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[2023] 4 days 3 nights in Cappadocia: Practical guide, budget, itinerary, travel diary
After a first trip to Cappadocia in 2018, we loved it so much that we decided to return in 2023. Here’s our travel diary (and ultra-detailed practical guide) updated with new prices. Part 1: Practical tipsPart 2: Travel diary Part 1: Practical tips As I write this, 100 TRY = €3.50. Even though inflation is high in Turkey, once converted to euros, it stays roughly the same or even gets cheaper each day. How to get to Cappadocia? Driving could be an option if you’re on a road trip, but we simply opted to fly from Istanbul. Nevsehir is a 30-minute drive from Goreme, and that’s where we decided to…
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[review] reMarkable 2, after 2 and a half years of use
I bought my reMarkable 2 years and a half ago, and this purchase changed my life. I have good intuition and make decisions very quickly. When I saw the reMarkable ad pop up on Facebook, and after reading glowing and positive reviews for this quirky Norwegian product sold only online, I still took the plunge, and I congratulate myself every day for doing so. Durability Over the years, the reMarkable software has been improved. I’m happy with every update, but I must say, apart from the big 3.0 update, nothing has been revolutionary. Just quality-of-life updates to address some user requests. The keyboard release was revolutionary for some, but I…
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[reviews & prices 2023] Non-mixed Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamam in Istanbul (Turkey)
After checking out the local hammams in the neighborhood, I quickly have to give up because they’re all mixed. I mean, the area where you’d normally lie down on the warm marble is mixed. Exfoliation and massage are of course separate. But it bothers me anyway, because JB tells me the local hammam he goes to is all guys. So I went back to the only hammam I go to every time I visit Istanbul: Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamam. At least here, they have separate hours for men and women. With inflation in Turkey, I’m not sure exactly how they calculate their prices, but as a returning customer (meaning my…
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In Search of Used Books in Rouen (France): Travel Diary
After Chartres, I take the train to go to Rouen. If I had known, I would have spent half a day in Illiers-Combray before going to Rouen, but that will be for next time. There’s no direct train between Chartres and Rouen, so I have to change trains at Versailles-Chantier. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal I’ve been to Rouen many times; you can read my previous posts here, here, here , and and there. We spent 2.5 months in Rouen right after lockdown, and it’s still a fond memory for me. I chose accommodation in the city center on Rue de la République, but…
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Guided Tour of Chartres Cathedral (France): Travel Diary
After a few days in Paris, S. and I have to part ways. She goes home, while I continue my mini road trip. Right on Whit Monday, I find myself in Chartres. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal I’m glad I didn’t arrive too early because it’s impossible to reach my hotel. A giant mass is taking place around Chartres Cathedral and all roads are blocked, even for pedestrians. I arrive just as the mass ends and slip through the crowd to get to my hotel. Getting lost in the crowd, I realize I’m in the right place at the right time: I’m right in…
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[2023] Local Whirling Dervishes performance at Yenikapı Mevlevi Lodge in Istanbul
The first time we came to Istanbul, we attended a local ceremony of Whirling Dervishes in Istanbul. In 2023, we wanted to go back to the same place, but we found out it was closed. The “touristy” shows still take place every night, but we wanted to attend a real local performance with the Sufi community. After asking around, I found a monthly local show. Only one seat was left, which could be bought online. 50TL (barely €2). I suggest to JB that we go anyway in case someone cancels, but he refuses, because the venue is quite far (50 minutes by tram) and if he gets turned away, he…
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How to create an SVG file for Cricut with reMarkable
The reMarkable tablet/e-reader may seem simple and feature-poor, but when you know how to use it, it’s a huge help for artists. Today, I’m going to show you how to create an SVG file for Cricut with the reMarkable. Recently, while taking a course on Domestika, I received scanned templates that weren’t compatible with Cricut. To fix this, I decided to trace the templates using my reMarkable and export them to Cricut. To do this, simply draw on the reMarkable, or import a PDF and trace over it. Every stroke you make is interpreted as a vector stroke, so try to keep your strokes as long as possible, rather than…
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[review] Charbonnel washable inks for linocut
After a bookbinding-linocut class (I mentioned here), I followed my teacher’s recommendations and went to the Charbonnel store to buy inks for my home linocut studio. The shop is in the 5th arrondissement, on the Seine quay, almost facing Notre-Dame de Paris. I ring, someone opens the door and welcomes me. I went to this store twice. The first time, I chatted with a woman working on the Lefranc Bourgeois paint ink range, and the second time, I spoke with a man in charge of printing inks. Note: this article is not NOT sponsored, I paid for everything out of my own pocket As a beginner, I took the opportunity…
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[review] My First Book from the Pléiade Collection
When I was a student, I often went to the BnF (National Library of France) and had access to plenty of beautiful, well-bound books. Even softcover books had been carefully bound by the BnF to protect them. We also had abundant access to the Pléiade collection, and I drooled over them when I went to Gilbert Joseph. It’s a very beautiful collection of high-quality paperbacks, with leather binding, gilded letters, all the same height. One of the edges is colored. The color of the binding changes according to the century. A library filled with Pléiade books is very pretty, as evidenced by this “Pléiade” corner at Gilbert Joseph. It never…
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Success in 10 steps: excerpt from “Map of Consciousness”
Map of Consciousness is the latest book by psychiatrist David Hawkins. It’s a synthesis of his 16 books as well as his interviews. In this book, he explains his map of human consciousness. Today, we’re just going to focus on his 10 tips for success. The other, more spiritual messages can be explored further by reading the book (Amazon link). Step 1: Intention Have good intentions. If your business adheres to a universal principle, if it helps people achieve their own goals, it will have a universal impact. Steps 2 & 3: Pleasure & usefulness Do what you LOVE to do and what people NEED You just have to ask…
