1001 Nights in Istanbul

Hello there, I'm back !!

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Sat, 7 Oct 2023 10:30:00 +0300

Dear Readers,

Yeap... I'm back on the Blog. Hello to all of you, so terribly sorry I never responded to any of your comments for the last 10 years or so. Frankly, I didn't even realised that you guys are still following my pieces.. I'm very touched by your support and kind words. Really.. see... I have tears down my face, I'm really touched, thank you again.

I'm also overwhelmed by the 1000s of comments sent and I've simply posted them few minutes ago. Hopefully I can revisit them one day. Anyway I just posted 2 articles that I didn't publish previously. No photos but I hope that you won't mind the long tale.

Will be back again soon. More to come.. but with a twist this time...

Stay tuned !! Sending warm greetings to wherever you are....

We truly are lucky creatures - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Sat, 7 Oct 2023 10:09:00 +0300

I was late in arriving home due to the crawl on the road. Thats very Istanbul.....Istanbul is not Istanbul without its famous traffic jam. You could obtain a double major degree if you spend time studying during the time you spent while in the traffic jam! Thank god for all those iPad, iPod,3G and whatnots....after sometimes, you hardly noticed the crawl and will continue being lost in your own world. Old fashioned me still prefer to look out and enjoy the scenery and going-ons.

Istanbul is one city where you can't leave home without a camera. Leave the Mastercard or the Visa (plastics) if you want but never the camera. There are simply too many beautiful, abstract and unexpected things that could happen along your way. The other day, we had this Audi TT car in front of us stopping in the middle of the road. For a brief moment we thought he must be having an engine problem when we eventually realised that he was talking to an incoming Mercedes sports, right smack in the middle of the road. He finished his conversation with a handshake with the other person in the next car and drove away! If only I had my camera with me at that moment....it would've been priceless!

Now....back to part 2 of my story. Pazartesi (monday) is fresh market day in my neighborhood. I always made a point of going as its a wonderful way of testing my turkce (turkish language). Believe me, when its a matter of Liras, you'd made sure you know your Turkce. Pazar (market) days in spring always have an air of festivity in it. There are more traders and the goods are more interesting and best of all.....kiraz (cherries) are now in abundance! I have been having kiraz for kahvalti (breakfast), ogle yemegi (noon meal) and aksam yemegi (evening meal). My pyrex bowl is forever filled with kiraz and I don't mind as I've been told that the season is normally short. Over here, when the season is finished, that's it, you have them no more. Even for fish...which stops from June till September...crikey!!

As I pulled the trolley behind me to walk home, I saw something that mortified me. Its a scene out of a movie and I never thought that I would see it with my own eyes. Across the road was a woman with a little boy, the boy barely seven years old. That is nothing strange but what caught my eyes was that...they were rummaging into this big council litter bin and trying to salvage some papers and things. And the boy was picking up a remnant of an ice-cream and wanted to eat it before the woman yanked it away from his hand. I was stunned as I knew how the boy must have felt. I love ice cream,too. The weather is now warm and having an ice cream or ice lollies is heaven on earth.

Without thinking I gestured to the woman to me as my feet was rooted and I could not move. And then....the picture became worse as I saw her hurried towards me. Her right leg is actually just a piece of wood! But let me tell you this.....she can walk faster than a person half her age, that I am sure of. When I handed her some Liras, she was just as stunned as I was.

First, a man crawling on all fours and now a woman with a stick for a leg? And all in one day? Is God really trying to tell me something? What is it? I already said my gratitude all the way home in the bus. What next? This sighting reinforce my deduction on the determined Turkish. They might be down on luck but they still exhibit the uncanny determination and integrity that I had witnessed twice today. And the best part is...the rest do not ostracize them, rather they accept them as one of them. The tolerable and kind society allow and let them continue with their lives honorably and with full integrity.

I was made known that every evening, the shops selling bread or any food items would discreetly place their products outside their shops so that the less fortunate could go and take them for consumption discreetly. I was told,too that if you didn't have money, you can just go to any shops and they will give away food to you free of charge. They are really charitable and I had on many occasions got a free ride on the bus because I was out of coins or I seemed lost to them.

I believe that these traits are ingrained in them since kingdom came. I really must find out how the people started this traits or if it was brought in from somewhere or someone. Meanwhile, I'll just enjoy the hospitality that Istanbul has to offer me.

We truly are lucky creatures....

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Sat, 7 Oct 2023 10:01:00 +0300

June 6th. 2011.

Sometimes....in going through our busy daily lives, we tend to overlook many blessings accorded to us and even forgot to stop and smell the flowers. Its spring time in Istanbul and the although its a bit late in coming, its a wonderful change after all those cold and wet days (and nites).

After the colorful tulips have wilted, its now blooming of great, colorful and biggggg roses. White, pink, red, yellow, magenta...you have them all here. Its crawling everywhere its tendrils can get a hold on to. Its on your fences, on the road divider, beside the swimming pool, in the garden, on the balcony....just beautiful! How wonderful to be in Istanbul at this time of the year. Many a times, i couldn't resist the temptation and just jump out of my car and went down to smell the roses. If they think i'm crazy...well, being a Yabanci (foreigner) do have its privilege !!

Today, something caught my attention, twice ! I think God must be trying to knock some humility into me and ambushed me with these two very significant happenings.

The first event took place in a very busy street where I was waiting for my 29C bus to go home after spending sometimes shopping at MetroCity. The three o'clock bus stop is always jam packed with people when a bus drew to stop in front of us. Suddenly....everything and everyone went quiet and you could hear and feel the thoughts that would be on everybody's mind.

There, coming out from the bus was a man. Maybe in his 40's and medium built in striped shirt and black pants. So, what could be so strange about a man alighting from a bus? Well....for a start, he's not walking. He's crawling out of the bus, on his own, unassisted. Picture this....he's crawling on all fours, with his legs and hands. He had a slipper (or slip-on) on his two hands to protect them from the road or whatever.

He crawled away from the bus, oblivious to us staring at him albeit speechless (how impolite we all were) and inched his way to wait for another bus. I am not sure about the rest but for me, I only saw one thing.....and that was the determination and 'calmness' on his face. He was lucky as he didn't have to wait long for his bus. He got it immediately he reached the other stop. And just as how he stunned us with his crawling out of the bus, he also fascinated us with his crawling onto the bus with no assistance as if thats the most natural thing for him to do. After that, we could see the excitement on the bus where someone gave up his seat to him.

Needless to say, I was deep in thought throughout my whole journey back and I started to count my blessings and thank God for everything that I have. What is the significance of this event again? Well.....for one, thats's how the Turks are. They are really determined people and very very resilient and innovative. Not to mention, helpful and kind people.

That man was not in rags or tattered clothes. Far from it. He was dressed properly and I won't be surprised if he was on his way to work. He was not any different from the rest and he had on him the same determination and dignity that any average Joe even failed to have. He could be somebody's husband, father or son and I am sure that they are proud of him for being so 'normal' in our prejudiced and stereotyping mind. He is such a 'strong' man even though he was only inches from the ground as compared to our towering heights. How lucky we are that we don't have to find out if the air is fresher 6 inches from the road or pavement.

WE truly are lucky creatures !!!

Will tell you about the second event in my next posting. Gotta rush out to buy some ekmek (bread) for my cleaner lady who's cleaning the my units today.

Iyi gunler !!!

25 Must Visit Destinations of 2014

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 13:15:00 +0300

25 Must Visit Destinations of 2014

See what the Travellers the world over have chosen !!
Should I give you, my dear readers...a good hint?
Well.....it's sited on two continents and fused
the European and Asian into a Magical Wonderland

Take a walk and witness yourself this wonderful city...
it's simply Magnificent !!!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WINNER

* courtesy of TripAdvisor

Erdoğan Bey Lütfen ...ikiye benim İstanbul kırma (please don't break my Istanbul into two)

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:04:00 +0300

Merhaba... and may peace be upon you, always.

I simply must write today, I am sooo heart-broken over what's going on in Istanbul, as we speak. It's so devastating to see Istanbul shrouded with tear-gasses and water-canons and to witness such atrocities in such a beautiful city. I pray that it will stop very soon....

Whatever they do.... i'm being apolitical here.. please please do not destroy any of those beautiful, magnificent and historical buildings, monuments and centuries-old whatever! don't forget, your Ottoman Sultans took pain to restore and kept everything intact for us to see and learn, centuries later! They were great conquerors but they never destroyed buildings, churches or mosques or other things. We should learn from them.... it's so easy to destroy something, just one blast and all will be gone....

Although i know that I'm an Yabanci (outsider), I feel so strongly for Istanbul that if you hurt her, you hurt me too!! Pleez.... can't you just sit down and settle things as how a family would at their dinner table? Don't prolong it, 'cos the longer you let it simmer, the worst it's gonna be. Yours is a remarkable nation that withstood many charges and onslaught from all directions but you managed to stand tall as giants in this ever changing world. The tectonic plates have shifted ecologically and economically but I pray that 'earthquakes' are the only shifts that will result out of it for Istanbul.You are just too beautiful to change....

When the Turks are angry, it's a very dangerous thing to happen. Why... have you seen them in a fist fight by the roadside because someone had just crashed into their new shiny Range Rover or Harley? Remember that I once posted in this blog that ALL males in Turkey have to do their National Service for two years? Can you imagine the consequences if all those 'fully-trained soldiers' out there, who believe that they are fighting for whatever goodness for their people, country or lives... decided to fight it out? Heaven forbids.... if this clashes are not resolved amicably...

