Sunday, December 01, 2013

 

Turkey

Izmir

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/travel/36-hours-in-izmir-turkey.html?_r=0

Ephesus


Cappadocia

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/travel/09next.html

Lodging

http://www.serinnhouse.com/

Pamukkale

Datca Peninsula

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/travel/15Imprint.html?_r=0

Kabak Valley

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/travel/27next.html

Gaziantep

http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/into-pistachio-country-in-southeastern-turkey/

 

Istanbul


http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/06/100-weekend-in-istanbul/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/travel/07hours.html

Attractions

Blue Mosque (prayer times)
Grand Bazaar
5* places: Blue and Sulemaniye mosques, Ayasofya, Basilica cistern

4* places: Chora church, Topkapi, views from the Asian side, Galata tower, Rumeli hisari

Architecture: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/travel/tracking-turkeys-first-starchitect.html

Rumeli Castle

Rumeli Castle’s spires aren’t as heavily touted as those jutting from the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, but this 560-year-old Ottoman fortress — across town from Galata, where tourists flock to buy spices at the Grand Bazaar — is no less spectacular. Nestled in Sariyer, a neighborhood on the European side of the city, the majestic, well-preserved fort, which is now a museum (entrance, 5 Turkish lira, or about $2.70 at 1.83 lira to the dollar), was built at the narrowest point of the Bosporus by Sultan Mehmed II, who originally positioned hundreds of soldiers at its gates and used it to control river traffic.

Today, its location away from the city’s tourist centers usually keeps crowds at a minimum. Which is one of the reasons — in addition to the winding, woodsy paths inside and the unparalleled views of Istanbul — to go there. Rumeli’s canonical, tiered Halil Pasha Tower and its satellite watchtowers stand guard over a bench-lined maze of trees, steep staircases and crumbling steel doors. Catch a glimpse of the gloomy dungeon, then hike to the highest points and enjoy the spectacular view. The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge sparkles to the left, while the green hills of Asia frame the sailboats, ferries and tanker ships chugging the Bosporus. Giant Turkish flags flutter proudly across the water, a beautiful sight at sunset. End the day with a 15-minute stroll down the water to Bebek, Istanbul’s chicest neighborhood, for a Turkish coffee or a raki, the cloudy liquor whose local popularity, much like Rumeli’s, has survived the ages.

Museums

Istanbul Modern
Istanbul Archaeological Museum
SantralIstanbul

Art

But one of the best ways to get a crash course in what Istanbul’s leading artists are up to right now is to spend some time wandering around the Misir Apartments (311/4 Istiklal Cadessi), right on the busy pedestrian thoroughfare that cuts through the trendy Beygolu neighborhood. Inside this elegant, early-20th-century building are some of the city’s most cutting-edge art venues, like Galerist (www.galerist.com.tr) and Gallerie Nev (www.galerinevistanbul.com)

The self-guided Tophane Art Walk is updated regularly on Ms. Turanli and Ms. Tutunoglu's Web site (tophaneartwalk.com), with listings of exhibitions at the various galleries.

Galleries

Non
Depo
Daire

Buyukada

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/travel/buyukada-near-istanbul-is-an-island-idyll.html?_r=0

Dining

http://istanbuleats.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/travel/tasting-humble-and-high-cuisine-in-istanbul.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/travel/18Istanbul.html

Gulluoglu Baklava
Ali Usta ice cream shop

Istiklal Street

Three-course, three-restaurant crawl, all on the same square block. We had a spicy sheep’s neck soup called beyran at Ehli Kebap; a lahmacun (that minced-meat pizza) served with fresh parsley leaves at Beyzade; and moist lamb kebabs, one with eggplant and one with pistachios, at Urfali Haci Usta.

Drinking

Head to the rooftop terrace and have a drink at 360 Istanbul, a stylish bar and restaurant that offers stunning views of the city’s skyline (360istanbul.com).

