Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures » Asia

Pristine Landscape Around the Hagia Sofia

jeff — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:00:57 +0000

Turkey was one of my favorite countries on my career break and one of my biggest pleasant surprises. While there’s so much more to see outside of Istanbul, I had to get my classic shot of the Hagia Sofia. There’s already so much written about it, I don’t feel like I have much to add. So, I’ll just leave you with today’s Suh-Weet shot to allow you to remember your time in Istanbul or dream of a trip that’s hopefully in your near future.

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Pristine Landscape Around the Hagia Sofia is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

The ANZAC Graves of Gallipoli

jeff — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:00:08 +0000

Yesterday was ANZAC Day. If you’re not from Australia or New Zealand, you will be forgiven for not understanding its significance. If you are from Australia or New Zealand, it’s a big deal as I found out while visiting the World War I battlefields in Gallipoli, Turkey where thousands of Allied and Ottoman Empire forces died. It was these battles that shaped in part the national identities of Australia and New Zealand which were still young in their young in terms of being independent nations of Great Britain. The Aussies, Kiwis and Turks visit this place with the same reverence that US travelers have in visit the beaches of Normandy in France. While many of the sites we visited were memorials to the Aussie and Kiwi soldiers, there were several that paid homage to the fallen Turks.

More than anything, I was struck at how Anzac Day has come to strengthen the ties between Turkey and Australia and New Zealand. There was an openness and a welcoming feeling expressed towards the visitors. I can’t imagine another place where the home team pays homage to the fallen soldiers of the other side on their national soil. It’s quite incredible actually. It sounds odd to call this week’s photo from a sacred battlefield our Suh-Weet Shot of the week. But, this photo captures the true awesomeness of the field in which these tombstones lie.

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The ANZAC Graves of Gallipoli is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Healing Waters of Pamukkale

jeff — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:00:08 +0000

Traveling to Turkey was apparently pretty popular with the ancient Romans. And, one of their favorite places to go was to Pamukkale where the natural springs were believed to have healing powers. After visiting, I’m a believer. The water carries high concentrations of a limestone called travertine. When the water evaporates the white sediment remains covering the mountainside. While you might think you are at the Arctic, the summer temperatures can approach 40 degrees Celsius! The day I went, it was at least that hot and the water, while warm, was a welcome relief from the heat. After wading around in the water (some of the pools are deep enough to swim in) my feet felt as smooth as a baby’s bottom. On my next trip to Turkey, I will go back at stay at one of the spas in the area to be able to enjoy the waters even longer. I had a lot of fun playing with my camera and was able to capture this Suh-Weet shot!

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Healing Waters of Pamukkale is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Doorway at Red Fort in Agra

jeff — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:55:00 +0000

One of the many doorways at the Red Fort in Agra. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

While Agra is mostly known to those traveling to India for the Taj Mahal, there are other great sites to see. The Red Fort is immense and even offers a view towards the Taj Majal. I don’t have anything particularly witty or insightful to share about the Red Fort. But, I loved this picture and had to make it today’s Suh-Weet Shot.

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Doorway at Red Fort in Agra is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Turkish Fisherman at Dusk in Eceabat

jeff — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:00:08 +0000

Hauling in the catch for the day. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

I arrived in the small town of Eceabat, across the river from Çanakkale near the historic sites of Troy and Gallipoli, at the end of the day. We took a little walk around town and made our way to a small pier where the local fisherman were wrapping up their day. Not seen in the picture were the cats who had assembled to see if they could score a few pieces of fresh fish for their own dinner. These men were intrigued by us and probably wondered why we were so interested in them. With a lot of hand gestures as our only communication tool, we spent about half an hour ¨talking¨ to them and watching them go about their daily routine. I caught a shot of this man bringing in his net to store it on the pier for the night. This small glimpse into village fishing life while traveling through Turkey is this week’s Suh-Weet shot!

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Turkish Fisherman at Dusk in Eceabat is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Ortakoy Mosque in Istanbul at Night

jeff — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:00:01 +0000

Stunningly colorful at night. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Not surprisingly, you’ll see mosques everywhere while you travel in Turkey. And, if you can’t see them, you will hear the calls to prayer throughout the day. It’s really not all that different than the prolific nature of churches in South America. You sort of become immune to it all. But, one night while out for dinner in the very smart Beşiktaş neighborhood, we couldn’t help but notice this mosque with its bright, luminescent colors. Of course, the Bosphorus Bridge lit up in purple only added to the dramatic effect. I loved hanging out here and love this photo so it was easy to pick it for this week’s Suh-Weet shot!

