Blogs from Turkey, Middle East - page 28

Istanbul is a city of many delights and our four days of exploring was just about sufficient to do justice to the city's famous and popular attractions which included the following; A boat trip along the Bosphorus - a wonderful way of viewing the sights and being between the two continents of Europe and Asia The Suleymaniye Mosque - probably Istanbul's most important mosque and built between 1550 and 1557 The Grand Bazaar - a maze of stalls under an intricately painted, vaulted roof The Blue Mosque - takes it name from the mainly blue Iznik tilework and is one of the most famous religious buildings in the world Haghia Sophia - built in AD537 as a church and in the 15th century the Ottomans converted it into a mosque. One of the world's great buildings ... read more

Today I went with Bebek, formerly known as Ekmek. We had to rename her because Ekmek is considered holy and naming the dog that could be seen as offensive… whatever. So back to my story… Bebek and I caught a bus to Harbiye – to the Springs of Daphne. As you head down into the falls you are surrounded by little shops selling cheap junk, bobbles, tchotchkes, you know the stuff – only here it has Ataturk, crescent moons and evil eyes on it. We walk to the first falls, oh they are so beautiful. Bebek is fascinated by the water, me by the smell across the dirt road. (I had forgotten to eat breakfast) We wander into an outdoor café and she and I share some chicken, in the shade. It was hot today, but ... read more

Saturday May 26 was a day spent wandering with map in hand negotiating the streets leading eventually to roman aqueducts ... that fed the cisterns! First passed thru the Grand Bazaar in the search of knitting needles and to peruse the choice of wool in the Bazaar. No such luck ... the Han described as the one with sewing goods was not found but I did encounter numerous underwear stalls with every kind of under wear except the ones I during trips ... Silly's grandma pants! There were long underwear pants, but to the knee is a bit too far and they were not quick dry anyway. So goodby bazaar hello the meandering streets towards the aqueduct. There are two major obstructions in the street system ...the government buildings and the University grounds. If a mosque ... read more

Feeling like I had done everything I wanted to do in Fethiye - apart from taking a four-day sailing trip back along the coast to Marmaris, which I had already decided I could no longer afford - I returned my scooter on monday morning (28th May) and took a typically slow but scenic bus ride through the Akdaglar mountains to Pamukkale - the site of the world-famous travertines. For those that are unfamiliar with Pamukkale, the travertines are basically a series of terraced pools high up on a hillside that have formed over millenia from the calcium deposits left behind by spring water that gushes out from the top of the hill and then cascades down the slope, smoothing over the travertines as it does so; while simultaneously they are being bleached an almost-perfect white by ... read more

I have writers block. It happens I guess but it is painful. I keep thinking about what Sol Stein said – “Just write” – I guess there is something to just making yourself sit with your own thoughts, unless of course they are racing, like mine always seem to be. I want to be a good writer – really, but everything I write seems like some failed attempt at being heard. I am here to write, to experience, to find some hidden meaning of life as I traverse tiny streets and gaze up at beautiful skies. But it isn’t always beautiful is it? The streets here can be smelly with rotting garbage and the cars and motorbikes lend a dusty and diesel smell to the air. The cobblestones that, at a distance, appear so charming are ... read more