I’m beyond excited to share with you Wanderlust Chameleon’s first ever guest blog and InstaJournal. What’s an InstaJournal? A travel photo journal via Instagram, duh!
Meet one of my very best friends in the entire world, Ted Donath. Teddy and I go back to the college days. He’s one of my first and best travel companions. Our friendship was solidified while studying abroad in London together and then trekking through Europe. Since then we’ve shared many adventures, including moving to New York City together. Through all of my wanderings, I could always count on Ted to join me for some fun, and we’ve made memories in Paris, Barcelona and Key West, just to name a few.
Ted’s also extremely well traveled in his own right. He has an amazing knack for learning his way around a place, and while I toiled over maps on that first trip to London, Ted relied on his “internal GPS” to get us around with ease. He has an incredible photographic eye, too. It was also on that trip that I admired the artistic shots he captured of our surroundings, and I’ve tried to emulate him since.
This summer he embarked on an incredible adventure in Istanbul, sailing Turkey’s Mediterranean coast and luxuriating in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in the south of France. I watched his travels unfold with envy via Instagram, and asked him to share his grams and travels here on my blog. Without further adieu, here’s Ted’s take on Istanbul. Stay tuned for the rest of his journey!
By Ted Donath
This past summer I had the opportunity to escape Manhattan for a Mediterranean adventure I had been yearning to take for awhile. A few years ago, some friends of mine spent a week on the Turkish coast and completely raved about the experience. I wanted to experience Turkey and I wanted to sail. We booked a seven-night private sail with family and friends around the southern coast of Turkey… and the adventure came with our own chef and captain. We also spent some time in Istanbul, a fascinating city that I would definitely visit again.
After our Turkish delight, we visited the south of France and stayed in a gorgeous medieval villa owned by a friend. We needed to soak in more of the Mediterranean lifestyle, and I wanted to get back to the south of France since I first visited with Shayne while we were in college. It didn’t disappoint… my only regret is that the Wanderlust Chameleon could not join us!
Istanbul
I quickly realized that Istanbul was not what I expected… it was better! The city has an amazing vibe that is a complete juxtaposition. It’s a city that stretches two continents and coexists with east and west cultures, modern and ancient architecture, progressive and conservative views and major religious disparity. It was beautiful. Some Turkish revelations:
- Why is everyone so nice here? (maybe I’m jaded after spending 10 years in NYC)
- This Turkish coffee is amazing… and STRONG!
- There are cats everywhere. Don’t touch them.
- The sound of the call to prayer ringing through the city is unique, soothing and energizing.
Istanbul University and Turkish flags greeted us in the Old City.
One of our first stops was the Spice Bazaar in the Old City. We needed to stock up on pistachios, figs and carpets for our journey.
Next stop… the hamam. It’s the perfect way to recover from jet lag, get rid of a layer of skin and trance out with a local custom. I had no idea what I was in for, but it was worth it.
The protests in Taksim Square were fully under control. We saw more police and photographers than actual protesters.
I love local graffiti… and local mopeds.
The whirling dervish was not what I expected… it was less frantic and more trance-like in an attempt to reach “religious ecstasy.”
For more amazing photos like these, I highly recommend you follow Ted on Instagram @bigtallted. Come back tomorrow to see his InstaJournal: Sailing in Turkey, followed by Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France.
