Category Archives: Asian Adventures

Beijing and Shanghai–Our Introduction to China

Posted on September 7, 2019 | Leave a comment

The final stop on our Asia 2019 Tour was China. In university, John spent the fall semester of his senior year in China but this was my (and Conrad’s) first time! We stuck to the two largest cities (Beijing and Shanghai) but can’t wait to go back and explore more. It is a huge country with so much to see!

Good morning, Beijing! Getting some (surprisingly) fresh air on our HUGE balcony!

First stop: Tiananmen Square. This is definitely the largest city square I have ever been in.

Portrait of Mao Zedong on the wall of the Forbidden City.

Notice the queue for entry to the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong

Inside the Forbidden Palace

We were tourist attractions inside the tourist attraction 😉

After a quick nap we were off on–you guessed it–a Food Tour!!! This time we did the Lost Plate Hutong Food Tour (via tuktuk). Highly recommend!

This little guy loved trying the handmade noodles!

Beijing Noodles

Mongolian BBQ!

Baby’s First Tuktuk 🙂

Door Nail Meat Buns with Sesame Oil and Vinegar Cucumbers

Baijiu. Did we even really go to China if we didn’t try this?

Last stop of the night: a brewery! Proof that I actually drank beer. (It was Green Apple Cider, but still…)

After a late night, we were up early the next morning to beat the crowd to the Great Wall! I am SO glad we went early–traffic wasn’t bad and we had parts of the wall to ourselves.

Our first view of the incredible Great Wall of China!

We chose the Mutianyu section for our visit–definitely accessible with Conrad!

The perfect place for a little boy to explore…

Family photo!

Love this one!

How Dad handles a tired toddler…

…And how Momma handles a tired toddler.

Post Great Wall swim. Complete with compulsory swim caps. Haha

Next delicacy: Peking Duck!

The restaurants were VERY child friendly. Most of them had kids meals that you didn’t have to ask for and even toys to play with! This little duck is still played with at home…

Forget the kids meal–give me the Peking Duck! Conrad LOVED it!

Loved meeting Jimmy–thank you again for dinner! And great to speak to Bingqian via FT 🙂

Ducks in the oven…

Next stop: the Summer Palace for some creative strollering.

Another great place for a little boy to explore!

The impressive Long Corridor. Over 14,000 paintings and they are beautiful!

Selfie in front of the Marble Boat. Also known as the Boat of Purity and Ease. All I know is it doesn’t float!

I had to include one of the maps. The English on the map is WAY better than my Chinese, but I still find the translations humorous!

Mom Life at the Summer Palace. Dad was hauling the stroller down the stairs.

Suzhou Street. Dad had a death grip on the stroller…

In front of my favorite stop in Beijing: Alice’s Tea House! We spent more than 2 hours here learning about all things Chinese tea!

We loved meeting Alice! Conrad was a bit bored though…

Until he tried the tea! Yes, he was dipping pretzels in the tea…whatever works!

So interesting…loved learning from her!

The next morning, after nearly missing our train, we were off to Shanghai on the fastest passenger train in the world!

Comfy seats!

And of course there was rice!

Hello Shanghai!

Conrad’s best Blue Steel look in front of the Shanghai skyline

Historic Buildings on the Bund!

Nine-Turn Bridge in Yu Garden Shanghai

More tea! This time at Huxin Pavilion in Yu Garden.

So much to see (I don’t even know what some of it is) on our walk back to the hotel!

Another Food Tour with Lost Plate! Here I am attempting to make Xiao Long Bao–the famous Shanghai Soup Dumplings

Finished product!

One of the most delicious bites we had in China: braised pork belly. This took over a day to make. Worth it.

This is how Conrad experienced this particular Food Tour.

The highest library in the world was at the top of our hotel: SO COOL!

It looks like a villain’s lair in a super hero movie.

Model of Shanghai at the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center

Happy Boys in People’s Square

Then we went for a swim…

Celebrating our last night in Shanghai. Cheers!

River Cruise to view the gorgeous skyline at night

The Bund

Such a fun trip!

All tuckered out en route to Doha!

China has been on my list for a LONG time (since we lived in Singapore) and it was so wonderful to finally get to see the Middle Kingdom. Our time there certainly had its challenges (especially with a toddler) but it was so worth it. I can’t wait to see more of this beautiful country, meet more people, and, of course, try more delicious food!

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Taipei, Taiwan: A Delicious Destination!

Posted on September 4, 2019 | Leave a comment

After a delightful two weeks in Hong Kong, we took off for a long weekend adventure in Taipei, Taiwan with the Hills! Such a fun weekend exploring a new city/country with our dear friends and seeing the world through the eyes of our toddlers!

All the little hands going in for the first breakfast 🙂

Finn and Conrad drive the train!

On the Maokong Gondola up the mountain in search of tea houses!

Selfie attempt. Selfies with kids are hard. Especially when it’s this HOT!

View back down to Taipei

Finally–TEA!!! We got oolong tea and it was delicious.

These are tea buns made using different kinds of tea and flavors!

Part of our spread

The highlight of this kid’s journey–the ice cream!

On the way back, we opted to take a crystal bottom gondola. So cool to see the world beneath our feet!

It didn’t bother Conrad in the slightest…

After a quick nap, we were off on a food tour! First stop: a market, of course!

Thousand layer scallion pancake

We’ve seen people use this stuff all over Asia, but have never tried it: Betel Nut. Not doing it again! 😉

Chodofu (Stinky Tofu) This version was fried!

Have you really been to Taiwan if you haven’t tried the Bubble Tea?

Intestine Soup. Delicious–one of our favorite dishes from the tour!

Our little foodie getting in on the action with some Pineapple Cake!

Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) Still one of my all time favorites.

Family shot in from of the famous Taipei 101 (this was the tallest building in the world while we were living in Singapore)

The next morning, we started with breakfast at a local coffee house: Fong Da

Nothing to see here–just walking our kids through the streets of Taipei. (John thinks this looks like an awkward advert for something…)

The whole crew at the Lungshan Temple

Stunning. This temple dates from the 1700s.

One of the most iconic places in Taipei: the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial

This pretty much sums it up…

Room to play…

…and explore!

Jin Feng (金峰魯肉飯) A nice gentleman in line helped us decide what to order.

Braised pork rice–the best dish of our entire month in Asia. Also, tea eggs, spare rib soup, and some veggies!

Happy Conrad and happy Mama!

That night, we went to Shilin Night Market. Conrad went fishing…

But he did not enjoy urban shrimping…

Finn and Mama craft time!

This was basically toddler gambling.

And he LOVED it!

Dinner at the food court in the basement of the market! So. Much. Good. Food.

We had half a day before our flight to Beijing, so we decided to check out the National Palace Museum, which houses 700,000 pieces of Chinese imperial artifacts. One of the largest collections of this type in the world!

Only slightly impressed

Conrad’s favorite part was the garden!

After sadly leaving the Hills in Taipei–wish they could have come with us–we are Beijing bound! But first, airplane cookies! *The Hills actually ended up with a few extra days in Taipei because the HK airport was closed due to protests!

We LOVED Taipei. It reminded us a bit of Singapore, which made us feel quite comfortable. The food was spectacular and the locals were friendly. Plus, it was super simple to navigate. And, most importantly, we had another amazing trip with the Hills. 🙂

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Two Weeks in Hong Kong: Protests, a Typhoon, and Fun with the Hills!

Posted on September 1, 2019 | Leave a comment

Our next stop was two full weeks in Hong Kong–one of our favorite cities in Asia. We hadn’t been to HK in nearly a decade (since living in Singapore) and were eager to see how much had changed in that time. Also, our dear friends the Hills are currently living in HK–we were so excited to be able to spend some time with them in their new home!

In the few hours since we left Doha, the Hong Kong protests had come to the airport, occupying the International Arrivals Hall. It was quite a surprise after we cleared customs. This protest was calm and peaceful and we got into a taxi without incident, but it was a little intimidating to push an overwhelmed jet lagged two-year-old through the crowd of people, many of whom were wearing masks and chanting.

The next two weeks were tons of fun–interspersed with a typhoon, a few protests, a very wet trip to Disneyland HK and tons of good times with good friends!

The city comes into view!

Checking out the news coverage once we got to the hotel

Much needed coffee to start the day!

With my sweet friend post Shake Shack.

My boys our first morning in Hong Kong

First stop: DIM SUM!

Then we went to Sky Church with the Hills. Amazing venue.

Discovering some of the street food from the Michelin Guide. These are fried bao–including one with truffle. YUM.

Conrad LOVED this milkshake version of Bubble Tea.

Then we took the Star Ferry back to Hong Kong Island.

A little stroll

Girls’ night out!

Indoor play space on a rainy day. This kid is in heaven!

We love these two ladies!

Meeting Dada for some yummy kaya toast at Ya Kun–one of our faves from our SG days!

Typhoon warning!!! Watching the storm from our hotel lobby.

Getting our energy out in the deserted mall…and Conrad found his place!

Yikes!

Checking out the Hong Kong Museum of History

Rainy museum day with my boy!

Wan Chai Wet Market–I miss shopping in these markets. Fun to introduce the concept to Conrad!

Riding the MTR like a champ!

Lunch at Yum Cha. The cutest little Dim Sum…

Conrad approved…

And Riley approved!

These two are just precious!!!

Going to drinks in a prison turned entertainment venue…the ultimate millennial activity 🙂

And a little more hand holding…

The next day, we took the big kids to Disney!!!! I don’t know who was most excited!

Having such a ball!

Obsessed with the letters puzzle.

The Dads and kiddos on Dumbo!

Score! Sleeping toddlers 🙂

The happiest place on Earth–HK version!

Such a fun day!

And the next day, Projjal came to town! Thanks for making the trip to hang with us 🙂

The second week, the big kids went to camp. Conrad was not pleased.

Lunch at a market! The kids loved the rice–especially Riley!

Protests happened intermittently during our time in HK. Thankfully, they were well publicized so we didn’t get stuck anywhere or end up in the middle of something.

Morning at HK park

We even made it up to Victoria Peak!

