Trying to do a whirlwind tour of the major sites in Southern Turkey in just nine days was ambitious to say the least. We tried to maximize our time and money by taking overnight buses and then hitting the sites as soon as we arrived. By the time we reached Olympos, we were pretty wiped. Imagine my pleasure when, after spending each day prior at busy, touristy (though amazing) sites, we slowly winded down a long dirt road, gradually getting further and further away from civilization. The town of Olympos is found in a valley on the Southern coast of Turkey, right on the Mediterranean Sea. It had suffered from some serious flooding just two weeks before, where people were evacuated, some of their famous treehouse hostels were destroyed, and over 50 cars were swept into the Mediterranean. So our timing was fortunate. We spent our days relaxing in Bayrum Guesthouse’s cozy lounge area staring up through the orange and pomegranate trees, floating in the Mediterranean and lying on the beach, and taking turns beating Jen in backgammon. None of us wanted to leave when it came time to do so. I think the three of us are still there in spirit.

Jen learning to swim. Seriously.

Our stretch of rocky, yet practically deserted beach.

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I was wandering near the Grand Bazaar the other day when I heard shouting and commotion.  Naturally, I walked over to investigate.  There were a group of men standing next to a gold shop, yelling at each other and no one all at the same time and throwing their hands up in gestures that I did not understand.  When I asked the man in the video what was going on, he said that gold was going for 33,820 TRL a kilogram, when the market price was 34,000 TRL a kilogram (approx $23,400 US).

This seemed to be creating a kind of buying frenzy, and just like the stock market at home, I had absolutely no clue what was happening.  But it was pretty entertaining to see it go down on the street.

It’s no secret that I love to eat.  One of my favourite things about travelling is getting the chance to sample another country’s cuisine.  Istanbul has not disappointed me.  Turkish fare has a reputation for being irresistible, but one must see it (and smell it and taste it) to believe it.

I’ve sampled everything from back-alley street food to a full mezze dinner at an upper-end restaurant.  I honestly haven’t tried anything I haven’t liked yet.   Though I did see Sheep Lung Kebap on a menu but was too grossed out to try it.  Here is a photo spread of the delicacies to date:

One of my first meals in Istanbul. These boats moor right next to the Galata bridge and serve fresh fried fish sandwiches.

Dried fruit and nuts at the market.

The sample tray for a typical mezze dinner. Small portions similar to tapas and served with raki.

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One of my first things I did in Istanbul was visit Topkapi Palace.  This is the place where the Ottoman Sultans lived from 1465 to 1853, after which they moved to Dolmabahçe Palace, which at the time was considered more stylish and opulent (which is hard to imagine after seeing the lavishness of Topkapi).  At its peak, Topkapi Palace was home to over 4000 people.  Residents rarely had to venture out as the palace was essentially a city within a city, housing a hospital, schools, mosques, horse stables, libraries, a mint, a treasury, giant kitchens to feed its inhabitants, and even a Circumcision Room for the young princes (a Muslim rite of passage).  There was also the infamous Harem, where along with the Sultan’s mother, wives and children lived his concubines – up to 800 at any given time.  Today the palace contains holy Muslim relics, examples of Ottoman arms, portraits of the Sultans and Ottoman art, some amazing tilework and a collection of jewels, heirlooms and spoils of war that made me wish I had been born into a royal family.  It seemed everything was gold and encrusted with emeralds, rubies, and pearls.  They really knew how to live back then.

The imposing front gates of the Palace.

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I love Istanbul.  It’s much of what I thought it would be but better.  I imagined a city similar to what it actually is but dirtier, rougher and crazier.  I am happy to say I have been proven wrong.  It’s…European.  I think it’s funny that because it is predominantly Muslim, I automatically assumed that it would be Middle Eastern rather than European.  The beauty of Istanbul is that it has been able to blend its beautiful culture and history with the order and relative stability that you would expect from a European country.  I am pleasantly surprised.

Some of my initial thoughts on Istanbul what I REALLY think about the other cast members:

Some other first impressions of Istanbul:

-       Immanuel Kant said that we can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.  If that is true, then the Turkish have very big hearts.  I have never before seen such kindness and compassion towards stray cats and dogs.  People treat them with respect, feed them outside their shops and sit in the park and pet them.

-       The “Asian” side of Istanbul is not really “Asian” as you’d expect it.  Sure, it’s on the Asian continent, but I was expecting noodles and pagodas.  It’s pretty much the same as the European side.

-       This is a very hilly city.   My calves scream in protest every time I leave my apartment and attempt to go anywhere.  I’m hoping to have the legs I’ve always dreamed of by the time we leave.  No need for a gym here…just walk around for a bit and you’ll work up a sweat in no time.

-       You see very few homeless people here – in fact, you’d see way more at home in Victoria.  I was told by a local that Turkey is making a concerted effort to become part of the EU and one particular effort is taking care of the homeless issue, so many factories and large businesses have a quota of challenged or disadvantaged employees that they hire.  That, and they are harassed by the police if they are found hounding locals and tourists for money.  Ah, that sounds more like it.

-       A smile goes a long way.  This is often the way when travelling but I haven’t found a Turk yet who, in the midst of a communication breakdown due to the fact that I don’t speak ANY Turkish, wasn’t charmed by my smile.   This has come in handy more than a few times already.

In addition to being brought on as a cast member for Jet Set Zero, the need for someone experienced in dietary and fitness advice was also identified.  That’s where I come in.  It’s difficult work living and working overseas and the result is that nutrition and health often take the back seat.  So I am currently developing a food plan and exercise regime that will take care of these hardworking cast members.

No more boruk for breakfast, baklava for lunch and sutlac for dinner.  Instead, meals will be more balanced and look something like this:

And we all know how good a cold Efes is at the end of a long day, but in the interests of health that will have to go as well.

And no nutrition plan is complete without an exercise plan.  I’ve already implemented a schedule of cardio and weight lifting to get the team in tip-top shape.  The great thing about Istanbul is that in the parks, next to the playgrounds, there is exercise equipment, so there is no need to pay for a costly gym membership.  On Sunday we began this program at Princes’ Island:

They truly seem to be enjoying it. Extra kudos to Brian for really giving it on those lat pulldowns.

Through a combination of these two areas of focus, it won’t take long before this team is running marathons through the streets of Istanbul.  I can’t wait to see that!

I’m Kris!  Kris O!  The newest cast member on Jet Set Zero!

Travel bug, itchy feet – whatever you want to call it, I’ve got it.  I picked it up after going to Europe years ago when I realized how much more there was to see in the world outside North America. Subsequent trips to Asia and Africa opened my eyes to how affordable this travelling thing could be, and it very soon became a priority in my life.  A second job was procured to pad the travel fund, and the endless daydreaming and planning began.

When I first read about Jet Set Zero, I loved the idea.  The concept of working to live and living to travel totally appealled to me and working overseas to fund further travel was something I had not tried before.  When I first expressed interest in joining the group, I never in a million years dreamed that it would actually happen.  And I don’t doubt for a minute the steps I had to take to get here.  I was working in a cushy HR job for the BC Provincial Government and quit at a time of layoffs and economic uncertainty.  I gave up my awesome apartment and put my stuff into storage.  I said goodbye to my amazing friends and family without being able to tell them when I would return.  All with zero hesitation.  Why?  Because life is too short.  There are so many adventures to be had.  And what an adventure this will be!

Chained to a desk in Victoria, BC

I could eat hundreds of those rice-stuffed mussels (midye dolma).