May 9, 2012 · 5:07 pm

Sharing an Inspirational Travel Tale

We love to travel and love to be inspired by our travels. So when CNN challenged readers to submit stories about inspirational travel experiences, we couldn’t refuse. I was at first intimidated about submitting something to a network that airs the likes of Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour. However, the more daunting task was figuring out which story to tell. Some minordiversion readers were inspired by our time with Elephants in Chiang Mai. Others enjoyed our culinary pursuits and the more adventurous among you liked our Himalayan trek. In the end, I shared a personal reflection of our time in Bagan, Myanmar.

Here is an excerpt from the submission, which I was very humbled to find out was shortlisted by CNN to be featured on their site.

The bicycle didn’t have a light. My eyes were straining to see in the moonless night and my legs seemed too stiff to peddle through the sand and gravel. I could sense the sun stretching. This was my one morning in Bagan and didn’t want to miss the sunrise over the fields of ancient Buddhist temples.  

You can read the full story here. If you like the piece (or not), please let the producers know by using the voting buttons at the bottom of the article.

 

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May 8, 2012 · 1:35 pm

Relaxing on Greek Beaches

Sometimes we just relax.

As you can see, Taniya and my sunglasses did make their way to Greece.

On our day of relaxation we thanked Pasithea, the Greek goddess of rest. Pasithea was very aptly married to Hypnos, the god of sleep. I wonder how they got anything done. Pasithea must have a spell over us today, as our inclination to relax on the turquoise waters outside our door was so strong we didn’t manage to do anything else.

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May 7, 2012 · 2:51 pm

What Greek Debt Crisis?

The Greek god of wealth is Plutus. Zeus blinded Plutus so that he would disperse wealth without prejudice or favoritism. Despite these extreme measures, wealth distribution in Greece, accentuated by the economic crisis, is an issue that is shaking the country and reverberating around the world. We have seen one stark side of it in our new home of Vouliagmeni.

Vouliagmeni is a suburb of Athens and is the southernmost point of what is known as the Athenian Riviera. The small seaside town has one of the highest real estate prices in Greece and is where affluent Athenians have their second homes. What we didn’t realize is how affluent Athenians are and how a town that caters to the uppermost crust of society can be so isolated from a crisis that is impacting the rest of the nation.

The restaurants in Vouliagmeni were buzzing on the weekend, with groups of polo-shirt clad men and designer sunglass-clad women sipping drinks on white cushions overlooking the Mediterranean. The shabbiest car we have seen here is an Audi. It’s hard to take a picture of a luxury can without it being eclipsed by another one. Here is a red Ferrari turning a corner where a white Lamborghini was parked. I tried to get a clear shot but a group of policemen started yelling something about pictures not being allowed. It was all Greek to me, but I didn’t want to argue.

In the beach parking lot, it’s all Porsches, BMWs and Mercedes.

The only grocery store in town has prices that put Whole Foods to shame. The cheapest sit down meal is the souvlaki corner where lunch for the family came to 30 euros ($40).

The streets are lined with orange, olive and fig trees. All of them are ripe with fruit that we haven’t seen anyone daring to pick. Every time we leave the house, Ava and Kayan beg us to pick fruit. We keep telling them that it’s just for decoration. I suppose when one has so much money, why bother plucking fruit when you can buy it instead?

Vouliagmeni is an the ideal location for us. It has great beaches and a quiet vibe, but is easy access to Athens and a few other beach towns. However, we feel isolated from (what we had imagined to be) Greek culture and what is happening in the rest of the country. Then again, the town of Vouliagmeni has been very welcoming to us and giving us the opportunity to experience their side of the crisis.

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May 6, 2012 · 4:07 pm

Supermoon Over Vouliagmeni Greece

Our arrival in Greece coincided with the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. I envisioned getting shot of a fat moon resting on the ocean, perhaps even with a sailboat’s silhouette piercing the white globe. Unfortunately, by the time we noticed the moon it was well into the night sky. It had also cheated us by making its appearance above the mountains, not the ocean where we were expectantly waiting. Here is our shot of the ‘supermoon’ over Vouliagmeni, Greece. It wasn’t the size that struck us as much as the brightness, even before the sun had finally set.

