By Jacob Ying
When you are constantly worrying about tests, homework, and extra-curriculars, escaping the stress of school for new vistas refreshes the mind and rejuvenates the soul. So that’s exactly what I did. I took nine days (seven school days) off and journeyed to the cosmopolitan cities of İstanbul and Dubai.
Before I could walk the ancient cobblestone streets of İstanbul or the contemporary asphalt avenues of Dubai, I had to spend a whole lot of hours in transit. So began the dreaded experience of arriving at the airport way too early. My parents, sister, and paternal grandparents all loaded up in my dad’s pickup truck and headed to Hartsfield-Jackson at 7:00 PM . Our flight? It was at 11:00. We got checked in and went through security. I am always eternally grateful for the existence of TSA Precheck when I travel through the airport, but that Wednesday night was barren anyway.
Our airline of choice was Turkish Airlines. While my family is typically a Delta family, we chose Turkish since İstanbul is the airline’s global hub, minimizing the number of transfers we would have to make. Around 11:00, we boarded a huge Boeing triple-seven and embarked on our journey. The crowd was sparse on our Wednesday red-eye, so I was able to snag a whole row for myself, an experience that rivals the comfort of business class. The eight-hour flight, aided by the jetstream, featured two meals. This generated huge controversy in my family: While I found the dishes extremely appetizing, my parents hated them.
Arriving at İstanbul at 5:00 pm, we passed through immigration, then arrived at baggage claim. We picked up our bags, got a taxi, and headed to the city.
Arriving late in the center of İstanbul’s Beyoğlu district, we met our Airbnb host, a Turkish man in his late thirties. He gave us a tour of our apartment. It was a quaint and charming 5 bedroom loft. After a long flight across the Atlantic, everyone in my family wanted to freshen up, so we each took a long hot shower. Then I realized I was starving.
We looked through a list that our host kindly left us, and we selected a kebab place just a short walk from our lodging. It was a great decision. The food was delicious.
Our first full day in İstanbul, we took it easy. Everyone slept in, so we left our Airbnb around 10:00.
My dad decided we should begin by visiting the Galata Tower, a Renaissance-era Venetian watchtower. We took a few wrong turns, and what should have been a brief walk became a half-hour adventure filled with “are we there yet”s?” It was totally worth it, despite my dad’s time-wasting miscalculation. The view from the tower was a breathtaking panoramic view of the city’s old and new skylines.
The rest of that day was fairly uneventful–we were adjusting to the time zone, so my whole family was exhausted. When we got back to our apartment, we found just what we needed: a cheap takeout Turkish place that we grabbed some sandwiches from.
On the trip’s second day, we did the touristy things. First by taking a cab from the new district to the old district.
We began by visiting the Topkapi Palace, the museum that was formerly the Sultan’s primary residence. Spending nearly two hours there, we explored the lavish halls and captivating displays. The masonry used to make the palace was spectacular, with intricate and precise work contributing to the Palace’s grandeur. It’s easy to see why the Sultan chose to live there; the views of the Bosphorus were astonishing.
After slowly wandering around the Palace, we made our way to the Blue Mosque, famous for its six minarets and striking color. We quickly got through the non-existent line–few people were interested in waiting in the blistering cold of İstanbul’s winter. When we got inside, my jaw dropped at the gorgeous view. The ornate blue designs were incredibly vibrant and stunning. After taking in the atmosphere for our allotted 15 minutes, we decided to seek shelter from the cold and eat lunch.
We found an eatery on a side street with nice furnishings. We ordered tea, meat dishes, and bread. While we ate, I also read Rick Steves’ İstanbul, one of his famous European travel guides. While I did this, my dad recommended going to the Basilica Cistern next. So I read about it in the book.
Built on the former location of a church, the Basilica Cistern was İstanbul’s longtime main water source. I recognized it from the Tom Hanks movie Inferno. It was a super fun experience, instead of just boring water, the Cistern was lit by constantly changing lights, and the waterways were decorated with a mix of modern and antique sculptures. In the far corner were the famous Medusa statues, stone slabs with the Gorgon’s face carved in them. And I definitely imagined myself as Tom Hanks while walking through.
