Good bye to you, 2013! Let’s do a quick recap of the most memorable moments: (True, Darwin was born in 2012 [just barely] but duh, he had a pretty big impact on my 2013.) January: Preparing for our trip from the US to Bishkek as a family, we had to get Darwin his first passport. …
Category Archives: travels
exploring Brussels
I have a feeling that one of the main driving factors to get me to explore Ghent and other nearby cities is going to be people visiting me. I’m certain that my friends and family wouldn’t enjoy sitting around the house, running after Darwin (and instagramming him) all day, so therefore I have to play …
an epic road trip
The original plan was something like this: fly from Bishkek to Ghent, hang out for about a week, fly to the US, get Farrell’s Belgian visa sorted out, see some family, fly back to Ghent three weeks later. Obviously, I mention the original plan because it didn’t quite go like that. Yes, we went to …
a final dip in Issyk Kul
Some photos from my final dip in Kyrgyzstan’s famous “warm” (but actually frigid most of the time, nippy on the best days) lake, Issyk Kul. I’m getting a bit emotional thinking about it. It wasn’t a trip I was most excited to take. It was peak season, we were going without the most solid reservations …
taking the train to Issyk Kul
This is an experience that seems to make it around the various expat circles. Let’s take the train to Issyk Kul! My first reaction to hearing it was something like, really? You can do that? I just finished reading The Great Railway Bazaar and, influenced by the book, I imagined the train to Issyk Kul …
the weird mural in Issyk Kul
This mural has become something of a legend in my mind. My former Belgian housemate first told me about it a few years ago after he drove past it and snapped a photo. “Have you heard about the painting with the big, pink dragon attacking the White House?” Uhh, no. No, I haven’t. Can you …
a perfect weekend in Tamga
There were several factors that made this possibly one of the best trips to Issyk Kul that I’ve ever had. First, wonderful company. Daniel was prepared for anything, and he had a car, and he’s a very laid-back, awesome guy. When the apartment we rented didn’t have sugar, he had sugar (a necessity for my …
Foods I ate in Istanbul
I love Turkish food. I don’t eat it as much anymore, but at my old house in Bishkek, we lived near several Turkish restaurants that we went to all the time. When I went to Istanbul last month, I knew I would enjoy eating as much Turkish food as I could. My week of eating …
Prince Islands
One day during our vacation in Istanbul, we took a ferry to Heybeliada, one of the Prince Islands. It was a gorgeously sunny day, the water was clear and plenty of strangers offered to hold Darwin during the boat ride, leaving me free to photograph the Bosphorus. Once on the island, we admired the charming …
the worst thing about Istanbul
This isn’t quite so relevant now, considering all that’s happening right now in Istanbul. The worst thing about Istanbul is the unnecessary use of force by the police against protestors. But during more peaceful times, this is what made me seethe with rage during my time in Istanbul. The costumed ice cream servers. I have …