I love this photo of the two of them…Finn and Conrad 🙂

Checking out a Buddhist Temple not far from the Hills’ place!

Love the coils of incense.

Katie very kindly watched Conrad for a few hours so we could get out and have a little date.

Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula! Another bucket list tea checked off the list!

Then we went to a rooftop bar. Thanks again for the gift of a date, Katie!!!

Conrad and I went to the Goldfish Market in Mong Kok. Turns out, they also have turtles!

Last night in HK at Craftissimo with Finn and her family. The kids loved the popsicles and we loved the drinks! I can see why all of the Hills love this place 🙂

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Rev and Mala’s Incredible Wedding in Incredible India: Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Delhi

Posted on January 16, 2019 | Leave a comment

Happy 2019! Once again, we celebrated New Year’s Eve at 30,000 feet–but this year we did it in style! 🙂

We were on our way to India to celebrate the wedding of our dear friend, Rev, and his beautiful now-wife Mala. Rev and I (CB) have been friends with our first year of college and he was John’s big brother in Pi Kapp. Rev is even responsible for introducing John and me at a frat party! And our friendship grew even stronger just after college when we all lived in Singapore. Rev and now Mala are lifelong friends and we were so honored to be invited to celebrate their special day!

2019 is off to an amazing start!

Our little guy celebrated the New Year with Mumsie and Grandaddy in Kentucky!

Our first stop in India was Mumbai. We spent a total of 36 hours there before heading on to the first wedding location: Hyderabad. So, we had to make the most of the time we had!

First stop: Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (aka Victoria Terminus)

Next stop: The Taj for a bucket list Afternoon Tea!

Cake Table

The Taj’s version of street snacks: Pani Puri

So excited to be in Mumbai!

Taj Palace Hotel at twilight. So beautiful.

The Gateway of India–a fitting place to start our journey!

Made to order Dosa Station

The next day, we flew to Hyderabad to join the wedding festivities!

Next stop: Hyderabad! Home to this Fish Building 🙂

Friends for more than 15 years! And FINALLY reunited!

The first official wedding event: Mehendi!

Getting my Henna tattoo. She wasn’t following any specific design–the shape of my hand was telling her what to draw.

Finished product! Love it!

Sangeet–the party the night before the wedding!

Loved catching up with this guy! Trevor–it’s been far too long!

The bride’s fabulous entrance!

These two CAN DANCE!

John and I even got involved in a Bollywood style performance 🙂

The Wedding at the Gurdwara

Ready for Rev and Mala to be officially married!

With the groom–he’s behind the pearls!

I spy—John! The men and women sit on different sides

Lavaan Pheras–four circumambulations of the Guru Granth Sahib

With the newlyweds!

Gorgeous (and delicious) post-wedding lunch!

The next morning, we boarded a plane to Bangalore with many of our fellow wedding-goers for the final reception!

First flight as a married couple!

Are they not the cutest???? So thankful for them!

Reception in Bangalore–with the lovely couple!

Loving celebrating our friends!

I love this one. Classic.

Cheers to the Bride and Groom!

Thank you so much, Rev and Mala, for inviting us to celebrate your special day with you! We love you both so much and look forward to many more great times ahead!!!

The next morning, we flew from Bangalore to New Delhi for the last leg of our Indian adventure!

Bucket List Restaurant: Bukhara! I am loving the apron situation.

The main event: Dal Bukhara. Yum.

The next morning, we hit the road early to Agra to see the formidable Taj Mahal! It was every bit as spectacular as we thought it would be.

Hello beautiful! Gorgeous mausoleum. Such a testament to lost love.

The Taj. Stunning.

Another view

Such a cool experience!

Agra Fort

Agra Fort–where a fountain used to be

So beautiful

View of the Taj from Agra Fort. Shah Jahan (who built the Taj) was imprisoned in Agra Fort by his son–with a view of his amazing testament to his favorite wife.

Our final day in Delhi, we did a day-long food tour with Delhi Food Walks. Cannot recommend highly enough!

Dosa Breakfast Set to start the day

Veggie Market–with our guide Loki in the foreground

Beautiful ruins

This delicacy is only available in winter months (when the weather is cooler). It reminded me of a merengue…

Freshly fried Jalebi

Milk Tea made using charcoal–in the middle of the charcoal market!

Chilis for sale!

Rooftop view of Old Delhi!

With our awesome guide, Loki! Cannot recommend him enough!

So happy right now. Samosas!

Our last stop was a Tibetan refugee colony.

So full. But so enjoying everything!

Except for the Tibetan Butter Tea. I finally found a tea I don’t enjoy!

Wow. India is amazing. We got to celebrate some dear friends getting married, see some incredible sights, and enjoy some delicious food. Seriously, can’t wait to go back!

But for now, onward, to Singapore!

Checking in on our little guy!

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Getting Back to Asia Part 2: Seoul, South Korea

Posted on May 20, 2018 | Leave a comment

After a lovely time with family and friends in Japan, we headed to Seoul for a little time as a family of 3.

A MASSIVE thank you to Brandon Coleman (a dear friend from high school and Seoul expert) who gave us some tips and tricks for our time in Seoul. We loved your city and can’t wait to see more of it!

