Wrapping Up Central Asia

My last two posts about the September trip to Central Asia focused on Uzbekistan; the first part dealing with Tashkent, Samarkand, and Shahrisabz while the second talked about Bukhara and Khiva. However, the trip also included four days in Almaty, Kazakhstan and another four days in Istanbul on the way back home. Let’s look at what Almaty has to offer, as well as some of the sights in Istanbul we didn’t explore back in December 2019.

Helen and I at the top of Shymbulak peak near Almaty

A Long Overdue Travel Post on Uzbekistan (Part 2)

In Part 1 of my Uzbekistan series, I talked about getting there, as well as the experiences visiting Tashkent, Samarkand, and Shahrisabz. While Samarkand may get the most tourists in that country, a trip there can’t be complete without also visiting Bukhara and Khiva. Those two cities will be the focus of this post, while Almaty is featured in a separate write up.

The Ark of Bukhara seen from Bukhara Tower

A Long Overdue Travel Post on Uzbekistan (Part 1)

Back in September, Helen and I went to Uzbekistan, Almaty (Kazakhstan), and Istanbul. While I did write a post in October explaining some urbanism observations – including the awe-inspiring Tashkent metro – I never got around to writing about the sights themselves. Let’s look back at that trip to see why you may want to consider heading there in the future.

A view of Samarkand from Hazrat Khizr Mosque

Urbanism Reflections from Central Asia

Last month, Helen and I spent three weeks visiting Uzbekistan, Almaty (Kazakhstan), and Istanbul. During this time, I was able to make a fair number of urbanism observations. Let’s look at what Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have to offer for all of you urbanists!

Turkey and Spain - Part 5 (Seville)

Whereas Granada is hilly and has lots of Islamic influence, Seville is flat and home to flamenco dancing and bull fighting. While we didn’t watch either, the Andalusian capital of Seville still has lots to offer. The Catedral de Sevilla and Real Alcazar are impressive, while foodies will fall in love with the tapas and churros con chocolate. Most importantly for this blog, we were impressed with the cycling in Seville to a point where I could almost say, “Watch out Amsterdam and Copenhagen!” Seriously! 😊

The Catedral de Sevilla's Giralda is Seville's most easily recognized landmark

Turkey and Spain - Part 4 (Granada)

After fifteen days exploring Turkey, we endured an early wake up in Izmir and a full day’s worth of travelling including two flights to Madrid and a high speed train ride to Granada where we stayed for three days. It was nice to be on a high speed train again since my last trip to Europe in 2014. Our Airbnb was a short walk away from the train station and a couple of grocery stores were nearby to grab some food. Aside from the lack of bathroom privacy with the glass walls and no locks, the room was clean and we were relieved to get some laundry done.

Passing by the Alhambra during our walk around Granada

Turkey and Spain - Part 3 (Antalya to Izmir)

The remaining six days in Turkey involved a lot more moving around including one day each in Antalya, Pamukkale, and Izmir; plus three days in Selçuk. Visiting the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts of Turkey is still decent in December with daytime temperatures approaching 20’C while winter jackets were still needed at night. However, revisiting the coastal areas during the spring or fall is needed to fully appreciate the area.

Antalya

Roman Harbour in Antalya

Unlike Istanbul with its historic significance and Cappadocia’s abundance of old caves, Antalya feels considerably more modern. While on the sleek modern tram from the Airport to downtown (which also goes to the bus station), we passed by shopping centres which would feel right at home in North America and Western Europe. This modern feel – combined with palm trees everywhere and its status as a cruise ship and beach destination – makes this city Turkey’s Miami.

Turkey and Spain - Part 2 (Cappadocia)

After five days in Istanbul, we arrived in Cappadocia for four days. While we didn't take a hot air balloon ride – one of the area’s top attractions – Cappadocia is great for hiking and has other things to do. There is Göreme’s open air museum, Avanos’ pottery workshops, Uchisar’s castle and onyx shops, underground cities, and lots of cave hotels to choose from.

View from Uchisar Castle

Turkey and Spain - Part 1 (Istanbul)

Happy New Year!

From December 7 to 31, Helen and I travelled around Turkey and Spain. Turkey has diverse landscapes such as Istanbul’s hustle and bustle, Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys, Pamukkale’s hot springs, and ancient ruins along the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts. The Andalusian province of Spain is home to Western Europe’s last remnants of Islam, great hiking trails in Granada, bike friendly Seville, and delicious tapas.

Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia)

This travel series will be split into five parts:

• Istanbul
• Cappadocia
• Mediterranean and Aegean Coasts
• Granada
• Seville

The Good, Bad & Ugly of the Middle East – Part 3

The first two posts about our Middle East trip showed the good hospitality and sights of Jordan while Egypt’s extensive history is weighed down by its people, though the harassment we faced there was likely out of economic necessity. That effectively meant naming Israel-Palestine as the ugly part of the trip.

View of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives

The Good, Bad & Ugly of the Middle East – Part 2

In the first part of the Middle East series, I reflected on Jordan’s hospitality and great sights. In fitting with the theme, let’s go back to our first country which was Egypt. One thing that can make or break a person’s impression of a country is the people and unfortunately, this is where Egypt failed despite having wonders such as the Pyramids and the low cost of travel.

Pharaoh Khafre's Pyramid

The Good, Bad & Ugly of the Middle East – Part 1

Imagine an area rich in history but torn by conflict. One where December temperatures are summer-like by day but almost freezing at night. One where frequent security presence and extreme inequalities between neighbours is the norm. From December 13 to January 1, Helen and I did our first big trip together by visiting the Middle Eastern countries of Egypt, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. Here is what I would describe the good, bad, and ugly parts of the region.

Enjoying the sunset view from Amman's Citadel

Time for a New Decade

It’s hard to believe, but it’s almost time to kiss my twenties goodbye and ring in a new decade. While I'm in New Brunswick for a much-needed vacation, there couldn't be a better opportunity to reflect on this past year.

Decorating bikes for Christmas? Bring it on!

Reflecting from Jarvis to Bloor

What a difference four years makes! On Wednesday, May 4, Toronto city council voted overwhelmingly in favour of a bike lane pilot project on Bloor Street by a 38-3 margin. Given this is the most significant achievement yet for Toronto’s cycling community, it is time to reflect on this journey from when I joined Cycle Toronto in fall 2012, the lessons learned along the way, and what work remains to be done.

My first Cycle Toronto button from 2012

Shore Excursions & Exploring (Part 3)

The conclusion of the Caribbean travel series goes back to where it started (and ended); that being Puerto Rico. While this Spanish colony – dating back to the days of Christopher Columbus – was invaded by the Americans in the late 19th century, Spanish remains the island’s official language. They also use a confusing mix of metric and imperial measurements, in which distances are in kilometres and speed limits are in miles per hour. Technical information aside, this Isla del Encanto (Isle of Enchantment) offers something for everyone.

Shore Excursions & Exploring (Part 2)

Truck-based jitneys in St. Thomas

Outside of the cruise excursion offerings (see previous post), taking time to casually explore the Islands is always a good thing to do, which is the focus of this post. There were two islands I couldn’t explore due to all day excursions; those being Barbados (for the Jolly Roger) and St. Lucia (for snorkelling).

Shore Excursions & Exploring (Part 1)

While the cruise experience on the Carnival Liberty offered many on board activities, delicious food, and exceptional service per the previous post, the real action occurs at the ports of call! Swimming at beaches, exploring the nearby town (or even the entire island), and shopping are safe bets regardless of the island. To ensure you enjoy your Caribbean experience to the fullest, you will want to go on at least a couple of excursions offered by the cruise line. Since it’s easy to go financially overboard with these excursions, I will discuss a few of the ones I’ve done and would recommend to others.

One of the beaches at St. Kitts

Just Cruisin' For Travel

To temporarily shift the focus away from cycling, the next few posts will discuss the Caribbean cruise I went on with my dad on the first week in February, the excursions, and the ports of call. The cruise ship – Carnival Liberty – started its journey at San Juan (Puerto Rico) and stopped at the following five ports: St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands), Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and Sint Maarten. I will start off with the general cruise experience.

Twelve Days of Bicycles – Twelve Tourists Touring

After over two months of covering a diversity of cycling topics from group rides to protected intersections, there remains one last post in the “Twelve Days of Bicycles” series. Since I recently returned from the Caribbean and found some cycling tourism inspiration there, let’s wrap up this series and kick off some new travel talk at the same time!

Bicycle tour in Sint Maarten

New Frontiers - 2014 Year In Review

As 2014 draws to a close, the usual year in review lists, pre-made Facebook videos, and unattainable New Year’s resolutions have been making the social media rounds. While I prepared David Letterman style top ten lists for the two previous years, the past year was one about several new frontiers, which no countdown would do justice.