Situated between two continents—and the former capital of two empires—the city of Istanbul teems with diverse cultural influences and a storied history. This alone makes the city a must-visit for travelers in search of fascinating discoveries. Add the fact that Istanbul also boasts a robust art scene, mouthwatering cuisines, and a medley of activities that tickle one's fancy and senses, and there is almost an endless list of things to do and places to see in this vibrant capital of Turkey. To help you plot your itinerary for your trip to Istanbul, here are some important facts and helpful travel tips you can follow.

Founded by adventure racer Joe De Sena in 2007, the Spartan Race has grown to become the world standard for endurance and strength races. A total of two hundred forty races are now being held in twenty-five countries every year, including the Philippines. The first leg of the 2019 Spartan Race Southeast Asia Regional series, held at the Lima Technology Center in Batangas on May 3–4, 2019, attracted more than four thousand participants.

Fresh from spending a night in a fancy houseboat that cruised the famed backwaters of Kerala, our #KeralaBlogExpress2 crew headed to our next destination: the city of Kottayam. Set against the backdrop of Vembanad Lake—the largest lake in Kerala—the Western Ghats on the east, and the lush rice fields of Kuttanad on the west, Kumarakom is also where one can find the charming backwater village of Kumarakom.

I've had many great memories of Kerala Blog Express 2, surrounding the great camaraderie formed among thirty travel bloggers from around the world, the organizers, and of course—our jovial new friends from the hospitality industry. The Raviz Resort & Spa in Kollam was one of the many hotels that made us feel completely at home. Mirroring the glitzy setting of that palatial lakeside resort, the service, hospitality, architecture, food, and overall vibe made our brief stop there truly memorable.

Whenever people asked me how I fell in love with traveling, I always told them I was inspired by Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” novel—an autobiographical narrative of Kerouac’s post-war road trip across the United States amidst the background of poetry, jazz, and the emerging beat culture. Thinking back now, I realized the birth of my wanderlust actually occurred during my college years. That was a time when my friends and I journeyed to the province of Marinduque every Holy Week to partake in the island’s iconic revelry: the Moriones Festival.