Happy Hour while baby boy had a sleep!

After Conrad had a snooze, we headed out to a market for our first glimpse of the local food scene. We were pretty full from a late lunch and pretty tired from our travels, so we didn’t eat much. But we couldn’t resist a taste of a few things.

Banana stuffed puff pastry. Our little foodie 🙂

Yeah, we were pretty tired by this point.

The next morning, we struck out early to see some of Seoul’s cultural sights.

Bukchon Hanok Village

Changdeokgung (창덕궁) Palace

Sleeping baby for palace exploration?!? Score!

Stunning architectural details

Gorgeous lines

Checking out the silk worms in the Secret Garden

Mama Conrad selfie!

This is what is currently known as a “Conrad Kiss”

We love exploring together 🙂

Next, a lunch of dumplings and noodles!

Korean Dumplings

Conrad got in on the action

After an afternoon nap, we went back out to find, you guess it, more food!

Traditional Korean dress for sale/rental at the market

Mung Bean Pancakes (Bindaetteok 빈대떡) fried fresh

So much to take in!

One of the aunties enticing Conrad with what I think was some kind of cabbage

Bibimbap

Hand cut Noodles

Cooling down our freshly fried donut. Conrad LOVED these.

We ended our evening with a stroll down Seoul’s answer to NYC’s High Line: Seoullo.

An old highway repurposed

Beautiful views

Having a ball!

Our hotel behind one of the city gates (we’ve loved Fraser Place ever since our time in KL)

The next morning, we set out to explore a few more Seoul highlights.

Hurry with the coffee, Mom and Dad. I’m ready to explore!

Next stop: Insadong!

Upon arriving in Insadong (an area famous for art and shopping), we happened upon a multi-story shop that specialized in everything green tea.

Green Tea EVERYTHING

Conrad smelling one of the loose leaf green teas on offer.

Next, we found a lunch spot where we could sample Banchan (반찬), the collection of side dishes typically served with Korea cooked rice.

So many side dishes!

That night, we opted for a truly Korean experience: a baseball game! The Lotte Giants played the LG Twins and the spectacle was truly something to behold. The crowd was VERY into the game, singing each batters’ theme song the entire time he was at bat. There were cheerleaders, fireworks, t-shirt cannons. It seemed more like an American NFL Game than a baseball game!

City Baby on the Seoul Metro

Lotte Giants vs. LG Twins

We got one order of fried chicken. It came with 20 pieces.

First baseball game as a family of 3!

This little guy LOVED it!

The next morning, we boarded a plane in Seoul bound for home. Unfortunately, Conrad and I BOTH ended up with some sort of stomach virus (it hit me literally as we were getting off the plane), so we had an unexpected night in Detroit to rest and recover. We did eventually make it home and through jet lag. John is such a trooper!

Playing at the airport before the 13 hour flight

Snoozing baby–happy Mama!

Stomach viruses are the pits!

Seoul reminded us of Singapore in a lot of ways and made us miss it. A very developed, modern Asian city with obvious pride in its history, but with a drive for innovation and development we find to be unique to the region. The people were kind to us and enchanted by Conrad (he was definitely the main attraction, haha) and we look forward to spending more time here in the future.

As always, thanks for reading!

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Getting back to Asia Part 1: Japan

Posted on May 15, 2018 | Leave a comment

On Conrad’s 1st birthday, we boarded a 13 hour flight to Nagoya, Japan! John’s older sister, Caroline, lives there with her husband Matt and four kids: Lydia, Silas, Ethan, and Chloe. Conrad had never met his cousins before (and we had never met Chloe), so we decided to make a family trip of it! John’s brother Steve, his wife Lindsey, and John’s sister Lucy also joined us for the adventure!

Happy First Birthday, Baby Boy!

12 hours into our 13 hour flight. Everyone looks pretty happy–WIN!

Silas and Ethan are excited to meet their new, albeit jet lagged, cousin.

Our first day there, we decided to head out to see Okazaki Castle!

Ready to take on the day! Also, jet-lagged baby.

The whole family together again (minus Lydia, Silas, and Ethan). First time since 2015!

Sampling some of the local street food.

Next stop, lunch at Sushiro for some conveyor belt sushi.

Baby’s first sushi. He enjoyed it!

One of the best parts of our trip–playing with family! This picture is pretty typical 🙂

The little man destroyed his cupcake. Thanks for the sweet birthday celebration, Caroline!

The next morning, we boarded the train and headed to Nagoya to see the Seminary where Matt is teaching.

Conrad and Chloe–playtime!

Arriving at CBI–the seminary!

The library at the Seminary.

Family photo op on top of the Seminary in Nagoya!

We had a delicious lunch before heading back to Okazaki City. We also had a chance to visit with Brett and Taylor Rayl–friends from our FU days! SO lovely to see them and learn about their life in Japan. And, to meet their youngest kiddo!

Lunch with the Rayls! Great to see you guys!

On the way back to Okazaki City, we made an awesome discover: some of the vending machines dispense HOT drinks. This tea reminded us of our time in Singapore!