The Turks are brave and ferocious soldiers and were feared by many centuries ago and you'll be shocked to know that many modern-day military procedures originated from the Turks. The military march (bands) were copied from the Turks. There's even a song called "Turkish March". But the Turks used the march as a prelude or warning to the people of the towns or villages that they were going to conquer. Few days before their armies start their siege, they'll send out groups of musicians with their neys (flutes), drums and other instruments blaring around the town at full blast twenty-four hours continously for couple of days. They'll have a three shift group to make sure that the music continue throughout the whole day and night. When one group take a rest after 8 hours, another group will take over. So... this must have been the beginning of a three-shift policy initiated during the Industrial revolution decades ago.

So eventually.. if you were the people in that village or town, after being hounded and psyched by the shrieking music and sights of the huge, fierce and no-nonsense uniformed players.... would you bother to fight back? See... half of the battle was already won!! Guerilla warfare at its best. Music has been known to soothe and heal but who would have thought that it can also be used to strike terror... without even you realising it..how clever !!! The Turks knew.... centuries ago !!! And.. don't let me start on their connection with the creation of Draculas. I'm sure you all have watched and cried after watching that vampire (and dracula) movie! But do you know that draculas (and vampires) started with one ferocious Turk who drank the blood of his enemies? Aha... betcha didn't know that... sure .... you just love the romance in it.. LOL !!

Mehter at the Topkapi Palace. The Turkish Military march was enacted at Topkapi Palace to explain to the tourists of the significance of the march. It was really an interesting event to watch.

The event was done in full ceremonial robes and uniforms for the best impact.

Now... would you argue with these people?? I know I wouldn't. I'm too young to die... boo hoo....

Watch these videos if you're keen to see more :

Mehter Marsi Dolma Bahce

Ottoman Janissary Military Band

Mehter at Topkapi Palace

And..let me tell you this incredible but true story. If you didn't believe me, go out and buy the CD for the movie "Fetih 1453". It tells the story of how Fetih (the Conqueror) conquered Constantinople (now Istanbul) from Constantine. For me, there were two significant scene that really amazed me. The way that Turks conquered Constantinople and the final scene where after conquering Constantinople, Fetih liberated everybody irrespective of their religions and allowed them freedom to choose and observe their religions. The then non-muslims actually feared that they would be killed after Constantinople fell and had gathered in Hagia Sophia, trying to seek refuge for the last time. So... we can see how tolerant the Turks (Ottomans) were even when they had the power to do otherwise. How very cultured, democratic and contemporary..... way ahead of their neighboring counterparts.

Now, when Fetih wanted to conquer Constantinople, his battle ship could not pass through the Golden Horn that separated Constantinople from the mainland. Tried as he might, he just could not pass through due to the stone wall surrounding Constantinople with its seven gates. And his surviving people were already either dying or beginning to lose their morale. They had earlier on, fabricated huge metal chains that they later on tied to the two kale (castles) on each side of the Bosphorus, rendering Constantinople helpless and traumatic as help and supplies could not pass through this chains to reach them. Constantine's ally could not reach him on time but at the same time Fateh was still not able to pass through The Golden Horn.

The kale (castle ) on the European side that held the big metal chain running across The Bosphorus so that Constantine could not get access to help and supplies from his allies.

Though the chain is long gone, the kale is still there.....

The magnificent kale that protect Istanbul from further attacks coming from the Bosphorus

Magnificent, isn't she?

So..what's a Conqueror to do? He did something unimaginable and unheard of at that point in time. But something that was later on adopted at The Suez Canal but with a twist! He literally took his battle ship out of the water, put it on logs as "sleepers" and pushed the battle ship UP the hilly terrain and put it back where it was to face the weakest spot of the stone-wall for their attack. And the rest, they say....... is history!

Determination? Innovative? Fearless? Remarkable? A combination of all could turn out to be very lethal. And I see these traits in Turks all the time. Plus the fact that they are also very competitive, passionate and principled. But sometimes passion could make you do 'strange and dangerous' thing.

Part of the stone wall that protected Constantinople from direct attacks. These walls surround the whole city with strategically located seven gates. And this wall made it impossible for attacks to come from the Marmara Sea.

The wall that stood against the test of time. There are evidence of them being hit but it was not entirely destroyed and are still standing among other newly completed buildings around it.

See how intact these walls are, even after centuries of weather, earthquakes and assaults by men. Some buildings are still being used as part of Turkish normal dwellings or shops. You can still see some samples of magnificent building materials used in building them which enable them to withstand all those assaults.

Old and new.... vintage against contemporary... it is there for all to see and reflect on life before and after us....

They walk amidst historical environment and I sometimes wonder if they are aware of the significance of their surrounding. Maybe not to the young generations but the older group would not hesitate to tell you all over a cup of chai...

See how well-preserved they are....

The Bosphorus, Marmara Sea and the Golden Horn intersection. Can you see the high stone wall in the fore ground? These walls stopped many sea or marine attacks from all those suitors who would love to conquer Istanbul at that time.

But Fetih could not siege Constantinople using this route, so he had to push his battle ship along the Golden Horn to get to his strategic spot, Constantinople's weakest point from the stone wall.

The intersection where the Bosphorus, Marmara Sea and the Golden Horn (Halic) meets. It is now a center of a very busy port with most vessels taking and using the Bosphorus to go to Russia and the Balkans via The Black Sea or using the Marmara Sea to go to other African and European countries via The Mediterranean.

Fetih 1453 movie thriller (with english subtitle)

Fetih 1453 Full Muzik

My Life For My Flag - Fetih 1453 song

My wishes for today... I hope the people of Turkey (especially Istanbulites) could read my writings and open up their eyes to the outcomes that might turn up worse if they didn't close the gap. Talk talk talk and negotiate negotiate negotiate till you reach agreement. It is not impossible. Your history has shown that nothing is impossible in this world. Just open up your heart... and do what's right for your little Istanbul. And please..... don't break my Istanbul into two....

Let me leave you with this haunting Song by Bruno Mars... hmmm... we are all guilty of taking our loved ones for granted .... yeah.. we are only human....... just don't make it a habit,ok? 'cos you don't wanna know how painful a broken-heart feels........

Err Bruno...forget the flowers... can I have your aviator? Cool.......

When I was your man - Bruno Mars

Learning Turkish language, Turkçe

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:51:00 +0300

Ohh..cool...we touched 17,897 pageviews today!! I love number 17. My jersey (for Volleyball and Softball) was 17. And it always brought good luck to me and my team, Yee Haaa !! Stay tuned...I shall write on Turkish Belly dancing in my next Post... Ahaaakkkk.....

Thought I'd write about Turkish language today, lest I forget, after leaving her for sooo longgggggg.

Turkish language, Turkçe is not an old language. The language that you hear them speak today was actually 'created' by Kemal Ataturk. It was a gradual change that Ataturk painstakingly undertook and ended with a 'new' 90,000 new vocabularies. After borrowing and modifiying from the French, German, English and some Arab languages, finally in about 1934, a new Turkish language was born, as so was surnames.

Thereafter, all Turks must use and adopt this language, irrespective of their ethnic origins. Any other languages are to be undertaken privately if anyone so wish but a Turk must only speak Turkçe and nothing else. The Turks are aware that Turkish language is one of the most difficult languages in the world and they would be really happy and appreciative if they see that you, a foreigner, can speak Turkçe. You get brownie points...and might get away with many many things. Trust me on this...I'd managed to get out of some sticky situations by simply conversing in Turkçe with them.

Apart from the usual 26 alphabets that we have, Turkçe has an additional 6 characters that warrant special mention and require special Turkish keyboard, which I did not have. So, most times, when I wrote something in Turkçe it is not exactly right without these special 6 alphabets. But they are not difficult to comprehend, it's just a matter of pronouncing them properly.

For a tourist, just remember that there are 2 types of c,g and s. Normal g,c and s is pronounced as'g', 'k' and 's' respectively. However, whenever g,c and s become 'soft g, c and 'soft s' ( ç,ğ ş ) with an additional subscript below it, it becomes "ch" and "sh" respectively. While the g become silent and would enhance the sound of the preceding alphabet. It all sounds 'Greek' to you? C'mon....it's not all that bad... really !!

The difficulty arise in making sentences because all the nouns are brought to the front, followed by verbs and adjectives. As such, you can't simply translate from Turkçe to English and vice versa using Uncle Google. What this means is...when they talk, you'll have to listen until they finish the whole sentence to know who did what and why! My Swiss-German friend said that this is also the case with German language. And...according to her, that is why Turkish (and Germans) are good listeners as compared to the French or Italians! She said that, you can interrupt a French or Italian talking because you can already guess what they were going to say from the beginning of the sentence. Hmm? Good point there, eh?

Don't ask me why because that's how it is...I've even argued with my tutor who simply could not understand why it was done that way,too. Ohh my tutor....yes...I think I tortured her enough during the class but she was a good tutor. Thank you Duygu! Though we are still trying to figure out why the Turks say "drinking cigarette' instead of "smoking cigarette". I suspect it went back to the nargile or 'shisah" era.

Turkçe do not have any reference to male or female. Nonetheless, it's a very interesting language. Sentences are normally long and if you watched the news on the telly, you can see how breathless the newsreader became after reading the news. To catch up for time, they had to speak very fast.

