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5 things to do in Paris

Paris is truly an eternal city. Paris is one of the most visited city in the world. The city of love, the city of Eiffel Tower is always full of tourists, but in fall and winters the tourists’ crowd fall thinner. Paris is not worth visiting only because of its grand monuments like Eiffel tower and Louvre Museum, but also for its beautiful people, history and culture.

When you visit Paris you must want to see this entire great city, you may short list some specific spots to visit before other places. Here are the five most important things to do while visiting Paris.

1. Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe is world’s largest triumphal arch, which is situated at the center of the Place de l'Étoile. The monument overtops the hill of the Chaillot at the center of the star shaped structure of 12 shining avenues. At the base of Arc de Triomphe’s pillars, there are 4 huge sculptures that commemorate The Triumph of 1810, Resistance, Peace and The Departure of Volunteers. Around the top of the Arch, names of the major victories of The Revolutionary and Napoleonic period are engraved.


2. The Orsay Museum
The interesting thing about this museum is that is housed in a huge railway station that was built in 1900. This railway station was completely abandoned by 1961. In 1981 the practicing French president decided to use this railway station as a museum. The Orsay museum contains 2300 paintings, 1500 sculptures and almost 1000 other objects. These objects and paintings in the museum cover the era of mid nineteenth century to 1914 and these art pieces belong to Degas, Rodin, Monet, Renoir, van Gogh and others.

3. Montparnasse Tower
Montparnasse Tower was built in 1973 and at that time it was one of the tallest buildings in Paris. You must visit the tower’s observation deck to have a magnificent view of the city. May the tower is not a worth visiting place in itself but its observation deck on 56th floor makes it worth visiting. It offers you a panoramic view of the eternal city of Paris. You can see 40 kilometers far in clear days but the view is magnificent in the night when you can see illuminated landmarks.
4. O Chateau Wine Tasting
If you ever wished to taste some French wine O Chateau Wine Tasting is the place to make your wish come true. You can have some admirable wine samples from the wine yards of France. You will enjoy the time in beautiful environment of the bar along with world’s most exquisite wine.
5. Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise
Seine river cruises give you a one hour ride on board, setting off from Eiffel tower throughout the city with all its historical monuments. You can have a seat inside the glassed cruise and look out at the beautiful sights during your ride. The commentary is broadcasted in thirteen languages. You can also enjoy French music on the cruise.
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Tips for Women Traveling to Turkey

The lure of Turkey’s rich history and culture attracts tourists from across the globe. The welcoming and hospitable people of the region and the beautiful vistas are an added bonus for all those who travel to Turkey. All these factors continue to make the country one of the most favorite tourist’s destination.   
A lot of concerns are often raised with regard to females travelling to Turkey, especially alone. While a lone female traveler might have to adhere to a certain set of precautions, a few common sense principles can easily ensure a safe and enjoyable travel. A good understanding and respect for the local customs and culture can go a long way in ensuring that female travelers have a comfortable trip in Turkey. Given below are some of the tips that can help the female travelers navigate the country:

Dress and act formally
While areas like Istanbul and some other cities are fine with the western mode of clothing, the eastern parts of the country are less so. Hence, it might be a wise move to pack a conservative wardrobe with lots of loose numbers and skirts etc. Once you arrive in Turkey, let the way the other women dress up be a guide for you. This will allow you to easily gauge the acceptable mode of dress for the region and shop accordingly for our stay in the region.

Another thing that female travelers have to be a little wary of is the signals that they may unknowingly convey to men through their body language. Gestures which might be socially acceptable and normal back home can be interpreted as a sign of romantic interest by the men in Turkey. Avoid smiling at men you don’t know. Your politeness may very easily be misconstrued in the wrong direction. Similarly, do not hug your male acquaintances unless it is a norm for the group with whom you are interacting.

Traveling and getting around alone
While traveling alone as a female to most places in Turkey might not be an issue, it is advisable to have a companion with you when venturing out to certain areas. Giving off the impression that you are travelling with someone can also be a smart move. For example, if some overly inquisitive individual inquires about you travelling state, you can say that you are waiting for a friend or meeting up with group. A reserved and formal front may also deter any overzealous individual from approaching or harassing you.

Carry written details of your destination 
It is easy to sometimes get lost as traveler in a new area. Rather than relying on memory, carry a set of details about your location on a piece of paper. You can show this to your cab driver to ensure that your destination is correctly conveyed. Also, inform somebody of your destination and arrival time. In case something goes wrong, this will allow to easily track you down.

