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I have written for a living for more than four decades.

This blog explores all of the things important to me – urban design, rights for people with disabilities, cultural travel and righting wrongs.

It features some of my favorite things – my street photography, published articles on placemaking, attempts at humor, food reviews and quirky observations.

I have published more than 2,200 blog items.

I have shared nearly 2,000 of my original images – some that have been exhibited during art shows and sold for a fair amount.

I’ve tried to share my passion – for everything from a cat café in Paris’ approachable 11^th arrondissement to the best cup of tea on the backstreets of Istanbul.

Hopefully, you, dear reader, can take a moment to share my blog posts – so more people can read about what’s on my mind.

FLASH TEKNI SERVIS

BURSA TURKEY

Possibly the oldest, most ramshackle building in all of ancient, historic Bursa houses this shop.

It's a smart phone store that does sales, service, repairs and most important -- loading of credits.

We couldn't resist this picture of an ancient structure housing a modern necessity.

SANDPIPER LOUNGE

ONE OF THE LAST ORIGINAL BAR ROOMS LEFT IN NEW ORLEANS.

Uptown, but not in the chic parts.

A bar for the people.

Ladies set up big trays of food for sale on the neutral ground.

2119 Louisiana Avenue    504 895-2204

BOSPHORUS BRIDGE

ISTANBUL, TURKEY

The Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, is a very busy working waterway.

Ferries cross it constantly to connect European side cities and Asian side towns.

A cruise up the Bosphorus will pass large tankers and other working ships.

This one is passing under a modern bridge.

KADIKÖY, ON THE ASIAN SHORE OF THE BOSPHORUS

MARKET DISTRICT AND MORE IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Kadiköy, on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus south of Uskudar has a vibrant restaurant scene in its colorful market area only a short stroll from the Kadıköy ferry docks.

It's a great place to go for lunch after a browse in the market, or drinks and dinner in the evening. Drinks—specifically alcoholic beverages—are more in evidence here because Kadıköy is more secular and less religious than some other parts of the city.

The market is a particularly appealing one, with bright fruits and vegetables, lots of fish, and a variety of good restaurants with sidewalk tables in fair weather.

Among the most famous restaurants here is Ciya Sofrasi, Güneşlibahçe Sokak No. 43, serving unusual Turkish regional vegetarian cuisine (nearby Çiya Kebap serves lots of grilled meats for the non-vegetarian crowd.)

Not far away, Yanyali Fehmi Lokantasi, Yağlıkçı İsmail Sokak No. 1 (ask anyone), is Kadıköy's oldest restaurant (1919), with a garden-like terrace at the back.

—by Tom Brosnahan

TURKEYTRAVELPLANNER.COM

MEDELLIN MAGIC -- EXPLORING COLOMBIA'S REMOTE METROPOLIS 8

MEDELLIN: SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE, SLEEP CHEAP AT PIERS' PLACE IN LA LAURELES

To stay in Medellin for less than $25 US per night, go to AirBnB and search for Laurales Estadio 23 (Calle 46 #70A) and email Piers.

Pros:

Tremendous price.

Laureles is safe, quiet, secure.

Apartment is very short walk to Estadio station for dirt cheap metro train access to entire city.

Nightlife, restaurants, street vendors and true flavor of Medellin within crawling distance along famed La Setanta but somehow, the apartment is very quiet -- so best of both worlds location.

Cheap nearby eats.
Crawling distance of the stadium if you want to catch a soccer, errr, futbol game.

Bathroom/shower kept super clean.

Funky blend of longer term and short term guests at this funky single family house.

Full kitchen plus washer to use for free.

Balcony to catch the mountain breezes while drinking in the sounds of a real neighborhood.

Taxi ride to centro about 6 mil COP (about 3 bucks US) if you're feeling too lazy to walk 6 short blocks to metro station.

Little market in bottom of house directly across the street, open roughly 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily -- has great prices and everything you need such as snacks, beer, soda, bottled water (though Medellin's is 100 safe out of the tap).

Location is in a real middle to upper middle class neighborhood -- you will be walking past everyday people, not tourists. Can't stress enough how important it is to stay local.

Piers saved me at least 60 US round trip by suggesting I take collective bus from airport to center (San Diego), then taxi to his place.

A taxi from airport will cost at least $35 US one way and gets you there no faster than the Piers suggested route, which costs only a couple bucks -- and exposes you to local culture that takes place on a 45 minute bus ride through the countryside and into the city.

MEDELLIN MAGIC -- EXPLORING COLOMBIA'S REMOTE METROPOLIS 7

MEDELLIN: THE METROCABLE DOES MORE FOR TOURISTS
THAN SIMPLY TRANSPORTING THEM TO PARQUE ARVI

On the way up the mountain, don't just transfer from one cable car station to the next on the way to the mountaintop Arvi Park.

Get out in Comuna Santo Domingo and take a walk around.

This used to be an unthinkable thing.

Not that long ago, the area was beyond dangerous.

It's certainly very, very rough around the edges.

But it represents the real Medellin.

There are more folks scratching out a living in the makeshift bars, shops, restaurants, barber shops and markets of Santo Domingo then there are millionaires in a walled and guarded enclave in El Poblado.

Even in the poverty-challenged hillside comunas, I experienced an amazing vibrancy of life and a resolve to create housing, shops and more out of basic materials.

MEDELLIN MAGIC -- EXPLORING COLOMBIA'S REMOTE METROPOLIS 6

MEDELLIN: MUCH MORE THAN EL POBLADO

Far too many visitors from the United States stay, eat, shop and play in El Poblado and never leave.

Certainly, the area is beautiful and features most of the city's 4-star hotels as well as its highly-rated restaurants and malls.

El Poblado is pretty, but it no more gives a realistic picture of Medellin than Beverly Hills does of diverse and fascinating Los Angeles County in the states.

Stroll downtown's San Diego district (indeed, it is safer before sundown.)

Marvel at old mansions in El Prado.

Set up camp in La Laureles, a middle class neighborhood near universities and the city's soccer stadium.

Dance, drink and dine on street food along the enchanting street fair that is La Setenta.

MEDELLIN MAGIC -- EXPLORING COLOMBIA'S REMOTE METROPOLIS 5

MEDELLIN: MUSEO DE ARTE MODERNO, IN CIUDAD DEL RIO

The accessible and dynamic Museo de Arte Moderno displays an impressive collectino in its magnificent adaptive reuse building in the rapidly developing Ciudad del Rio section of town.

The contemporary museum has a nice selection by the late Cleveland, Ohio native Ethel Gilmour.

Gilmour spent most of her adult life roaming around Colombia and capturing everything from folk life to political tensions on her canvas.

Bonaur, one of Medellin's most progressive restaurants -- specializing in everything from new takes on traditional cuisine to a funky blend of American Low Country/New Orleans cooking -- is connected to the museum.

A pending museum expansion. plus urban infill housing, office and other mixed use development is taking place in the increasingly fashionable Ciudad del Rio district.