Posts tagged Natalie Webb
Visiting the Turkish Baths
There’s a Turkish man by the tub. And he is ready to thoroughly scrub down any and everyone who comes his way.
Hamams, also known as the Turkish baths, are not your average bath time. I don’t know what I was expecting but definitely nowhere near the full body, full contact exfoliation I received.
With visions of relaxing Thai massages still dancing in our heads, Kathryn and I eagerly make our way to one of the oldest bath houses in Kusadasi. At the doorway, an elderly and shirtless all-male staff greets us. Not exactly the gentle female masseuses I was thinking.
They throw us a towel, we strip down to our swim suits, and enter into what feels like the world’s largest steam room. As we adjust to the overpoweringly thick air, we join other bathers sprawled out on a massive marble heat rock waiting their turn for the baths.
Finally, last in line to go, Ahmet nods at me and loudly spanks the slab with his exfoliating mitt and grunts, “Up!”
Here we go…
So I obediently hop up onto the counter and tense with anticipation. My bath boy sloughs off about 9 layers of skin with that soapy sandpaper mitten of his. And let’s just say, the Turks aren’t afraid to get friendly with the scrubbing strokes. Hello Ahmet. I’m glad we are such intimate friends now.
After a solid 15 minutes of the skin peel, I head to round 2 of bath time: the “massage.”
Another giant, towel-only-clad Turk beckons me to the marble. He douses me with a thick layer of bubbles and digs his thumbs into every muscular tissue I have. He then proceeds to bend and twist my limbs into quite the pretzel… a shape you should really only see at circuses.
At the end of the massage, he let’s out a loud chuckle and gets on the tiny slab with me. Yes. Me in my bikini pressed against my round, shirtless human pretzel maker. He smiles for the camera, gives me a squeeze, and dumps a cold bucket of water over us to clean off the soap.
Now, while this may not sound like a restful day at the spa, I will say that afterward I felt surprisingly relaxed and refreshed!
So if you ever stop by Turkey and you’re into extreme adventure sport bathing, I highly suggest you give the hamams a whirl. Be sure to tell Ahmet I said hello.
Under the Sea
Down where it’s wetter, that’s where it’s better… Take it from Sebastian, the charming crab in the The Little Mermaid. That guy really knew what he was talking about.
Clearly Sebastian must have snorkeled through the infamous Koh Tao waters like we did because this island’s remarkable sea scapes were better than any I have seen!
While Kathryn lives for “Shark Week” and will forever be jealous of the 2009 WTI dive with the Great Whites, I was more than okay to frolic with the clown fish in non-shark infested waters. If that lowers my hardcore-ness level in your eyes, I completely understand. But watching Jaws 1, 2, and 3 as a 4th grader can scar a person. Unless your name is Kathryn Berk.
So we climbed into our 8 a.m. long boat shuttle and rode our way to the snorkeling yacht. We circled the island stopping numerous times to throw on our masks and flippers and perused the aquatic life below.
It was breathtaking to witness the vibrant world of color that exists beneath the waves. Kathryn and I would often squeal at each other through our masks underwater and point to schools of needle nose fish that looked strikingly similar to lethal barracudas. We also stumbled across this stunning lighthouse coral that looked like it had been doused in yellow highlighter ink.
Throughout the day, I was determined to pet a Nemo or Flounder look-alike (mission accomplished. No big deal.) And then Kathryn continued on her shark hunt.
We ended our snorkel fest of fun with a refreshing glass of chilled coconut water, which may have helped take the sting out of the brutal sun burns on our backs that proceeded to peel off like snake skin in the days to come. Yikes. We will leave those photos off the Flickr account. You can thank us for that later.
Note to our WTI selves: Apply 75 SPF every 10 minutes while snorkeling in the beautiful Koh Tao sea to avoid turning the color of Sebastian.
Many Moons of Koh
What do these Thai islands have in common besides the first name Koh? Turquoise water, beachside masseuses, and islanders who love celebrating the many stages of the moon.
As Kathryn and I hopped through the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao, we realized why so many people flock to these places. They are little pockets of inexpensive paradise with food that will make your mouth water and massages that will make your muscles melt.
While the two of us soaked up some sun outside our honeymoon villa and gazed over our toes toward the sea foam lapping up the sand, I truly felt like I had just jumped into a postcard I had seen at Bangkok airport.
The sun slid past the horizon and we watched the islanders light torches lining the quaint restaurants and set the mood for the night life ahead of us. We satisfied our taste buds with meals of pad thai, downed some Red Bull, and headed to the infamous moon party.
Now let me just say, these people are probably the moon’s biggest fans. They celebrate the full moon, the half moon, the fourth moon, the black moon… possibly even the eighth and sixteenth moon. It’s crazy. And we happened to be there for the black moon party. AKA no moon party, and the beaches were buzzing with people.