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Ortakoy Mosque in Istanbul at Night is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Ephesus Library Entrance

jeff — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:00:46 +0000

Remaining facades give you a sense of the enormity of the city. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

OK, I know a couple of weeks ago I chose Ephesus for the suh-weet shot, but I couldn’t resist showing off my pic of one of the city’s most famous landmarks’ the entrance to the library. This marble and stone structure (or is it all marble???) gives you a real sense of how big the buildings were here. How anyone constructed this city out of that much marble boggles my mind. But, given the plenitude of marble I saw while traveling in Turkey, maybe it’s not so surprising. It’s all pretty cool, the tall marble pillars, the statues that remain (in whole or in part) and the huge doorway leading to the inside. Forgive me for choosing Ephesus again, but hopefully you think this is being worthy of being part of my Suh-Weet shots series.

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Ephesus Library Entrance is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Istanbul Spice Market…The Most Colorful Place in the City

jeff — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:00:46 +0000

One of the most colorful spots in Istanbul. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

The food and spice market in Istanbul can be overshadowed by the Grand Bazaar just down the road. But, any foodie (or wannabe foodie) needs to visit the spice market. There are lots of places to buy your carpet when traveling in Turkey. But, there aren’t many places like this in Turkey, at least not on this scale. I can’t say I recognized everything. But, I loved the variety, the textures and the piles and piles of colorful powders everywhere. If you’re staying in a hostel, you can finally say goodbye to that bland chicken you’ve been making for the past 3 weeks and treat yourself to some something different. Or, just window shop like I did. This was one of my favorite places and I had to make it this week’s Suh-Weet shot!

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Istanbul Spice Market…The Most Colorful Place in the City is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

The Grandeur of Ephesus

jeff — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:00:37 +0000

Ephesus is enormous with lots to explore. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

I knew precious little about Ephesus before I went to travel in Turkey. Located outside of Selçuk on the central, west coast, this old city is at once beautifully preserved and accessible. In Greece, I found many of the ruins cold and behind velvet ropes. But, in Turkey most places were approachable, allowing you to not only see them, but also touch them feel them. And, that tactile response, in a weird way, made me feel closer to them. You can’t leave Ephesus without getting a sense of how huge it is and how important this place really was. Its wide streets and partially standing ruins give you a sense of what it must have been like thousands of years ago when it was the 2nd largest city in the world, inhabited by an estimated 250,000 people! This photo giving you a peek inside the city is my pick for this week’s Suh-Weet Shot!

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The Grandeur of Ephesus is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Cooking Class in India. Learning Something New on Your Career Break

jeff — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:00:19 +0000

Making Chipati (Indian flatbread) at The Spice Box in Udaipur, India. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Focusing on your personal passions, picking up a new skill or hobby, call it what you want, but all of the above are popular with career breakers. In my case, I learned Spanish fluently, learned to ski and got to develop my photography skills. When I went to India with Gap Adventures, I saw that one of the optional activities on our Rajasthan tour was a cooking class. I jumped on the chance to film this class. The class involves food, travel and passion, the perfect combination for career breakers. Check out the video and see what we learned and more importantly, what we cooked!

What We Learned About Indian Cooking In Our Class at The Spice Box

Store all your spices in a traditional Indian spice box to keep them fresh and handy.
Cook with oil, not butter. Butter not only adds fat, but also prevents the full taste of the spices from coming out.
Cook your spices first to really bring out their flavors.
Use fresh ingredients, always.
Have a good attitude in the kitchen, always

My B-Side Tips for Taking a Cooking Class During Your Career Break Travel

This video isn’t about tips. It’s about showing you an alternative way to get more out of your career break trip. Cooking classes can be found in many countries. Some are for an evening like this one, others last a full day, and others are even more formal allowing you to obtain formal certification. Here are some additional tips to finding a class wherever you’re traveling.

Get the recipes…ALWAYS This is fairly standard and shouldn’t be a problem.
Take a market tour, when possible. It’s not offered with all classes. But, if you can go to the local market with your chef-teacher, take advantage. You will learn even more about the local cuisine.
Find a class that allows you to participate. There are a few courses out there that merely show you how to prepare the dishes. You will have much more fun and get more out of the class if you are the one doing the cooking.
Here are links to some of the recipes from my cooking class in Udaipur at The Spice Box:

Check out the other topics covered in the Gap Adventures Career Break Video Series

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Disclosure: I am serving as the Gap Adventures media spokesman for career break travel. While this series is part of a broader campaign to raise awareness about career break travel, all opinions, tips and advice are mine.

Cooking Class in India. Learning Something New on Your Career Break is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures