Explorer of Experiences

Exotic, old-world charm and vibrant, Turkey is all of this and more. It sits on the world map with one foot in Asia and the other in Europe. But this Republic is not confused. With a rich heritage and great infrastructure, it is no surprise Turkey has found its rightful place on a traveler's bucket list. The conventional Indian travelers per se discovered Turkey in 2010. A lot of my friends and my Facebook pages had Turkey trip photo albums popping up. Very different and beautiful landscapes made Turkey a fascinating and alluring destination.  In April 2012, it was finally my turn. I visited Turkey - Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukale and Antalya, to be precise. Back then, I had not begun maintaining a blog - which I regret - so I did not practice keeping notes documenting my travels. Now when I think of writing this blog, those lovely and interesting beads of trivia and experiences lie somewhere distant in my memory and I struggle to fish them out. Hence, I will carry out this...

It's a Monday and no surprise, the 'blues' have struck. But it's not just that syndrome that's doing the talking (or more aptly, the writing), but I reeeeally need a break. It's been six months since my last vacation and boy do I need a reboot. I flew out from last year and landed into this year not knowing, not realizing, not understanding how time has gone by! I still feel like I'm in 2013 and it's proving to be one hell of a long year. I recall how before I took off to Manali last September I really needed that trip too, work was just taking over my life. This time around too, things have not changed and a breather is much required.  I can't grasp quite how people only take one vacation a year. It's strange; use all your leaves at one go and plan, spend on and enjoy a long break? What happens then when you want a stress buster at any other point in the year? I'd rather split my holidays up, ideally have one per quarter in the year...but...

   A                   Image courtesy:  iskandals.com Aubergines – I don't know too many people who will jump in the bus with me on this one. This is one vegetable I love - right from its deep purple color to its flesh. At home, we deep fry thin slices of the aubergine and then sprinkle it generously with powders of coriander, red chilli, mango and salt. Deeeevine! B Image courtesy: Lovefoodeat.com Bananas – Fatty fruit this one, but lord, 4 of them for 10 bucks is a steal. And what’s more, no annoying seeds to deal with. Simply peel, bite and relish! Not just the fruit itself but I also remember loving this particular banana wafer biscuit I used to eat when I was a kid. Banana toffee or caramelized banana is nothing short of a heavenly sweet treat after a meal. If I see it on the menu, I won’t go for anything else listed in the dessert section. My shot at the JW Marriott breakfast buffet Bread – Buns...