Beauty Along the Bosphorus

 

Four Seasons Spa & Hammam Bosphorus

Most spa treatments speak to four of the senses, from sight and smell to sound and touch, but when you really think about it, there hasn’t been one blissfully perfect experience that engages all five — until now.

People have always flocked to the Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus for its traditional Turkish hammam treatment, a bathing ritual that activates blood circulation, detoxifies the body and — bonus! — improves the look of your skin. But the decadent new Epicurean Hammam will give you a taste of Istanbul in more ways than one.
Part way through your 25-minute hammam treatment in the hot marble sauna, you’ll be served an olive oil ice cream popsicle to keep you feeling cool and hydrated — just before receiving a luxurious 15-minute foam massage with natural olive oil soap. Next, you’ll be drenched head to toe in a special creamy mixture of strained yogurt and rose water. As the healing yogurt absorbs into your skin, making it look firmer and brighter, a scalp massage will send you even deeper into relaxation.
And at the end of your sensory journey, you’ll rest with a refreshing yogurt with honey to leave just the right taste in your mouth — and ensure you’re feeling good and looking great, inside and out.

So check out Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus  to stimulate your five senses with the exclusive Epicurean Hammam treatment.  Oh, and did we also mention that spa goers voted the Four Seasons Spa & Hammam as their favorite spa in Turkey for three consecutive years in the SpaFinder Wellness Reader’s Choice Awards?

Pair that with your popsicle!

Feel Like Getting Your Travel Yogi On?

Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga in Aruba… what, what?

Bali, Santorini, Tulum, Cabo, Maui, Vermont? Yes, everyone I know, including myself, is always looking for that perfect yoga retreat, preferably, if you’re me, on an island somewhere exotic where my hair is just full of curly life. Enter: The Travel Yogi, a specialist in international yoga retreats and yoga adventures, who promises to put you there… with yogis on stand up paddleboards! Seriously, that’s a retreat on April 6-13th on the island of Aruba. But wait… there’s more!

From March 16-23, Bali is host to yogis participating in a weeklong retreat while also taking in the international yoga and music festival: Bali Spirit Fest.  And the best Mediterranean views? Well, those are reserved for yogi guests joining the May 4-11th retreat in Santorini.

Badass Bali Yoga

The Travel Yogi is a gem of a concept… expand boundaries through yoga and travel. Founded in 2010, the goal was the following: find balance and personal transformation through yoga practiced in naturally inspiring destinations. We can dig. Engaging truly gifted teachers who can expertly handle all levels of experience and ambition, they distinguish themselves from others in the same space, by discovering and organizing compelling locations that get yogis feeling adventurous in a way that typical yoga retreats may not.

Jennifer Hoddevik, The Travel Yogi founder and owner had this to say: “Warm and inviting island destinations are always popular retreats, because the rejuvenating properties of water and yoga go hand in hand.” We agree, Jennifer, oh do we ever.

So, for example,what’s on deck in Aruba? Seven nights in a boutique hotel with a beachfront yoga pavilion and spa.

This is what yoga in Santorini looks like, folks

Included in the $1,649 per person double rate are accommodation, two yoga classes a day with instructor Maria Santoferraro (Daily Downward Dog blogger), stand up paddleboard yoga class with Rachel Brathen, sunset catamaran sailing with snorkeling excursion and snacks, daily breakfast, two hotel lunches and dinners and two restaurant dinners in town, plus transfers to and from the airport.

A March 16-23 Bali retreat with LA-based teacher Gigi Yogini (yes, you read that right, Gigi Yogini),  is scheduled in Ubud, the arts and crafts center of Bali, to coincide with Bali Spirit Fest March 20-24. This retreat is unique in the overlapping of the international yoga and music festival and the amazing vibe this brings to the already vibrant town of Ubud.  The per person rate from $1,795 includes seven nights accommodation, all meals, yoga workshops, massage, a full day ticket to Bali Spirit Fest, airport transfers and more. Participants are encouraged to extend their stay to include the end of the festival.

The first of three scheduled Santorini retreats is May 4-11 with Angel Lucia. Similar programs are scheduled Sept. 14-21 with Dimitra Kotanides and Sept. 21-28 with Giselle Mari and Jennifer Prugh. The program, based at an ocean view luxe boutique property is from $1,995 per person double inclusive of accommodation, morning playful yoga flow, evening restorative yoga, welcome poolside fruit and wine, daily breakfast, four group dinners and airport transfers.

Hoddevik explains that destinations are scouted by The Travel Yogi team and are vetted for suitability to host yoga teachers and guests seeking yoga retreat holidays and vacation adventures with time out for yoga each day. Non-yoga practicing travel companions are welcome to join twice daily yoga sessions, or not. Prior proficiency in yoga is not required and, even for practicing yogis, the yoga is always optional. While the retreats are yoga focused, other destinations offer Yoga Adventures with the opportunity to practice yoga while engaged in other adventure travel activities.