For me, I think I can ace a written Turkçe examination but when it comes to oral and practical test, I'll fail miserably. The Turks speak in a very harsh and deep voice and they they tend to swallow the words when they speak. A recipe for disaster for 'hard at hearing" me. Boy....they do have big and deep voices. Even their children have deep voices and do not shriek like normal kids. So in the end, I just told the Turks to listen to me and not the other way around. After all, they're supposed to be good listeners, yes ???

OK...more on Turkce in my next postings. I shall leave you with my archive (collections) of Edirne, the city where Fetih The Conqueror started from on his journey to conquer Constantinople (now Istanbul). I will write about that too...so do stay tuned !!!!

The magnificent Selimiye Camii in Edirne. This is one of the masterpieces by Great Mimar Sinan (Sinan the Architect)

It's amazing to note that, even though there are more than 70,000 mosques across Turkey, the wonder of each and every mosques are so unique and is always being appreciated by the locals as well as tourists. The locals love their mosques very much and it forms a big part of their lives, not just a place to worship Allah but also as a place to share a picnic with their family members.
Selimiye Camii, Edirne

As the post rightly says, this is not a graveyard. rather, it's an exhibit of various forms of tombstones that could be found all over Turkey. Historically, headgear played a very important role during the Ottoman era. The position and status of an officer is evidence by his headgear. That explains the various designs of headgears that could be found during the Ottoman period. Likewise, a tombstone (of an officer) in Turkey, is a replica of the headgear of the said Officer. So, it's quite easy to identify the rank of the owner of the tombstone just by looking at it.

Interesting and intriguing tombstones of officers of past era...

A Graveyard replica beside The Selimiye Camii, Edirne

Inside Selimiye Camii. The hanging lights and the red carpet would remind us of The Blue Mosque. However, the tiles here are not as blue as The Blue Mosque. But it still is as spectacular! Just as the Blue Mosque, The Selimiye Camii is still being used until today, centuries after it was first constructed !!

A wonderful detail on the main quarter dome of Selimiye Camii.

Another view inside Selimiye Camii with its distinctive red carpet.

At first we didn't know what this was. But we did noticed that many people were going towards this little corner and at times, it caused quite a commotion inside the mosque

Turned out that, this is a place where people (believers) would drink up the water from this little 'cistern' while they make a wish. It was believed that if you drank the 'sacred' water while making a wish, your wish will come true. I did not try it so I didn't know how far true are this. But anybody is welcomed to visit, go inside the mosque and drink (and make a wish) from this cistern. May all your wish come true.....

If you took 15 minutes, sit down and just look around you while you are inside this mosque, soon enough you'll begin to understand and appreciate what a great architect, Sinan was.

Captivating and mersmerised..... who knows what you will find here ?????

Beautiful...... don't you think so?

Ohhh.... look at those tiles..... it's even nicer in real life, this photo do not do justice to it. I'm so sorry about that !

Sadirvan, the place to take ablution, or you cleanse yourself before you pray. This is right in the middle of the courtyard of the Camii. And the structure is made of natural marble. Incidently, Turkey is famous for its yellow, brown and gold marble as well as multi colored Onyx. The marble and Onyx of Turkey are prized possession and it's not uncommon to see them in huge panels adorning walls of great hotels all around the world.

The Sadirvan

Edirne in my hands

Turkish Delight IV - Miniatures and replicas of Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:36:00 +0200

Mutlu Yillar...Happy New Year...Ok Ok...I missed the boat, January is almost done and February is just round the corner. So maybe my new year wish is more apt for the Chinese now since they're going to celebrate the Chinese new year beginning second week of February. So..how was your new year celebration? Did you say that you spent the evening burning your previous year's resolution? My...my...why am I not surprised...

Well..at least I'm keeping to my words by writing this post. I did promised you the series on this,right? Aha...i have not broken my previous resolution, i.e to keep my words when I promised. Boy...I wish I hadn't...it is so $#%*! difficult to do so! Grumble grumble grumble.....

For those of you who have traveled to Istanbul (or Turkey), I am sure that you would realise that apart from the beautiful and colorful porcelains, Turkey too have wonderful glass and crystal pieces. I understand that this is made possible due to its abundant minerals and other stones. Turkey's(golden and green) Onyx is much sought after, and it's marble is second to none. If you paid more attention to their vintage buildings, you'll realise that almost all the floors and walls are constructed of either marble or onyx. Especially the remarkable hamams. And these marbles mostly came from the Marmara ( Istanbul ) area. Not surprising as "Marmar" means marble in Turkce. There's a hotel in Bursa that has its vanity sink carved out of a solid piece of beautiful marble. It's just plain..... luxurious !!

On top of that, Turkey is also the world largest producer of Boron (93% world output) , a mineral used in many things including in making glasses (and crystal)...and into making that LCD glass display of your tablets! Are you impressed already? So..where am I going with this? Remember...we were talking about glass and crystal? Ahh.... you're still having the hangover from the New year celebration?? Wakey..wakey....

Let me cut to the chase, when in Istanbul (or Turkey) go to their glassware specialty shop called Pasabahce (pronounced Pashabahche). Look out for their " historical collection " gallery. It's a spot where they'll display the Limited Edition pieces based on historical buildings or shapes and specially created miniature pieces captured from famous or significant objects. If you were with kids or impatient companions, deposit or dump them somewhere for a couple of hours, 'cos you gonna need those few hours, believe me!

I can assure you that, you would be sitting at one corner, looking at each and every pieces and just continue looking. And that is after you've made a few rounds of the gallery, not a care in the world of who is beside you...who cares if it's Cindy Crawford!! Or Brad Pitt !!!

It is as if you're in a Gallery but this time, you can touch the pieces while admiring them and they are soooo magnificent!! Each and every pieces of them. And each pieces tell a story ... and what amazing stories they are !! Ohh.. if only our history teachers could be more imaginative and teach us history with interesting pieces to pique our interest and imagination.....

Feast your eyes on these collections. But these are only a few of many that you can view at the gallery. There are more exquisite pieces and are out of this world !!! and bear in mind that they are all limited collections and no more than 2000 pieces were created of each designs. And I must confess....the actual pieces are more exquisite than these photos....i think my lighting are all wrong...what a shame..sigh.... nonetheless, let's start the new year with something beautiful, shall we? I know, I know.. you do that every morning, when you look in the mirror........chill people......the year has just begun !!!!!

Kubbe (the Dome) from the Istanbul Historical Collection. This lilac piece is a miniaturised version of the wall and dome found in Hagia Sophia. It is actually a candle holder but of course....with such a beautiful piece, who would wana light the candle and ruin it's glass?

The grand Haghia Sophia. This is what this miniature is trying to replicate...

See if the miniature managed to replicate the grand master ...

From this angle, maybe ??

A dome inside Haghia Sophia....


A 3-D effect of the creation. The Stabilo (pen) is there to give scale to the whole piece.

The back portion of " the Dome" candle holder. this piece comes complete with 2 pieces of lilac colored candle. The magnificent Hagia Sophia's interior was replicated through several other miniatures and you can read more on other products (reproductions) at THIS e-CATALOG or the website HERE

The domes of Sultan Ahmed camii ( or The Blue Mosque) in Istanbul

The effect of the blue tiles inside the mosque gave it it's name, The Blue Mosque.

Closed up view of the dome that the following miniature is trying to replicate...

View inside the Blue Mosque. It is still being used today and would be closed for tourist during certain prayers time, unless you want to perform your prayers there.

Another view inside the mosque, during it's quiet day....

The Sedefkar vaso. This vase depicts the beautiful and intricate detailing inside the Sultan Ahmed Mosque or more popularly known as The Blue Mosque (due to the effect of the blue tiles inside the mosque). The indented detailing on the vase is their interpretation of the details found on the dome of the Blue Mosque.


The 3-D effect of the vase. It's a beautiful handmade smoke tinted glass and

the embossed patterns adorning the piece have been

handcrafted using platinum gilding

Closed up detail of the 'dome' of the Blue Mosque.

A water kiosk or fountain inside the Topkapi Palace. They are almost always made of marble or even onyx. and adorned with gilded gold on the metals.

This is however, a Sadirvan for ablution. The muslims will cleanse themselves here before they go inside the mosque to perform their prayers. This was at the courtyard the Blue Mosque. But the construction is almost similar to the water fountain

Water kiosk and fountain vase. Nowadays, people talk about about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or even Corporate Social Value (CSV) when corporations try to do their part for the society. Centuries ago, the Ottoman Sultans and Sultanas and even the Viziers were already doing their part for the societies. These water kiosks and/or fountains were built under their instructions and serve as a place for normal people to quench their thirst or even for ablution or for other purposes. How very civilised !!!

Paşaçeşmesi Vase is handmade glass and the

embossed patterns adorning the piece were made

using 24 K handcrafted gilding.

The miniature fountain figures and the window

network on both sides on the vase are handcrafted

from bronze metal.

An Iznik Denizli water pitcher. This is not part of the Collection but nonetheless, it still is a great piece. It depicts how important the marine and sea activities are to them. Being flanked by The Black Sea, The Marmara Sea, The Golden Horn and The Bosphorus, life in Istanbul (and Turkey) centers a lot on sea and its marine and had been so for the past centuries.

