"How to read my pages" by mertmh

Personal tastes:
· the outdoors, particularly water sports, hiking
· languages (I know French and Turkish; Spanish and Arabic are in the process)
· good food (I'm a vegetarian, and I like freshly prepared food)
· once in awhile a good book (travel stories are a favorite) or good movie (no particular genre though I like movies that show me a part of the world or a part of life I don’t know about).

So what kind of traveler am I? I’m not big on night clubs or resorts. I like nature. I like good food. And I like good discussion with people. If I’ve been exposed to all three on a vacation and haven’t totally exhausted the bank account, I’m happy.

Most of the things I like to do on vacation tend to be outdoors, particularly if there is water or mountains around.

So the kinds of places I go to are often natural and uncrowded. My pages will reflect that.

Don't get me wrong. I like cities too. What I don't like are tours or package holiday resorts. If I'm in nature, I don't need a crowd. If I'm in a city, it better offer me something unique to do.

For a long time, I did not own a camera. I didn't want to be one of those tourists running around more anxious to get a photo than absorb the essence of a place.

I've since repented :). I bought my first real camera in the summer of 2000 (though I have yet to invest in a digital one). I now love photography and wish I had good photos of many of the places I've been to. Slowly my photo repertoire will expand, I hope.

When I was moving back to the States, all of my photos were stolen along with my bag at the Gare du Nord in Paris. I was a real idiot and had all of the pictures that had ever meant anything to me in one bag. I'm sure the thief was disappointed (nothing inside but travel diaries, books, addresses and photos.) I know I sure was.

I should also add that I'm not a photographer nor do I plan to ever become one. I just like capturing certain images that remind me of places I've been to.

I used to go for the cheapest place possible. As long as it was reasonably clean and safe, I was fine. Now it depends. If I'm only going somewhere for a few days, I'll spend more on accommodation. If I'll be gone for a long time, I'll look for relatively cheap places to stay. I prefer places with character. But I still don't have the income to be too picky. So, price is important. As is cleanliness and a hot shower. You won't find classy hotels in my recommendation lists. But you won't find too many dumps either.

I also really like camping, but my enthusiasm for nature only goes so far. Camping in the rain, especially if it's a cold one, is a miserable experience.

I'm a vegetarian and have been for quite some time. Having said that, I'm not militant about it. You do your thing, and I do mine. If someone that doesn't know I'm a vegetarian prepares me a meal with meat in it, I will eat it. I am not a real vegetarian, I guess. I will also eat seafood when no other options are available to me.

I like freshly prepared food, and I will spend money to eat well. Eating well does not mean eating at expensive establishments, where the price pays for the atmosphere more than for the food. Not that I'm opposed to ambience, just that I find that food is usually best at independently-run, moderately-priced establishments. I love to eat out, and I am something of a food critic. My tastes will likely not match yours, so read my restaurant reviews with that in mind. However, I think I do pick good places to eat, and I hope many of you might agree.

Note: I tend to avoid large chains.