One of my goals in Greece is to learn enough about Greek mythology to tell the kids bedtime stories. Today seemed like an apt occasion to study Selene, the Greek moon goddess.

I’m till in the early learning process, but here are two things I learned quickly. The first is that Greek mythology reads like a soap opera. The only thing more complicated may be Hindu mythology, where the gods make the most of reincarnation and appear in many forms and lives. My second learning is that the Greek gods were a highly incestuous bunch. I’ll be leaving this part out of the bedtime stories.

Selene was the Titan goddess of the moon. The Titans, considered the elder gods, ruled the earth before being overthrown by the Olympians. Selene came from quite a bloodline. Her father, Hyperion, was god of light and her mother, Gaea, was goddess of sight. Selene was well coordinated with her siblings – Helios, the the god of the sun, and Eos, the goddess of dawn.

This video was taken this evening from our terrace as we enjoy Helios bringing down the sun to make way for his sister. It comes with running commentary from Ava and Kayan.

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May 5, 2012 · 3:31 pm

Gule Gule Istanbul

Our hearts were heavy when we left Istanbul this morning. We lingered for a few extra minutes on our apartment balcony, filling our eyes with the Bosphorus waters.

The taxi to the airport took us through areas that have become so familiar. As we rounded the Golden Horn, we cranked our heads to get one last look at the mosque-dotted silhouette of the Old City. We spent our last night eating all the things we knew we would miss – kebabs, Turkish delight, mezes. At the airport we even squeezed in a final Turkish breakfast.

I asked the family what they would miss the most about Istanbul. Ava replied, “The park next to The Bosphorus. The water is so pretty you can’t even tell. And the lumps of delight. And the clouds and the sky because it is so bluey.” We enjoyed lumps of delight almost every day and in every flavor available.

Even I may miss the park on The Bosphorus. There’s no where else where I can watch the kids swing in one continent while overlooking another.

As usual, Kayan echoed Ava’s response, but with a few twists, “Turkish delight. Hmmmmmm. Hmmmmmm. Miss the tram. Play doh. Hmmmmmm. Hmmmmmm. Flower tulips.” For the past few weeks Kayan thinks long and hard before saying anything, as if each word is precious and he only has one shot at the conversation.

Sandeep was a little more profound in his reply, “I’ll miss all the things I didn’t do enough of, like eating kebabs, spending time at the coffee shops, watching local theatre. I was never was able to find a pop Turkish concert, so I guess I missed that.”

As for me, I will miss the way Istanbul embraced our family. The kids were welcome wherever we went and we always had a helping hand, be it in restaurants, trams or out on the street. We also met many interesting Istanbullus who went out of their way to show us their city and involve us in their social lives. The city as a whole made us feel so at home that leaving almost came as a surprise.

A benefit of extended travel is that it gives us the time to truly love a city and its people. The downside is it leaves us much more vulnerable to heartbreak. Until we come back again, Gule gule (goodbye) Istanbul.

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May 4, 2012 · 8:45 am

Packing for Around the World Travel

Last night we went through our packing ritual. We have it down to an art at this point. It used to take us hours to collect, strategize and execute on getting all our stuff into two duffel bags. Now we know where every thing goes – the exact placement of every sock and diaper – to allow the zippers to seal.

Our first task is collecting all our stuff. Inevitably two thing go missing, my sunglasses and Taniya, Ava’s doll. We leave tomorrow morning for Greece and we still have to find either. Taniya usually makes a magical appearance just as we are about to lose hope, as if she’s protesting our departure and held out until the last minute before agreeing to join us. My sunglasses seem to have many lives.