In short respect the local culture the norms and traditions to ensure that you do not find yourself in any unpleasant situation. A few common sense principles can ensure that you extract the best possible experience from your stay in Turkey while also staying safe. But above all remember to have fun! Turkey is a beautiful and hospitable place that will surely give you love and respect if you respect its traditions in return.   
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Turkish Culture and Traditions

Turkey has always been among the most important geographical points in history. One of the earliest civilizations developed in this Anatolian peninsula (about 1000 BC), consequently this cradle of civilization has richness in its culture and diversity in its traditions. Here are a few aspects as a must-know of this exceptional heritage:

El Opmek

Kissing the hands of elderly as a sign of respect and giving honor is a very old tradition in Turkey, it was followed by the Sultans as well. Whenever they greet the elderly, a Selam is followed by a peck on the hand, children do it with their parents, grandparents, people do it with figures of authority as well, much appreciated, it has become acceptable in many other societies too.



The Turkish Hamams

As weird as it sounds but these have a history as well, merging the Asian tradition with Roman bath, the Turkish bath was synthesized and it became an institution. Men would gather and have discussions on politics and everyday life and women would gather at different hours. It became a ceremony, celebrating certain important occasions, like ‘the bridal bath ceremony’ for the bride to be or ‘the forty day bath’ for a woman who has recently given birth or ’the guest bath’ for the guest. 

Oil Wrestling is the National Sport

So called because they’re doused in olive oil while wrestling, it is the national sport of Turkey that goes way back to the Thracian community. The Pelivaan (wrestlers) wear leather breeches called ‘Kisbet’, most traditionally made of water buffalo hide or calfskin. It differs from the Olympic wrestling in the fact that the match can be won by achieving an effective hold of the Kisbet. Originally there was no set time for the match but since it went on for days, now, 40 minutes are allocated to the match. 



The Turkish delight (Rahat Lokum)

Belonging to the category of starch and sugar gel based confections, Turkish Delight is famous world wide and historically as well. Napoleon, Picasso and Winston Churchill used to love them! And so do the Turkish people. Traditional flavors include rosewater, mastic, Bergamot orange, or lemon and premium varieties include those filled with chopped dates, pistachios, and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel. Cinnamon and mint are other much loved flavors. All of these are usually eaten in the form of cubes, dusted with icing sugar or Khopra ( dried coconut powder). So if you haven’t tried this famous delicacy, it’s not too late. Edmund, from the ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ was bribed by the white witch with this very treat, betraying his family and all the inhabitants of Narnia; Yes! It’s THAT good.

Awe-inspiring architecture

During the Ottoman period, the legendary military engineer ‘Sinan’, later elevated to the status of state architect designed and built the foundations of a very unique architecture that turkey is identified with. With tall minarets and carefully calculated domes, he started the journey of the architecture in Turkey, Glazed bricks in various geometrical arrangements and mosaic can be associated with Turks, with turquoise, cobalt blue, green, violet, and black as the preferred colors.
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Ways to get to City Center from Istanbul Ataturk Airport

Istanbul Ataturk Airport is one of the biggest airport in Turkey which serves a large number of passengers every day. Being opened in 1924, this airport is the main international in Istanbul, Turkey and is the main hub for Turkish Airlines. Ataturk International Airport is located 23km to the west of the city center. Transportation to city center is no more a worry, because are several options to travel to city center from Ataturk Airport.

By Taxi
It is to be noted that taxi is the easiest form of transportation you’ll find after leaving the airport. Yet, it is not the cheapest mean of transportation but is a good service for the customers with family and a lot luggage. Although, taxi is the fastest service to be found after leaving the airport but let me clear, it is definitely not the fastest way to reach your destination. A long queue of taxis can be found outside the main entrance of airport, waiting to take you to the destination but none of them can guarantee the fastest drive to the city center because of the heavy traffic of Istanbul, especially in the evening rush hours and morning office hours. 
Another interesting thing to be kept in mind is the fare to be paid. Well, that’s the right of the taxi driver but is certainly more than the expectations.


 By Airport Travel Services
The airport travel services are usually private. This service can be pre-booked online through the website in order to avoid any inconvenience after reaching the airport. The private airport travel services are usually reasonable than taxi because of the taxis’ meter ticking in traffic jams. These services charge 25 lira to travel till city center. The charges are fixed for 1 to 4 persons.

By Airport Bus
Havatas is the privately operating bus services company which takes bookings through their website. It doesn’t a good service as it doesn’t drop you to city center yet it charges 11 lira per head. If you’re four to five people, it will cost equal to a taxi.


By Metro
Metro is one of the popular transportation present in Istanbul. The metro station is at the walking distance from the airport terminal and it only takes 15-20 minutes to get into the metro from airport. The official timings for metro are from 6:00 in the morning till 11:00 in the night. The cost of a metro token is 4 lira but it is not a good option to travel on metro with luggage. It can take hours to reach the destination through metro in the rush hours.


By Renting a Car
Renting a car in the city of Istanbul is a good option as you’ll almost have your conveyance to travel around the city. There are a few companies available online that rent a car and charge a fixed amount of price depending on the number of days you decide to stay. It can be considered a good option while traveling to city center from the airport. 


