Hamam

      Beautiful architecture, hot marble baths, and a massage and exfoliation, this is what awaits Turks and travelers in the Turkish baths known as hamams. Traditionally the Turks would bath atleast twice a week, making it a large part of social culture and time out of the homes for the women. A woman even had legal power to divorce her husband if he couldn't fund her twice weekly bath trips.
     Usually the baths are segregated by sex, although it is possible to find a few co-ed ones currently. The architecture of the buildings is amazing, and usually from the 1400-1500s, and naturally the best way to experience it is to pay the 50 Turkish Lira to enjoy it. A bath takes about an hour to an hour and a half, allowing for time to relax and assimilate into the culture. Generally the bath begins by entering the changing room, where you will leave your stuff, and go into the main room wearing only a towel-like cloth traditional for the baths. You then adjust the temperature of your bath till its almost to hot to stand, using a large ladle to pour the water one the skin in order to make it soft.
      Next the assistant will bring you the center of the room where a marble slab becomes your massage table and scrubbing station. You are then rubber and a loofa like creation makes your skin silky smooth. Afterwards you rinse yourself, and head into the changing room to leisurely get ready to leave while being served tea. The cultural experience is unique and exciting, bringing you one step closer to the Turkish people.

Istanbul

      Can you imagine walking past the old walls of Constantinople, and into a local hamam to wash off the sweat from the Turkish sun? Well this is exactly the idea that drew me to Istanbul. Turkey itself is officially part of Europe, even though it's culture is so unique and distinctly a historical mix or European and  Middle Eastern traditional and cuisine. Istanbul borders the Black Sea, and has served as a main port for centuries.
      When I think of the reasons to travel to this city I can come up with endless answers, as I believe there is something there for everyone. History buffs would enjoy touring the palace which the sultans just toe reside in, foodies could find haven in the cafes and Great Bazaar where spices are abundant, and those simply looking for adventure could converse in a hookah bar, or get lost in the ancient district. The list is endless, including a handful of religious experiences in the famous Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.
      I know and understand my own culture, and a few others beside it, but I yearn to live something so different than what I'm used to. Istanbul is the polar opposite to America, and interesting enough where it would be easy to get someone else to enjoy the sites with me. Although a week is a limited amount of time, I would defiantly jump on the opportunity if it ever arrises.

Dark Tourism

         Dark tourism. What is it? And why would anyone want to do it? Dark tourism is a unique type of travel, which focuses on horrific or somber monuments and sites. The point of dark tourism is to take your mind into a different place, and to ponder how an event happened. Prompting questions such as, what events took place that lead to the pain of humanity marked at this site. Locations such as the concentration camp Auschwits, or lesser-known Sri Lankan civil war sites are perfect for this genre.
         Dark tourism is an alternative means of travel because the goal is to take your understanding of history and the world and add new information and an emotional connection to the tragedies of the past. It doesn't involve large amounts of human interaction, and often doesn't take in a large city famous for delicious food or spectacular museums. Unlike normal travel and tourism, dark tourism is more about visiting the locations themselves instead of just visiting a museum dedicated to the event that occurred.
          I don't quite know if I would be able to dedicate an entire trip to this form of travel, but I believe that incorporating it into my future jaunts will not only be fairly easy, but extremely beneficial to my current mindset and ideas about what people are like and how they behave. We must know and understand the dark history of the world to prevent it from happening once more.

My Favorite Meal

        My favorite meal is without doubt venison back-strap flour fried, potatoes in a white sauce, and steamed green beans and carrots. The only part of this meal with no meaning to me at all is the vegetables; I've just discovered that I love that combination. 

        The venison has always been apart of my diet. I come from a hunting family, so it has always been my comfort food. I am learning how to hunt deer now myself, and can't wait until I can come home and cook my own back-strap perfectly the way both my mother and grandmother have for as long as I can remember. I chose the back-strap in particular because it is the best cut of meat off of the deer due to how tender the meat is. No knife is required during the meal. 

        Now onto the potatoes which I learned to make a little over a year ago. My "sister" is really a German exchange student who we hosted during my senior year of high school. We are extremely close and consider each other to be family. I absolutely love to cook, so while she was here she taught me how to cook German dishes. My favorite everyday side dish being boiled potatoes cut into chunks and put in with cream, onion, and salt/pepper. This ends up creating chopped potatoes with a delicious white sauce. Making them reminds me of her, and expands the type of food which I cook since most Americans have never had potatoes done this way. This meal makes me feel connected with my family, and has become not only a favorite, but also a staple in my house.