I hope you guys understand for my lack of consistency because it is quite hard to find WiFi when constently traveling; I am back in the states so I will be sure you fill you guys in about all my foreign adventures! Stay posted!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
Secluded
I haven't posted in 6 DAYS because the place I am staying in right now makes you pay for WiFi, like WHAT? So my dad bought us WiFi for a couple of hours because we were literally suffocating from all of the actual human contact going on. There are only so many things I can talk to my sister about. Soooo moving on.
Last couple of days in Turkey:
My last two days in Turkey were spent shopping, I bought presents for my friends, family as well as some things for myself. Nothing much happened in those last couple of days except the fact that I went to Taksim square which was the epicenter of the protests. I had been on Taksim street, but not the actual square. The square was littered with protesters and there was a huge statue that had been vandalized with graffiti and protest posters. It was actually really sad to see what they had done to such a nice area. The day after we left Turkey we saw on the news that the police forced everyone out of the square and they cleaned it up and they are doing the same to Gezi Park. We also visited topkapi palace
NEXT STOP: ROMEEE
Yeah thats right I'm in Italy now, overall I like Rome except for the fact that everything is really touristy and super expensive, it really took away from the experience of being in another country. We visited all the main attractions in Rome like the Trevi fountain and stuff like that. When I went to the spanish steps I saw a couple taking their wedding pictures and it was supeerrr cute. My family and I always catch ourselves saying that we miss Turkey and we want to go back. Even though we moved on to see other countries, a part of us wants to go back and stay longer. The thing about Turkey was that there was so much culture and nobody really cared if you were a tourist or not, you eventually become one of them- there is no separation. Where as in Rome people target you and try to sell you things and it gets really annoying. Everything is overpriced, everything is tourist based and there is no actual culture. If you want experience real Italy you have to get away from Ancient Rome and go to the real part where people are actually living. We left Rome this morning and we were drove to Florence! It was a 2 hour drive through the scenic countryside. Everything you imagine about the Italian countryside is true. You see small villages on hills and vineyards covering the horizon. My mom kept trying to get us to stop in one of these villages, but we had to keep moving forward.
FLORENCE:
Our first day in Florence consisted of us trying to find this Pizza place that a friend recommened (Gustas Pizza). We did some sight seeing along the way- we saw the Florence Cathedral, The Gates of Paradise, the only bridge that Hitler did not destroy when he invaded Italy (forgot the name) and a bunch of churches. The Pizza was THE BEST PIZZA I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY WHOLE LIFE and I have had A LOT of pizza. I came to Italy for authentic pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese and I got it. Words cannot describe how amazing it was. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
I apologize for the lack of consistency, but here are the pictures.
Last couple of days in Turkey:
My last two days in Turkey were spent shopping, I bought presents for my friends, family as well as some things for myself. Nothing much happened in those last couple of days except the fact that I went to Taksim square which was the epicenter of the protests. I had been on Taksim street, but not the actual square. The square was littered with protesters and there was a huge statue that had been vandalized with graffiti and protest posters. It was actually really sad to see what they had done to such a nice area. The day after we left Turkey we saw on the news that the police forced everyone out of the square and they cleaned it up and they are doing the same to Gezi Park. We also visited topkapi palace
NEXT STOP: ROMEEE
Yeah thats right I'm in Italy now, overall I like Rome except for the fact that everything is really touristy and super expensive, it really took away from the experience of being in another country. We visited all the main attractions in Rome like the Trevi fountain and stuff like that. When I went to the spanish steps I saw a couple taking their wedding pictures and it was supeerrr cute. My family and I always catch ourselves saying that we miss Turkey and we want to go back. Even though we moved on to see other countries, a part of us wants to go back and stay longer. The thing about Turkey was that there was so much culture and nobody really cared if you were a tourist or not, you eventually become one of them- there is no separation. Where as in Rome people target you and try to sell you things and it gets really annoying. Everything is overpriced, everything is tourist based and there is no actual culture. If you want experience real Italy you have to get away from Ancient Rome and go to the real part where people are actually living. We left Rome this morning and we were drove to Florence! It was a 2 hour drive through the scenic countryside. Everything you imagine about the Italian countryside is true. You see small villages on hills and vineyards covering the horizon. My mom kept trying to get us to stop in one of these villages, but we had to keep moving forward.
