After our gulet trip in Turkey, the kids and I returned to the United States, whereas my parents continued to travel around in Turkey for another 9 days. One of their favorite stops was the spice market in Istanbul. My mother, an incredible cook, got suckered into spending a fortune on spices (more on that in a future post) — and yet, they have not gone unused. Quite the contrary, we have been using them daily since she returned to Oregon. Our favorite, is a Turkish crystal / spice that you put in a cup with hot water and inhale. It is like Vicks Vapor Rub — but natural. My mother was told that it was a cure all for everything — congestion, cough, sore throat, depression, anxiety, you name it. And I have to say, that it feels AMAZING when you inhale it.
To buy, go here. To read more about these crystals, go here. Trust me — these little pieces of organic nature are incredible. I am SO excited to have these during the cold winter months of NYC and help us all with our colds and coughs.
Correction: in the picture of my hand is a week’s stash of the crystal. And it is legal (at least in Turkey, jk.) Also, we bought it in the Grand Bazaar, Spice Market is somewhere else in Istanbul.
I remember trying inhaling some menthol crystals in hot water at a Turkish supermarket in Kusadasi. I absolutely could not stand the overpowering smell but this absolutely worked in clearing my sinuses!