Nizwa, Date Palm Oasis, and Omani Street Food Mishkak

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Day 7: Muscat and Nizwa, Oman - We started off in Muscat, then took a drive to Nizwa to visit the fort, had a delicious Omani food lunch, and visited a date palm oasis in the desert. The highlight of the day for me was visiting Misfat Al Abriyeen village and eating Omani street food mishkak.

1:05 Royal Opera House Muscat, Tour - 2 OMR ($5.20) per person - One of the most famous sites in Muscat is the Royal Opera House, and it’s truly an incredible piece of architecture. Although I wasn’t able to visit an opera performance when I was in Muscat, you can go there and admire it from the outside and take a tour to go inside as well.

3:25 Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque - One of the places you can’t leave Muscat without seeing is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, built of sandstone and marble. It’s truly a beautiful place to see in Oman.

5:31 Nizwa Fort - 0.5 OMR ($1.30) - Nizwa is one of Oman’s cultural capitals, and it’s located just about an hour from Muscat. Mustafa is actually from Nizwa, and so he offered for us to drive there, and spend the day visiting some of the main attractions in Nizwa and around that area. The Nizwa Fort is right in the center of Nizwa, and it’s well worth a visit when you’re in Oman.

9:28 Lunch at Bin Ateeq Restaurant - For lunch, we were all extremely hot and tired, and we went to an Omani food restaurant in Nizwa called Bin Ateeq Restaurant - they also have some branches of the same restaurant in Muscat as well. They serve a menu of traditional Omani dishes, and we ordered thareed and makbūs. All the food was good, and we ate Omani style, on the floor, with our hands. Total price - about 7.5 OMR ($19.48)

14:34 Al Hamra - After lunch, we drove over to an Oasis in the desert called Al Hamra. It’s a village still today, but there’s an old part of the village that is now deserted, and you can walk around and see the ruins. It was fascinating.

16:07 Misfat Al Abriyeen - But my favorite place we visited on this day was Misfat Al Abriyeen, a date palm Oasis in Oman, that was set on the side of a mountain. Their system of date palms and irrigation was amazing. It was beautiful!

18:38 Oman street food Mishkak in Nizwa - About 1.6 OMR ($4.16) - After getting back from the Oasis, we headed back to Nizwa and had Omani street food mishkak before dinner. The camel skewers were my favorite.

22:31 Dinner at Marsa Al Saiyaad Restaurant - When it comes to Omani food, seafood is very popular, and so for dinner we went to a seafood restaurant in Nizwa called Marsa Al Saiyaad Restaurant. You choose your own fresh seafood, and then they grill everything for you. It was a fantastic final meal in Oman! Total price - About 10 OMR ($25.98)

26:44 Taxi from Nizwa to Muscat Airport - 15 OMR ($38.97), and Muscat Airport - After dinner we took a taxi from Nizwa to the Muscat Airport, and waited to catch our flight to Istanbul, which was at about 1 am.

Istanbul Street Food Kofte and Breakfast on Turkish Airlines!

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Day 8: Istanbul, Turkey - On Day 8, we flew on Turkish Airlines and from Muscat to Istanbul. The flight on Turkish Airlines was fantastic, and I had my first ever Turkish breakfast while in the sky. We then checked into The Ritz-Carlton hotel, and had some amazing Istanbul street food kofte for lunch. Istanbul is a city that I’ve always wanted to visit, and I can’t wait to explore and eat more Turkish food!

0:15 Turkish Breakfast on Turkish Airlines - To begin this day and video my wife and I were on a flight with Turkish Airlines (member of Star Alliance) from Muscat, Oman to Istanbul, Turkey. Turkish Airlines is an amazing airlines, and on business class they served us Turkish breakfast since we happen to fly into Istanbul early in the morning. Bread, olives, cheese, honey, and then the main dish included eggs and vegetables. Great flight with Turkish Airlines!

2:42 Istanbul Atatürk Airport - We arrived to Istanbul very early in the morning and after grabbing our bag, we found the bus outside the terminal to go to Taksim Square. The bus cost 11 TL ($3.73) per person.