Wine bars: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/travel/14instanbul-headsup.html

Gitarcafe (gitarcafe.com) on Istanbul's Asian shore is a small music hall and cafe-bar that has become a fixture among music lovers in the city. Housed in a 19th-century building, the intimate performance space (pictured) -- lighted by candles and a chandelier that dangles from the lofty ceiling -- is a cozy setting in which to hear a range of mostly acoustic music

Nevizade Street
Kameriye

Fransiz Sokagi (known as French Street)

Saturday, November 16, 2013

 

Memphis

Attractions

Sun Studios
106 Union
Free Parking
Open daily from 10 AM ’til 6 PM.
$12
Tours are given at the bottom half of every hour from 10:30 AM through 5:30 PM.

Stax Museum
926 E. Mclemore Ave Memphis, TN 38106
Tuesday-Saturday: 10 am–5 pm, 
Sunday: 1 pm–5 pm
$12

National Civil Rights Museum
450 Mulberry Street, Memphis, TN

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday  1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
$9

Memphis Botanic Garden
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
$8


Wiseacre Brewery
2783 Broad Ave Memphis TN 38112
Sat 1 – 8
OUR TAPROOM IS CASH FREE – CREDIT CARD ONLY!!!

Odessa Gallery

Memphis Flea Market
7777 Walnut Grove

Saturday 8:00a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.


Nightlife

Otherlands

Mon - Sat 7AM - 8PM; Sun 7:AM - 6PM
 Live Music Fri/Sat; 8PM - Midnight


The Cove

Wild Bill's

Young Avenue Deli

Hi-Tone Cafe

Buccaneer Lounge

Mollie Fountaine Lounge

Hollywood Disco

Earnestine & Hazel's

Lamplighter Lounge



Saturday, August 17, 2013

 

Medelliín

Sights

  • Escobar tour: one with his brother, one with Juan Uribe
  • Biblioteca España. In Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo Savio stop. Cra 33B # 107A-100
    • best to visit at sunset
  • Parque Arví. Hiking trails, butterfly enclosure
    • The cost to get to the park is free as well, from Santo Domingo station you hop on to the other metrocable to Arví and pay $4,000 COP.
    • Can be accessed via bikes which are free provided you bring your passport with you. At the top, get a free bike rental with a helmet from Encicla! It's a tough bike ride - huge hills and altitude - but worth it. Be sure to go to the reservoir - on a road connected to the path. The guard will watch your bike for you. 
    • On Sundays, there is a farmer's market
    • Take the Arvi - Santa Elena bus - to see the countryside and have a nice lunch in Santa Elena - a cute little town. Bus ride was 2000 pesos each way.
  • Comuna 13 graffiti tour. Revolución sin Muertos
  • León de Greiff library. La Ladera
  • Botanical Garden. Calle 73 No. 51D- 14
    • free of charge
    • Orquideorama
  • Cultural center in Moravia
  • Parque Explora, scitech park
    • Small aquarium that has about 15-20 tanks with different salt water fish, snakes, and other reptiles. Again, nothing crazy to write home about. For adults, you could run through this place in about 2 hours.
  • Cerro El Volador. Cra 65 No 67-51.
    • Carrera 52 N0 73-75Jog around the track
    • Views here are way better than Cerro Nutibara and it never even gets half as crowded, making it easy to find your own spot and take in 360 degree views of Medellín
    • Check out the trails going down to Cra 70 or other sides of the city, there are 4-5 access points.
  • Parque de la Luz. Plaza Cisneros.
  • Museo de Antioquia. Sede Principal, Carrera 52
    • Our favorite exhibit (other than Botero) was the one on precolombian art and pottery. There are two museum shops. The one accessed from inside the museum has a large variety of quality items for sale. The one accessed from outside the museum carries only Botero items. The prices here are much cheaper for the Botero items than the Botero museum shop in Bogota. However, the Botero museum in Bogota has a larger exhibition of Botero art.
    • I also recommend walking over to the Catedral Metropoitana after visiting the museum, taking some pictures of the church, and then "people watching" in the Parque de Bolivar. For lunch, there is a good and inexpensive roasted chicken fast food restaurant across the street on the far corner of the park.
    • We enjoyed the art deco building and beautiful courtyard as much as the artwork. Unlike some museums that are overwhelming in size, we were able to see everything within a few hours.
  • Plaza Botero
    • Be careful
  • Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellin. Carrera 44 N0 19A-100
    • Botero plus other small exhibits
  • Parque de los Pies Descalzos. Cr 58 & Calle 42A
    • small park with bamboo
  • El Castillo Museo y Jardines. Calle 9 Sur 32-269
    • nice place to spend an hour or two
  • Laguna de Guatape
    • Piedra del Penol

