Jaunted - Tag: Turkey Field Trip

Istanbul: How To Survive The Grand Bazaar and Spice Markets in Istanbul

shiralevine — 2009-05-28T14:32:01-05:00

Last week Shira Levine spent a few days getting her Turkish Delight on in Istanbul, Turkiye ("Turkey is a bird; Turkiye is the country"). Any questions about what to do in Turkiye? Send 'em to us and we'll have Shira answer them for you.

We've been through plenty of shuks, souks, ferias, and open-air markets in both developing and developed nations. The Turkish Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market take the pistachio or saffron-flavored cake in offering interpersonal adventures, thanks to the unbelievably high levels of persistence shop owners have in hopes of making a sale.

Even if you don't buy, these sweet and sensitive guys get very offended if you don't engage them in conversation and step into their shops. Resist! No one has that much time or patience.

Here's our list of tips on how to make the most of your trek through the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar.

Cemberlitas: What a Foamy Scrub and a Rub Inside a Turkish Hammam is Really Like

shiralevine — 2009-05-27T16:06:31-05:00

Going for a hammam experience is something not to pass up when in Turkiye. While a Turkish bathhouse is not for the body conscious, we recommend the body conscious suck it up and go for it. And, to go for the real deal.

While most hotels offer a hammam treatment, they typically are glossy spa treatments and private. In an authentic Turkish hammam, guests essentially lounge together buck-naked on a hot plate in a steam room. Together everyone waits their turn with mostly non-English speaking scrubbers who then randomly beckon for patrons to come to them for their individualized soapy body scrub. Remember: people have been bathing like this for over 500 years. Oh, and men and women are separate of course.

Get Some Exercise In-Flight With 'Airobics' on Turkish Air

shiralevine — 2009-05-26T16:07:00-05:00

Last week Shira Levine spent a few days getting her Turkish Delight on in Istanbul, Turkiye ("Turkey is a bird; Turkiye is the country".) But first, she had to fly there. Fortunately, Turkish Air cares about her in-flight health.

About an hour into the New York to Istanbul flight in our turquoise, upholstered 1980s vintage seats on Turkish Air, our private screening of "Confessions of a Shopaholic" was interrupted with an in-flight video exercise session dubbed "airobics." Seriously.

Featuring a similar vibe to the randomly quirky Dutch Mentos commercials, a man and woman demonstrated for passengers how to keep blood flowing and the body active for a long flight. The cheery duo shared tips by doing a series of small foot, leg, neck, head, arm and hand exercises all while sitting down in their seats. (Nearly the entire flight participated in the activities too -- including the enormous Turkish man wearing a swine flu mask who ultimately snored the remainder of the flight.)