The Hamam at Sumahan

When I was in Istanbul last month, staying at my favourite resting place, luxury hotel Sumahan-on-the-Water, I decided to unwind after a particularly hectic schedule and to experience one of my favourite forms of relaxation, the hamam.  The hamam at Sumahan is spotlessly clean, particularly beautiful and sets the scene for an amazing meditative experience.  So, when I read that our local Istitute Italiano di Cultura will present the movie Steam by Turkish-Italian director Ferzan Ozpetek in a couple of weeks, I made a note to that this will be a date evening with hubby!

The publicity for the film describes the story:  Francesco is a successful designer from Rome, who arrives in Istanbul to dispose of an inheritance left him by an aunt he never knew.  The property is a hamam, a traditional Turkish steam bath.  Smitten with the hamam and the family that runs it, Francesco soon decides to remain in Turkey …

When I think about how much Turkey has changed in the last five years, this movie will surely help me to gain even more perspective on how this increasily popular travel destination has changed … and perhaps provide a hint as to why …

Here are the details:

when:  Wednesday, June 16 at 6.15pm

where: IstituteoItaliano di Cultura, 500-510 West Hastings Street, Vancouver

There is no admission charge and pre-registration is not required.  Please note that this is intended for an adult audience.

Last year, I wrote about the benefits of a homeopathic remedy from Boiron called Histaminum.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t so helpful to me this year and as my sneezes multiplied per session, my eyes reddened and my nose plugged, I sought another alternative to over-the-counter antihistamines.

AOR Brand Quercetin

Quercetin, by AOR, is my saviour this year.   I spoke to a woman I know who has worked in alternative health for the past 30 years and she had told me that this is the product – and brand – to try.  I found the product at a local health-food store, and gladly paid the $32 for 100 capsules.  Religiously, I took a capsule each night with dinner, and was starting to despair when my allergy symptoms lifted … after two weeks.  Relief was consistent and much welcomed!

I understand that this is a supplement based upon turmeric, the merits of which are well reported.  However, as with any supplement, you should do your research first to check that this is the product for you.  From my perspective, anything natural is better than chemicals, providing it’s effective.

Rustic, handcrafted village bread

When you travel, do you care more about convenience or experience?

You may find it difficult to answer this since when it comes to travel arrangements, the convenience factor influences departure times, flight duration, connections, seat number and more.   However, here is a situation that really brought home to me the essence of lifestyle travel …

I was staying at a rented property in a small Mexican fishing village for five weeks.  I did not rent a vehicle as I really wanted to experience something different to home, where the car rules even for local shopping trips, I’m ashamed to admit!  I enjoyed my daily walk to the village which entailed a steep descent down about 100 steps and downward sloping dusty side-streets.  The uphill journey home was somewhat less enjoyable, though, especially in the extreme heat, but I countered my tendency to consider taxis with the thought that I was being kind to my heart … and my waist.  It wasn’t always easy, but it sure was good for me!

After a week, I started to yearn for fresh, local bread. but I hadn’t seen a bakery.  It turned out there was a village baker, tucked in a side street and working from his home, but he didn’t open every day and when he did (at 10am!) he was sold out by 11am!  There were two  Tortilleria churning out tortillas by the thousands.  But I wanted bread.  When I mentioned my yearning for bread to a new North-American friend, she kindly offered to get me some in the morning so I didn’t have to walk “all that way” to the village.

The light went on!  I realized that for my friend, buying a loaf of bread was about convenience.  For me, though, it wasn’t just about bread.  I was seeking a total lifestyle experience – walking to the village, queueing with locals for a loaf of delicious, home-baked bread, all the while taking in the aromas, colours, shapes and sizes, surroundings, sounds and language.  A very different experience to buying a loaf from a supermarket.

Wherever I am in the world, I always try to incorporate this type of experience into my travels and relish every opportunity to explore village hardware stores, food shops, street markets and … bakeries.  One can learn a great deal about a culture simply by simulating their lifestyle for an hour, a day, a week or more.

Taking this thought a little further, I wonder why I did not seek to explore the experience so readily available at the village Tortilleria. After all, that is a very Mexican experience.  I can only think that my preference for wheat over corn had something to do with it.  After all, bread is a critical ingredient in an Italian’s diet!

When you live like a local, you add something valuable to your portfolio that will never depend on market conditions … experience.

Massage has many health benefits

I’ve met one or two people who don’t like massage, “I don’t like to be touched.” One or two.

Most of us really enjoy a massage regardless of the reason.  While some may make therapeutic massage a regular component in their lives, others go when they need a relaxation fix.  I know one fella who always falls asleep on the table yet stays awake at night!

Most of us with extended health benefits have an annual $500 allowance for treatment from a registered massage therapist, but once that has gone, it is a good idea to remember the health benefits of massage and build the cost into your healthy living budget.

And if you want to add a true sense of luxury to your travel, let me guide you to some of the best spas in the world.