Yes I did get to spend a little time in Istanbul on my trip there. Not nearly enough though. If I do go back I'm going to have to spend more than a day there. I think Turkey was my favorite.
I've been on three trips to Italy. My first trip was in 2009. It was a seven day jaunt from Rome up to Venice, over to Florence, and then back down to Rome. I had a good time but it was in August when it is HOT outside. The following year I took a 12 day trip that in addition to the destinations in the first trip also included Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, and Milan. That was in late September and early October so the weather was much nicer. My trip this year was down to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast and from there down to Sicily. I then went to Rome and spent three days exploring the city on my own - I got to see what I wanted to on my own pace and got to see a bit of Rome that you wouldn't see on a tour.
I've done a couple cross country drives.
My thing when I go to see my sister in St. Louis is that we try to avoid chain places, and if we can't we at least go to chain places that aren't around where I live. (I just hope next trip down she doesn't want to get Papa Greaseball pizza. Mere mention of his pizza turns my stomach).
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