Postcard from Dubai

This summer I had the great fortune of visiting the ever crazy, cosmopolitan, and controversial Dubai. After a three-hour delay at JFK, and a ten-minute connecting time in Amsterdam, I arrived luggage (less) in what felt like the Emerald City. Seventeen hours of travel time, two very sleepless flights, and suddenly I was walking next to men who looked like floating angels in their white dishdashes. The cab ride from the airport to my accommodations had me so over stimulated I felt lightheaded and faint. One glimpse up the Burj Khalifa and I knew I wasn’t in Kansas anymore.
 

I spent three weeks in this incredibly surreal otherworld. Everything felt so close to western living and yet not at all. The smell of shisha met you wherever you went. The heat was unbearable at best. Naps in the afternoon became an absolute necessity. But that never stopped me from completing DK Eyewitness Travel Top 10. I rummaged through textile, spice, gold, and perfume souqs next to Dubai Creek. I managed my way up the monorail to the infamous Atlantis Hotel. I even found myself making friends with ‘locals’ who were no less foreign to Dubai than I was.

Having spent a considerable amount of time alone in Dubai as a woman, I was blown away by my ability to remain independent. Dubai is nothing short of contradictions, but I would have to agree that it really is revolutionary in its progressive attempts. It’s not everyday that a mall houses every high-end designer imaginable alongside the largest female prayer room. By the end though I really was becoming delirious in Dubai. There is only so much five star everything a person can digest. After three weeks you see the holes in all the fancy facades, but as the saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

To Photoshop With Love

Last year I took my first photoshop class ever. Prior to that I harbored a pretty intense fear and distaste for computers. This entry is a mini love letter to Adobe Photoshop and my wonderful professor William Low at FIT who single handedly coached me through my aversions. Without which I would never have produced the works found in this post. I also probably would not have created this blog. I still have a long way to go in the pursuit of mastery but at least I no longer feel nauseated at the thought of CS5.

Postcard from Istanbul

I've heard some people describe Istanbul as a city marked by perpetual transition. Literally divided by the Bosphorus into two continents, it can't help but be. An incredible cultural fusion of both east and west, it's a city like no other. It should come as no surprise then that I ventured off to Istanbul, and other parts of Turkey, while I was undergoing one of the greatest transitions of my life. A little over a year ago, I was about to take a big leap of faith. I was leaving my job, my family, my life, and moving to New York to pursue my dream of becoming a fashion illustrator. I was so utterly drawn to the otherworldliness of Turkey. It seemed so majestic, so intangible, so far away. Escaping to another world to collect my thoughts, myself, felt exactly like what the doctor ordered.

After making my connection in London, I really had no idea what to expect when landing at my destination. I was supposed to be meeting my tour group of 18-35 year old faceless, nameless companions in the lobby of my hotel in the Sultanahmet district. I couldn't even picture what the city would look like and then suddenly I was there. I'm afraid my writing might fail me when it comes to describing those minutes of landing on the runway. To my left all I could see was a glistening sun, steam rising from the water, decorated with the most wonderfully ornate boats. So exquisitely beautiful, I felt like I was dreaming. I was relieved to make it to my hotel alive after the treacherous cab ride into the city; even more so after meeting my roommate Sanaa who confirmed that in fact I was here and not dreaming at all.

Our tour only spent a few days in Istanbul while traveling through Turkey. In that time I managed Topkapi Palace, Underground Cistern, Beyoglu nightlife, Spice Market, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Bosphorus Cruise, Grand Bazarr, Belly Dancing, and a Turkish Bath treatment (although it felt more like torture lol). But I have to say that the greatest things I took away from this trip are the friendships I developed there and still maintain today. I also must share that if ever you're looking for a place to stay in Istanbul, search no further than the Kybele hotel. I was befriended by the owner 'Mike' after purchasing a ring from his store. He prepared me dinner, allowed me to go through his entire collection of Afghani caftans and turkish rugs, while telling me the most incredible stories of his life.

http://www.kybelehotel.com/

I didn't get what I expected out of Istanbul. I got so much more. No other place in the world holds as much sentimental value to me now. If you've ever been to Istanbul, live there, or would like to go, I would love to hear your thoughts on this entry. I know I only scratched the surface here, so please forgive me if I haven't done Istanbul enough justice. Enjoy!!

Travel Write Draw

On the eve of my 25^th birthday I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the obligatory question “what do I want to do with my life?” I started compiling a list of the things I love to do, could never see my life without, and the three words that resonated with me most were travel, write, and draw. For years now friends have been asking me to share my travel photos on the web, write a column, or paint for them. I can’t think of a better way to integrate my greatest loves than creating a blog devoted to all three.

I’m a firm believer that we manifest our own destinies. We owe it to ourselves, even if only in private, to answer the question of what we want to do with our lives honestly. When I ignore all the pressures and criticisms in my head, I can see clearly what I long to do. Travel Write Draw isn’t just a blog, but a way of life. For me it’s a step towards building a life that I always dreamed I would have. So that my friends is what this blog is about; my true loves. I hope to inspire you, enlighten you, and maybe help you find what you love along the way.

Meagan Morrison