FLORENCE:
Our first day in Florence consisted of us trying to find this Pizza place that a friend recommened (Gustas Pizza). We did some sight seeing along the way- we saw the Florence Cathedral, The Gates of Paradise, the only bridge that Hitler did not destroy when he invaded Italy (forgot the name) and a bunch of churches. The Pizza was THE BEST PIZZA I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY WHOLE LIFE and I have had A LOT of pizza. I came to Italy for authentic pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese and I got it. Words cannot describe how amazing it was. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
I apologize for the lack of consistency, but here are the pictures.
 |
| Spanish Steps - Rome |
 |
| Trevi Fountain-Rome |
 |
| Rome at Night |
 |
| Pantheon- Rome |
 |
| Piazza Navona- Rome |
 |
| View of Vatican City from Rome |
 |
| Colosseum- Rome |
 |
| Colosseum- Rome |
 |
| Colosseum- Rome |
 |
| Palatine Forum |
 |
| Street Performers - Rome |
 |
| Street Performers - Rome |
 |
| Street Artists- Rome |
 |
| Street Artists- Rome |
 |
| Street Artists- Rome |
 |
| Street Performers- Rome |
 |
| Making a wish at the Trevi Fountain |
 |
| Inside the Vatican |
 |
| Vatican staircase |
 |
| Pieta |
 |
| St Peter's Basilica |
 |
| St Peter's Basilica |
 |
| St Peter's Basilica |
 |
| Street Artists- Florence |
 |
| Florence Cathedral |
 |
| Gates of Paradise |
 |
| Gates of Paradise |
 |
| Florence Cathedral |
 |
| David Replica in Piazza della Signoria |
 |
| Florence |
 |
 |
| Bridges in Florence |
 |
| Church in Florence |
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Chill
Today was a pretty chill day for my family and I. We needed a break from the constant rushing of getting from one tram to another to see a museum or something. First thing in the morning we went to Babek again to have some breakfast with my dad's friend in a Cafe right next to the Bosphorous. We had a traditional "turkish breakfast" which pretty much consists of bread, eggs, different types of cheeses, olives and honey. After that we went to go see the inside of the Hagia Sophia and it was really cool to see how the Muslims converted the original church into a mosque when they conquered Istanbul long ago. After that we met up with my sister, had a home cooked meal and decided to walk around Taksim in the evening. You may or may not have heard, but Taksim was the original location of the Turkish protests. The protests spread all over Istanbul and the worst of them was in Taksim. When we went at 9pm ish everything was fine, hundreds of people were shopping and minding their own business. There was a nice breeze and the weather was cool. All of a sudden we see people put masks on, raise banners and start chanting at the top of their lungs. The small group of protesters eventually grew to at least a thousand people; however it was completely non violent. They were just marching and chanting. In my opinion, the only reason these protests got out of hand was because the police reacted with such force (using tear gas, firing plastic bullets etc.) My dad kept saying that we should go back just in case, but we kept going on because nothing seemed to be happening. The funny thing is all of these protesters were extremely happy and joyful; they were dancing, singing, clapping and drinking. There were people playing loud drums with the protesters dancing. No doubt they were really drunk, but they didn't seem to mean any harm. We eventually turned around when the screaming and whistling got too loud. I didn't take my camera when we went to Taksim because I didn't really feel like lugging it around. It was a chill day, sort of.
 |
| hagia sophia |
 |
| hagia sophia |
 |
| hagia sophia |
 |
| hagia sophia |
 |
| hagia sophia |
Friday, June 7, 2013
Mosques, Mosques and More Mosques!
I didn't post yesterday because when I came home from sightseeing I passed out for a couple of hours. For some reason every time I come home I always have to take a nap. Walking around Istanbul really takes a tole on your body. Anyywayy I'll tell you all about yesterday.
Day 2:
Yesterday was the day we went to Sultanahmet Square where the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia are located. When we went inside the Blue Mosque my jaw literally dropped; I have never seen a mosque so beautiful and art so intricate in my life. Mosques and Islamic designs are known for their intricate and complex patterns, but this was off the charts. Their were so many people from around the world touring the mosque and taking pictures. The vendors know basic English like how to tell prices so it isn't that hard to communicate with them regardless of the language barrier. Something they always do is ask you where you are from and in order to avoid getting scammed I say Pakistan. If you tell them you are from America or any other 1st world country they bump up the prices to get you to pay more. When I am around vendors and markets I try to refrain from speaking English as much as possible, but the tricky thing is that most of the people here understand bits and pieces of my language, Urdu, as well. Turkish and Urdu share some common words so it is really hard to tell my mom if the guy is scamming us or giving us a high price without them understanding. Some of the vendors find out I am from Pakistan and immediately start yelling random things in Urdu and it is hilarious. Today I actually met a Turkish vendor who looked Chinese and had green eyes, he spoke FLUENT Urdu, it was insannee and refreshing. I also went to the Grand Bazaar yesterday where I got some turkish lanterns which have been on my "things to buy in Turkey" list for the longest time. When you walk by the vendors try anything and everything to get you into their store to buy something. They will try anything from complementing what you are wearing to saying things like "you look like the kind of person who would buy something from my store," Sometimes they end up following you, but you just have to ignore them and they will eventually leave you alone. After we went to the Grand Bazaar, we needed to find a mosque to pray in because it was Asr time. We walked a long way to Suleymaniye Mosque which is GORGEOUS as well. I read in my travel book that it was designed in the Baroque style (using my art knowledge ;) ) After that we took the Tram home and I proceeded to pass out in my bed.