Next, we went to the world-famous Hagia Sophia. While this is a globally known site, I found it underwhelming. It was fascinating to see the blending of Christian and Muslim cultures, but the artwork and design were much less ornate than the across-the-street Blue Mosque. It was cool, but not necessarily beautiful.
However, our next stop, also included on the ticket, was amazing. It was the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum. Using an immersive audiovisual experience, the museum guided us through the history of both the Hagia Sophia and the city of İstanbul. Starting in ancient Greek times, an epic British narrator told us the story of one of the most storied structures in the world. Starting with the founding of Byzantium, the experience showed Constantine making the city the capital of Rome, Justinian putting down rebellions, Isidor of Miletus’ construction of the church and its subsequent reconstruction, and Sultan Mehmet the Conquerer’s sacking of Constantinople through the present day. I loved this. It’s one of the best museums I have ever visited, although I’m unsure if it truly is a museum.
We went back to our loft and ate dinner at the same delicious takeout diner as the previous day.
I was feeling fatigued from all the walking we did on the trip, so the next morning, just my dad and I went to get a Turkish bath, or Hammam. It started by going to the bathhouse we chose, Ağa Hamami, founded in 1454 as one of the oldest in the city.
First, we sat on a heated stone in a hot room to sweat a little and relax. This lasted roughly thirty minutes until we were called to receive our baths. Two men scrubbed us down, very harshly, getting all of the dead skin off. After this exfoliation, they alternated pouring warm and cold water on us. Then they massaged us. After this, we put on robes and relaxed in the upstairs area of the bathhouse, a lounge area. The host brought us chilled tea and Turkish delights, which were both sweet and exactly what I needed. Unfortunately, we eventually had to leave our spa and walk back to our Airbnb in the cold.
That night, we wanted to enrich our cultural experience, so we went to watch the famous Whirling Dervishes, an hourlong religious ceremony featuring men spinning in a mesmerizing and dizzying manner. We were lucky enough to get first-row seats to view this awesome display of Sufi faith and humility, and I was captivated for the entire hour.
The next morning, we were up at four in the morning to catch a cab to İstanbul’s international airport. We had to go through a first security checkpoint just to get into the airport. But it was marvelous. Unlike the drab design of the Atlanta airport, the İstanbul airport is a testament to modernity. Sharp lines contrasted against complex curves to produce a contemporary architectural masterclass.
Walking through the airport was a departure from the style of American airports. While yes it featured duty-free shops and tacky gift shops, it also had true boutiques. They had every single luxury brand imaginable: LV, Hèrmes, Gucci, Prada, Bottega Venetta, Ferragamo, Armani, and more. This airport made most American malls look like flea markets.
Finally, we boarded our plane to Dubai, and I tried to get some sleep. Unlike the plane from Atlanta to İstanbul, the flight to Dubai was packed. Every seat in every row was filled. Overhead space was non-existent.
We arrived in Dubai, and I knew I would be missing that Turkish tea and coffee.
After a poor night of sleep, I was ready to relax and take a nap, but it was difficult on the hour-long taxi ride from the airport to our Airbnb. But I’m glad I stayed up. The view of Dubai from the roads is mesmerizing. Supertall skyscrapers line the skyline. While places like New York and San Francisco have more density, I was impressed by the sheer height of the towers in Dubai, and the architecture and design were second to none.
I was exhausted by the time we got to our apartment, and tried to take a nap. My dad, however, had other plans. He wanted me to stay awake so that I could sleep better that night. He encouraged me to go for I run, but I resisted. Instead, we went to dinner. After eating, we walked on the beach and took some pictures, breathing in the fresh ocean air. The skyline at night was spectacular.
The morning after, we went to the Dubai Mall. It was massive.
We explored a bit, and we discovered the mall’s Chinatown. We decided to eat there and have some flavors we are more familiar with. We selected a wonderful hot-pot place. But then disaster struck.