So, in Team Nat Kat fashion, we donned our faces with matching war paint and danced our way into the heart of the crowds. While busting moves to the classically epic sounds of Gaga, we began noticing bubbles surrounding us. Yes. Of course the dance floor had turned into a foam party. So we swam out of the growing bubble ameba to protect our dear cameras, only to behold Thai men swinging a 30 ft jump rope… on fire… that people who had temporarily misplaced their brains were jumping into.
Fire juggling, fire eating, and fire limbo commenced throughout the evening as well. Team Nat Kat took part in the latter and may have left with some barely singed eyebrows.
All in all the island dance party and fire rave united the Thai people and backpackers from all over the world with one common philosophy: Every night’s a good night to celebrate the moon.
Japan, How Do I Love Thee?
Japan, how do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
1) I love how a strong nod or bow will get you far in this country.
2) I love that the Japanese are all about some lucky numbers. Especially the number 5. And lucky animals: owls and turtles.
3) I love how some characters in the Japanese alphabet look like smiley faces.
4) I love your melt-in-your-mouth sashimi and fried udon noodle dishes.
5) I love you have skyscrapers dedicated solely to karaoke rooms.
6) I love your architecture, your rock gardens, your ponds, your bridges, your lily pads, and most importantly your coy fish.
7) I love how hand sanitizer is the primary center piece for all tables, hotel desks, and cashier counters.
8 ) I love that your toilets play sounds of rushing water to encourage the relieving process. I really just love everything about your toilets (see bathroom humor blog for details).
9) I love that you have brought back the parasol and made this simple umbrella such a must-have accessory in the bright sun.
10) I love that the Japanese live 10 years longer than Americans due to their diet and constant consumption of green tea.
11) I love that surgical masks are the new headband. Fashionable and health-conscious. Double threat. Well done.
12) I love that the Japanese never fail to say the phrase, “Thank you for waiting,” even when it’s only been 2 seconds.
13) I love Tokyo Disneyland. And that I can still feel the magic of what Mickey is saying even though it’s in Japanese.
14) I love your bullet trains.
15) I love how your people impress me countless times with such an exceptional level of kindness and hospitality. The Japanese take great pride in doing everything with care; from walking you to your train car to make sure you don’t get on the wrong bullet train, to cleaning hotel rooms until they sparkle, to making the perfect cafe latte. You amaze me.
*A special thanks to Richie Ura, Shiho Akai and Tiffany Kurokawa from the STA Tokyo branch for being the best host and hostesses through Tokyo I could have ever asked for!*
The Golden Temple
Step aside Willy Wonka. I found the Golden Temple, and I hate to break it to you, but it’s way cooler than your golden tickets.
I forcefully blink my eyes open and glance at my watch- 7:29 am. A minute early and right on time for Japan. To my delight, the fabulous Tokyo Prince Hotel was hosting a Kimono Convention. No joke. Spectacular Japanese traditional attire everywhere I turned.
Right then, a lovely 4′9” tour guide approached me and snapped me out of my Kimono trance.
“Sunrise tour?”
“Hi!” I respond.
Side note: Hi in Japanese means “yes,” not the friendly greeting that my American self is used to. This got rather confusing when I stepped off the plane in Tokyo and kept waving and saying hello back to everyone. Whoops. Lost in Translation moment #1.
So I hopped onto the yellow sunrise bus and the sight-seeing commenced.
1st stop: Ryōan-ji Temple. The only way to describe this place is serenity in it’s simplest element. It is famous for its rock garden, and it rocked my socks off. I walked barefoot throughout the entire space and experienced the aura of its zen and relaxation.
Afterward, Kyoko, my tour guide, led us to the treasured gem of Kyoto sightseeing. We strolled along behind her through rock laden walkways garnished with lime green moss and watched swans swim through ponds full of lily pads. As we turned the corner, there it stood. Radiating from between the trees, in all its splendor: the Golden Temple. This stunning architectural feat left me awestruck.
This was one of those travel moments that you just stand there and breathe in the beauty. Also known as the Golden Pavilion, or Kinkaku-ji , it’s one of 17 World Cultural Heritage sites in Kyoto, and in my book, the best.
While it would be a lovely treat to cash in a golden ticket and tour the chocolate factory, I can say with confidence that I’d rather behold this magnificent Golden Temple any day.
Bathroom Humor
Bathrooms. Toilets. Water closets. The Loo. Porcelain thrones.
No matter what you call it, this space is universal. Everybody’s gotta use it, and the Japanese are forerunners for creating state-of-the-art restroom settings that have exceeded my highest expectations of the perfect toilet.
After landing in Tokyo at 6:30 am and breaking the code of the train tables to transport me to the Tokyo Prince Hotel, I head straight to the lobby’s toilet facility. The comforting sight of the stick figure in the dress amidst the mass of Japanese characters beckons my bladder, and I walk inside. You would have thought that I had entered into a sanctuary. Such a peace and a warmth welcomed me in.
As I close the stall door behind me and twist the modern lock, a speaker next to the toilet paper automatically starts playing sounds of rushing water.
