I can't lie.  It took me a few days to like Istanbul.  I loved it once I got the hang of it.  As a solo woman, there is ZERO room for small talk.  I stayed in Sultanahmet, the old town, and salespeople will pounce and harass you.  One friend described it as "hunting".  My very first day in the city, I went to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.  They are close together, and in between there was a long line of people purchasing museum passes (they are way over priced).  I was looking around trying to figure out if I needed tickets for either the Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque, and immediately a man in a tie moved in.  He answered my question about not needing tickets, and he said he would show me the entrance to the Blue Mosque.  As we were walking that way, he said he has a carpet shop nearby and asked if I was interested in purchasing a carpet.  I said I wasn't, but I might stop in later in the week to look around.  Well, the Blue Mosque was closed for prayers (I'm sure he already knew that), and he talked me into "just looking" at his shop, and then I can return to the mosque after prayers.  
I should have known.  I've been to carpet and textile shops in India.  It was the same thing.  Some guy claimed to be the first guy's uncle, laid out a bunch of carpets on the floor and kept saying there was no pressure to buy.  But of course there was a lot of pressure.  They were pushing me to buy two $1000 (US dollars) carpets.  I said I don't make large purchases like that without planning ahead.  He said if he were me he would buy the carpets and then adjust my budget for the rest of my trip.  I said I had to leave, so then they tried to talk me into leather handbags in the $400 range (again, US dollars).  I got myself out of there, heading to the mosque, and the guy tries to get me to see he friend at a travel agency to book a tour to Cappadocia.  I did mention to him that I was planning to go to Cappadocia, as lots of people do from Istanbul, but I said I wasn't ready to book anything.  Something in my snapped, I said I had to leave, and I walked out the door.  The guy followed me into the street, yelled at me, caused a scene, and called me a dishonest American.  As soon as he walked away, another guy walked up to me to ask where I was from.
All over this part of town the men are pretty aggressive in selling things, getting people to come to their restaurants, and even just talking to women.  One block advertised a "harassment-free zone" as they didn't have men shouting at you trying to get people to eat at their restaurants.  Walking through the grand bazaar a guy at a carpet shot asked me to look in his shop.  I shook my head no and kept walking and he called out "Why not?"  I had two different men at two different restaurants make roses out of napkins for me.  I quickly learned to make no small talk at all.  Absolutely none.  As someone from the midwest, this is not easy, and it feels a little rude, but it's just the way it is.  You need to make eye contact just for a split second so they know that you know they are there.  Any longer and the men think it's an invitation to talk, flirt, or sell you something.  And no smiling AT ALL.  Also hard as a midwesterner, but it's a necessary skill to survive Istanbul.

I was here just long enough to sleep in a comfy hotel room.  With jet lag and the long flight, I didn't really feel like trying to explore the city.  By the time I got to my hotel room, it was about 8 pm, and I needed to be back at the airport the next day by 9 am.  I took a shower, had dinner, and went to sleep.  Not much to report.
I did make a few observations.  (I did do a three day stopover here on my way to India in 2019, so I did see the city earlier...) The subway has a special car for women and children.  Men caught in this car are fined.  The airport is beautiful and silent.  There are no announcements, it is very clean and bright.  The airport really feels more like a fancy hotel than an airport.
I did have an unusual experience going through passport control.  My last name was different than the last time I was in the country (I was a little late changing the name on my passport), so I had to go to a special office and they scanned my eyes.  That's the end of the story.  Not a lot to it, but it was the most exciting story I have so far trying to get into a country.  For a few minutes I wasn't sure I would be allowed in.  They were very nice and efficient, and within a few moments I was through the gate and on my way.

One of my favorite things in Mexico.  There are hundreds of these in Yucatan - they are fresh water sink holes.  Some are in caves, with bats, turtles, and fish.  They are beautiful, refreshing, and tropical.  I'll add some pictures one of these days.  These were created by the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs (I also found a monument to the dinosaurs).  The asteroid hit Earth in the Gulf of Mexico, just off the coast near Progreso on the Yucatan Peninsula.  It was bad news for the dinosaurs, but great news for humans 65 million years later...  we get to go swimming in the cenotes!