A list of international and domestic destinations for 2013 include, but are not limited to: Aruba, Galapagos, El Salvador, Santorini, Maui, Cabo, Tulum, New Zealand and Vermont. Guests practice and play with some of the yoga world’s best known instructors: Annie Carpenter, Kathryn Budig, Giselle Mari, Jennifer Pastiloff and Ashley Turner, to name a few.

So sign thee up!

http://thetravelyogi.com

All photos (c) The Travel Yogi

Istanbul: A City of Many Colours

Topkapi Palace

Istanbul: A City of Many Colours

For travellers, Istanbul is so much more than a bargain hunter’s dream. Throughout history, Turkey’s former capital city possessed all the power and status of a cultural and political superpower at the heart of both the extensive Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. These days, Istanbul’s rich cultural heritage is combined with the frenetic activity of a modern, cosmopolitan city. Tourists can explore ancient city walls and traditional mosques and churches by day, and enjoy an exhilarating social scene by night.

Crusin’ down the Bosphorus in front of Istanbul’s Galata Tower

Some Revision

History buffs will tell you that the city of Istanbul was originally known as Byzantium. Colonised by Greek settlers in approximately 680 BC, the city had a seaside location that soon meant that it became an important centre for trade. This was especially the case for luxury goods such as silks and exotic spices that passed through the city on their route from East to West. Captured by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 196, Byzantium was integrated into the Roman Empire. The city flourished as a centre for arts and culture and quickly became the political capital for the eastern half of the Roman Empire. It was renamed Constantinople (Constantine’s city) under the rule of the first Christian Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great, and became an important centre for Christianity; the world’s largest cathedral, the Hagia Sophia – transformed into a mosque, and now into a museum – is still open for tourists to visit in the present day. Economically weakened by the crusades, Constantinople was inevitably conquered by the Turkish nobleman Sultan Mehmed II in 1453 and renamed Istanbul. The Sultan founded an Islamic dynasty – the Ottoman Empire – lasting over 600 years.

The Grand Bazaar!

Modern Istanbul is a cultural melting pot of both Christian and Muslim heritage and architecture. Though Ankara is now the capital of Turkey, Istanbul continues to be an important city for trade and tourism. Sitting at the crossroads of two continents (Europe and Asia), the city is divided by the Bosphorus, a strait of water frequently navigated by ships on a European cruise as well as by trade ships on their way to Asia and the Black Sea.

Enough. Markets!

Now you’ve swatted up on the history, time to get yourself out and about for that authentic Istanbul cultural experience.  If you’ve already checked out the Galata Tower, Rumeli Hisari, Topkapi Palace (where you can also grab a bite to eat and have some Cherry juice… yum!) and the Blue Mosque and still don’t have flagging feet, what better way to get to know the city than by shopping? The Grand Bazaar is just the place to do just this – everything from traditional spices and silks to handbags, shoes, and jewellery, to lamps, shishas, vegetables and sweets are on display and ready for you to buy. Haggle to your heart’s content as there are no fixed prices – those prepared to pay the price tags’ face value are missing out a valuable lesson about Turkish culture, as well a great deal!

Live Music at Arpa Bar

Now take a break at one of the street cafes or shisha bars offering refreshing mint teas, baked goods just dripping with honey, and real Turkish Delight. Café Meşale just behind the Blue Mosque has live Turkish music and dance performances to accompany your meal.

Sundowners

Nightlife options in Istanbul are just as varied as everything else in the city; from traditional wine bars to Turkish taverns, roof bars to nightclubs, there is a wealth of experiences to be had. The bars, basement jazz cafes, and traditional Turkish venues of the Beyoğlu district provide an easy-going indie atmosphere; everyone is welcome, and will undoubtedly be quizzed as to his or her origin! Rooftop venue Kumbaracı Yokuşu has a mellow atmosphere with music and cocktails that make it the perfect place to start out the night. Follow up this up, perhaps by dropping into Arpa Bar, just a short walk away. If you’re feeling like a touch of glamour, head over to Ortaköy and attempt to get in to The Reina. An upmarket club, it hosts several different restaurants and bars. It’s exclusive, expensive, and there’s a dress-code, but it’s great for celebrity spotting.

South Korea: The Royal Treatment

Victoria Korosi – Jaunt Magazine Contributor

My inability to read maps is one thing. Throwing in non sequential numbers on buildings as well is just cruel. Seoul is another of those cities where half the streets don’t have names, addresses are suggestions at best, and even the most savvy local won’t have any clue the hostel you’re looking for (because of course it’s down some ally in the basement of a Karaoke bar).

Having made friends with my entire (ENTIRE) neighbourhood last night I did finally find where I was going- even if it did require a comprehensive wonder around the same six blocks, two stops for kimchi, and finally a private escort by a local shop owner who took pity on this jet lagged traveller.

Finally settled and exhausted from the trek across continents I crashed into the styrofoam pillows of my windowless room looking forward immensely to a night’s sleep. Why after so many years of doing this I still think I can cheat Asia jet lag is beyond me. Aided by the constant absolute dark of my hostel, and the fact that pork shows up in every meal regardless, I have second guessed not only the time (in 12 hour segments) but am generally unsure of what day it is either. It’s 4am here, so what is it, October there?

