Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Istanbul tips & tricks

Can we just talk about Istanbul for a minute guys? Maybe you have been to a Muslim country before maybe you haven't. I went for the first time the other week. Let me tell you, it was hard. VERY HARD. and also strange. It was one of the strangest places i've ever been.

The first thing that is so very hard to grasp is the size of it. Istanbul is a city of 23 million people. There is an asian side and a european side which just refers to what side of the Bosporus you are on. The asian side was tall and sprawling. We flew into the cheap airport and it took 1.5 hours just to drive from the airport to the ferry terminal. Then we took a ferry and then we walked across the european side of Istanbul into a crater (i let chris plan this one guys).

Somethings I wish I had know how to do:

1. Pay Phones

You will see these around metro stations **insert photo of animal phones. Unfortunately you can't just put money in these, and you can't just use your credit card. You have to go to the post office or a kiosk and try to somehow communicate that you need a Telefon karti. We bought one for 4 lira so that we could call friends when we were really lost. 

2. Have maps and public transport routes mapped out before hand

You will not find a map to take with you of the metro anywhere, and inside the metro you will have a hard time finding one to look at on the wall. You will not be able to find information about any of the buses that are driving around constantly anywhere either. I think people must just know intrinsically. Lucky enough for us I found an APP. Turkiye transport. Get it, use it.

It will tell you many different ways you can get to where you are going on any of the public transport. I didn't find this until our 3rd day in, but it changed our life. Even if it didn't save my knees soon enough.

3. Taksim is a steep ass hill they got tired of walking up so they built public transport. USE IT.

Don't walk up to Taksim. (use the metro) walk down from Taksim. your welcome.

4. REALLY map out directions on public transport first.

Don't walk across Istanbul to your air bnb room. And when your air bnb person says they wont be there, expect to have to follow around 6 different strangers up and down the block before you find the place and they unlock the door.

5. Cover up in Non-tight clothing.

Don't wear jeans (or anything that shows your butt - or better yet just stand next to some westerners who are showing more than you) in the crowded markets or you may get a turkish massage. (WORST THING EVER)

6. EAT

There are many things to see, but the best thing is to eat. Go to the restaurants that serve ONE thing. They make it really well. Eat Menimen. Eat everything.

Beyond this your guess is as good as mine. I think you could spend your lifetime in Istanbul and still never know what the hell is going on. Do I sound like an American? Going to Istanbul made me much happier to be one.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Packing for 3 months in Europe.

Let me show you something:






That's all my luggage for 3 months this summer.

In preparation for this trip I watched a few YouTube videos of people who packed "light." But they didn't help. 

If these videos didn't help, what did?

A Capsule Wardrobe.

Basically it's making a wardrobe with common colors and a few style proportions so you can make outfits out of all the pieces. I decided to go with a wardrobe palette of Black, White, Grey, Mint, Teal, Red, and Gold. Pretty much my favorite colors, with the neutrals making up the majority and then the mint coming in close second, with teal, red and gold being pops of color in accessories. I can get about 29 different outfits with just 16 pieces of clothing. That does not include my warm layers/cardigans that I brought, or my shoes. So wearing something with sneakers versus ballerinas, vs sandals can also change a look. All in all, its a pretty versatile wardrobe that I think will make it through the summer leaving me feeling fine.


When doing a wardrobe this way you can envision a couple of pieces that would really expand your options instead of just buying things and not being sure how they would work with the rest of your clothes. The only thing or two missing, is one more sundress in a lighter tone, maybe patterned with a cream/white base and a black or mint design. (black would make it more versatile for my capsule collection) and a lighter little cover up, IE cream or white cardigan.

Resources:

I was able to do this by using Coletterie's Wardrobe Architect Series and Into Mind's incredible inspiration and informative writing. I can't recommend these two sites enough if you want to build a capsule wardrobe or are going through a clothing crisis like I was.

If you want to watch a 25 minute video of me waxing poetic about what I brought, what works for me and didn't, then be my guest. In it I talk about style, gypsy style, how important it is to wear skin toned underwear, and how awesome Budapest is, how awesome all the girls here are, and big birds.
Check it out HERE.