Top 5 Things to See in Istanbul

Istanbul offers an endless possibility of choices on what to see and do, but for the first-time traveler, there are a handful of things that just have to be checked off the list. Yes, they are 'touristy' but they are for a reason and leaving the country without experiencing these following five things would be downright blasphemous so to speak. Here are my top 5 things to see in Istanbul, chock full of alluring artistry and design genius.

How Not to Ride a Wild Horse in Turkey

Such was the case on this first evening of mine in Cappadocia, Turkey. Off I went with this supposedly trained equine that began making abrupt jolts almost as soon as we started. She then finished me off by suddenly trotting/galloping? down a rocky hill that lead to more treacherous curves where I could have fallen over the cliffside and croaked, buried beneath a 1000 lb horse. Thank GOD for my lightning-fast, ninja-reflexes (aka, yelling "F**K!!" as I began sliding off the saddle and holding on with a pro-wrestler's grip.) Then I remembered it was my own foolish fault for riding a horse that used to be wild with minimal riding experience.. Kinda' forgot that little detail when I got on.. but evidently, I lived! 

Le Souk

The Middle East practically invented the all-in-one shopping extravaganza thousands of years ago with their souks (markets) and grand bazaars. They're an excellent place to take in local culture and you can find anything here – offerings run the gamut. They're like small independent cities within a city and one of the coolest places to check out. Here are some of the best I've seen so far.. (I can only imagine the one in Marrakech, Morocco!)

Graphic Print Carpet as a Dress?

I love the graphic textiles and prints of these Turkish handmade carpets in Cappadocia. I think they would look beautiful on a runway on some long flowy dresses! Especially the ones in the next picture. I can only imagine what a fashion house like McQueen could produce if they used this as inspiration for a collection. What do you think about these prints for clothing, Yay or Nay?

This little lady was so cute with her handmade dolls, so I bought one for 5 bucks. lol.

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Design Elements : Istanbul

The Egyptian Bazaar - Istanbul's Spice Market

After the Grand Bazaar, I hit the Spice Bazaar, another crazy madhouse. But it smelled delicious, made me want to buy all sorts of cooking things I'd never use. I was looking for a spice called sumac which I'd never heard of and was completely addicted to after trying it on some pizzas. The real highlight of the bazaar though was the 'aphrodisiac for sultans' shop and a wooden camel named 'Jose'... hahaha

fresh black pepper, turkish saffron, sumac

I was never a black pepper fan but the Turkish version is soo fresh and flavorful! I still had a month left on the road and since the spices don't spoil they made the perfect take-away. 

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I Bought God in Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is massive! Thousands of stores, shops, and stands and one of the few things I came out with was this little compact mirror. I asked the guy I bought it from what the Arabic symbol on the front meant (since the designy-looking script is why I liked it, I didn't actually NEED another mirror but whatever) and he translated something like "God is everywhere, God is one." Good enough for me! And off I went with my pretty new mirror in 3 different colors.

I'm so hooked on apple tea now.

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