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What Everyone's Buying in Istanbul: Türk Kahvesi Cup Set

Welcome to "What Everyone's Buying," a new series on souvenirs, wherein we investigate what tourist trinkets are the hottest selling in hotspots around the world.

Yes, Istanbul has Starbucks. Inside those Starbucks, as in every other cafe in the city, you'll be able to order the thick, deep umber of Türk kahvesi, or Turkish coffee. Starbucks won't offer it in anything more than a plan white espresso mug, but elsewhere you'll likely lift exquisitely styled cups decorated in copper or even more precious metals, each with its own lid.

The bazaars of Istanbul offer sets of these mugs, often with a matching sugar bowl or carrying tray. They're beautiful and make excellent hostess gifts, but resist the urge to keep them away in a curio cabinet; they're best appreciated in use!

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In-Flight Meals / Airplane Food / Turkish Airlines / IST / Istanbul Travel / Turkey Travel / Airlines / → All Tags

One Airline Offers Seven Different Vegetarian In-Flight Meals

18. Eighteen. That's how many specialty meal types an international airline offers, on average.

21. Twenty-one. That's how many you'll find in the drop-down meal options when you book on Turkish Airlines. That's quite a feat, considering how complicated it already is for catering to stock an airplane with meals for several classes of service, then to throw special dietary requests into the mix.

We actually ordered a Moslem meal for our recent flight to Istanbul, but come to find out that all standard meals served on Turkish Airlines fall into this category, as the meat is halal and all ingredients are "in accord with Islamic religious beliefs." Next time we're definitely going for a vegetarian meal, because that's where things get crazy. Turkish Airlines has no fewer than seven different vegetarian meals! Check 'em out:

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Food Travel / Istanbul Travel / Turkey Travel / Foreign Grocery Friday / → All Tags

Foreign Grocery Friday: The Simit Bread of Turkey

When we travel, one of our favorite things to do is to pop into a local grocery store and check out the food products and candies we'd never find anywhere else. So we're trying out this new feature, Foreign Grocery Friday, where each week we'll feature some of our (and your) favorite overseas treats. Got a recommendation? Let us know!

Forget bagels. Let's talk about the Simit. These baked rounds of dough are covered in molasses and sesame seeds and, though they look more than a little bit like pretzels, have a flavor all their own. First-time visitors will be dazzled by the Simit vendor balancing act of navigating crowded streets with a tower of Simits atop their head, while seasoned Istanbul travelers are like, "whatever."

The utility of the Simit in Turkey is similar to that of Chile's Hallulla bread. It's the cheapest of the cheap, you-can-count-on-it carbohydrate beloved by all walks of life, for meals at all times of the day. We've had it cut into bite-size pieces for breakfast nibbles, slathered with Nutella as an after dinner street snack, and wholly plain during a fit of hungry stomach grumbles.

The Simit may not be a exclusive to Turkey, but the use of molasses sets Turkish Simits apart from those of the Balkans and Middle East.

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Wish You Were Here: A Ferry Boat on the Bosphorus

New York has its Staten Island Ferry, Venice the Vaporetto and Bangkok the Chao Phraya River Bus, but no city ferry line seems quite as regal as that of Istanbul.

Last night, we hopped a Vapur (the name for these old ferries) for the first time, traveling from the docks at Eminönü near the Spice Market to about 25 minutes up the Bosphorus to Ortaköy, a neighborhood just before the towering Bosphorus Bridge. Though a private water taxi charges 120 Lira ($67 USD) for a one-way ride between these points, sharing the ferry means a far budget friendlier cost of only 3 Lira ($1.67) each way.

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Turkey Travel / Istanbul Travel / Travel Quotes / → All Tags

Our Favorite New Inspirational Travel Quote is...

There's no shortage of excellent inspiration travel quotations, that's for sure. We have a few well-known favorites ourselves. Here's a few:

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." -Robert Louis Stevenson

“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been; travelers don’t know where they’re going.” – Paul Theroux

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine

All these you've probably already heard more than enough to cause them to lose the strength of message. However, we've got one to add, and it's simple and sweet and packs such a punch that it approaches tattoo-worthiness. Ready?

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Turkish Airlines / Turkey Travel / Airlines / Airline News / Design Travel / Flight Attendants / Airline Uniforms / In-Flight Fashion / → All Tags

Turkish Airlines' New Flight Attendant Uniforms are the Opposite of Scandalous

There was a little bit of news out of the Turkish Airlines camp over the weekend, and it wasn’t exactly positive. Apparently a sneak peek of their new cabin crew uniforms was leaked out across the interwebs, and let’s just say the feedback was a little less than positive.

It doesn’t appear that Turkish Airlines has officially confirmed that this is the direction that they’re going in with their new uniforms, but if they listen to the masses they might want to throw these new uniforms in the trash and start over. Things on Twitter have kind of calmed down, but every once in a while you can still catch someone comparing these new uniforms with those from the 1960s.