As was mentioned in my previous postings, Turkey played an active part in the Silk Road (Route) and in fact, Bursa (about 2 hour drive from Istanbul) was the last leg (journey) of the Silk Road and you can see still many caravasaray (caravan park) where these traders used to stay while doing their trades. And that explain a lot on why Chinese influence could be seen at many places, especially where the porcelain and pottery industries are concerned. The Turks were sent by the Ottoman Sultans to China to learn the art of making potteries and porcelains. And later on, the Turks made their own trademark designs and process.

Nice, don't you think?

Another famous Iznik tiles depicting a famous lale (tulips) inspired garment worn by the Ottoman Sultans and other important people. Sorry about the photo but you should be able to see the beautiful glaze that only an Iznik tiles can offer. That is why, anything of Iznik tiles would be much more expensive than the normal porcelain and tiles that you see in the shops.

You can see many original garments like this being displayed at The Topkapi Palace museum. And lale or tulips are one of the most popular motifs of all times.

The Nars Bowl. Pomegranates have been used as symbol of fertility, plenitude and wealth in many different cultures and geographies. In Anatolia pomegranates have been one of the important images and they have symbolized plenitude from antiquity to the present

The town of Side, meaning ‘pomegranate’ in the local dialect of the ancient Anatolians, used the pomegranate image as a symbol of the town from the Classical Period to the reign of
the Roman Empire. Thus, the name of the town is identical to the type of coins they produced. The coins themselves seem to almost speak the name of the town.

The Pomegranate Bowl is made of handmade red glass. All the patterns on the object have been hand-decorated with 24 carat gold gilt.

The Pomegranate Bowl, in the “Talking Coins”, bears the images of six coins minted during the various eras of the town of Side applied onto glass as a pattern. The body of the bowl
has been decorated with floral motifs usually seen in ancient Greek and Roman art

The Pomegranate Bowl is made of handmade red glass. All the patterns on the object have been hand-decorated with 24 carat gold gilt.

Yedikapi Vaso - Seven Gate Vase
Handmade glass vase in caramel color decorated with gold gilding

In various cultures, it is believed that the human soul leaves the body and ascends to Heaven. This ascession is often represented symbolically by the concept of the " Seven Gates" through which the soul has to transcend. The shedding of of a layer of clothing at each gate, and coming out naked at the end symbolizes the salvation of the soul from earthly and materialistic qualities, finally being ready to to be re-born in the spiritual realm. *

View from the top

The design of Yedikapi Vaso has been imspired by the concept of seven "planes/levels" of existence in different cultures, which has been symbolized by depictions of various Anatolian portl motifs. *

"Halic Isi" ( Golden Horn Work) style on blue and white Iznik ceramics production. This pattern was formed by small leaves and floral design s winding around branches applied on opal - glass. Some people said that the winding design actually depict the 'whirlpool' effect of the water at the Golden Horn.

The Halic Isi Dipper are handmade of opal glass with handmade reliefs on it. Circa 1535 - 1545 *

This exotic vase or jug is not part of the Pasabahce Collection. This is a replica of an original vase that is being displayed inside the Topkapi Palace meseum in Istanbul. It is one of the many beautiful pieces displayed in the Palace museum for all to see when you visit the Topkapi Palace, which is open to the public.

The original Vase is made of black quartz and embellished with rubies, while the leaf motif if of real gold. It was actually a gift from *** (opppss...I can't remember now) to the Ottoman Sultan.

This replica is handmade from black quartz and the leaf motif was gold gilded. The stones are crystal and other physical attributes are exactly the same as the original.

Another replica from the original bowl that is being displayed in the Topkapi Palace museum. The clear quartz is embellished with emeralds and rubies and the leaf motif is actually real gold. This bowl was also parts of the gifts collections displayed. It was also a gift from someone to the Ottoman Sultan.

The Bowl is so exquisite and replica is an exact copy of the original, except that the stones crystals and the leaf motif is of gold gilded. But it is still sooo exquisite !! You gotta see it to appreciate its real beauty. It is much nicer when there is light shining through the bowl !!

Closed up view of the replica.

Another replica from the Topkapi Palace Museum collections. These beautiful golden bowl was part of the gifts collection and is entirely of gold on quartz.

I'm afraid I don't have much detail on this bowl except that the replica is exactly the same with the original. But it certainly is a beautiful piece to look at. The golden hue really add magic to the bowl.

Closed up view of the golden bowl

Talismanic objects intended to preserve the owner from misfortune or evil eye, and bring health and good luck have been used for thousands of years, as they still are today.

The Shifa Bowl . My all time favorite, and that's why I kept it for the last! Islam and medicine had always been together and many mysteries of medicines, diseases and the fact of the Universe can be found in the Quran. The Muslims believe that God had promised that all diseases (in this world) have it's corresponding anti-dote or remedies or medicines. It's for human to search for all the remedies and mostly all would resort to the use of the Quran for healing.

This Syifa Bowl is a replica of the bowl actually used in Turkey for traditional healing. Holy water that was poured into this bowl would either be drunk or bathe with. The bowl is full of inscriptions and symbols found in the original bowls used by the Turks and it include the Esma-i- Husna (beautiful names of Allah), the words "Ya-Kafi" "Ya-Shafi" "O He who heals, he who intercedes" and "Ya alemu-l alemin" (O He who is wisest in the universe), all in the nesih script.

The Syifa Bowl are hand made from glass and all the relief designs are hand-gilded using real 24 carat gold leaf.

There are 99 beautiful names of God and they are all inscribed inside this Syifa Bowl, plus other inscriptions and symbols

Look at the beautiful translucent but opaque finish of the bowl. I know, I'm contradicting myself but think of it as a Ying and Yang kinda thing. I'm so sorry but the photo really do not do justice to it

Err...if these collections have somehow woken up the artistic in you and you think that you might wana know more of these exquisite collections, you can browse on their website HERE. And if like me, you too were smitten by these collections....well....Istanbul would be truly nice to visit in June till October before it gets to be too cold. These collections are just a few hours away....by your Airlines of course!!

Go to Istanbul, get one or two of these pieces and bring home a piece of history back to your home...
Sweet dream my readers....... wherever you are.....

Outta Istanbul, Marvelous Melbourne revisited.

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:23:00 +0300

Aha..thought you'd gotten rid of me for good, didn't you? Looks like you're in for a surprise...i've not laid down my hat, so... as the saying goes..it ain't over, till the fat lady sings! And there's no fat lady in sight whatsoever....besides, there have been 2300 hits to this Blog since I last wrote, so I figured....hmm...somebody out there still enjoy my rantings....

Revisiting Melbourne after ten years was like a blast from the past, plus...ehemm....I'm 10 years older now, OMG! Where did all those time go to?? while there are a few changes, Melbourne remains almost the same as when i left her. There is Docklands now and the car park next to the Victoria Market is no longer there. Besides that, Melbourne still is the center for Cultural and other sporting events, not forgetting it being a fashion hub for many acclaimed designers. you just need to stop and observe and soon enough, you'll realise that you are actually surrounded by gorgeous people, magnificent buildings and yum yum... wonderful FOOD!!! All the food that I had was great! Not once was I disappointed with the food while in Melbourne. Or... could it be that i was too easy to please, when it comes to food? Maybe... but, hey.. who cares! Now that remind me of something.... if you go to Melbourne.... you must, MUST eat the oysters!! Au naturel, of course. It is sooooo yummy.... it's so fresh, it's actually sweet. It sort of melt in your mouth. I think I could have dozens at one sitting, no kidding...it's that good !!! Go on..try it... you won't regret it, I promise you !!

Melbourne is a very tourist and student-friendly city. Wherever you go, no matter what you do, you can rest assure that the city is well equipped to meet your requirement as a tourist or a student. It has so many facilities and services to cater for these group of people. It is not surprising then, that it has been voted many times over as one of the most desirable city to live in. Marvelous Melbourne indeed!

Being a picky and cost-conscious tourist that I am, the first thing I'd scout first would be for a free transportation to go round the city. and .... what did I find? i didn't just found a free ride, i found TWO free rides! And... listen...it gets better! There's even a free (volunteer) tourist assistants who operate from morning till evening to assist you while you're in the city. I have never met such great services before and the free rides that I just mentioned are actually Hop On Hop Off type of services.

well... there's nothing much to say here actually. what to say about something that is almost 'perfect'? it's a great city and those pioneers who first set foot on Australia centuries ago, either in search of gold or being 'sent away'.... really did a great job building the nation. It is still a "Land of opportunity" and if you worked hard doing whatever you're doing.... rest assured.... you will make it here. everybody has an equal rights to everything. Is it any wonder that everybody wants to migrate to Melbourne, or Australia? The pot of Gold is still there waiting for anyone who dares make the extra effort.... maybe someday....maybe someday.......

The Iconic Flinders Street Station. This is the hub of all train services in Melbourne. Do not be intimated by its splendor for once inside the buildings, you'll find many eager and friendly staffs waiting to assist you with your travel planning. You just need to look confused or lost, and before long, there'll be someone beside you to help you out of your predicament. And they do it voluntarily and you needn't have to pay for the services. So..there is no touts or scammers here. Noticed the unique color of the building?

The beautiful St. Paul Cathedral, just across The Flinders. So many weddings have taken place in this great cathedral.If you stood across the road, you'll have a magnificent view of St. Paul ,The Flinders and The Federation Square. It was a Saturday and some roads were closed due to footy match. And... there were police stationed everywhere... 'tho I don't think Aussies fans are worse than the British hooligans...

