This past summer I vacationed in Istanbul, Turkey and there certainly is no other city like it in the world. There was always something to do and always sights and monuments to see.

My first stop was Sultan Ahmad, a spectacular tourist area. It is there that the ancient Anna Sofia Church proudly shines. There were lights aligning a path up the stairs and into the church. The floor is made of sparkling marble rock, which took my breath away. The interior is comprised of a grand main room with small sections for worship along the perimeter. The architecture and the art on the walls make the church unique and diverse from all other churches in Turkey. There are drawings covering every inch of wall in every room. These art masterpieces went from ceiling down to the walls and brought vibrant colors and culture into the edifice. Also, a stained glass acted as the roof and allowed the sunshine to pour into the rooms. Colored Christmas lights cover every corner of the rooms giving off dim light and a warm, welcoming feel. The church is not used for worship anymore so people from any culture or religion are free to wander around and explore.

On the streets, the sidewalks were lined with bushes and flowers of every color. Also, little stands sold freshly squeezed juice with multiple choices of any type of fruit ever heard of. There were ice cream trucks, corn and nut stands on each street corner as well.

Additionally, the shopping in Istanbul was the best part of the trip because each shop offered many European styled clothing that is not found in the United States. The Mall of Istanbul has eight floors with high brands like Channel and Fendi but there were stores that sold basic clothing as well. There were original designs with rips and studs that I believe could easily have been in New York Fashion Week. The specialty of Turkish shopping is the originality of the apparel that combined American and Italian trends of clothing.

Everything we ate was exquisite. The food everywhere was halal and organic. Halal means the animal to be eaten was slaughtered with a prayer being read and cleaned very well afterwards. Having halal meat is mandatory to many Turks that follow the Muslim religion. Also, there were barely any products with preservatives. The Turkish breakfast consists of pita bread being dipped into hummus and jams of apricot and raspberry. A typical Turkish dinner is beef kebabs, however, Turks always add a special ingredient to kebab entrees to make it unique. It may be drizzled with pomegranate sauce or coated with spices. The kebab listings on menus were never ending. In addition, every restaurant offers free tea like a normal restaurant would provide free water. In the eyes of a Turk, every meal or snack must be accompanied with tea. Finally the dessert consisted of rice pudding and milkshakes. Turkish ice cream is one of the iconic treats found in Turkey. It’s completely diverse from normal ice cream because it contains taffy like ingredient that makes the ice cream stretchy and rich tasting. It’s a homemade just like the majority of the food in Turkey.

The most fascinating part about Istanbul is that the city has a bridge that connects the continent of Asia and Europe together. Taking a ferry at night while eating Turkish ice cream is the most peaceful and relaxing moment imaginable. The bridges were lined with red and white light and Turkish flags.

On my trip, I went on a road trip from Istanbul to the bottom of Turkey. I stayed the night in Denizli Province, which is located in southern Turkey surrounded by a dessert. The main center of attention is Pumakale, which translates to The Cotton Castle. Its located at the top of a mountain and produces hot water like a hot spring. The only difference is that this spring was surrounded by white rock and the floors were white and every rock was white. The miracle is that this ginormous white rock lies in the middle of the dessert and gushes with warm water. It is believed that swimming in the water would cure all illnesses and get rid of impurities.

The next stop was further south at the tip of turkey in a town called Fateeha that is by the Mediterranean Sea. There I had the opportunity to pet a camel and go jet skiing. I also tried water boarding. However, the best part was walking along the shoreline. The water was crystal clear and the waves coated the shoreline in even C’s.  The sky was a mixture of blues and pinks and the sand was soft to the touch.

After going to Turkey I can say it was one of the best vacations I have been on. The culture surrounded the country like a blanket everywhere I went. I found originality everywhere from the clothing designs to the food created. I’m thankful that I was able to explore Turkey and I am definitely looking forward to going again.