We then begin stuffing the bags. First, let me tell you that these are magic bags (thank you The North Face). Every time I see our stuff gathered for packing I swear it’s not going to fit. There must be a secret compartment in these bags because they take all our clothes, an inflatable car seat, a year’s worth of sunscreen, insect repellant, contacts for two people and other toiletries, electronic paraphernalia, and oh so many shoes.

If you’re suspicious about the amount of stuff we carry, let me introduce you to our shoes (starting from behind Ava’s head and going clockwise). I only mention the brands when I am impressed by their resilience and quality. I’m also going to put a plug in here for Zappos because we bought and returned so many pairs of shoes from them before deciding this lot was worthy of around the world travel.

Diya’s flip flops (hidden behind Ava’s head) – Perfect for pool lounging

Sandeep Keens – For extreme heat when shoes are unbearable

Ava’s Crocs – Her everyday shoes only because she refuses to wear anything else.

Diya’s running shoes – Perhaps the largest waste of space.

Sandeep’s running shoes – He uses them a lot more than I do.

Kayan’s Crocs – The shoes he dubbed as “my two-way shoes”

Sandeep’s Sauconys – Sandeep’s everyday shoes

Sandeep’s blue canvas shoes – Serves the split personality of evening attire and dirt gear

Ava’s Keens – She’s slowly warming up to them because they are pink

Diya’s Pumas – My everyday shoes. Ok, I like red shoes too.

Diya’s gold sandals – I’ve worn these only a handful of times and keep thinking of leaving them behind but I love them.

Kayan’s Keens – The first time we put these on he cried for his two-way shoes. It’s a work in progress.

Packing is bitter-sweet. We know that one chapter of our journey is ending but also look forward to unpacking in our new home. We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again. It is such a liberating feeling to walk away (regardless of what shoes we are wearing) from a place with everything we need in two bags. Now where is that Taniya?

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May 2, 2012 · 4:12 pm

Mosques in Istanbul

When Kayan and Ava first heard the muslim call to prayer they were scared. “Too loud!” proclaimed Kayan. “Is that the police?” asked Ava. The first few nights in Turkey, they were shaken awake by the sunrise prayer call. They have since learned about the prayers and now slumber until late morning. I find the call to prayer soothing. It reminds me of my childhood in Egypt. The night call is like a childhood lullaby to me.

We’ve spent a lot of time in religious houses during our trip. There were the Taoist temples in Penang, the Buddhist monasteries in Thailand and pagodas in Myanmar, and the synagogue, churches and Hindu temples in India. We had not yet paid homage to Islam until reaching Turkey.

Our first stop was Aya Sophia, which was built in 360 A.D. as a basilica, converted to a mosque in 1453 and then a museum in 1935. The massive Byzantine structure is said to have changed the face of architecture and remained the world’s largest cathedral for a thousand years. Today, motifs of Christ and Mary stand alongside Muslim scripture.

We tried to visit the famous Blue Mosque, but our arrival coincided with a call to prayer.  We spent time in the inner court yard where this scene of chatting women huddled against the ancient doors.

The crowds when we went back at the Blue Mosque were overwhelming, so we opted for the smaller and less tour visited Rustam Pasa, a 450+ year old mosque that has the country’s best preserved display of  Iznik tile work. While we were there, a Muslim woman started playing with Ava and Kayan, even taking them around the mosque for a walk while we sat in peace.

Just down the road from our apartment is the Kilic Ali Pasa. We pass it almost every day and a welcoming guard always smiles at us. Today we stepped inside to see its beautiful interiors. A man who just finished his prayers asked where we were from and welcomed us to explore the mosque.

We knew that Istanbul’s mosques are drenched in history and architectural greatness. However, we were at first reticent about visiting mosques that were not visibly open to tourists. Here is some etiquette that may help make a mosque visit feel more natural.

– Like most houses of worship, anyone is welcome into a mosque. Entrance is usually free but a donation for the mosque upkeep is a nice gesture.

– Even though most mosques are continuously open, it’s best not to visit during prayer times or on Friday mornings, which is when sermons are held. I remember having tourists taking pictures during our wedding in Cochin. It was highly annoying.