Conrad enjoys train travel. Especially when Dada and Uncle Scoob are involved.

Everybody jump on Cappy!

Okonomiyaki (Osakan Pancake) for lunch! Matt was quite the chef!

For dinner that night, we had a DELICIOUS 10-course meal set up by a dear friend of Matt and Caroline’s. Paired with sake, it was delicious!!!

Conrad, the only kiddo at the meal, occupied himself under the table–most of the time!

Such a delicious treat!

Family photo post-dinner!

The next morning, we went to one of the Newkirk’s favorite places: Minami Park!

Bring on the rides!

First stop, the Ferris Wheel!

Sweet family, beautiful views!

Conrad really enjoyed his first Ferris Wheel experience.

Next stop, the carousel!

Fun for everyone!

Conrad also enjoyed his first carousel ride!

Everyone loved it 🙂

We ended our trip with a delicious visit to the ice cream vending machine.

At lunch, Silas entertained Conrad with a Japanese reading of The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

A classic in any language!

Tonkatsu. Reminded us of schnitzel in Austria, which means it was delicious.

After lunch, Caroline took us to a local farmer’s market. So cool to see what fresh, local produce you can get in different places around the world.

Different kinds of rice–you can also determine how much of the husk you want removed!

Local soy sauce

The next morning, we were off to Kyoto via the Shinkansen (aka Bullet Train).

#babysfirstphotobomb

Kisses for Aunt Lucy!

Our first stop upon arrival was the Bamboo Forest. We walked the entire path. It was beautiful!

Bamboo Forest in Kyoto

Bamboo Forest

After all of that walking, we rewarded ourselves with some Green Tea Ice Cream!

Guess who enjoyed the green tea ice cream 😉

Our next stop was the Golden Pavilion! So much gold leaf!

Gold Pavilion

Candeto siblings. Love this picture of them!

Our final stop in Kyoto was the Nishiki Market. So much food. Next time, I’m going to try to come hungrier! 🙂

Beautiful market!

All kinds of cured veggies

Catching a ride on Dad’s shoulders!

En route to Nara after a big day!

Our final stop in Japan was Nara to stay with our dear friends, the Lintons! You may recognize them from our Singapore adventures–we used to travel some together around SE Asia. We really miss them!

Good morning, boys!

Girls’ Pic!

One of the highlight of our trip to Nara was feeding the deer that roam freely in the park. They are the most polite deer on the planet, bowing before they take the deer food from you!

Feeding the deer in Nara Park.

Our next stop was the Giant Buddha.

Sweet friends!

Working on walking outside of the temple.

All six of us! Miss these folks 🙂

That evening, John and I were invited to dinner with Yoshie’s father and some of his colleagues. We enjoyed a lovely Japanese meal and good conversation in which we learned more about Nara.

Fun dinner!

Group Shot!

The next morning, Mona decided to take over feeding duties for Conrad. She did a great job. Conrad didn’t seem to mind 😉

Yum!

Then, we boarded the train and headed to Osaka!

They really love each other 🙂

With the famous Glico man!

Family photo with the giant crab.

Everything is cooler from the air!

All of this exploring is wearing our little guy out!

For lunch we ate the most delicious ramen I’ve ever had!

So. Delicious.

That evening we went to karaoke! All six of us participated.

My contribution to the karaoke efforts. You can take the girl out of Kentucky…

Group sing!

Musical family

Baby’s first karaoke

Superstar!

The next morning, we prepared to catch our flight to Korea. But not before saying goodbye to our dear friends!

These two really bonded!

Cool play area in the Osaka Airport.

We promise this will be a shorter flight, little guy! Onward to Seoul!

We has such an incredible first trip to Japan. It was wonderful to see family and to catch up with dear old friends (thanks for being such great hosts, everyone!) We ate lots of delicious and interesting food, saw some tourist sights, and got a glimpse of what every day life is like in Japan.

Now, on to our next adventure. Onward, to Seoul!

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Cultural Crossroads: Istanbul, Turkey

Posted on April 1, 2015 | Leave a comment

Istanbul has been on our travel list for a long time. It’s on two continents, has had a wide variety of cultural influences, and everyone who has ever been absolutely loved it.

We flew in late on a Friday night and set out on Saturday morning to explore. Our first stop was to pick up our Museum Pass which I highly recommend. Not only do you save money if you are planning to visit multiple sights, but you get to skip the queues. This is especially nice when visiting popular sights like the Aya Sofya.

After picking up our Museum Passes, our first stop was the Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia). Build in 537, it is 700 years older than the Notre Dame and has served as both a church and a mosque. Now, it houses a beautiful museum.

Inside of the awe-inspiring Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia)

Simply Stunning.

Gorgeous details

The Earth has moved, but the Aya Sofya still stands!

Everywhere you look, more beautiful details.

From the outside…

Around the corner from the entrance of the Aya Sofya is the entrance to the Tomb of Sultan Selim II. Within the complex are 42 sarcophagi and one of the most beautiful tombs in Istanbul.

