Contributions
Drink Daiquiri's at Hemingway's favorite bar: the El Floridita Havana, Cuba
Created on July 26, 2011 by Mara Munro, Writer
Hike Turkey's Longest Trail: The Lycian Way
Created on January 11, 2011 by Mara Munro, WriterTurkey has arguably got the best bus system in the world. But sometimes, walking is even better, especially in this massive country that is home to some of the oldest hiking trails in the world. One such trail is the Lycian Way: an iconic 509-km footpath that was established roughly 2,500 years ago. This waymarked trail was named by the Sunday Times as one of the world's top 10 best walks. The Lycian Way trail is perfect for stretching out your legs and getting your heart pumping after a long bus ride. The Lycian Way trail stretches between Fethiye and Antalya, and weaves its way from the Mediterranean coastline to the inland cedar forest that houses the ruins of ancient Lycian cities. Camping in Kabak ...
Hike the World's Highest Temple: Tungnath
Created on December 19, 2010 by Mara Munro, WriterThe ancient Hindu epic “The Mahabharata,” tells of a family of five brothers known as the Pandavas who were accused of killing their cousins during the Kurukshetra war. The brothers sought out Lord Shiva to pardon them of this accusation, but Shiva was convinced of their guilt, took the form of a bull, and went into hiding. Shiva re-emerged in five different locations, where the hands, hump, head, stomach, and hair of his bull-body were found. The Pandavas built a Shiva temple, or “Panch Kedar,” at each of these places. I trekked to the temple built in reverence to where the bull's hands are said to have materialized. This is the highest temple in the world, called Tungnath (“the lord of the peaks”). Seated in ...
Bike-touring the Ancient Ruins at Ephesus
Created on December 19, 2010 by Mara Munro, WriterSome of the greatest moments of a trip are not the ones that you plan, but those unexpected experiences that arise from keeping an open mind and a relatively loose itinerary. The ancient ruins of Ephesus are one such experience. The history of Ephesus is beyond impressive—it’s a literal palimpsest of human history, and evidence of human presence dates as far back as 6,000 years to the Neolithic age. Ephesus continued to grow and prosper until its decline in the Turkish area in the 15th Century. As the largest and best-preserved classical city ruins of the Eastern Mediterranean, Ephesus gets tons of tourist traffic; and given that the farthest entrance to the ancient city of Ephesus is situated approximately 5km outside of the nearest “living” ...
Buying Turkish Rugs: How to Barter and Spot a Fake
Created on December 19, 2010 by Mara Munro, WriterEven the most frugal of travellers usually end up with some sort of souvenir in their backpacks when they return home. Whether it’s a ticket stub from a music festival, or a hand-made piece of jewellery, chances are you'll come home with a treasure that encapsulates a unique travel experience. Looking for a particular souvenir can also become an adventure in itself, which is what happened while I was in Turkey. I ended up learning a ton about finding, bartering, and eventually buying your very own Turkish rug. The main difference between a rug and a carpet is the size: rugs being the smaller of the two. Turkish rugs (called “kilims”) are flat, tapestry-woven pieces found throughout the Balkans, and are easily identifiable by their ...
A Rough Guide to the Best Music in Istanbul
Created on December 19, 2010 by Mara Munro, WriterIstanbul is a global hotbed for music. Known as the meeting point (and melting pot) of the Eastern and Western worlds, this title holds true for its auditory landscape as well. With an approximate 14 million people calling it home, Istanbul is an ancient city, home to countless different cultural and musical manifestations. You can get lost in Istanbul's music secene by simply following your ears. Immersed in sounds as old as the obelisks and as contemporary as the art galleries that line the Bosphorous Istanbul's music scene is a true melting pot. I flew to Istanbul specifically for the soundscapes, and so ended up in the Beyoglu district, known to be the most artistically dynamic area of the city. Also one of the oldest ...
The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul: The World's First Shopping Mall
Created on December 19, 2010 by Mara Munro, WriterVisiting the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is at the top of the list on most tourist itineraries, coming in a close second maybe only to Hagia Sophia. But while visiting the Turkish capital, you might receive mixed reviews of the legendary Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. Some Turks describe it as being as close to a real Turkish market as McDonald's is to fine dining. But throughout much raving or regretting of this experience, you just have to see this spectacular merchant mini-city with your own eyes. The Grand Bazaar (or “Kapalı Çarşı” in Turkish), means “covered bazaar". It has humble beginnings as a small masonry market enclosure called a “bedesten,” built in 1455 during the reign of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. Located in the heart ...
The Blue Mosque: A Living Landmark of Istanbul
Created on December 19, 2010 by Mara Munro, WriterStepping inside Istanbul's Sultanahmet Camii—commonly known as the Blue Mosque—is a unique experience. It is immediately apparent that this breathtaking building not only stores memories from centuries of Turkish history, but as an active mosque, the Blue Mosque remains central to Turkey’s ongoing story. Built in the early 17th Century AD during the reign of Ahmed I, The Blue Mosque faces Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome, alluding to its important historical role in the city. Sections of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque were built on parts of the foundation of the Great Palace, the royal residence of Byzantine Emperors from (303 BC–1081 AD), when Istanbul was known as Constantinople. The architecture is beyond grand, and once you have entered the Sultanahmet mosque through the rear entrance ...
Etched in Time: Tombs of the Lycian Coast, Turkey
Created on July 02, 2010 by Mara Munro, WriterThe Lycian coast runs along the southern coast of Turkey from modern-day Fethiye to Antalya. Lined by the Taurus Mountain range and facing the azure waters of the Mediterranean, this area of Turkey is speckled with both famous Lycian tombs and hidden monuments, remnants of a civilization that were once a confederation of independent city-states. Nestled between two fingers of the Taurus Mountains that reach down to touch the sandy coastline lies the Kabak Valley, a remote paradise just outside of Fethiye. While most tourists flock here for the surf and sun, it quickly becomes apparent that these mountains and shorelines were once home to the ancient Lycians. One need only walk a few kilometres of the Lycian way—a massive footpath that once connected the ...
Celebrate The World's Biggest Jazz Festival in Montreal
Created on January 06, 2010 by Mara Munro, WriterFor ten solid days, a massive section of Montreal's downtown core is blocked off for the world's biggest jazz festival. Outdoor stages pop up in ten separate locations, and idling motors are replaced with live melodies as the streets and parks spill over with the 2.5 million peaceful music lovers that attend the Montreal Jazz Festival every year. The Festival International de Jazz de Montreal is the most anticipated summer festival of the city. You can almost feel the surging energy of the massive crowds from the Plateau: the neighbourhood just north of the downtown core where the Montreal Jazz Festival is held. The most impressive aspect of the Montreal Jazz Festival is that there is something for everyone. If you’re a penniless student, you ...
Making Maple Syrup in Quebec
Created on October 20, 2009 by Mara Munro, WriterInvented by Canada's First Nations, maple syrup is made by tapping maple trees for their sap, and then boiling down the clear sweet watery substance into a thick amber syrup. Canada is actually the world's largest supplier of maple syrup, exporting a whopping 64 million pounds per year, with the majority of this coming from the province of Quebec. Making maple syrup is relatively easy, requiring mostly patience as you wait for the sap to run and then to boil down. Therefore, many rural Quebecers, like my family, try their hand at making their own every spring. Quebec maple syrup is most commonly made from the sap of the sugar maple, though black maple and red maple sap is also used. The location where maple ...
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