This car is making a "Hook Turn". I think you can only find this 'turn' in Australia. Cars going to right had to go to the left, wait in the middle of the road and turn to right when the junction is clear. ONLY in Australia can you find such patient and tolerant drivers. Compared to Istanbul's drivers, Aussies drivers are angels behind the wheels!! If this driver were in Istanbul, he would have ended up in an emergency ward somewhere, i'm quite sure of that hahaha...

There is a Tourist bus shuttle that will take you to many interesting places (even to The Victoria Market) and you can hop off or hop on anytime while its making its round. Complete with an informative narration either via a recorded system or live narration from the driver himself. And the driver that I had that day was very witty,too. How marvelous!

Tourist shuttle that will take you to all the interesting places and a round trip will take about 1.5 hours. You can Hop On or Hop Off anytime and anywhere you want. There is a shuttle every half hour, not bad, eh?

The Shuttle stops at The Queen Victoria Market, so you can plan to visit this historical landmark according to your schedule. It is soo convenient and is such a pleasant way to see the city. Noticed how clean the city and streets are?

Tourists and school trips to The QVM. Most of the tourists that I talked to were from other parts of Australia. The school children are locals and the trip was organised by their school. So... I was not the only 'alien' at The QVM on that day hehe..

And then, there's a vintage Tram City Circle No. 35 that goes around the peripheral of the city. This tram has longer operating hours till late at night. However, I found it a bit scary as it was doing at least 90 km/hr! And the tram is more than a century old! We were literally hanging on for dear life hahaha...and the driver and his assistant was one stern and no nonsense couple. It took away the fun and joy of the ride and I alighted after a couple of stops. Ahhh... that must have been the only non-tourist friendly encounter that I had. Maybe he got up from the wrong side of the bed hehe. It was more fun to walk, I figured .... and I was right!

A free vintage tram that circle the city of Melbourne. Do not be fooled by its age or looks, this tram runs very fast. and everyone should have a go on it as it's quite an exciting experience. I didn't finish the circle as I figured that walking would be more interesting and it was!

He was waiting to be invited to share my lunch! Unfortunately, the fish and chips that I had was too good to be shared with him... yeah, I can mean sometimes....

Aussie's sense of humor.....

Another Aussie Humor ??

This...I believe, is one of the most beautiful flower stall that I've ever seen. It's at corner of Little Collins and Swanston Street. Almost everybody who passed through the stall, will stop to take photos of it.

Vertical garden at The Town Hall.

It's spring time in the Southern hemisphere and flowers were everywhere. In fact, they were having a Tulips Festival when I was there but I didn't make it to the event due to time constraint....arghh...what a shame!! I'd loved to tell them that tulips originated from Turkey!! See if they'll chase me away hahahah.....

I guess, he's still waiting for his Cinderella, huh? Doesn't he know that Cinderella must go home at a stroke of midnight? Nobody told him yet? Guess not !!

So many beautiful carriages..... reminds me of the time when Princess Diana married Prince Charles...that was truly a magical wedding....

A National Heritage shopping Arcade, The Block Arcade. This has to be one of the most beautiful shopping arcade in the world. The tiles and the detailing on the floors, facade and ceilings are breathtaking! It is soooo pretty, so dainty and at the same time soo commanding. What a splendid architecture !!

This panel explains it all..... what an exquisite find....

Pay attention to the detailing...... and symmetry.

These cuties really caught my eyes....Dafel toys....oh how i wish i was seven again !!!

Need I say more? Only one word to describe it..... gorgeous !!

Look up and observe the details and the masterpiece...

The mosaic, the columns, the ceilings......what lovely combination!

No.... the Aliens have not landed in Melbourne! They are just waiting for the traffic light to turn green. It's been a long day and they seemed so tired while making their way home.

Hehehe....gotcha !!
They are actually bronze statues !! I have no idea why they are there but my guess is.... they are to keep you company? So that, you are technically, never alone while in the city? Maybe? Or..does anybody out there has any answer?

Eye candy and real candies at The QVM. Hmm...eeni meenni minee mooo....

Home made (or brewed) wine at The QVM. You can find many similar stalls selling such wines....

Wine by the barrel at QVM......

Doughnut prepared in-situ. 10 years ago, it was a plain hollowed round doughnuts but today it is balls of doughnuts filled with strawberry jam. Frankly, I kinda like the original version...that was ohhh...soooo.....yummmy!!

The doughnuts were only sold in bag of 6. So i had it for breakfast, lunch and tea treat but still could not finish all 6. Shh..I won't tell you what I did with the other 2 pieces....

Still at QVM, this stall is selling all kinds of sauces and flavored mustard. And they taste great....you can test them all to your heart's content....which I did, and went home with 2 bottles..... one hot relish was named " Hell's flame" and one man volunteered to try it out for me. turned out that it was not 'hellish' enough for him....

My favorite stall..... how I wish I was ......seven again ?? And how I wish I had some extra cash on me that day... it was not meant to be... sob sob....

The air of Melbourne is always filled with beautiful music, coming from many talented buskers that you will bump into at almost every corner. It's such a pleasure to just stop and listen and watch them perform...they are really really talented. And you'll notice that most of them have their own CDs. There are simply so many "Rod Steward" or "Richard Clyderman" waiting to be discovered. I think these are mostly students and I won't be surprised if they became a Surgeon in a few years time. A singing Surgeon...wow...that would be great, I don't mind having one looking down my tonsils!

Buskers and performers at The QVM. These guys are fantastic. It's sooo soothing to hear them sing after the 'guilt attack ' after burning a hole in your wallet at The QVM !! And..the braided guy is quite dishy, too.... don't you think so??

The Bunny was a performer and the guy in green cap was just clowning around. This bunny had a lot of spectators as he entertained them with the 80's songs and dancing to the tunes. The city is always filled with sweet music and it always has a sense of fiesta when the sun goes down. Each street and corners would have its own performers and attraction. There was another guy playing an organ on corner Russel St. and Bourke St. And he plays them well!!

REALLY ?? Do you notice the Calorie?

SERIOUSLY?? Did you see the caloric value of the burger?
Isn't that a caloric value for a WHOLE DAY for most people? People who do not do any active activities but just sit in front of the PC? People like you and me??

Wow.... check out the Calorie !!!!

Special mention :

My relative graduated with some friends from Monash University and the convocation was held recently at the Clayton Campus. Well done .... Cynthia and the rest....you guys did great!! We are soooo proud of you !!!! Hip Hip Hooray !!!!

Istanbul teşekkür ederim ..... sen benim son nefesine kadar kalbimde kalacak

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 06:27:00 +0300

I have been prodded by those who knew to write this piece. It's one post that I found it hard to put words on paper...so to speak. My good friend Tonia asked me to write this piece and confess. Another said not to bother and continue writing my Post till the 'cows come home'....yet another said....it's for me to decide. So..being a pragmatic person that I am, i decided to take all propositions and mix them and come out with a 'pragmatic' solution hahaha.....

I promised them that I shall wait till the readers hit 10,000 and I will write this piece. As i punched this words on the keyboard, the readers counter showed a figure of 9785. that mean, 215 more hits before i shall publish this piece. Hmm...that might take another week, i think. So, i'll have plenty of time to arrange my words.....which could turn out to be my last posting on Istanbul !!

"Thank you, Istanbul....you will remain in my heart till my last breath"...for those who can't understand Turkce, that's the meaning of today's posting.

Well.....as of June this year, i had already left Istanbul for good and as you'll probably realised by now, I didn't make it to 1001 nights. Meaning...I lost the 'bet' and won't be collecting my $1000....boo hoo...sob sob sob....but I'm not crying over the lost 'bet'...I'm actually crying over Istanbul !! And as the title rightly said....Istanbul shall remain in my heart till my last breath. I had spilled so many tears over little Istanbul and my heart ached each time people asked me about her. You see...Istanbul wasn't just a 'stopover place' to me. i spend a good part of my life learning how to live differently and with different people, culture and surrounding. I have been warned that that's the peril of being an expatriate's wife. every places that you lived in, no matter where..will hold a lot for you and you'll always lose a little piece of you when you leave. Istanbul included..especially Istanbul! See..even writing this line will make me teary-eyed again...it's like a lost love.....the memory and its niceties keeps you warm and tickle your heart but deep down, it saddens you 'cos you know that you'll never recover it ever again. For a while, I avoided talking about Istanbul as it brought so much painful remembrances and that was one reason why I couldn't bring myself to write this piece earlier.

I have a friend whose last posting was to China. When I visited his house, it was full of stuffs, furniture and mementos from China and I thought that it was a bit odd. Now, I can relate to him as my place is now full of memories of Istanbul. I guess you'll have to go through it yourself in order to understand what is going through my head now. My friend, Stephanie had been posted to 7 countries and she told me that, each time she left...her heart would bleed again. It's not just the place....it's everything, the people and all its good and bad....you embrace them all.

So...as Tonia had asked me to do, yes..I now confess that I no longer live in Istanbul, 'tho...I do plan to return for a holiday next year, so...babysunshine, if you're reading this...i shall still be in Istanbul as planned.....not to worry on that...and i still wanna take that cruise that i missed. hey...life is too short and we'd never knew what life has in store for us... grab it while we can....

One thing for sure...I have no regrets, I lived life to the fullest in Istanbul, explored and did many things that even the locals have not gone or done yet! And I'm glad I did....