Inside the tomb complex

Our next stop was the other must-see religious site in Istanbul: the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque was built in the early 1600s and is still an active mosque. As such, it is closed during the five daily prayer times. Fortunately, there is a lot to see in the area, so if it is closed for prayer when you try to visit, you can always come back later. Women must cover their heads and all visitors must remove shoes. There are clearly posted signs with clothing regulations and the mosque staff is helpful.

The extremely photogenic Blue Mosque

Imposing structure…

One of the minarets

Inside was gorgeous

Stunning architectural detail

Ceiling detail

We enjoyed our time exploring this beautiful landmark.

From any angle the building is stunning!

After visiting the Blue Mosque, we headed to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, right across the street from the Blue Mosque.

Beautiful old Koran.

The detail is amazing!

Our next stop was the Istanbul Archaeological Museum which houses one of the world’s most impressive collections of artifacts. We didn’t have much time to spend here, but what we did see was very cool!

Some of the artifacts

A garden full of interesting antiquities…

What better way to end our first full day in Istanbul than to enjoy dinner with a bird’s eye view of the city? A few days prior to our arrival, I made us a reservation at Imbat Restaurant on the roof of the Orient Express Hotel as recommended by some of our best friends in London. Definitely worth it.

Beautiful view on a rainy night…

Main course

Turkish Cheese Platter

Walking back to the hotel. Such a photogenic city, we couldn’t resist!

The next morning, we hit Topkapi Palace which was recommended to us by several friends. Topkapi Palace was the primary residence of Ottoman sultans from 1465-1856.

Stepping back in time!

Fabulously ornate smoking room

The view

The Harem: definitely a highlight!

We also saw several important holy relics of the Muslim world including Mohammed’s cloak and sword and some hair from his beard.

After leaving Topkapi Palace, we went to a place that was top of my list in Istanbul: The Basilica Cistern. It was built in the 6th century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian. The ceiling is supported by 336 marble columns and the lighting gives it a magical feel.

Basilica Cistern

Excited to be there!

A couple of the columns (which were thought to be recycled from other construction projects) have Medusa at the base. She is either upside down or sideways to avoid harming anyone who makes eye contact with her!

On a quest for Medusa!

Found her!

The next morning we set off for the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world.

Inside the Grand Bazaar!

We stopped for some Turkish Tea and Coffee once inside. Please notice the difference in our excitement levels…

After we finished our shopping at the Grand Bazaar, we headed to a hilltop mosque called Süleymaniye Mosque.

Süleymaniye Mosque exterior view

Süleymaniye Mosque interior view

Checking out the stunning architecture

Next stop: the Spice Market!

Best pistachios I’ve ever had…we may have purchased multiple kilos!

A delicious assortment of TEA!!

After snacking in the spice market, we boarded a ferry bound for the Asian side of Istanbul.

See ya, Europe. Asia, here we come!

We were on a quest to find Ciya Sofrasi, a restaurant recommended to us by a friend who used to live in Istanbul. If was definitely worth the journey!

Turkish Meze selections. Yum.

Yes. We ate all of it. And it was delicious.

Once back in Sultanahmet, we topped our evening with a night cap at the Four Seasons–a former Turkish prison turned amazing hotel.

So happy 🙂

On our last full day, we decided to hop and ferry and head to the Princes Islands for a relaxed day.

Beautiful ferry ride!

Picture Perfect!

The seagulls were amazing in flight!

There are no cars on the island, so we took a horse and buggy tour.

Charming old homes…

Caffeine with a view!

Beautiful, old ferry terminal

Our next stop was back at the Four Seasons for Turkish High Tea.

Turkish High Tea

Multiple types of baklava on offer at the high tea

For our last dinner, we went to the what was the top-rated restaurant in Istanbul (according to Trip Advisor) and weren’t disappointed! The Old Ottoman Cafe was affordable and delicious.

Our dinner!

We ended the evening (and our trip) with some jazz music at Nardis Jazz club. Not our favorite evening of jazz, but it was nice to experience a different part of Istanbul at night.

Galata Tower

Jazz Set

Istanbul did not disappoint. It was beautiful, the food was delicious and it’s a city we hope to visit again!

Thanks for reading! 🙂

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Posted in Asian Adventures, European Escapades

First Part of 2013

Posted on July 1, 2013 | 2 comments

Wow–time is really flying. Since landing back in London at the beginning of 2013, we’ve had a great and busy year. We’ve had a short holiday in Amsterdam, explored London, enjoyed time with good friends, John has been working hard at his new job and I got a job and joined the Junior League of London. I’m working for a boutique consulting firm out of Singapore called AccentMarkets. I LOVE my job–I am challenged by it daily and work with a fantastic team of people. We are in the process of updating our website–I’ll post more info once that update is complete!

Now, onto the pictures…a few days after landing, we found out one of our best friends, Landon, was going to be in Amsterdam for a weekend. So, we grabbed our Euro-sized carry-ons and off we went to Amsterdam to see Landon for the weekend.

Best friends since middle school. We missed you Dani and Chase!!!

Anne Frank House–really impressive tour. Made me admire her even more.

A few weeks later, along with some friends, we threw a baby shower for our dear friends (and now Philadelphia residents) Anna, Erik, and Baby Caleb. We had a lovely night celebrating the Stiller family.