4:57 The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul - Marriott Hotels sponsored my stay in Istanbul, and it was an honor to have the opportunity to stay at the The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul, which is located just a 5 minute walk from Taksim Square, with a fantastic view of the Bosphorus. We got all checked in, and the room was fantastic.

7:44 Istanbul Street Food - Kofte Sandwich Stall - After taking a little rest in the hotel and drinking some coffee, Ying and I were both pretty hungry. There’s a small Istanbul street food stall that serves amazing grilled kofte, just down the street from The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul, and that’s exactly where we headed, right at lunch time. Before ever arriving I could smell the aroma of the meat on the grill and then I could see the colorful display of peppers and parsley surrounding the grill as well. I ordered a kofte sandwich, and after toasting the bread, he added in a bunch of little meat kofte patties, some tomatoes and onions and peppers, seasoned with some spices and chili powder and handed it to me. For 10 TL ($3.40) for sandwich and drink, this was about as good as it could possibly get for Istanbul street food! Wow it was so good.

12:17 Taksim Square and Turkish Coffee at Mandabatmaz (Istiklal Street) - After that amazing kofte sandwich, we continued walking through Taksim Square, one of the most famous landmarks of Istanbul and then on to the walking Istiklal street. The highlight for me was stopping at Mandabatmaz for a cup of the most amazing Turkish coffee I’ve ever had. Turkish coffee - 5 TL ($1.70).

17:04 Fish and Meat House - At this point Ying and I were starting to get really sleepy - we hadn’t really slept the night before. So we stopped for an early dinner at Fish and Meat House to have some grilled fish. I had the grilled sea bream, which was simple and plain but excellently fresh and cooked perfectly. The salad was also delicious. Total price for everything - 74 TL ($25.12).

The Ultimate Istanbul Food Tour (Balık Ekmek, Kokoreç, Lahmacun)

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Day 10: Istanbul, Turkey - This was one of the best days of eating Turkish food in Istanbul that I had during my visit, and this video is an Istanbul food tour. We started with Turkish breakfast, followed by the famous fish bread sandwich (balik ekmek), followed by kokoreç and midye dolma, and then finally for dinner I ate lahmacun. Although everything was good in this Istanbul food tour, my favorite food of the day was the kokoreç.

00:41 Lades Menemen Restaurant - The first meal on this Turkish food tour was for Turkish breakfast just off Istiklal street. Along with some side dishes, my main order was menemen, which is a type of Turkish egg dish (similar to scrambled eggs) and I got it with Turkish sausage. It came piping hot and bubbling away, and it was extraordinarily delicious, especially with all the other sides. Total price - 34 TL ($11.43) for everything

4:56 Galata Tower - 25 TL ($8.40) per person - On this food tour, we still had to do a little bit of sightseeing, so on our way to the next restaurant, we stopped off at the Galata Tower for an amazing full 360 view of Istanbul. We got there right as they opened, so it was nice and quiet.

Galata Bridge, Eminönü, Balık Ekmek - Perhaps one of the most well known Istanbul street foods is, balık ekmek, a fish bread sandwich. Located in Eminönü, and along the water's edge, you’ll find a handful of boats that grill up pieces of mackerel, stuff them into bread, and serve them with lemon juice. You can sit along the pier, and enjoy your fish bread sandwich, and not only is it good, but the atmosphere is also fantastic. Balik Ekmek (fish sandwich) - 8 TL ($2.69)

10:56 Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) - If I could choose one of my favorite things to do in Istanbul, it would be exploring the Spice Bazaar which is also known as the Egyptian Bazaar. You’ll find an incredible amount of spices and herbs and flavoring ingredients from around the world, packed into the market. After walking around for a while, Ying and I decided to buy some cherries, and the friendly vendor also gave us some samples of fruit as well. Cherries - 1 kg. for 12 TL ($4.03)

13:35 Süleymaniye Mosque - We were in the general area, so we stopped in at Süleymaniye Mosque, an iconic mosque in Istanbul that dominates the skyline.