Day 3:
Today we went to my sister's campus in Istanbul (for her study abroad program). It is in a REALLY wealthy area and by wealthy I mean everyone owns either a Range Rover, BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes or an Audi. It was actually pretty crazy how all the rich people are concentrated in one area in the entire city of Istanbul. We meet a couple of her friends and walked around the campus which is on a hill side overlooking the Bosphorous. Istanbul is like a city I have never seen before because the whole thing is situated on hills, unlike the states where every city is made on one flat plane. It reminds me a little of the pictures of Greece I have seen. While we were on her campus we saw a crowd of people next to a building so I decided to go check it out, it turned out that 2 kittens were stuck on a ledge about 15 feet off the ground and the people were trying to get them down. They went as far as calling professors and the fire department to get them down. All of the cats and dogs in Turkey are strays and it was surprising to see how much people cared about them. One girl actually started crying when she got on a ladder and found out she could not reach them. I don't know if they ever came down because we left before then. We went to this area called Bebek where there are tons of shops and food places. We got a baked potato the side of your hand filled with veggies, butter and cheese. Needless to say it was at least 1,000 calories, but it was so worth it. We went to shops and bought some jewelry. After that we went out to eat and ate some shish kabobs and drank some Turkish tea. We later caught a cab home and here I am typing. i said this was going to be a photo blog, but this is a good way to keep track of the things I have done so I don't forget. TIME FOR PICTURES!
Day 2:
Yesterday was the day we went to Sultanahmet Square where the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia are located. When we went inside the Blue Mosque my jaw literally dropped; I have never seen a mosque so beautiful and art so intricate in my life. Mosques and Islamic designs are known for their intricate and complex patterns, but this was off the charts. Their were so many people from around the world touring the mosque and taking pictures. The vendors know basic English like how to tell prices so it isn't that hard to communicate with them regardless of the language barrier. Something they always do is ask you where you are from and in order to avoid getting scammed I say Pakistan. If you tell them you are from America or any other 1st world country they bump up the prices to get you to pay more. When I am around vendors and markets I try to refrain from speaking English as much as possible, but the tricky thing is that most of the people here understand bits and pieces of my language, Urdu, as well. Turkish and Urdu share some common words so it is really hard to tell my mom if the guy is scamming us or giving us a high price without them understanding. Some of the vendors find out I am from Pakistan and immediately start yelling random things in Urdu and it is hilarious. Today I actually met a Turkish vendor who looked Chinese and had green eyes, he spoke FLUENT Urdu, it was insannee and refreshing. I also went to the Grand Bazaar yesterday where I got some turkish lanterns which have been on my "things to buy in Turkey" list for the longest time. When you walk by the vendors try anything and everything to get you into their store to buy something. They will try anything from complementing what you are wearing to saying things like "you look like the kind of person who would buy something from my store," Sometimes they end up following you, but you just have to ignore them and they will eventually leave you alone. After we went to the Grand Bazaar, we needed to find a mosque to pray in because it was Asr time. We walked a long way to Suleymaniye Mosque which is GORGEOUS as well. I read in my travel book that it was designed in the Baroque style (using my art knowledge ;) ) After that we took the Tram home and I proceeded to pass out in my bed.
Day 3:
Today we went to my sister's campus in Istanbul (for her study abroad program). It is in a REALLY wealthy area and by wealthy I mean everyone owns either a Range Rover, BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes or an Audi. It was actually pretty crazy how all the rich people are concentrated in one area in the entire city of Istanbul. We meet a couple of her friends and walked around the campus which is on a hill side overlooking the Bosphorous. Istanbul is like a city I have never seen before because the whole thing is situated on hills, unlike the states where every city is made on one flat plane. It reminds me a little of the pictures of Greece I have seen. While we were on her campus we saw a crowd of people next to a building so I decided to go check it out, it turned out that 2 kittens were stuck on a ledge about 15 feet off the ground and the people were trying to get them down. They went as far as calling professors and the fire department to get them down. All of the cats and dogs in Turkey are strays and it was surprising to see how much people cared about them. One girl actually started crying when she got on a ladder and found out she could not reach them. I don't know if they ever came down because we left before then. We went to this area called Bebek where there are tons of shops and food places. We got a baked potato the side of your hand filled with veggies, butter and cheese. Needless to say it was at least 1,000 calories, but it was so worth it. We went to shops and bought some jewelry. After that we went out to eat and ate some shish kabobs and drank some Turkish tea. We later caught a cab home and here I am typing. i said this was going to be a photo blog, but this is a good way to keep track of the things I have done so I don't forget. TIME FOR PICTURES!
 |
| Ruins of the Hippodrome |
 |
| Inside Blue Mosque |
 |
| Inside Blue Mosque |
 |
| Inside Blue Mosque |
 |
| Blue Mosque |
 |
| Grand Bazaar |
 |
| Potatooo |
 |
| Stray Cat |
 |
| Grand Bazaar |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)