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Istanbul Travel / Turkey Travel / Party Travel / → All Tags

24 Hours in Istanbul: Hang with the Cool Kids at Suada Club

If you're super-short on time in buzzing Istanbul (which is something that frequently happens with long layovers), we've "been there done that" so here are the things that’ll let you experience the modern side of Istanbul in a rush.

If you want to see how the beautiful people live in Istanbul, head down to the Kurucesme Park pier and wait to board the complimentary boat that will take you to the privately-owned island home to Istanbul’s Suada Club. Or, as some do, take your own yacht and cross the Bosphorus on your own time.

Suada Club was created in 2006 by the club mogul who owns the wildly popular celebrity hangout nightclub, Reina. Although the original vision was for a club catering to the wealthy who are far too busy to go away on a well-deserved vacation, even commoners such as we are let in and allowed to get a taste of the good life.

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Istanbul Travel / Museum Travel / Turkey Travel / Art Travel / Modern Art Travel / → All Tags

24 Hours in Istanbul: A Cultural Initiation at the City's Modern Art Museum

If you're super-short on time in buzzing Istanbul (which is something that frequently happens with long layovers), we've "been there done that" so here are the things that’ll let you experience the modern side of Istanbul in a rush.

When you think of Istanbul we can’t blame you for thinking “ancient city,” “old ruins” and “archaeological treasures" (or singing "Istanbul, not Constantinople" to yourself). You’re absolutely right to, and if you haven’t yet had the chance to see the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) and Topkapi Palace you should definitely go. But, if you’re ready for something new and especially if contemporary history is more your thing, don’t skip the Istanbul Modern.

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Istanbul Travel / Turkey Travel / Nude Travel / Naked Travel / Spa Travel / → All Tags

24 Hours in Istanbul: Getting Legally Naked at the Ayasofya Hamam

If you're super-short on time in buzzing Istanbul (which is something that frequently happens with long layovers), we've "been there done that" so here are the things that’ll let you experience the modern side of Istanbul in a rush.

So, you’re in Istanbul and you think to yourself that you should really suck it up (and in) and go to an authentic Turkish hamam, because when in Rome…

We understand you may be feeling a bit unsure about hamam etiquette, not to mention a bit squeamish about disrobing in the wrong hamam. We’re here for you. If you want an authentic hamam experience, but appreciate five-star treatment, go to the Ayasofya Hamam (also known by the rather cumbersome name Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hamami).

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Travel Cat / Animals / Turkey Travel / Ancient History Travel / → All Tags

The Adventures of Travel Cat: Gumusluk, Turkey

Kitty cats. They rule the internet and, whether we realize it or not, pretty much the world too. Ever noticed how cats sometimes stake out the coolest spots in a city? This new feature—Travel Cat—focuses on exactly that. Submit a photo to be featured by tweeting or Instagramming it to us (details below).

Travel Cat spotted in: Gumusluk, Turkey.

This week's Travel Cat comes from Bob Patrick, a reader residing on Turkey's Bodrum Peninsula (much like another Travel Cat alum).

Gumusluk, once home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is now home to this orange tabby basket-napper. But before you "aww" yourself silly, Bob shares a little more background info on that Wonder:

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Travel Cat / Bodrum Travel / Animals / Turkey Travel / → All Tags

The Adventures of Travel Cat: Napping in Bodrum, Turkey

Kitty cats. They rule the internet and, whether we realize it or not, pretty much the world too. Ever noticed how cats sometimes stake out the coolest spots in a city? This new feature—Travel Cat—focuses on exactly that. Submit a photo to be featured by tweeting or Instagramming it to us (details below).

Travel Cat spotted in: Bodrum, Turkey.

This week's Travel Cat comes from Instagrammer @gokcerella, who spotted this fluffy one looking smart in a bandanna. In the shadow just out of the warm Aegean sun, he's obviously determined to catch a quick catnap.

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Travel Cat / Animals / Turkey Travel / Istanbul Travel / → All Tags

The Adventures of Travel Cat: Inside the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey

Kitty cats. They rule the internet and, whether we realize it or not, pretty much the world too. Ever noticed how cats sometimes stake out the coolest spots in a city? This new feature—Travel Cat—focuses on exactly that. Submit a photo to be featured by tweeting or Instagramming it to us (details below).

Travel Cat spotted in: Istanbul, Turkey's Hagia Sophia

This week's Travel Cat comes from Jaunted reader and Instagrammer Matt Hibbard (@gomatt on Instagram), who says: "Here is a pic I took of a cat in Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul last Thanksgiving. He was baking in front of the light!"

Matt snapped not one, but three photos of this fluffy feline and you'll see why below...

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