People in Mexico were very kind to panhandlers.  Much more than in the US.  I routinely saw people drop a few pesos in someone's cup.  In the US I almost never see someone give money.  Here, we often blame the poor for their own situation, and people often don't want to "encourage" begging.  People will often tell about that one story they heard about a guy that makes over 100k a year begging.  In Mexico, people are sympathetic to others' hardships.  They are less judgmental and more willing to spare some change.  Maybe it's the strong Catholic faith, or maybe more people have experienced hardship themselves and they understand.  Whatever the reason, I am going to be more giving in the future.  I also experienced people being very kind to me.  Many people offered help with translations, directions, making appointments and reservations.  
On the other side of the coin (pun intended), for a financial transaction, many people will overcharge and scam you.  Maybe it's their way to fight back against American imperialism.  Maybe they are just trying to get as much as possible because you never know when harder times will come.  Regardless, bargaining is an expected part of the culture here, so it is necessary to shop around, research prices, and be prepared to walk away if the price isn't right.
The Catholic Church.  I think I read that 99% of Mexicans are Catholic.  It is major part of people's lives and culture.  It shapes their outlook on everything - including Covid.  Everywhere you can find Catholic churches, rosary beads, and statues of Guadalupe.  I also learned that the Vatican has cash and investments worth 5-10 billion dollars.  Naturally, this raised some questions...  but I will leave it here.

The driving and the car were fine.  I drove in Yucatan - the roads were great, drivers were fine, no problems.  But the rental company was a scam!  I rented the car from Hertz on Priceline.  Or so I thought.  It independently owned, and I later found out that I fell for the same scam that many other people did.  There are many terrible reviews on Google for this location, and I added my voice to the masses.
I rented an automatic car, but when I arrived, they said they only had manuals.  Then they said they had "just one" automatic left, but it will be more money.  I showed the email confirmation I had, but there was a bunch of Spanish, I wasn't too worried because it was a Hertz rental location, and I just signed the contract.  I was charged $903 for a five day rental.  I submitted a complaint to Hertz online, but I never heard back, so I called the customer service number, and they told me this location was independently owned, so I needed to contact the manager there.  That's when I found the google reviews.  They did similar things to everyone else.  I won't be getting a refund.  This was the most expensive rental car I've every had.
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LESSON LEARNED:  Always be VERY cautious before handing over any money.  Do lots of research.  Don't trust anyone.  If it's not the original agreed price, just walk away.

Dear Ayne is a content creator I follow.  She makes videos on travel, women's issues, social issues, and any other interesting topic.  She ran a women's empowerment retreat for women to meet each other, and we had workshops on a variety of topics, such as self improvement, personal finance and investing, goal setting, acro-yoga, and meditation, among others.  This was such a wonderful experience for me based on where I am in my life.  It was a chance to step away from regular life, relax, and reset.  This is a special group of women - we are all very different, yet very similar in that we all want to improve ourselves.  We ask questions, share knowledge, and support each other without judgement.  And we are still in touch with a WhatsApp group chat!  We share successes and frustrations, ask finance and business questions, and we even have a weekly co-working session where we log in with our web cam on, but we all work on our own different projects.  By working on camera, we can help each other focus and stay motivated.  Sometimes it is easier to work when you have a study buddy to hold you accountable.  I left the retreat with new friends and feeling motivated and excited about things I wanted to change in my life.  This retreat was the first week of my project, and I am very glad I had the opportunity to meet these wonderful people.  This week was the perfect way to reset my life and start my project.

