1. At the airport
2. View along the Bosphorus
3. Istanbul traffic
4. My favorite Starbucks, with the most amazing views
5. Yummy macarons, raspberry was my favorite
6. Mocha and dessert
The past few weeks have been a bit of a transition for me. I am currently in Istanbul and will be for some time. I also realized that in the past four years, since I have graduated college, I have moved over 9 times. Some moves have been large, others smaller but I am pretty exhausted from all of the packing and moving. I find that I am enjoying it less each time.
Coming to Istanbul (for the second time) has left me in a bit of a 'shock'. Not culture shock, luckily I have traveled enough that I can adjust to new surroundings. It is more of a cooking shock. As in, I find it difficult to find so many of the necessary items that I could easily pick up in any store in the US. Because the few days I had to pack were so stressful and my suitcases were stuffed to maximum capacity, I ended up leaving behind most of my kitchen necessities in the US. And yes, I agree, that was stupid.
I thought that it would be easy enough to find what I need but after visiting many stores I have begun to think that baking desserts is not a popular activity here. I have had trouble finding measuring cups and measuring spoons, baking dishes, and many of the spices that I need. And vanilla extract-almost impossible to find! I finally tracked down a small bottle in a 'specialty store' and it cost about $20! For a bottle that would cost $4-$5 in the US. Needless to say, I will not be baking chocolate chip cookies anytime soon! Most of my frustrations will be solved tomorrow after a much needed trip to Ikea. As for the vanilla extract, I am still kicking myself for packing so carelessly.
~Rona
