I was born to shop, even when I don’t buy a thing! The thrill is in the hunt, the journey, the adventure. And no place is more fun than the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. There are over 4000 shops in this the world’s oldest covered market. Mehmet the Conqueror built it in the late 1400’s, originally of wood it is now all stone and brick. Fires were a problem in the past!
It’s huge, its chaotic, it’s crazy. Vendors do whatever they can to lure you into their stalls. Get lost on purpose in the maze of more than 60 streets. Admire, explore and shop. You can find anything… gas masks, caviar, belly dancing outfits or rubber boots. Some great things, much of it junk. But if you want something, be prepared to bargain and bargain hard. These salespeople are pros. They do this all day long and are good at their jobs. They are also wonderful people trying to make a living.
Magical, instagramable and sustainable… Fall under the spell of Discovery Bedu. Wadi Rum’s unique mixture of red and white rock is incredibly photogenic. Lawrence, of Arabia fame wrote extensively of how the region captivated him. The film The Martian used Wadi Rum as Mars. It is hard to imagine this breathtaking desert has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Bedouins have lived here for generations. This has not been an easy place for humans, animals or plants to survive. But it is an incredible place to visit. The Discovery Group were the first to introduce ecotourism to Jordan in 2013. Their goal is to combine tradition, sustainability and luxury. They believe in co-prosperity…that everyone should benefit. Discovery Bedu is a small low impact facility that hires local people and creates a wonderful understated luxury. The tents are not air conditioned, there is no WIFI. Solar panels abound and water is carefully recycled and reused. Usually it is hot during the day and cold at night. We were advised to bring sweaters but didn’t need them. We experienced a heat wave during our visit; it was very very hot. We still managed to sleep at night. The service is incredible; friendly, fun and informed. The dining tent is traditional; hand woven by Bedouins from goat’s hair. It’s thick walls and black color offers protection from both heat and cold. Delightful as it was, we chose to eat most meals outside. The staff found us a new beautiful place each day. Breakfast is served on top of a rocky hill overlooking the tents. The food was wonderful, diverse and plentiful. I fell in love with Zaatar. They made sure a dish of this traditional mix of spices was available for me at every meal. I used it like salt. All this special attention to detail comes at a price. Discovery Bedu is quite expensive compared to many other camps. You pay for exclusivity, fine food and top notch service. The company also donates some of their profits back into communities and local initiatives. For me it was worth it. We had originally booked two nights but loved it so much we changed our plans and stayed and extra 24 hours.
Figuring out where to go is easy, figuring out where to stay is not. I have carefully curated this list of places to sleep. I have stayed in each and every one. I have slept in the bed, eaten the breakfast and visited the pool, spa or ice machine. I have chatted with the who’s who in charge. These are the places I recommend… you don’t need to know about the others! Trust me!