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Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace and Harem


Are you planning to travel to Istanbul? Well, a great to be visited. Istanbul is known as the heart of Turkey, as it holds historical importance in the eyes of the locals. One of the beautiful places to be visited in Istanbul is the heritage palace, Topkapi Palace. The Topkapi Palace is a large palace for the major residences of Ottoman Sultans. This palace was the primary residence for the sultans from 400 years, 1465 to 1856. The Topkapi Palace, which is the major attraction for the tourists today, was once the venue for major entertainment sessions and royal occasions.


Topkapi Palace is one of those historical monuments which contain a numerous holy relics of the Muslim religion including Muhammad’s cloak and sword. Topkapi Sarayi is described to the number fourth best ensembles palace of the Ottoman period after being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The palace was originally named as New Palace to make it different from the site of residents but after the expansion and renovation after 1509 earthquake and 1665 fire, it was called Topkapi. The palace was took over by government and was declared as Topkapi Palace Museum in the 19th century.

The importance of this heritage building can be perceived by the Ottoman architecture. The museum of the imperial era has a large collection of the historical artifacts and equipments of the Turkish culture including weapons, shields, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic Calligraphic scripts and traditional jewelry. 


Harem, the Imperial Harem was the home of sultans’ mother, Valide Sultan. It was also a rest place for the wives of the sultan along with servants and children. The Harem contains number of unique buildings and structures connected through courtyard, having more than 100 rooms in each courtyard, out of which few are open for public and tourists. Daires, the special apartments in the Harem were only occupied by the Sultan, his Princes and the Queen Mother, Valide Sultan.

It is quite interesting to know that the utmost authority of the Harem was with the Queen Mother who used to rule the other women of the family. The black African, Khizlar Agha was the head of the guards who was responsible for the safety and guarding of the Imperial Harem.  

Other than the family history of Harem, the social and political importance of this place is because it is the ultimate symbol Sultan’s power. The Harem is also called the “Golden Cage”

After all this history, the palace is worth a visit. The Topkapi Palace Museum can be visited between 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM in winter and the ticket booth closes at 4:00 PM. In summer season, it can be visited between 9:00 AM to 6:45 PM and the ticket booth closes at 6:45 PM. The ticket is valid for 12 hours, you’re supposed to visit the palace within 12 hours. It remains closed on Tuesday.

Don’t leave regret behind because of not visiting this beautiful palace during your trip to Istanbul. 
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Cappadocia: Turkey's Marvel



This otherworldly place that got its name from the Persian word 'katpatuka' meaning 'the land of beautiful horses', is a semi-arid area located in central Anatolia, Turkey. This area was once lava covered but around 2 million years ago, volcanic eruptions ceded and now it stands magnificent, with its valley, canyon, hills and surreal rock formations.

Hot Air Ballooning
Famous for being the best place to go for hot air ballooning, this rugged terrain, at sunset, provides the most breathtaking view as you glide through the valley (ideal for a proposal and must on your bucket list)

Underground Tunnels and Caves
There are up to 8 stories of underground tunnels and caves in Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, Gazimir, Özkona. These portray the fear and need of building them, serving as places to hide from Romans and later Muslims who persecuted the local Christians and raided their cities. 

The Göreme Open Air Museum
This is a must-visit monastic complex, housing multiple monasteries placed alongside one another, each with its own rock-cut church and awe-inspiring Byzantine frescoes (wall paintings). The complex is a manifestation of rock hewn architecture and fresco technique, so much so that it has been a part of UNESCO world heritage that belongs to the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries. A private tour can also be taken for 75 euros which includes travel to and from your local hotel, entrance fees for the museum and churches plus a licensed tour guide.

Zelve Open Air Museum
Located 10 km out from Görem, this marks the place where Christians and Muslims lived in harmony but had to evacuate in the 50's when risk of erosion made life difficult. Now it is a ghost town but serves as a heaven for rock climbers and trekkers. Good trekkers spend a solid 2 hours to walk through the valley.

Ihlara Valley
It is a canyon approximately 100 meters deep, formed by the Melendiz river and housed 80 thousand people once. Now, it is the embodiment of natural beauty where one can pleasantly walk by the vineyards, poplars, pistachio trees while relaxing to the sound of water. It showcases multiple churches as well.

Uchisar and Ortahisar
Both these places have roman rock-cut multi-leveled castles, Uchisal being situated at the highest point in Cappadocia. 

HOTELS
Fairy chimney chapels and cave dwellings have now been remodeled interior into boutique hotels. These flaunt Hamams (Turkish baths), patterned walls and panoramic views that engulf the valley. The tough rocks keep them warm in winter and cold in summer. The facilities prevent the feeling of living away from the cities while the architecture gives the troglodyte experience! 

FROM ISTANBUL
Due to its remoteness, round trip to Cappadocia can be Turing via bus or expensive via plane. By bus, it takes 12 hours to go from Istanbul to Cappadocia. Turkish airlines flies twice a day between the two cities and carries tourists. Traveling by air is a better option if you want a less-tiring start to a wonderful and historical tour of this area.
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