The sweet Stiller family

Hostesses and the lady (and baby) we are celebrating!

We miss you guys!

Soon after, my cheerleaders went to competition in Blackpool, England. We spent one night in the coastal town and competed on a Saturday morning. They did fantastic!!! I am one proud coach! 🙂

ASL Eagles Cheer Team 2013!

Then, the London Marathon came by!

Eating breakfast while we watch other people run. At Mile 17.

There they go!

A few days before the marathon, Caleb Stiller was born. We got to meet him a few days later!

Such a sweet baby boy!

Then, I went to Singapore and Manila on a work-trip. In my downtime, I managed to see many old friends.

On the way, I had a long layover in Frankfurt and Aunt Linda met me there. Thanks for making the trip!

Reunited and goofy as ever. I miss you, Kerry!!!

Glad to have lunch with Sue. Such a beautiful day!

And I got to see Kingsley, Leo, and Eileen and meet Baby Kelly!

And, in Manila, I got to see my dear friends Yoshie and Patrick and meet their new little girl, Mona! Can’t wait to all get together soon 🙂

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Posted in Asian Adventures, European Escapades, London

Looking Back: Bangkok with the Count

Posted on January 30, 2012 | Leave a comment

Greetings, all! This has been in our drafts section for a while, so I decided to add pictures and publish it!

Shortly after our return to Singapore, it was National Day–Singapore celebrated it’s 46th birthday! This holiday provided us with a long weekend, so off we went with three friends, Landon, Dani, and Max to Bangkok! We went to Bangkok over the same weekend last year with Patrick, Yoshie, and Landon and we all knew it promised to be an epic weekend.

Delicious Dinner!

We arrived late in the evening and had a spectacular dinner at Long Table, a brilliant Thai restaurant with a view of the Bangkok skyline. We shared the set meal and were not disappointed. It proved to be a diverse assortment of Thai dishes, giving us a chance to try new things we may never have ordered otherwise. After finishing dinner we went to the hotel, Shanghai Mansion, a little gem in the middle of Chinatown. The rooms were amazing!!! Upon check-in our friend Max received a welcome flower wreath as his reservation said he was the “Count of Massachusetts” (thank you Landon). It was official: Max was branded the Count for the rest of the trip.

The next morning, we woke up very early to make our way to the Floating Market, about an hour’s drive outside of Bangkok. We hired a driver for the day named Sewit. About halfway through our trip he told us his name means “sugar” in English, so we called him Sugar for the rest of the day. After some mean bargaining we got to go in the boat for an hour and 32 minutes (Sugar was able to get us the extra two minutes through his shrewd negotiation skills). The longboat was tons of fun, as we had a very aggressive driver who had no problem running our boat ON TOP of other boats.

Crowded Floating Market

We scared some poor old man half to death. We floated through the market looking at the goods the shopkeepers were offering. Every once in a while they extended a large shepherd like hook and grabbed our boat to reel us in as potential customers. There were vendors in boats, too, selling beer, drinks, and delicious local snacks. Dani and I bought matching hats. Our journey was complete.

Upon arriving back in the city, we booked ringside tickets to a Muay Thai match. Thai boxing is very fascinating and incredibly violent–it seemed no part of the body was off limits. To top it all off, the action is accompanied by traditional Thai music including the daintiest little symbols. Words cannot do this experience justice.

We are the champions!

Walking out of the arena, we spotted two tuk tuk drivers and convinced them to take us to a club, not merely by driving us there, but by racing! John and I were in one and Landon, Dani, and Max in the other. It was back and forth for a while (and got quick scary and fast, I must admit), but in the end John and I just couldn’t pull it out. After heading to a few more nightspots, we hit the sack. We had to make sure we had enough energy to handle Chatuchak, the insanely large weekend market that covers 35 acres with more than 15,000 stalls and shops. Needless to say Dani and I enjoyed ourselves immensely there, sending the boys back to the hotel early so they could grab a foot massage. Dani and I took a 45 minute tuk tuk ride back to the hotel through some cool local parts of town. Then, she had to go to the airport to get back to Singapore for work.

After an intense morning of shopping at Chatachuk

So now, it was me with three guys in Bangkok. Awesome. We started out this evening at Cabbages and Condoms, a restaurant dedicated to a public service announcement: birth control. There were condoms everywhere. In fact, instead of after dinner mints, you get a condom! After a delicious meal (yes, the food is really good!), we headed to a few bars. Then, I decided to purchase some grilled bugs for us all to try. They were beetles of some sort, I believe. Actually, they weren’t bad, they didn’t taste like much of anything. I am proud to announce that I was able to eat 20 bugs while each of the boys I was with was only able to stomach one a piece. The reason I got to 20 was because one of them refused to try one until I got to 19. Not mentioning names……Landon. 🙂

Trying of the bug

After the bugs and a few more crazy adventures involving a mechanical bull, lady boys, and some Russians (not all at the same time) we headed for a late night Burger King run and then off to bed!