Thank you indeed Istanbul....and Good bye for now. I am now in a good place,where I have been told that, it is every expatriates' dream to come to this country. I know for a fact that many expatriates came to this country and never went home. They decided to make this country home for them. It's a beautiful country and is very diverse in its people, culture and environment..... till then.....thank you readers, for following my Blog and for sharing my wonderful albeit a brief life experience in Istanbul. I hope it has been entertaining and engaging to you as it was to me.

Perhaps now I can go back to finish my PhD thesis. Actually, I started this Blog when my PhD Prof. said that "I write like a journalist", rather than a PhD candidate. Of which I pointed out to her that according to Estelle M.Phillips and Derek S.Pugh in their book "How to get a PhD", one should write the thesis such that the supervisor could take it to bed to read and not wanting to put it down....I was just trying to prove to my Prof that it can educational and exciting at the same time. Ever wonder why people don't bother to read an PhD or Master thesis...aha...my point, exactly....sir..madam...Prof??

My last few nights in Istanbul.......the city that touched my life and hopefully I was able to enlighten yours with my experience

Captivating and unforgettable city...no wonder so many empires fought to have her....everybody wanted to call Istanbul their own. Fact is...Istanbul remains as it was centuries ago....mystical, romantic, intriguing, fascinating .....etc. etc....

Superb skyline.....could have been better with an SLR...sigh..I only had my auto digital camera during this shot....

I missed the sunrise but managed to capture the mist trapped within the buildings before Istanbul wakes up to the sound of its people, traffic and dramas....shhh...you seldom get to see Istanbul in such quiet, calm and peaceful setting..... its a first for me,too!!

The background is still shrouded with the mist. There was where it all started for me when I set foot in Istanbul. The vibrant district of Maslak was home to us for a month before we actually settled down permanently in Tarabya. Maslak is an industrial place full of automotive industries and businesses.

Just turned six in the morning and suddenly everything came alive. Istanbulites are early birds...
they are used to setting off very early from home to beat the traffic jam. Especially, those motorists crossing
The Bosphorus in both directions.

Thank you BISI....for being part of our lives and for preparing the students to face a 'more complicated' world out there....

Thank you Sahin Bey....for the hediye you gave me. A beautiful vintage gold plated wrist watch (which is older than me haha) and of which is still working till today. Mr Sahin has a clock and watch shop in Ortakoy selling new and antique/vintage mechanical clocks as well as for repairing any type of clocks. His wife is a very talented artist specialising in color pencil and free form drawing. Along the way, he had became good friend of ours since we trust his judgement and pricing whenever we purchased a clock or repaired something. so much so that we didn't have the heart to tell him that we were leaving and never did tell him. So, I hope Sahin Bey, if you're reading this, thank you.
Btw, this, to me...is where the BEST baklava in Istanbul came from. they also have a branch in Eminonu which you can see from the tram as you approached Sirkeci station. The pastry is...as they said it...as light and thin as the cigar paper...wow..it literally melt in your mouth......worth trying it...

My favorite lunch cafe, Cabuk Osmani (Fast Osmani) in Istinye Park. I simply loveeeeee their salata (salad) and the Adana Durum....which is just grilled lamb wrapped in lavash (thin bread) with some fresh salad and some baharatlar (spices). It sounds plain and simple but is ohhh...so delicious. And their salata is great! It consists mainly of cooked veges, beans or pulses which had been cooked in olive oil. you'll be surprised how delicious patlican (aubergines), bamyia (ladies fingers), mantar (mushrooms), piyasa (leek), angiena (artichoke) and other veges are when cooked by them. In fact, you can just take the 'self-service' salata at TL5 per plate and you can have a complete meal where vitamin, protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients are concerned. Btw this restaurant is always full all the time....

We had left home and was staying at a hotel. View from our hotel. Can you see the glimpse of the Bosphorus in the background? See....Istanbul is less dramatic without The Bosphorus...it's almost as if it has lost its soul...sob sob....I know that I shall miss Istanbul terribly, particularly The Bosphorus....

Welcome to my Turkce classroom, for this is the place that taught (or rather, forced) me to speak Turkce. This is the 'practical' class for me to practice my Turkce. It was fun and I know that most times, I was given more or cheaper for my effort in speaking the local language. Not bad..considering I started off with sign language and graduated with haggling with them for better prices. My proudest moment was...while in a kebab joint, I was requested by the trader to translate and communicate with some foreigners who were struggling to order the kebabs!!! And by the way, do you know that there are 2 types of cherries? Vishne (sour) cherry and Kiraz (normal) cherry...... Vishne is so sour that they are mostly turned into vinegar, so..now you know haha.....

My favorite seafood shop at the Metrocity food court. I believe that this shop serves the best 'Hamsi Tava' ( fried Hamsi) in Istanbul. The texture, the freshness, the crunchiness and everything is just SUPERB and PERFECT. Hamsi is an equivalent of anchovy (fish) and is normally eaten either fried or grilled (izgara). I would only go to this shop for Hamsi Tava as elsewhere would not taste just as nice. So much so that, whenever I go to the shop, i need not do any ordering for the salesgirl already knew that I came for the Hamsi tava and nothing else....yeah, i know....i'm very consistent when it comes to food.

There you are....my favorite Hamsi Tava...just the way I like it....just perfect !!! It looks so plain but ohh...soo delicious. wait till you have a bite out of it... pretty soon...like me, you'll return for more.....really... !!

Yum....yum.....one plate will keep me happy for the rest of the day.....

My landlord Mr. Garo..... his wife, Susan (in white tees) and a friend at fish shop for lunch. I owed a lot to Mr Garo. He is not just a Landlord, he was also our mentor, a great friend and a wonderful person. From the first day we set foot in the house, he had helped us in so many ways, even to the extend of helping to unpack, setting all the necessary fittings and everything we needed for the house. He taught us how to live in Turkey and guided us in so many ways....its like having my own parents staying downstairs to us. He is also a Civil engineer by profession and maybe thats why he helped a lot...a comrade, a fellow Civil engineer...we do have that unwritten code that bind us all, you know? The moment we know that there is a fellow Civil engineer in need, we'll have to go in and help...no questions asked...

Xmas and New Year dinner with Mr. Garo, Susan and Arash. Susan is a great cook and being Armenian, she cooks great turkish and Greek as well as Armenians dishes. Wait till you taste her Yaprak sharma, Asuree porridge and her other specialties. Ashraf is a trained chef and now runs a manufacturing business processing and supplying premium smoked salmon to hotels and other established eateries. Ohh..and Susan makes her own wine 'tho I couldn't tell how good it is as I don't take alchohol but I've been told that hers is a splendid wine. Bravo !!
And did I tell you that Mr Garo will go and keep his mom's company every week? At 100 years old, she is still keeping busy but for a weak knee.

Our last dinner together....we were all sad to leave behind friends who had touched our lives....and knowing that we might not see each other ever again....Garo Bey ve Susan cok cok tessekur ederim. Btw, this Sait Iskender Kebabcisi serves some delicious food and we went there for our meal frequently. it is just next to the Istinye Park

Sait Iskender Kebabcisi was established in 1962...a good 59 years ago !! It serves one of the best Iskender Kebab (if not the best) in Istanbul. The kebab is made to perfection and you will definitely return to the shop for more...

I think this could very well be the tastiest Iskender kebab that I had had....at Sait Iskender. The freshly made bread and the sauce and yogurt are just perfect....topped with the buttered oil...ohh..heaven..

Tavuk Izgara (grilled chicken) ....also to perfection....

Patlican izgara (grilled aubergine).....it's surprising how something so simple could taste so good....try it out for yourself..

The specialty of Sait Iskender Kebabcisi. While waiting for your order, you'll be served with meze (entree) consisting of 'pouffe' bread and this special "tulum' peynir (cheese). Don't be ashamed if you are caught still eating the entree when the main course is ready to be served at your table. In my case, the waiter had to 'forcefully' take away my meze plate because I refused to stop eating them! And the main course was getting cold. You see...the combination of a warm pouffe (or puffed-up) bread with the tulum cheese is really out of this world! the tulum (cheese marinated and aged in goat intestines) was specially mixed with butter and some herbs and then whisked to perfection. Can you now imagine the exquisite taste of this haunting tulum cheese? You simply must try this....i think you can't get this elsewhere but here....

A closing of a door....is it an opening of another? But....of course....it's just that it hurts to close it...

Yeap.....another door will be opened........that's the way life goes....what we have now is just a journey. It is not the destination that matters, it's how we 'handle' and 'appreciate' the journey. Thank you God, for giving me this journey...

Thank you May....for being a friend and for being there when i got stuck somewhere....

At the end of the day....our lives are just in a number of boxes that we have....if only we could compartmentalise and put our feelings into boxes and only think about it when and if we opened the boxes... that would have been simpler...2 years of memories in so many boxes...

Thank you Sirma....for everything....

My final view of Istanbul.....

And with this...I bid my farewell to Istanbul....and hope to return someday...

The Queen has left the Throne...errr....The Blogger has left The Blog.....
Goodbye Istanbul.....you remain in my heart till my last breath !

Prologue :

Today, the reader's counter has touched 10,019 hits so as promised, this post will be published today.

Thank you to my readers who have been following and giving feedback on this Blog. I hope that you have enjoyed my ranting and have gained some insight into Istanbul. It has been refreshing for me and I am now mulling if I should blog about my new place. Hmm....I wonder......