My dad realized he had purchased Burj Khalifa tickets for 1:00, and we were eating at a snail’s pace. We quickly finished eating and rushed to the Burj Khalifa, barely making it in time.
Then we got in line. We waited. And waited. And waited. Then…we still waited. It was nearly two and a half hours before we reached the front of the line. And honestly, it was underwhelming. Sure, it checked a box, but I found the view, though nice, to be nothing special, and I felt that the hours I spent waiting were hours I couldn’t get back.
After reaching the bottom, I was craving some sweets. So we headed back to the mall, where I bought a McDonald’s ice-cream cup. Sometimes, you just need a reminder of home.
As we meandered around the mall, we arrived at the Dubai Fountain, known for its Bellagio-style water show. We watched the four-minute show but found it pretty boring. My dad then had an epiphany. The last time he was in Dubai, he watched it after dark under the lights, and it was much more mesmerizing. So, we waited for sunset. The show was stunning.
Dubai’s heat can be sweltering, and while it was comfortable when we were there, we decided to try one of the most touristy things in the city: Ski Dubai. It’s a tiny ski hill with one chairlift. There is only 200ft of vertical, but I had fun anyway. They didn’t provide us goggles, so my eyes teared up descending at high speeds.
Our ticket package included two hours of skiing plus access to their winter park. So, after our ski session, we went to the meeting point for the penguins. Yes, in a city in a country where the temperatures don’t get below 64 degrees fahrenheit in December, the resort keeps thirty-something Penguins in an enclosure. We had the chance to meet them. Adorable. They were absolutely adorable. We even got to pet and take a picture with one. (If only we could have skied alongside them!) If you ever go to Dubai, I highly recommend going to Ski Dubai to meet the penguins. (#notsponsored)
Dubai is such a unique city, and one way to experience that uniqueness is with a dinner cruise. My dad booked a cruise from 8-10, and it was incredible. Between seeing the lit-up city from the ocean, relaxing on the yacht’s bow, and having some fun to the music, the dinner cruise checked every box. We even were able to get close enough to the world-famous, seven-star (what kind of ratings system is THAT?) Burj al Arab to get a picture.
Now, I haven’t mentioned why I was taking a Middle-Eastern vacation in the middle of school. Well, my dad had a business trip. And our last day, he had to be in meetings.
So what did we do? He booked a tour for us. Our tour guide picked us up from our Airbnb in the marina and drove us all the way out to the desert. Our tour was almost private; we had a British lady who joined us.
When we got to the desert, we first rode camels. They are huge. I always imagined camels to be smaller than horses, but they are actually much larger. I thoroughly enjoyed riding these gentle and majestic creatures.
Surfing and snowboarding is fun (although I personally ski). Sandboarding, not so much. Perhaps if they actually let us stand on the boards as we rode them I would remember the experience more fondly.
Now something that is fun is flooring it in ATVs. That was our next activity. I spent thirty minutes riding around sand dunes on an ATV, speeding by people the whole time. Was it dangerous? Maybe a little, but it was fun. As I drove around, my mom took videos of me. I noticed this so I drove up to her and revved my engine. I revved it until it stalled out. So I had to get someone to help start me back up. I still had a ton of fun, though.
After that, we took some pictures holding a falcon, the Emirates’ national bird. Then, we headed back to the desert.
I had off-roaded once before, but not like what we did. We drove over and through sand dunes for about forty-five minutes. I felt exhilarated. My favorite part was seeing sand splash across the windows, obscuring my view for a few moments.
We got back to the apartment and waited for my dad to return.
Once he got back, we went to the Palm Jumeirah, which is a manmade archipelago in the shape of a palm. My family took a walk. But I ran along the outer rim.. It was hard. It was really really hard. I struggled through the nearly nine miles of torture, but I walked away with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Our flight back was uneventful. But when we landed in Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, I was happy to be home.
Taking a break from the stress of school was great for me. And yes, my grades slipped a tad. But they will recover.
