Christmas is quickly approaching. I don’t know how we got here so fast this year, but I suppose I have to face reality and launch myself full-steam into the festivities: hello cheery music, Starbucks red cups, cute boots and scarves, and lots of homemade cookies! One of my absolute favorite things to do is buy Christmas presents. I know for some it can be a stressful time with so many personalities, tastes, and budgets to consider, but the mere challenge of it all gets me excited. Derik is obviously my choice person to shop for (duh), and I spend the entire year watching, listening, and waiting to find 'the perfect gift' for him. I’m usually a last-minute shopper even though I have the gift in my head months in advance, but this time ... Read More
Archives for December 2016
36 Hours in Istanbul, Turkey
Our visit to Istanbul seemed even shorter due to when we arrived: our plane landed at 4:00pm, we got to the Shangri-La around 6:00pm, and by the time we showered and ate, it was already dark outside. Derik and I make a point not to wander the streets of anywhere we aren’t familiar with until after we talk to the locals a bit about safe/unsafe areas, so instead of venturing out our first night in Istanbul, we decided to turn in early. Plans were made to spend a full day exploring Istanbul before we began our cruise through the Mediterranean and Aegean seas the day after. Although we visited Istanbul at a somewhat insecure time (when the mass migration from Syria and surrounding countries began), it was everything I had hoped for ... Read More