Before the nude bath house, check out this massive crab at the Busan Fish Market

For anyone who has followed my writing the past decade or so you know that within about 48 hours of landing you’ll get a commentary on public transportation, social nudity, and/or street food. Not necessarily in that order and thankfully in practice not in tandem.

Social nudity (which I scarily often find myself a part of during my travels) by far the most entertaining.

Lashing rain in Seoul when I awoke  (at 4am again), I took a pre dawn excursion getting out of the city to explore one of Korea’s many 24hr Jjimjilbangs (traditional bath houses).

In fairness, I wish I’d had no prior practice with these, but as it turns out my old local spa spot in NYC (Spa Castle) is a shockingly accurate export of the real thing, minus the hard boiled eggs I just bought at reception. Without previous exposure though I’m not sure how well this would have gone with no English. Basically, the sequence of events is as follows:

1) 10,000 won (about $8) by credit card upon arrival, receive day glow bracelet with locker key and dangerous pay-as-you-go sensor

2) Receive uniform (baggy knee length shorts and a XXL T-shirt), surrender any hope of feeling stylish

3) Leave shoes in the first set of lockers, find a local and follow her to the impossible to locate women’s sauna

4) Oh hello nudity. Other than on co-ed floors, clothing is prohibited, as are some basic grooming habits as well apparently

The fun little outfits at Dragon Hill Spa

5) Indulge in 17 different jacuzzis, saunas, salt baths, scrubs, and ah yes, the royal oriental medicinal hip washing. It reminded me a bit of my rowing days and having to sweat weight for races – if, in fact, that was done naked, in a tent, and with an herbal steaming pot between your legs. Go ahead and google that one ladies.

6) On communal floors other services such as massage, reflexology, and accupressure are offered. After said accupressure, however, I think I’ll stick to the tamed version I get in Chinatown in the future. Fine there were no needles but there were definitely a few tears. Ironically, the only word of English the therapist spoke was “pain?” question mark?

Dragon Hill Spa’s Crystal Salt Room – Seoul

Five hours later, my skin, back, mind (and a few other areas) have been well attended to as I lie on the floor of an aroma sleeping room, side by side a dozen korean grannies and wait for the light-headed ridiculous awe of it all to pass.

An experience worth indulging and once again proving that rainy afternoons should always be spent naked.

Dragon Hill Spa – A Traditional Korean Spa

Seoul, South Korea

Llama Expeditions: Giving the Gift of a Llama Through Heifer International This Holiday Season

Llama Expeditions

I’ve been trying to figure out what to get my friends and family this holiday and what better way to say “I love you” than with a llama? Enter: Andean trekking specialist Llama Expeditions who are inviting kindhearted adventure travelers to join owner Diane Valenti in gifting a llama to a deserving Peruvian family this holiday season.

Llama Expeditions offers a range of guided tours through Peru, from sightseeing and surfing to multi-day hikes along the Inca Trail. In addition to taking in the stunning scenery and experiencing true adventure, these tours also allow travelers to make a personal connection to the country and its people. Entrepreneur and outdoorswoman Diane Valenti hatched the idea for her company in 2008 over a home-cooked chicken dinner at close to 14,000 feet in the Peruvian Andes. She has been able to apply her over 20 years as a business consultant working with clients such as Genentech, Nike, and Starbucks Coffee Company to her enterprise that goes beyond just ordinary tourism. Offering full cultural immersion to give guests the opportunity to see how Peruvians live—to talk with them about their dreams and accomplishments and to learn about the challenges they face – are woven into the itinerary. In addition, participants also texperience the difference gifts of healthy food, school supplies, clothing, or sunglasses can make in the lives of some of the world’s poorest people.

Llamas along the Inca Trail

The donation, valued at $150 per animal, is made possible through Heifer International, the organization that empowers people by providing animals that can make a difference in their livelihoods.

“To make the trek with llamas, the camel-like beasts of burden of the Incas, is to follow in the traditional steps of a great civilization in a way that leaves minimal impact on the land and a positive effect on a local family’s income,” says Llama Expeditions founder Diane Valenti.

The company is encouraging others to think about that person on their list that already has everything and to honor them with a gift of a llama ($150) or shares of a llama (at $20 per share) in their name this holiday.

To donate please go to: https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog/llama.html.

Llamas help bring sustenance to families who care for them, providing transportation, rental income and wool for blankets, ponchos, carpets and rope. This year’s Heifer International catalog tells the story of a couple who now have a herd of 60 alpacas from their starter two. Each animal provides four pounds of wool, the proceeds of which are helping to educate the couple’s children.

How does this relate to Llama Expeditions? “The company fills the spot between responsible tourism and voluntourism,” said Valenti.  “This is a real vacation for people who work hard and want a chance to relax. But it’s also a chance for culturally curious travelers to make a meaningful connection with the people and the land of Peru.” Guests are encouraged to “pay-it-forward” by contributing to a variety of local community development organizations.

http://www.llamaexpeditions.com/inspiration