which occurs five times a day in the Muslim faith.

The Hagia Sophia is important to both Christianity and Islam but is not a functional place of worship.  The Hagia Sophia served as the largest enclosed space in the world for about a thousand years.  It was originally served as a basilica for a roman emperor.  The basilica then became a mosque in the fifteenth century when the Ottomans conquered the city.  Today, the Hagia Sophia serves as a museum but signifies the religious history of Istanbul.

In contrast to the grandiose edifices that comprise the Sultanahmet, the Basilica Cistern is an underground chamber that once provided water to the city.  The walking pathways among marble columns along with dim lighting provide a spectacular backdrop.  A few feet of water still lines the bottom of the cistern and serves as a reminder of the ancient history of Istanbul.

In addition to a visit to the Sultanahmet, a cruise along the Bosphorus Strait is also worthwhile.  Amazingly, the ability to visit two different continents in one afternoon can be accomplished while cruising the coastline of Istanbul.  Many interesting Ottoman era waterfront houses are located along the waterway.

Finally, no visit to Istanbul is complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar, which is located in the Sultanahmet.  With around 4400 shops, it is considered by many to be the oldest shopping mall in the world.  This labyrinth of covered shops is generally very crowded with locals and tourists.  Whether you are interested in buying jewelry, pottery, antiques or hand stitched carpets, the Grand Bazaar offers many options for even the casual shopper.

 

This past Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I took a trip to Kansas City.  Although not thought of as a typical place for a short weekend jaunt, Kansas City has a lot to offer.  Having lived in Kansas City for six years prior, it was a nice return to my former home and for my wife, it was her first time visiting.  Although the East and West Coast garner most of the attention for tourists to the U.S., the midwest has a lot to offer, including this vibrant city located near the geographic center of the country.

The word picturesque and Kansas City are not often used in the same sentence but Kansas City is quite scenic despite no sweeping mountain or ocean views.  With over 200 fountains, Kansas City claims to have the second most fountains of any city in the world, behind only Rome.  In addition, there are numerous boulevards throughout the city.  The most stunning boulevard is Ward Parkway, home to many towering mansions.  If you have a car when visiting, Ward Parkway is well worth a drive.  Just off of Ward Parkway, there is a wonderful park to visit called Loose Park.  Complete with a nice walking path, lake, and rose garden, Loose Park was probably the place in Kansas City where I spent the most time at while living there.

No visit to Kansas City is complete without spending some time at the Country Club Plaza.  Based off of the architecture in Seville, Spain, the Country Club Plaza is an upscale shopping, dining, and entertainment district located about six miles south of the downtown.  With around 50 restaurants and over 90 shops, there are plenty of options to choose from.  This outdoor district is easy to walk around with 15 city blocks of area to cover.  The “Plaza Lighting Ceremony” takes place Thanksgiving night which marks the beginning of the Christmas season.  80 miles of lights outline the facades of the buildings in the Plaza.  The lights stay lit till mid January and the whole scene is quite festive.

The one thing that is really distinct about Kansas City is the barbeque.  The smell of barbeque seems to linger throughout the city.  Kansas City barbeque is defined by a slow smoked meat that is doused with a tomato or molasses based sauce.  With over 100 barbeque restaurants to choose from, everybody from Kansas City has their preference.  However, my personal favorite is Fiorella’s Jack Stack.  The crown prime beef ribs and beef burnt ends are absolutely delicious and make for a very satisfying meal.

With a recent emphasis on revitalizing the downtown, the Power and Light District was developed.  This nine block downtown district is filled with restaurants and bars and is anchored by the Sprint Center which hosts many concerts and sporting events.  Within the Power and Light District, there is an seperate entertainment plaza, called KC Live, that features live music and two levels of bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

Overall, Kansas City is a nice place to visit for a couple of days.  With a central location, unique architecture, a plethora of dining and shopping options and arguably the best barbeque in the country, Kansas City is an area that will continue to impress for years to come.

When trying to pick a hotel in Dubai, it can be a rather daunting task.  With over five hundred hotels to choose from, there are no shortage of options from budget hotels to five star hotels.  After researching many options on Trip Advisor, my wife and I decided to stay at the Mina A’ Salam at Madinat Jumeirah.  As part of the Jumeirah Group, which operates luxury hotels in the Middle East, Far East, and Europe, the Mina A’ Salam hotel is part of the large Arabian style resort in Dubai called Madinat Jumeirah.  In addition to the Mina A’ Salam, Madinat Jumeirah includes the Al Qasr hotel, Dar Al Masyaf and Malakiya Villas.

This large resort is situated on the Arabian Gulf in a nice, centrally located position in Dubai.  The private two kilometer beach in front of the hotel is reserved for guests of the hotel so the beach never seemed real crowded.

The resort is interconnected with three kilometers of waterways with over forty restaurants and bars situated in the hotels and along the waterways.  Luckily the Madinat Jumeirah provides abras (small boats) to ride along the waterways which makes any area of the resort easily accessible.

The heat and humidity in Dubai can become oppressive, especially during the summer months.  The Arabian Gulf offers a chance to cool down with very pleasant temperatures for swimming.  If you don’t want to swim in the Arabian Gulf, there are multiple pools throughout the resort that can be used by any of the guests.  Also, complimentary access is given to the nearby Wild Wadi Water Park at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, which was just a short walk or buggy ride from the Mina A’ Salam.

If you have had too much sun, the Souk Madinat is connected to the hotel and is based off a traditional Arabian market with ample shopping options.   Should you want to venture away from the resort, most major attractions in Dubai are only a short taxi ride away, although the resort was so nice that it was tough to leave.  The service at the resort is excellent.  Fresh complimentary fruit is delivered daily to your room in addition to multiple bottles of water and nightly turn down service.  Around the pool and beach, free ice pops and fruit were provided by the hotel staff.  The staff was very friendly and accommodating.

Overall, the Mina A’ Salam is a fabulous hotel with an excellent location, access to the Arabian Gulf, and plenty of dining and shopping options.  If you don’t plan on staying at Madinat Jumeirah, the resort complex is still worth a visit, even if it is just for a relaxing dinner along the waterways.  It was the perfect hotel for a stay in Dubai.