15:21 Kral Kokoreç - The next food on this Istanbul food tour is kokoreç, and it’s one of the Turkish foods I was most looking forward to eating in Istanbul. Kral Kokoreç is an amazing, sort of street food stall in Istanbul. Kokoreç is a delicacy of organs wrapped in lamb intestines and grilled. I ordered a plate of it to go alongside some bread and it was spectacular. It was one of the best Turkish food meals I had, I loved it. They also sold midye dolma, mussels with rice and spices, and they were also wonderful. Total price - 29 TL ($9.71) - for everything.

22:42 Grand Bazaar - After that amazing meal, we walked over to the Grand Bazaar, which is not only one of the oldest covered markets in Istanbul, but one of the oldest covered shopping areas in the world. It was pretty amazing to walk around, and admire the shops and the actual structure of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. I think the tea was 1 TL ($0.34).

25:47 Fıstık Kebap Lahmacun - To complete this Istanbul food tour, our final stop for dinner was at a restaurant called Fıstık Kebap Lahmacun (thanks to Culinary Backstreets for the recommendation:http://culinarybackstreets.com/cities...) to eat lahmacun. At first we started off with aryan and kibbeh, before proceeding onto the lahmacun, pide, and the special fistik kebap. Everything was delicious, but I think I really liked the simplicity and lightness of the lahmacun the best. Total price - 58 TL ($19.49).

Lamb Chops and Safety Tips during the Attempted Coup in Istanbul

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Today was a little bit different.

Just the day before the attempted coup, my wife and I had had the most amazing Istanbul food tour (watch that video here: http://bit.ly/2dO4sSx), wandering around the city, visiting the Grand Bazaar, meeting dozens of friendly people and having fantastic conversations and delicious Turkish food. And in fact, on the night of the 15th, before the attempted Turkish coup d'état took place, we ate dinner at a restaurant just a stone's throw from the Bosphorus Bridge (where many of the events of the coup unfolded in Istanbul). 

Due to the situation of the Turkish coup attempt and not really knowing what all was going on in Istanbul, my wife and I made the decision to just camp out in the hotel for the whole day. We were grateful to have a safe place to stay.

My heart and thoughts go out to all the people of Turkey, and Istanbul is truly one of the most breathtaking city, in terms of history, culture, people, and food, that I’ve ever visited, and my opinions have not changed.

Amazing Turkish Food and Attractions in Istanbul!

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Day 9: Istanbul, Turkey - This was a day of sightseeing at some of the most famous attractions in Istanbul that I’ve wanted to visit my entire life including the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. And the read highlight of the day for me was the incredible Turkish food, especially the kebabs.

Museum Pass Istanbul - 85 TRY ($28.88) - Before getting started with the things we did in this video, I purchased a Museum Pass for Istanbul, which granted me access to a few of the attractions without having to stand in line. I’m not sure if I really saved much money, but it did save time.

2:00 Sultan Ahmet Camii (Blue Mosque) - Our first stop of the day in this attractions in Istanbul video was the Sultan Ahmet Camii, which is commonly known as the Blue Mosque due to its blue tiles on the inside. We actually arrived a little too early in the morning, so they were not open yet, so we walked around the Hippodrome of Constantinople for a few minutes. When the Blue Mosque opened, we went inside. Both inside and outside are incredible to see.

5:37 Hagia Sophia - One of the most famous pieces of architecture in all of Istanbul and one of the most famous attractions is Hagia Sophia. It started off as a church, later became a mosque, and now it’s an official museum. After entering, you can walk around the main room, but the highlight of visiting Hagia Sophia for me was walking up to the upper galleries for some amazing views from above. 

8:24 Topkapi Palace - Finally, one more of the most famous attractions in Istanbul, and located right in the same area as Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque is Topkapi Palace, which was an Ottoman Palace. You can walk around the gardens and palace structures, which are now galleries. I especially enjoyed the Imperial Harem, which was a section of the palace reserved for women, and the best preserved area of the palace.

11:25 Sehzade Erzurum Cag Kebab (Şehzade Cağ Kebap) - There are many different types of Turkish food, and cag kebab is a type of kebab from Erzurum in Eastern Turkey. According some some men I met while eating the amazing kebabs, this is the best restaurant for cag kebab in all of Istanbul. The type of kebab is made from lamb, and instead of being on a vertical skewer like other types of kebabs, it’s grilled on a horizontal skewer. The meat is cooked with wood fire, and slice off onto smaller skewers to be served. If you get a chance to try cag kebab, it’s an absolutely stunning Turkish food. The entire meal was delicious, but the best part was meeting the owner of Sehzade Erzurum Cag Kebab and eating a slice of the meat right off the roll hot and fresh. Out entire meal cost 85 TL ($28.88).

