Turkey, Turkey, Turkey!

Remember "V", well he got married. After two years being on and off with his Turkish girlfriend, he popped the question earlier this year in Rome. Few months later they're sending out save the dates for a wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey was never of my list of my places to go, but there was no way I was missing this wedding so I booked myself a ticket. My first solo trip and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't freaked out about it. I kept envisioning Turkey as a place in the Middle East therefore not safe. But I couldn't have been more wrong.

Turkey is an amazing, beautiful city filled with so much history but at the same time very cosmopolitan. You have the mosques and the sultans home next to Saks Fifth Avenue and the hottest clubs. The best part of the city was staying by the Boshporus River. It felt like I was in the Mediterranean. The Boshporus river split the Asia side from the European side of the country. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the Asia side. Next time! The food in Turkey was also fantastic. Really fresh seafood and delicious desserts. I think I had my life time quota of baklava while I was there!

V's wedding was spectacular. The setting, the location, the music, the food, were all amazing. He definitely set the bar high in terms of lavish weddings. I mean, who gives Faberge eggs as favors!!! The wedding was like a couture runway show, with all the Turkish women dressed in their finest. I wish I had taken more photos of some of their gowns. Yes, I said gowns. These women were ready for Fashion Week. Apparently, one of the key elements of a Turkish wedding is shots!! We started the evening (meaning even before the ceremony) with shots and during the entire ceremony shots were being served every five minutes. Not just any shots, but rows of shots served with sparklers. It was insane!! Luckily, they weren't too potent so doing five or so was no big deal. The wedding ended at 1 and the couple had rented a club on the water next door in order for the festivities to continue well into the morning. At the club, we were greeted with what else, shots!!!!! There were fruits and nuts on the tables and bottles of alcohol ready for consumption. These guys really party hard. The bride and groom stayed out till 4 am!!

The best experience I had in Turkey and definitely my most memorable was the going to a Turkish bath. Or a Hamman as they call it. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside so I have to do my best to describe it. You basically walk into this dodgy hotel type building where they separate the men from the women, thank god. You are asked to put on a cloth, yeah no robes here people. You walk into a steam room and they immediately pull of the cloth and you're buck naked in a room with a ton of women. That part is not so bad. You sit there and steam and then a bunch of 60 year old Turkish women, who are also naked with the exception of their matching lace black underwear come in and start dragging you onto the tiles and scrubbing you down. I was quite disgusted by the amount of dirt I had on my body. They then proceed to give you a good scrub with bubbles. Now this is all supposed to be relaxing, but when a 60 year naked Turkish women is lathering you up and her boobs are swinging and hitting you on your cheeks its hard to relax. The treatment ends with them washing with your hair.. Not like when you go to a saloon and get your hair washed. More like when you're 2 and your mom is giving you a bath and pouring cups of water down your face and the shampoo is getting in your eyes and you can't catch your breathe between the cascade of water falling down your face. I totally get why babies hate having their hair washed. That was not fun! Although the spa experience was a bit weird, to say the least, I'm glad I tried it. I will never forgot it, that's for sure!

Turkey has moved up into the top spot of places I've visited and loved. I would go back in a heartbeat as I'm pretty sure their is a whole lot I didn't get to see.

Up next, Barcelona Spain!