Jordan in the World: Cape Town, South Africa

Jordan in the World: Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa

Jordan in the World: Istanbul, Turkey

Jordan in the World: Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey

For Easter vacation, the whole family took a trip to Istanbul, Turkey. It was the first time for my dad and me, but it was the second trip for my mom.

Istanbul, historically also known as Byzantium and Constantinople; is the largest city in Turkey. Istanbul is the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey. The city covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European and on the Asian sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents.

Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople except between 1204 and 1261, when it was the cathedral of the Latin empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1934, when it was secularized; it was opened as a museum in February 1935.

Mom and me sailing the Bosphorus

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historical mosque in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire (from 1453 to 1923). The mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 1,200 shops. Opened in 1461, it is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops. Many of the stalls in the bazaar are grouped by the type of goods, with special areas for leather coats, gold jewelry and the like.

Me in front of Istanbul University

Moroccan Madness

After visiting London, we jetted down to Morocco, on the east coast of the continent of Africa. We stayed in a traditional riad in Marrakech, near The Jamaa el Fna Square. It is one of the most dynamic attractions

Morocco.

Mom trying to conquer her fear of the camel.

We took a side trip to Casablanca

Mom in front of a fountain at The Hassan II Mosque, located in Casablanca is the largest mosque in Morocco and the third largest mosque in the world.

During the daylight hours in the main Marrakech square, the western side tends to be relatively quiet. Other parts boast monkey handlers, juice stalls, various street musicians, snake charmers, and other interesting entertainers and purveyors of oft-curious products. Water sellers with bright red hats add to the atmosphere with their traditional water bags and brass cups, though travelers should steer clear of their product, as the cleanliness of the cups is to be questioned. As the day wears on in Jamaa el Fna Square, the scene starts to change and other interesting characters arrive to entertain the masses.

London, England

I visited London with my mother and grandmother during Thanksgiving. We were there celebrating my mom’s birthday. Here we are on the Thames River with the Tower London Bridge in the background.

Me in front of Buckingham Palace below. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch.Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.

With the family getting ready to jump on the Tube

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower), is a historic castle and scheduled monument in central London, England, on the north bank of the River Thames. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and is separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It is the oldest building used by the British government.


The Tower of London is often identified with the White Tower, the original stark square fortress built by William the Conqueror[1] in 1078. However, the tower as a whole is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and moat.

Me enjoying my classic English breakfast with a spot of tea.

Undiscovered Paris

Cafe Marco Polo

Moulins et frites at Leons

Haynes Bar

I recently went to Paris with my mother. It was my fourth time there, and along with my mother, it is one of my favorite cities. Unfortunately, during this last trip, we found out that our favorite restaurant, Haynes Bar, had closed down. Haynes Bar was a Paris institution, established over 50 years ago. My mother has gone to Haynes every time she has visited Paris over the last 15 years.

When we visit Paris we stay up the hill from Place de Clichy. We always stay at the Ibis Montmartre and enjoy walking to Sacré-Cœur Basilica. We also walk around the corner to visit with our friend Mike Sylla at his galerie and showroom on rue Lemercier. Mike is an artist and designer, originally from Senegal. We love to go by his shop and check out his latest designs while we munch on roasted peanuts and sip mint tea. His store, Biafall Dream and The Human Tribe, is a must on your to do list when you are in Paris. And if you are lucky enough to catch him on a day when he is serving dinner, you will be blown away!

One of our dearest friends, Uncle Benny, was the barman at Haynes for years. Benny Luke appeared in movies such as La Cage aux folles and La Cage aux folles II and the TV show Twilight Theater. After serving as barman and manager of Haynes, he left to start his own restaurant, Bojangles. Benny is originally from Los Angeles and has lived in Paris for over 40 years.

I have a few favorite restaurants in Paris. On our first day, since we are so tired, we usually jump on the metro line13 - Chatillon-Montrouge and head down to Saint Lazare; sometimes we get lucky and the 95 bus is passing by and we take it down to Saint Lazare. We love the French Onion soup at Café Marco Polo, a brasserie on Avenue du Trône. They also have the best blue cheese, walnut, tomatoes, egg salad you have ever tasted.

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

We also like to head up to Jules Joffrin, which is on the other side of Montmartre, and delight in African food from Côte d'Ivoire. Our favorite dish is the fried fish covered in tomatoes and onions, with a side of rice and plantain.