– Attire etiquette is similar to Buddhist houses of worship. Everyone should remove their shoes and wear clothing that goes below knees and elbows. Women should also cover their heads (as in their hair, not their entire faces).

– Just as in church, speak softly. Or sing softly if you are a toddler.

– Photography is acceptable but it’s probably better to ask for permission before taking pictures of people.

The bottom line is that mosques, at least those we visited in Istanbul, are open houses of worship. Everywhere we went, people welcomed us, happy that we came to respectfully appreciate their heritage.

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May 1, 2012 · 5:38 pm

Visitors in Turkey Take Care of Homesickness

We’re often asked “Don’t you ever get homesick?”

To answer that, we’d first have to identify a home. Here are the responses I got when I asked our family, “Where is home?”

Sandeep “Wherever you are.”

Ava “New York.” Long pause, “And India.”

Kayan “Mmmm. Mmmmm. New York.” Long pause, “India”

We really don’t have an answer to where is home so it’s hard to respond to a question about homesickness. We miss elements of New York, India, as well as all the countries we’ve visited. However, what we really miss are people. Luckily for us, a few people miss us too. The allure of Turkey combined with its relative accessibility when compared to other places on our itinerary made it possible for us to catch up with various friends and family from all stages of our lives. An added bonus is that these reunions happened about half way through our trip, giving us some grounding before we embark on the rest of our journey.

Our first visitor was Sandeep’s brother, who endured living in a cave with us in Cappadocia and driving cross-country with two kids who alternated between singing and whining the entire way. My bro-in-law is a great travel companion – well travelled and always up for anything.

In Istanbul our first friendship reunion was with Sandeep’s Northwestern friends. They live in France and work in Switzerland – I found that pretty neat – and have an adorable daughter who entertained Ava and Kayan for hours.

We had a family reunion with Sandeep’s cousins from New York. Our four kids are all around the same age. Thank goodness the Turkish love children because the sight of all of us scouting places to hang out would have scared off most people.

We also turned neighbors into friends. Ava and Kayan’s best friends from New York came to visit Istanbul with their parents. We had only known their parents as acquaintances in New York but, after they planned their Turkey adventures to coincide with our stay, we became fast friends. We thought that Ava and Kayan would have forgotten their friends after five months on the road. However, absence apparently makes the heart grow fonder, even in the littlest of people. The kids picked up just where they left of, even reminiscing about old times. While saying their goodbyes Ava instructed “Make sure to say hi to the park we used to play in. And remember that big slide? Say hi to that too.”

My cousin who now lives in London spent a few days with us, giving me some needed girl company and the kids a huge dose of laughter. After some begging and pleading from Ava, who wants “the whole white world to come for my birthday”, my cousin is planning to visit us again in Greece next month.

Sandeep’s friend from Northwestern, who now works in Amsterdam, made it a point to coordinate a business trip around our Istanbul stay. We went through three bottles of wine in one evening, talking about old times and pontificating about our futures.

I also caught up with Macalester College mates from Cyprus and Turkey. I haven’t seen them since college but sipping cay at an Istanbul coffee shop took us straight back to St. Paul, Minnesota.

Our social calendar in Istanbul has been busier than it was in New York. We’re surrounded by loving family, great friendships and old memories. Does that make Istanbul home? We not sure, not we are most definitely not homesick.

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April 30, 2012 · 4:14 pm

Turkish Inventions and Irrational Behavior

In 1992 I remember being in Floriade, the flower show that The Netherlands holds every ten years ( it’s on this year from April to October in case you want to see blankets of flowers disappearing into the horizon). The display of flowers, namely tulips was so immense that I, as many people, thought that tulips originated and were perfected in Holland. Not true. Tulips are actually from Turkey. They found their fame in Holland after a 16th century Dutch ambassador took the bulbs back home. The tulips garnered such adoration that people started to pay irrational prices for the plants, and in 1637 the love led to what can be argued was the first speculative investor bubble. Our Istanbul stay coincides with the city’s annual tulip festival and we wanted to catch a glimpse of the 12 million bulbs that were planted for the occasion.