The next day was Landon’s birthday and we decided to take it easy. We had a delicious brunch at Crepes and Co (found by Yoshie on our last trip) and had some Thai Massages. Then, we stopped by the tailor (a trip to Bangkok with John Candeto is not complete without going to the tailor), and headed to Khao San Road–the backpacking district for some drinks and street food.

YUM!

We spent some time at a little bar built into an old VW van and ate Pad Thai from the street vendors. Then, we all headed back to the hotel. As I was climbing the stairs for the night, I looked back and all three of the boys had this gleam in their eye. A tuk tuk driver had offered to take them to a local club–they were in. I was not. I slept.

Kings for a Day

When I woke up the next morning, the boys were exhausted from too much fun the night before. Upon our arrival at the airport, we immediately went to Burger King (again) where Landon and Max acquired crowns they proceeded to wear all the way back to Singapore. And thus ends our adventures in Bangkok–stay tuned for more stories!!!

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Posted in Asian Adventures

Anakawan Children’s Home–Batam, Indonesia

Posted on March 5, 2010 | 7 comments

Wow. What a day. Today, I went to Batam, Indonesia (an island about an hour’s ferry ride from Singapore) and the Anakawan Children’s Home. I go there once a month with my church to teach English to the children, who mostly speak Bahasa Indonesia. The children are precious and range in age from three to nineteen. Most of the children were victims of the tsunami from a few years ago whose parents came to Batam for work. While the government had guaranteed jobs, the jobs expired after one year, leaving the families stranded in a new place with no work. Some of the parents had no choice but to put their children in a children’s home.

I’ve mentioned this place before (I’ve been going since last summer) and it never fails to capture my heart.

The ladies and I met at 8:00am at the Harbourfront Ferry Terminal and prepared to board a ferry to Batam, Indonesia–about an hour-long ferry ride from Singapore. On the way, we weave through Singapore’s islands to the south (most of which are small and uninhabited) check out the Universal Studios that’s being completed and head into Indonesian waters. Once we reach Indonesia, we get our visas, get our passports stamped and head for the van that will drive us for another thirty minutes into the heart of Batam.

We go to Batu Aji, a small, poor community on the island. In fact in Batu Aji, I haven’t seen a petrol (gas) station. Gas is typically sold in plastic bottles that have been recycled from bottled water. It is a small, poor community on Batam.

Students on the computers

Before we head to the home, we decide to take a side trip by the school. The school has three classrooms, an extra room for computers (thanks for a corporate donor), and an office. Another organization wanted to help the school, so they built them a second story on top of the existing story. However, they did not put in stairs to reach the second floor. So, there was a two story building with only one usable floor. Fortunately, this problem has since been resolved and there is now a staircase. The children have a school schedule different from that in the US. They go from 7am until 1pm and even go on Saturday mornings. This particular school educates about forty children in the equivalent of grades 7, 8, and 9.

After our tour of the school, we went to the church (which is a house with one big room and four “dorm” rooms that house about 30 children). There is minimal running water in this house (if any at all) and only enough electricity to power a few light bulbs and a television set. They collect rain water from the roof in buckets. Despite the seemingly harsh conditions, the children are joyful.

Precious Siblings

Today, we taught prepositions and directional words. We used flashcards to learn words for objects around the room. We learned how to tell time in English. We even made tissue paper flowers. All in all, it was a pretty successful day.

One of the little girls wouldn’t leave my side for a good portion of today. If I would walk away, she would grab onto my belt loops and hug me around the waist (as high as she could reach). She even pulled me outside to get away from the other children. She doesn’t speak English, so I couldn’t ask her what she was doing. Then, Pastor Willy told me that her mother left her and they don’t know where her mother is. “She wants a Mum,” he said. That really struck a chord with me. I wanted to bring her home.

Sweet girls!

I spent the rest of the day with a five-year-old little girl and six-year-old little boy who, along with their three-year-old little brother, were brought to the home recently. Their eyes lit up like crazy when we would work with the flashcards. When they would get an answer right, they couldn’t wait to get a “high five” or a “high ten” as we called it.

To close the day, we danced to a few songs, watched them perform a few songs in Bahasa Indonesia and then got back into the van to head to the ferry. As we drove away, dozens of little hands were poking out of the fence and waving goodbye to us. I go every month to this house and every month I feel myself drawing closer and closer to these precious children.

Tanya (our fearless leader) teaches a song

I wish I could bring them all home with me and give them all a better life.

The funny thing is, when I go on trips like this one, I expect to be the one to bless the people and touch them through my service. It never fails though–I am always the one who is blessed beyond measure.

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Posted in Asian Adventures

Category Archives: Asian Adventures

Beijing and Shanghai–Our Introduction to China

Taipei, Taiwan: A Delicious Destination!

Two Weeks in Hong Kong: Protests, a Typhoon, and Fun with the Hills!

Rev and Mala’s Incredible Wedding in Incredible India: Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Delhi

Getting Back to Asia Part 2: Seoul, South Korea

Getting back to Asia Part 1: Japan

Cultural Crossroads: Istanbul, Turkey

First Part of 2013

Looking Back: Bangkok with the Count

Anakawan Children’s Home–Batam, Indonesia

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