20:34 Basilica Cistern - 20 TRY ($6.80) - Arter the amazing Turkish food lunch, we headed over to see the Basilica cistern, one of many underground cisterns in Istanbul. It was interesting to see. We then headed to the hotel for a rest, and then went out again for dinner.

23:27 Dinner at Balkan Lokantasi - Beşiktaş is a neighborhood in Istanbul and we walked over to a restaurant for dinner in that neighborhood called Balkan Lokantasi. It was an extremely busy restaurant serving all sorts of different Turkish food in a cafeteria like style. You walk through the line, choose whatever dishes you want, and pay for what you get. You can eat a serious feast for a pretty good price. I got a little confused and didn’t really know what I was doing, so ended up ordering what was way too much food. But that’s alright, it was all really delicious.

Turkish Food: Best Kebabs of My Life, Amazing Seafood, and Turkish Ice Cream!

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The first thing we did in the morning in Istanbul was drive over to Beşiktaş to eat an amazing Turkish food breakfast at a restaurant called Çakmak Kahvaltı Salonu. From there we took the ferry across the Bosphorus to Kadiköy, where we had an incredible Turkish seafood meal for lunch. Finally, we enjoyed some Turkish ice cream, and the show, and had the most incredible kebab I’ve ever had in my life at Zübeyir Ocakbaşı Restaurant. It was an amazing day of Turkish food in Istanbul!

1:27 Turkish breakfast at Çakmak Kahvaltı Salonu - For breakfast we headed to Beşiktaş, one of my favorite areas of Istanbul, and went to a restaurant known for serving breakfast. The breakfast was amazing, and I ate a dish of eggs with beef and butter. The side dishes were also fantastic. Total price - 29 TL ($9.73)

7:40 Boat to Kadiköy and Kadiköy Market - During our trip so far to Istanbul, we hadn’t had a chance to go to the Asian side of Istanbul. So today, we took the ferry over to Kadiköy pier on the Asian side across the Bosphorus. The views of Istanbul from the Bosphorus were stunning. On the other side, the main thing I wanted to do was explore Kadiköy Market, which was every bit as colorful as I had imagined. The fresh vegetables and seafood were fantastic, and I tried a cup of pickle juice.

1 Week Ago in Mumbai: https://goo.gl/mK6rGs

12:45 Seafood lunch at Balıkçı Lokantası Restaurant - Of all the meals I ate in Istanbul, this was one of my personal favorites, being a seafood lover. Not a far walk from the market, we went to a local family run seafood restaurant called Balıkçı Lokantası Restaurant. The owners were really friendly, and I ordered a plate of hamsi (which are anchovies), and I’m not sure of the name of the other dish, but I got Black Sea salmon braised in olive oil and butter I think with herbs and spices. It was one of the best Turkish foods I ate the entire trip to Istanbul. Wow, it was amazing.

20:50 Turkish Ice Cream - After spending some time exploring the Asian side of Istanbul, we took the ferry back to the European side, and since Istiklal Street was on our route, we stopped to have Turkish ice cream. You also see Turkish ice cream vendors playing with their customers, but when you’re the victim, it’s so confusing and funny. They have some serious skills playing with Turkish ice cream. Do you like Turkish ice cream?

23:49 Zübeyir Ocakbaşı Restaurant - For our final Turkish food meal of the day, we headed over to Zübeyir Ocakbaşı Restaurant. Ocakbaşı is a type of Turkish grill, and they served all sorts of different meat included kebabs and lamb chops in particular. We also got a bunch of side dishes and they cooked the kebabs and lamb chops right in front of us within the center of the restaurant. The kebab was the best I’ve ever had in my mouth, with an amazing mixture of minced meat and spices. Total price - 100 TL ($33.55). Thank you to David from http://beygale.co.il/ for the recommendation.