I always have a difficult time explaining hostels to my American friends.  I very rarely get a good response from them.  They often assume they are only for college students, or that they are dirty or dangerous, or they want to stick with a more luxurious view of travel by staying at nice hotels.
When traveling alone, hostels are my preferred place to stay.  Yes, some are dirty and some are definitely more "party hostels" full of younger people.  Bathrooms and kitchens can be questionable.  It is important to read the reviews before booking.  In general, I'd say they are not really family-oriented, but some of them do accommodate families.  Many have private rooms, and overall, I'd say they are set up to be more social than hotels, which makes them a great option for solo travelers.  Many are keeping their dorm rooms to half capacity for Covid.  I have never been the oldest person at the hostel, and I am now 39 years old.  Think of them as just "basic accommodation."  You'll get a basic bed, shower, a thin towel, hopefully hot water, hopefully internet, barebones kitchen, and a secure place to keep your stuff.  You'll also save a lot of money and make new friends.  Staying in a hotel is definitely a nicer experience, but if you're traveling long term, this will become expensive quite fast.  To give you an idea, my private room at a hostel in Mexico City was $23 USD per night, and my dorm room in Oaxaca was $11 USD (both of these include all taxes and fees).  The dorm room was normally shared with four people, but for Covid it was limited to two people.
Airbnb is usually not the cheapest option, but they can be unique, more privacy than hostels, and they often have usable kitchens for long term stays.  Some cities have suffered from over-tourism, partly due to Airbnb.  For example, Venice, Barcelona, and Reykjavik have had a negative impact from this.  Other times, it can be a great option for both the tourist and the owner.
Hotels

All if it was magic.  The city of Oaxaca is colorful and beautiful.  The coast is cool and rugged.  There are murals all over the city.  There is a stunning cathedral.  The street food is just as good as Netflix promised (there is an episode of Latin American Street Food series dedicated just to Oaxaca).  I stayed at a hostel in the city that was perfect also.  It had a great group of people, and I loved our chats in the hostel bar in the evenings.  This was probably my favorite hostel experience in Mexico.
On the coast, I stayed at an Airbnb in Puerto Escondido - it was probably the best Airbnb I've ever stayed in - it had a terrace with hammocks and a thatched roof that was perfect for relaxing and watching the rain.  This is a surf town, and I enjoyed spending time on the beach watching the surfers.  I wish I spent a little more time on the coast to soak up all the relaxing atmosphere that was here.
Mezcal comes from Oaxaca.  It is made from the Agave plant, just like Tequila, but it is made from a specific breed, and it must be made in Oaxaca to be called Mezcal (just like how Champagne must come from the Champagne region in France, otherwise it is just sparkling wine).  It's not my favorite, but I did have a bit and I went to a mezcal distillery.

AHHHHHHH I am going to have to travel slower to stay under budget.  Traveling between places really increases my daily average since these days require bus or plane tickets.  Traveling faster allows you to cover more ground.  Traveling slower allows you to get to a know a place deeper, and it allows you to spread out your expenses more.  I'm guessing I'll be more motivated to cook if I don't look at it as needing to try all the food places in a short amount of time.

I love Mexico City.  It's at a high elevation, so it is a cooler temperature compared to the coastal cities.  I was here during rainy season, so that also made it cooler, but the rain wasn't overbearing - just a minor inconvenience and fewer sunny days.  Kind of like Seattle weather.  A lot of places were closed for Covid, such as the National Palace, Aztec museum, Xochimilco boats, and Leon Trotsky's home.  Many places had limited capacity, so you needed to purchase tickets in advance online, such as Frida Kahlo's home.  Strong Covid precautions were taken everywhere, such as mask mandates, hand sanitizer, shoe sanitizer, and many places even spray down your whole body when entering.  You stand with your arms out and they spray your down, ask you to turn around, and they spray your backside.  No one complained, everyone followed the rules.  I don't think Americans would tolerate the full body spray down in the US.
I definitely got New York City vibes here.  There are cute cafes and excellent restaurants everywhere.  I loved the live music all over the place.  Musicians and mariachi bands strolling around and people pay for a song while dining outside.  There are beautiful parks, delicious street food, and a fun Chinatown.  I had the best dumplings of my life here - Mexican-Asian fusion dumplings.
I reconnected with Daniela here (a lady from the retreat who lives in Mexico City).  My favorite place I visited was Frida Kahlo's home.  I had a print of her painting "The Two Fridas" in my apartment.  The original of this painting is actually at the Museum of Modern Art (closed for Covid).  Now I need to watch the movie again :)