“How nice of my Japanese friends to ease any stage fright and encourage the relieving process,” I thought.
I sit down on the sparkling white, clearly sanitized throne and am surprised to experience a delightfully warm sensation- a heated seat. Genius. Another point for Japan.
So as I sit there almost too in shock to carry out the process I came in there to do, I spot an array of multi-colored buttons to my right that I could have sworn whispered “press me” as I near them.
One red button adjusted the seat temperature, a blue button offered bidet services, a green button sanitized the seat, a yellow button was another spray feature, and the rest of the buttons I failed to decipher from the foreign wing dings.
After meeting up with some of the STA Tokyo staff later that day and inquiring about the high-tech nature of the commodes, I have come to find out that Japanese toilets are also equipped to measure your heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol level based on a urine sample it takes. Then a robotic from within will let you know if you are in need of a doctor’s check-up. The seats also raise, lower, and tilt depending on desired back support.
So congratulations, Japan. You have officially raised the bar and the seats for toilets around the world, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
This Is Where Rainbows Are Made
Have you ever wondered where the Lucky Charms leprechauns live?
Well Casey and I found them today. Right at the intersection of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.
After seeing over 14 rainbows in one sighting of the massive Iguazú waterfalls, I am convinced that this is where those leprechauns call home. I wish someone had let me in on this secret when my eight-year-old self savored the rainbow marshmallow cereal, contemplating the whereabouts of these little men.
I can truly say that seeing Mother Nature shine in all her powerful splendor today through these roaring falls proved to be one of the most soul-shaking experiences I have had to date.
I first caught a glimpse of the beautiful expanse of water through a helicopter ride from the Argentinian side. I love heights and had never ridden in a chopper before, so I guess you could say this was a big moment for me. When I hopped in the co-pilot seat with my touristy HD cam in hand, I gave my pilot an excited pat on the shoulder “hello.” Apparently this enthusiasm did not go over too well because he sneered at me with disgust and did not speak the entire flight. Maybe the shoulder pat is more offensive in this country than America. Who knows.
So up, up, and away we went, and my eyes poured over the sea of lush greenery. About five minutes after take-off, I spotted the magnificent falls. If you’ve seen Avatar and remember those floating Hallelujah Mountains with the waterfalls, that’s about what this felt like… minus the floating part.
Then we took a high-speed boat ride up to the base of the Falls and we came face-to-face with the immense beauty. We were speechless. We had never seen anything like it. As we ended the day on a walking tour through the vistas, I could have sworn I saw a short green figure dart away into the forrest out of the corner of my eye. That’s when I knew that experiencing this natural wonder will forever be more valuable to me than 14 pots of gold at the end of rainbows.
Meeting My Meat
Today I met my meat. His name was Pablo Picasso.
Let me just say that my Peruvian alpaca friend, Pablo, tasted tender and delicious covered in a wild mushroom demi-glace.
After I enjoyed my unique lunch cuisine, Casey and I wandered 
through the colorful side streets of Cuzco for five minutes until we stumbled upon an Incan-clad alpaca.
When I looked into its kind eyes, Pablo stared back knowingly into my soul, and I am confident he sensed the twinges of remorse rising up inside me for eating his kin.
But as we maintained eye contact and he confidently batted his long eyelashes toward me, I offered up my gratitude to him for providing this earth with such delectable protein.
He then gave me a subtle nod, and while yes, it could have been a twitch from a fly that landed on his face, I like to think this gesture acknowledged my guilt and accepted my apology.
The alpacas of Peru will forever hold a special place in my heart… and in my stomach.
STA Head Office Visit
What do Casey and I have in common with Justin Bieber? We all 3 know what it’s like to be stalked by loyal fans. Although Justin may have a couple million more than we do, we both were overwhelmed by the standing ovation of the STA employees as we entered the office doors on our first day. 
The diverse staff welcomed us with a 45 person high-five line. Can you get a better greeting than that? I don’t think so.
After we ran down the the colorful hallway slapping hands with our new smiling coworkers, we turned the corner to behold the “Case Face” and “Webbmaster” wall. What is this you might ask? Yep, I was confused too. The wall boasted a dynamic display of large photos snagged from any amateur stalker’s favorite media outlet called Facebook. Casey and I were both flattered and mildly creeped out all at the same time.
Once we recovered from the shock of entering into the STA celebrity status, Patrick, our Marketing and Communications Manager, whirled us around the office to meet almost every staff member in every department. (We were quizzed later, and of course, both scored a 100% in name memorization. This may or may not be true.)
Throughout the past two days amidst the free meals, royal treatment at the Hilton Garden Inn, and conference calls with MTV and the Wall Street Journal, we kept whispering to each other in disbelief “is this seriously happening?” I think the family-style meal of fried everything we had last night in Dallas convinced both Casey and I that the cultural exploration had indeed begun!
Peace out until Peru.
~Natalie