ISTANBUL....

Hos cakal, goodbye, au revoir, selamat tinggal, adios, sayonara, ciao, ...........

Is it a bird park ...or an amusement park.....it's a.....

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:35:00 +0300

Today, let's modify our usual format where normally I would tell a story and followed through with photos. Today, I'll let you use your intelligence to guess what this place really is......I'm sure there are many intelligent readers out there who can guess the right answer. Well...here goes.....

Budgies of all sorts of colors......the full spectrum....

This one have many exotic birds and chickens.....and even rabbits

They are really beautiful to look at.....

In their natural habitat

And then...you get to see some "show-offs".....

Don't you simply love this "long-tailed"?

I did say 'exotic, didn't I ??

Ahh..here comes another "show-off".....he just sort of stared right to me, as if challenging me...Ok Ok..you are prettier, happy now?

This is one BIRD....that is beautiful from any angle, even from the back...wow...what a 'pick-up' line !!

Notice how these ducks transform the lake and make it 'mesmerising'.....i guess in Istanbul, they don't eat "Peking Duck", thats why these ducks are so serene...

Even Black is sooo beautiful, especially a Black Swan. Btw did you watch the "Black Swan" movie by Natalie Portman? Im ashamed to admit that till today, I could not understand what the movie was all about. Is it just me?

Ahh...pure white swans...but of course !

So, is this a Bird Park or an amusement Park? Look at the following photos......

View from the highway. You can clearly see the amusement rides and the photos of the birds were shot inside this park...

Childrens play house.....

Pink roses fronting a ride ........

and red roses were everywhere......

red and pink roses to soothe your eyes.....

So....what do you think it is....... ??

Its actually a shopping Outlet.....A Viaport Outlet on the Asian (Anatolian) side of Istanbul. It's about a half hour drive away from the European side and it's open 7 days a week from 10.00am to 10.00pm. The birds park and the amusement park is just another way of enticing the families to come shop here and their children can have fun too while "Anne" and "Baba" shops.

So, did you get it right? Sometimes, things are not as they seems,right? The Turks have a very closed family institution. The children normally will stay with the parents until they got married. In other words, as long as they are still single, they remain with the family and the uncles and aunties will protect them at all times. Hence, they always incorporate family as a unit when they design or launch a development or commercial establishments. Viaport Outlet is a good example of such development. Its so heartwarming to see big family groups shopping together.

And I love Turks' young people. They are mostly well behaved and very helpful and conscientious. I suppose the 2 year compulsory "National services" helped a lot in molding their youth. I am yet to see or encounter a youngster (Turks) who is a nuisance or is rude. They all are so adorable, boys and girls and I think Turkey is in the right track in 'bringing up' their new generations.

But...I guess it's not good enough for the Turks. They do not seem to realise how 'good' their youngster are. They are very pleasant and not boisterous at all, as compared to other youth in other countries. One day, I saw a lady scolded a group of young boys and girls on the tram, probably because they didn't offer their seat to her. She gave them one long lecture, spanning all the way from the SultanAhmet stop to Kabatas stop. The poor kids just sat down quietly and smiled when they caught my eyes. Shishh...I wish I had told that lady to "count her blessing" and learn to appreciate her young people more.

Ok..back to Viaport, needless to say, it's a great Outlet centre with many many brands on offer. The best part is...the services are not Outlet level at all. The services are as great if not better than other regular shops. And the sales assistants are as helpful as ever...so, if you found yourself in Istanbul, make it a point to go to the Viaport Outlet center and I can promise you...you won't regret it!! But don't go too early ...or you'll have to brave the cold as even the restaurants would only be opened at 8am, so be warned....and you'll enjoy your shopping. And if..you feet and body ached from all those shopping, there are some massage chairs where you can use after putting in coins into the slot. Sounds like fun..eh....

It's called Viaport as it is next to the Sabiha Gokchen Havalimani where coincidentally.....Malaysian Airport Berhad is managing it with their local partner! It has been told that a lot of tourists would fly in to Sabiha Gokchen Airport, stay at an hotel within that shopping area, go downstairs to shop and then fly out of Istanbul without even setting foot in the European Istanbul! and btw.....the hotel serves the best "croissant and butter" pudding....yum yum !!!

As with these ducks, me too was waiting eagerly for the shops to open. Hubby had just left me in the almost sub-zero temperature and I was 3 hours away from getting out of the cold. Not surprisingly, I was down with severe cold the following day. At least these ducks have their feathers....

see how liberated these ducks are.....and man eat in a natural environment....

One of the most beautiful McDonald that I've ever visited.....

Layout and time schedule at Viaport Outlet, Istanbul

Hmmm...he doesn't look so happy...maybe he thought I'm a Paparazzi...and he's a superstar. well...in a way, they were, people were crowding to touch them...

Now...he's happy......

Ahhh...what a sighting! A white Peacock! Perched so majestically on the rooftop. He didn't budge an inch even as I went near him to take shots. What a magnificent bird...so breath-taking.....

Look at him....so proud, so majestic, so commanding!
I was told that if you saw a white peacock, you will be bestowed with good luck. Turns out that day, I was hit by a hailstorm the size of a golf ball. one even had a bulls-eye on my big toe and it hurts for days.....and later on, it rained so heavily that the traffic jam was horrendous. worse...I didn't take shelter inside the shop but just sit underneath the sail-canopy and an umbrella. So...if you think that I was bestowed with good luck after seeing the white peacock, you'd better think again. Or..could it be that he's not exactly white?

Yes...yes....you have a nice behind...happy now ??

On the FSM Bridge, going back towards the European side. It has been one gloomy day.Otherwise, the view would be splendid!

I wonder who owns that white water villa....??

Footnote :

I think we are all familliar with the currently running "Games of Thrones". Well, you now can purchase the throne and have it shipped to your living room.

CLICK HERE : Game of thrones "iron-throne" can be yours for US$30,000

Go For It.......you deserve your throne.......

Outta Istanbul -Turkish pottery treasures in the Grand Bazaar

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 16:40:00 +0300

Before I set foot in Istanbul, I'd always thought that tiles were always meant to be stepped on, on the floor! Well, okay..maybe some people would put some wall tiles on their bathroom or kitchen walls. So, when I first saw the beautiful blue tiles inside the Blue Mosque, I was really perplexed and mesmerized! Whoa..those are really beautiful tiles and they are on the walls, near the dome, cladding the column, framing the doors and windows and many many other unimaginable places....for a tile. Mind you...I was always taught to think out of the box! And the Byzantines and the Ottomans were way ahead of us, centuries ago. Gosh....I felt so small....knowing how advanced these ancient people were.

If you looked at the tiles on the walls of the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and other great historical buildings, you'll notice that each tiles are assembled into big panels which will result in a 'picture' of its own. That mean, no two tiles are the same unless they were meant to be done in pairs. And during the Ottoman era, several motifs, designs and symbols were famous according to the history that was happening during that period. So, in a way, its a contemporary way of telling the world of her history as compared to the drawings and writings that we normally found in caves and other artifacts.

It must have taken them years to complete a masterpiece that remain so magnificent until today for all to see. I suppose during the absence of TV and other entertainment media, one need to be kept amused and occupied and they probably did the masterpieces at a rate of an inch a day!You don't think so? Okay..maybe a foot a day, more reasonable,yes?

Now, while we are familiar with the splendor of Chinese potteries, Turkish potteries have not been given the same limelight until recently. Frankly, before arriving here, me too have not heard of Turkish potteries or of its magnificence and significance. Yeah..we are all guilty of being ignorant...or was it naive? Why am I saying this? Because by now, I am "hooked" on Turkish tiles and potteries and everything in between. I guess you'll have to be here in order to appreciate and value them. It sort of grew on you. First, you'll see one piece. Then you'll think to yourself...arghh...what a loud color! Then you see another...and you'll think..hmm, not bad. And another...hmmm....that...I like. Before you knew it, you'll have dozens in your home, strategically placed on the sideboard, on the fireplace, on your centre table, in the display cabinet etc. etc. And you'll quietly stash your hubby's old cologne and lotions away so that you can put that cute porcelain-kitten on the dresser...viola!! And...you always have guests over for dinner to show off your beautiful white-blue-green potteries. Well....you know what they say...if you have it, .....!!

This photo and the subsequent 9 photos were taken from the Topkapi Palace. Iznik tiles are superior as compared to the others because it has quartz in it which made them very strong and durable. Iznik tiles of at least 80% quartz are put on external walls as they are hardy enough to withstand any extreme weather and other threatening exposures. Find that hard to believe? Well....these tiles that you are looking at now have been there since the 15th century. Of course, some had to undergo some restoration works but most of them were the original pieces. Don't you find that fascinating? If we put them on our walls, they'll be there for at least 6 or 7 generations to appreciate...wow!!

I simply loveeeee these tiles framing the door. I can't be sure now what was written in the Arab character (Jawi) but I am not mistaken, it mentions the name of the Ottoman Sultans. But I could be wrong. But they are gorgeous, right ??

Inside the Baghdad Pavilion.

Tiles lining the dome inside Baghdad Pavilion.

Notice how important and significant the tiles are...they're everywhere. And look at the beautiful calligraphy on top of the window.

Centuries old tiles adorning an 'ablution' fountain inside the Grand Bazaar. It is now used as a multi-purpose water feature for all to use.