Ava and Kayan were thrilled at the color variety when we visited Emirgan Korusu, a suburban park boasting the city’s largest tulip display.

Turkey has invented other things associated with irrational behavior.

One of them is wine. Actually, there is some debate as to the origins of wine. Archaeological evidence points to Georgia (as in the country not Peachtree) as having first produced wine but ample findings show that the Hittites in central Turkey were enjoying wine while living in their underground cities thousands of years ago. Today Turkey is the fourth largest producer of grapes. The bulk of this goes toward raki, the native aniseed brew. Contemporary wine is gaining popularity, but in an odd dynamic. Much of Turkey’s vineyards are in conservative areas where the production of alcohol is frowned upon. It is common for vineyards to sell their grapes to wineries who blend Turkish wines, some of which we have had to spit out, but some that have been really especially good over a late night game of Scrabble.

Another Turkish invention that causes irrational behavior? Money. Entire fields of study are dedicated to our relationship with money. We may have Turkey to thank for its origins, at least in the coin form. There is evidence that it was the Lydians of what is now Turkey who first started assigning value to metal objects. Perhaps in a rational celebration for not making it into the EU, Turkey introduced a new symbol for its currency last month.

Tulips, wine, money, kebabs, the Bosphorus, indulgent breakfasts… We could stay forever. And that’s not irrational.

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April 27, 2012 · 2:58 pm

Career Interview: Cafe Maestro

At what point should Sandeep start paying rent for his office in Istanbul? Every morning he parks himself at Mavra, an inviting cafe down our street. He jumps on conference calls and even hosts the occasional meeting out of a table that has informally been designated as his. The attendant is a very animated and friendly Istanbullu. He greats us with an opera voice booming “Good Morning!”

Mavra opened over three years ago on Serdar-I Ekrem, a small winding street with a colorful mix of boutiques and cafes, a mosque and a church, as well as old buildings undergoing various states of restoration. It’s an ideal place to watch young Istanbullus, particularly the artist crowd. Murat Nergiz has been serving Mavra’ss patrons for a year and a half. While Sandeep worked I interviewed Murat, with the conversation translated by another willing Mavra regular.

What types of people come to Mavra and does that change through the day?

We get all types here – students, travelers, artists, photographer, designers, architects. The owner’s husband is an architect. It is quieter in the mornings and at night we tend to have parties. People like to come here to celebrate their birthdays. We get a lot of regulars as well, like you.

I’m flattered to be called a regular, but what do you think about people who spend half the day here and just drink coffee?

(Murat turns to look at Sandeep, who is engrossed in his screen and doesn’t even notice us) Does he feel good when he is here?

He looks comfortable.

Then that is all that matters. It doesn’t matter if you just get one coffee or eat a meal. Be happy here, that is all that matters.

What is your signature dish?

Our pasta and meatballs. Our chocolate cake is also good, it’s a Turkish cake, very moist.

What is unique about your job?

The owner of this cafe is more of a friend, not a boss in the serious sense. There are no restrictive rules here. I am working here but I don’t feel as though I am a waiter. I am just part of the cafe.

What is behind the singing?

I just like to sing, especially in the morning. I am a writer also. I write poetry about women. Actually, I am just writing about one woman.

Does she know that you write about her?

She knows. She is a mixture of flowers and chocolate. When I see flowers and chocolate together I think of her.

Back home we never had the luxury of spending hours at a coffee shop. If I had to envision an ideal setting, it would have everything Marva offers. The music, a mix of sultry female jazz and oldies, is familiar. Mismatched furniture makes us feel as though it is an extension of our living room. The open doors leading out to the street is ideal for people watching. Most of all, Murat welcomes us as old friends and keeps us coming back every day. Luckily he’s not asking for rent.

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