Neighborhoods

  • El Poblado. Villagey part of town thick with bars and excellent restaurants
    • Parque Lleras. People watching
  • Santo Domingo. Favela with good views

Lodging
Restaurants
  • Carmen. El Poblado
  • Ferro. El Poblado. Italian
  • Bonuar. Inside Museum of Modern Art
  • Aijiacos y Mondogos
  • La Strada. Shopping mall full of restaurants and clubs
Entertainment
  • Palmahia. Club
  • Crista. Club
Activities
  • Paragliding
  • Son Batá. Cultural initiative for Choco

Monday, August 12, 2013

 

Colombia 2013

San Agustín

Tatacoa



Saturday, March 23, 2013

 

Charleston


 

Savannah



Thursday, March 21, 2013

 

Nashville




 

Louisville


Thursday, July 19, 2012

 

Beijing

Map of stuff

Attractions

Hutongs

Houhai (rent a bike near Gulou) - Best at night, when all the bars and coffee shops surrounding it light up and there are lots of places that play live music. You can grab a drink on an outdoor terrace and enjoy the music and view. It’s especially nice during summertime.
Areas around Drum Tower and Jingshan Park
Jingshan Park- climb to the top of Jingshan Park hill (north of the Forbidden City). If the weather’s nice, you’ll get a beautiful view of the Forbidden City and the rest of Beijing city.
Binhai Park

Ritan Park
Old/New Summer Palace

Great Wall - Jiankou part, it’s 2 hours bus ride from city, and is the unrestored part of the Wall

Walks

Start at Lama Temple and head west down Guozijian Street.
   Guozijian Academy and adjacent Confucius temple
Across Andingmen Nei Dajie Street (home to Xian Lao Man No. 252 - dumplings, tea leaf and pork, beef and carrot)
Beilouguxiang Hutong
Mai Bar (No. 40)
Turn left onto Baochao Hutong - goth boutique Monster
South to Gulou Dongdajie - quirky boutiques
Drum and Bell Towers

Art

798 Art District (798district.com)
   Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (www.ucca.org.cn)
   Galerie Paris-Bejing (parisbeijingphotogallery.com)
Caochangdi

Shopping


Panjianyuan (flea market)
Niu Street - Muslim area near Qianmen. Supermarket has best snacks (by checkout stand)
Wangfujing- it’s a big shopping district, but they have a famous ‘snack street’ where you can try exotic Chinese food

Food


Regional offices
Qianmen Street - snacks


Yue Lu Mountain Dining Place
+86 10 6551 0806
工体西路吉庆里1号楼, 东营房胡同, Chaoyang, Beijing, China
http://m.google.com/u/m/zJAemg


Youjingge
010 6551 5155
工人体育场内12号看台对面, Workers' Stadium South Road, Chaoyang, Beijing
http://m.google.com/u/m/xgRb0i

Middle 8 Bldg
010 6413 0629
Sanlitun East 2nd Street, Chaoyang, Beijing
http://m.google.com/u/m/wZANTn


Dali Courtyard
010 8404 1430
67号 Xiaojingchang Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing, 100009
http://m.google.com/u/m/wJJVwJ

Nightlife


Sanlitun (dirty & crowded)

Bars


Clubs

Wudaokou

Mai Bar (expats, cocktails) (59 Fangjia Hutong)

Great Leap Brewing (greatleapbrewing.com) - courtyard microbrewery

El Nido (hutong, hipster, best beer selection)

D-Lounge
Spark
V-Plus
Bar at top of Park Hyatt
Bar at top of World Trade Building 3


Thursday, October 06, 2011

 

Budapest

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Architecture


Monday, May 09, 2011

 

Prague

Sights

Events

Beer

Food

Nightlife

Daytrips

CouchSurfing


Monday, August 24, 2009

 

Japan plan

Links

Keisei limited express from Narita

Tokyo

Hiroshima


Tuesday, August 14, 2007

 

Airfare

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/07/business/07money.html?ex=1333944000&en=454f5dc0d731f249&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/travel/15pracdeals.html?ex=1334203200&en=e2de88c5d2b7506e&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

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