TDM
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Our stay in Istanbul in 2022 (Turkey)
Right after Dubai, we alternated between Istanbul and France from November 2021 to March 2022. We took the opportunity to go see our favorite polyglot dentist in Istanbul and visit a few places we hadn’t seen last time. The Turkish currency is in freefall and we can take advantage of it twice as much. This time, we’re taking advantage of Covid prices to stay right in the heart of the Karakoyneighborhood, 100 meters from the Galata Tower (Galateia Residence, Booking link) and 10 meters from a metro station. It’s a very lively neighborhood with tons of restaurants. Our apartment has two work desks, it’s super well heated and very quiet,…
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My Favorite Shopping Spots in Istanbul (Turkey)
The Turkish lira is losing so much value that Turkey in general, and Istanbul in particular, has become a shopper’s paradise. Before, Turkey was already full of treasures, but now even more so. Silk scarves I found Turkish silk to be quite good. Of course, it has nothing to do with Hermès scarves, but I really liked the colorful patterns here. The first address, for those who don’t want to travel far, is not far from Taksim. It’sIpek (Google Maps). You can find scarves starting at 90 TL and the really nice ones around 250 TL. You should ask if it’s 100% silk or mixed with satin. Everything is made…
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[Reflection] #12: How to Create Impact
Screenshots of published stories on my Instagram
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Review & experience: Buying the Dior Zodiac Constellation 90cm silk twill scarf at 261 Rue St Honoré
I’m not the type to be a season ahead when it comes to fashion & accessories trends, so when I discovered Dior’s 2021 collection, it was already 2022. Looking at the products, I wanted to buy everything, which is rare because I’m generally not drawn to what Dior sells (except for the rings). Part of the collection was designed by artist Pietro Ruffo, and I fell in love with all his drawings for Dior, especially the “Zodiac” collection and the “Mille Fleurs” collection. This scarf is what made me come to Dior. In a video made by Dior, the artist explained his design: This universe is strongly influenced by magic,…
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Our Great French-Speaking Dentist in Istanbul (Turkey)
In November 2018, we were in the magnificent city of Istanbul. Three days before leaving for a vacation in Egypt, I lost a dental filling while eating (what a silly idea to eat candy!). Even though we’re fortunate to be in good health, one of the pain points of our nomadic life is dealing with our teeth. We’ve had rather bad experiences with our dentists in France. Since 2016, we’ve been traveling full-time, staying one or two months at each stop, so you can imagine that finding a dentist isn’t easy. So I had an urgent need to find a dentist, French-speaking if possible (my English vocabulary for talking about…
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Where to get a custom solitaire ring in Istanbul? Review of Fth Jewelry (Turkey)
You know I’ve taken jewelry-making classes (at a beginner level) with several French artisans. I can make simple jewelry for myself, but these classes mainly help me spot and appreciate handmade pieces. During my latest trips to Istanbul, I discovered that the city is full of talented jewelry artisans. Whether at the Grand Bazaar or in a hidden gallery, the skill and craftsmanship of Istanbul’s jewelers are known in the small world of jewelry. Unfortunately, too few foreign tourists are aware of this. So I’ll share my little experience: how I got to watch live the making of a custom silver ring. Before leaving for Istanbul, my sister told me…
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Microsoft Teams: How to disable participant cameras to reduce bandwidth?
If the covid health crisis had an upside, it’s that it democratized remote work at record speed. For nomads like us, this is great news. While working 100% remotely might have made some prospects hesitate before, that’s no longer the case at all! Everyone is now used to using Zoom, Teams, or other Google Meet. The problem with video conferencing is that it consumes a lot of bandwidth (and it increases with the number of participants). A 30-minute video call with 4 people uses up 900 MB! When I have a wifi connection that’s too weak for a good quality call, I sometimes use my phone’s 4G. During a recent…
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My Current Favorites [February 2022]: Graphic Novels, Comics
For Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about some books on love and sex. The Incredible Story of Sex It’s a graphic novel about the history of sex, from the beginning to today. The Incredible Story of Sex has 2 volumes: The first on the West The second on Africa, Asia, and the Middle East The drawings are cute without being too explicit or vulgar. It covers sex, of course, but also taboo, religion, patriarchy, women’s rights, and more. For example, throughout the history of sex in the West, you can see how certain things that were totally accepted before become taboo over time because of an unfounded belief—or because SO-AND-SO said…
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[Test & Review] Morphée Box: Sound Issues & Won’t Turn On After 1.5 Months
Have you ever heard of the Morphée Box machine? It’s a machine that helps you sleep, and sleep well. I’ve always been a sleepyhead, able to fall asleep anywhere: on a crowded bus, on a plane, on a boat… but because of my health issues, the quality of my sleep has decreased : I have nightmares, or I grind my teeth until I wake up with a terrible headache. Despite many hours of sleep, I feel like I haven’t slept at all and my well-being is plummeting. I thought about playing texts and sounds from the Calm app… but having a speaker or a phone right above my head, even…
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Money, education, superstition… the underside of Asia
Plagued by wars, colonization, poverty, and double-digit annual inflation, Asia and Asians in general have a rather specific way of managing and making money. This article will reveal some truths that are little known to Europeans, but known to all Asians. Money During your various trips to Asia, you’ve surely noticed a difference between displayed prices and the country’s average salary. Fortunately, we don’t live solely on our salary! Foreigners have no idea of the wealth that can be tucked away in every closet. One of Vietnam’s most publicized billionaires is known for having, when he was little, burned $100 bills without batting an eye for fun. His nickname is…
