I love Lonely Planet: Istanbul. When I was in Istanbul, Turkey this May, with Turkish Airlines and our White House Travel Bloggers group, it provided great inspiration, airplane reading, and help navigating the big city.

I never expected to be able visit Turkey. Although everyone I knew that had been loved it, they all said how they thought it was too inaccessible for me. You see, I can't walk much because of my disabilities, and generally use a wheelchair scooter to get around if we don't have our car handy.

Trying the national cuisine is one of the major highlights when travelling to a foreign country. First-time visitors to Turkey are definitely in for a treat and will soon discover that this country has
more to offer than just delicious kebabs.

Turkish food is a mouth-watering mix of Middle-Eastern, Mediterranean, and Asian flavors, and whether you’re buying snacks from city street vendors or visiting a resort, restaurant quality food is one of this country's hallmarks.

A place of peace, serenity, and hope. I felt all of these – and a gentle wash of kindness – as I ventured up the path toward the House of the Virgin Mary, or Mother Mary (Meryem Ana), located just a few miles away from the busyness of the ruins at Ephesus, Turkey. 

It was a hot day in spring, and we had a very important stop before exploring Ephesus. We were visiting a place of pilgrimage for many global religions – that of the House of Mother Mary. 

I was part of a group of Whi

It must be known by all and sundry by now – I’m in love with Turkey. A recent trip highlighted to me what many of my friends and family already know – that Turkey is an amazing country to explore, and that Istanbul is just as magical as one can imagine. 

I just returned from a trip to a place that I can't seem to let go of, and ALL THINGS TURKEY are calling to me. This is when I reached out to one of our Wandering Educators, Emily Johnson, who lives in Istanbul (lucky!) for some Istanbul goodness. Even more luck: Emily's our new Istanbul Editor, and will share more as time unwinds (yay!).

Emily notes:

Last week, Turkish Airlines flew two dozen of us White House Travel Bloggers to Turkey – and what a life-changing experience it was! Turkish Airlines’ slogan is Widen Your World – and our visit did just that.

What do you look for in the perfect travel purse? For me, I like high quality leather, beautiful craftsmanship, eco-friendly materials, plenty of space to haul things (I'm a mom!), and zippers - the more the merrier, to deter trouble. So for my recent trip to Turkey with Turkish Airlines, I was so pleased to work with the renowned British company Maxwell Scott Bags to review a travel handbag.