Enough of my rambling, now to a more serious note. Deep inside the Grand Bazaar, there is a shop that specialises in Iznik products. Iznik tiles and potteries are the Rolls-Royce of all Turkish potteries. It is sought after due to its quality and extinction. Extinction because Iznik (a place called Iznik) actually do not produce them anymore but for some handful Chini (masters) who still carried out the trade.

This little 'jewel' of a shop is called Iznik-Art and it occupies 2 shops facing each other deep in Grand Bazaar. I went there twice and I couldn't find my way there again. And the GPS won't work either. But you'll notice the shop when you see it 'cos it has this beautiful wall panels at the front of the shop. You'll also notice that the potteries in this shop are matte finish as compared to the normal 'glazed' finish. According to the owner, the products are glazed but the finish is matte using their special technique. Seems that only they know how to do this special technique.

The following photos were taken from Iznik-Art shops and I will let you feast your eyes on the exquisite pieces and tell me......if like me, you now are beginning to see the beauty of Turkish potteries. Enjoy !!!

Shopping ala Turka in Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Thu, 7 Jun 2012 04:21:00 +0300

People have various reasons for visiting Istanbul but the top popular reasons are sight-seeing and shopping and maybe the cuisine. Or..maybe after reading this Blog ha ha..lol....just to check if I was writing the truth about Istanbul. But then, my perspective is from someone who is living in Istanbul. It would differ a lot from a tourist's perspective but still is as exciting, I hope!

Today, let's talk about shopping in Istanbul. It's everybody's favorite subject, including yours truly. Turkey is an exciting place to go for shopping due to its location, historical events and its role as a manufacturers to many European products. Yes, Turkey manufactures a lot of products for its local consumption as well as for export to other European countries. A lot of Designer products that you buy at those exclusive boutique from any European countries originated from Turkey, especially leather goods. Turkey has this special 'silk leather' where a silk leather jacket, when folded is lighter and less bulky than a normal cotton or wool jacket...go figure! Such is the quality of products that were made in Turkey. So...it is common to ask for Made In Turkey products when you shop in Istanbul. Not that we have any objection or prejudice against other products, but just make sure that you get genuine Turkish products when you are in Istanbul. Otherwise you could just sit in front of your computer and order from eBay, right?

Shopping in Istanbul in an art. As I mentioned earlier, it helps if you have a Poker face or thick or dark skin. All this will help to camouflage your true feelings as you negotiate over that nice piece of Iznik bowl. Never ever buy at the first offer of price and always, always check out few other shops before you actually make the purchase.

My experience tells me NOT to buy in the Grand Bazaar or any other Bazaars. It is always cheaper to buy from the shops outside the Bazaars. The reason is quite simple actually. At a rental of US15,000 per month, the shopkeepers have no choice but to pass the 'fixed cost' to the customers. How much more could they over-charge...you might ask. Well....how does two or three times sound to you? I had on several occasion, demanded a refund, demanded an exchange, from shops in The Grand Bazaar after discovering that they had over-charged me over a purchase. Most times, you must do a research before buying something, especially if its an investment piece.

Recently, I found a safe and satisfying place to shop for Turkish items. It is actually owned by the Culture and Tourism Department of Turkey and is situated very closed to the Spice or Egyptian Bazaar in Eminonu. Go and see the variety of things on sale around Istanbul if you want. Then, when you are ready to purchase, you'll be better off buying these items from this government-owned shop. You can rest assure that you'll get the most reasonable price, a genuine item and fully-backed by the Turkish government. And all products have a price tag and price is fixed. That sound 'safe' enough for you? They sell all sorts of things including kilim, carpets, porcelain, silverware, books and other souvenir items. And...most of all, nobody will hassle or bother you while you browse through the items before deciding to buy them. And..they have helpful and friendly staffs as well. The last time I was there, they gave me stacks of CDs of Turkish music as gifts...nice..nice..!! Check them out, you can thank me later though other traders might scorn at me for letting the cats out of the bags..... oh oh...I am so NOT going to be popular...after this.....

The Culture Center Shop that sells everything Turkish, with a price tag! Check out this shop first before you make any purchases as this shop is backed by the Turkish Government. You can be assured of its genuity and fair prices.

As you come out of the Eminonu Station, take the tunnel and take the middle staircase. Walk behind Yeni Camii and turn towards your right as if going towards the Spice Bazaar. The Culture Center shop should be to your left. No tourist bus as the roads are not open to cars before 6pm. Browse all you like, nobody will hassle you.

View inside the shop. It has everything that a tourist want. Porcelain being a difficult items to buy as we could never find out the true cost of the products. But here, the products are priced fairly according to its quality and other factors.

I am sure that you'll be mesmerized by the beautiful collections just as I was. If you think that the items are too big or heavy to brought back by plane, they can arrange to ship them them to your home either via air or sea. No problem..sorun yok !!!

See ?? The staffs are professional and won't bother you at all. What a relief from all those "calls' in the bazaars...

They have good collection of books on Turkish history, arts & crafts..in fact, anything Turkish! Some are available in english. You can even read the books first before deciding whether to buy or not.

They sell authentic tribal and ethnic kilims with beautiful designs. And all are reasonably priced.

Upstairs, they have nice collections of kilims and carpets that came from all over the continents in Turkey. You can choose from wool, cotton or silk materials. And in such a peaceful environment without any salesman trying to confuse you with many details. Why..they don't even offer you turkish tea...just plain selling with no veiled charm.

This captivating wool kilim can be yours for a mere TL250. That is a good price going at Istanbul's standard!

This big (10ft x 6 ft) wool on wool kilim from Konya will set you back at TL850! And there are many more similar kilim of different designs but of the same price. A good silk on silk kilim of this size will cost about TL2700 here....

While the tourists normally shop along the tram line in the Old City, the locals normally do their shopping inside and behind this normal tourist route. You see, if you took the tram to go to The Grand bazaar from the other side, you'll feel as if they are far apart. Actually, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar is interconnected from within the internal sokak (lane). You can actually walk up to the Grand Bazaar from the Spice Bazaar! And all along this lanes, there'll be shops selling almost everything that you'll need but at a fraction of a price that you'll be paying at the Bazaars or along the tram line.

Be warned that if you found yourself in these sokak (lanes), buy anything that caught your fancies because there are so many lanes and sub-lanes, you'll never find that same shop again. There are thousands of shops and to make matters worse, the traders love (which I hate) to change the front (facade) of their shops with different items that you simply can't have a good reference of the shop from its look. The prices are reasonable here, that's why the locals buy from here. And there are also many wholesalers and it's a common sight to see people with big trolley bags buying for their business. Err..actually I was one of them, chugging along the lanes with my shopping trolley after spraining my muscle carrying a heavy and bulky purchase. The pain was excruciating, so much so that I thought I was having a heart attack!! But..did that stop me from shopping?? NOT !!!

Some tourists prefer to shop at the swanky Istinye Park for high-end goods...where you can get tax rebates or tax refunds immediately at the shopping centre...

Istinye Park is one of the latest high end shopping center in Istanbul but is not easily accessible as it is not connected to the METRO underground train and the buses are quite limited. As such..it is normally frequented by the local and nearby residents. Its a plus point for those who do not like crowded shopping centre.

Ortakoy is another popular tourist spot for leisure and shopping. You can also hop on one of the ferries for a Bosphorus cruise. It only cost TL10 for an hour cruise and you can have the opportunity of admiring the lovely water villas and great buildings by the Bosphorus.

Or you can shop for exotic cars like this white (Lambo) beauty....hey Mister, I do envy you !!

Shopping along the tramline at The SultanAhmet area. Almost all tourists would take this route to do their shopping without realising that parallel to this road, behind the fancy buildings...are where the actual buying and selling activities are taking place.

See what I meant? This is where the locals do their shopping at a local price. You just need to know a little bit of their language and you'll blend in with them. Some shopkeepers can even speak English. Ask them to show you the price on their small calculator as it is also common for them to 'change' the price the moment they realised that you are a Yabanci (foreigners). I found the traders here easier to deal with and are genuinely friendly and helpful. I guess because business is so good here, they don't have time to scam or plot a plan to scam. Come here anytime of the day, any day and you'll notice that it is always full of people.

To reach this shopping "hole", exit through Gate 18 of The Grand Bazaar. Then, simply walk down

along the terrain of the hill. There will be numerous sub-lanes but eventually, you'll reach the Spice Bazaar. That is..if you still have money to spare after going through these irresistible shops.

Ran out of cash? Nothing to worry about..there's always an automatic teller machine for you to get more

Romantic bedcovers for the wedding or simply for your daily usage? There's plenty to choose from in the color of the rainbow. They're affordable,too. So, no need to save them for special days, you can use them everyday.

You can even get a wedding dress here. And there are also many accessory shops that cater for dressmaking and any other tailoring services. And many more specilised shops selling laces, embroideries and other products that I don't even know the names of.

Lingerie anyone? These will end up in a boutique somewhere at triple or four times the original price here.

Embroidered table place set? They are so beautiful, when I first saw them, I thought they were headwear!

Shoppers caught in a sudden rain. Miraculously, many men will appear to offer umbrellas at TL5 each. But business resume as usual and no rain can stop them. Or me ha ha...

More embroidered and lacy table set. Careful there...if you set the table so nicely, your guests might not want to go home....

Evening dresses fit for Cinderella......

Beautiful dresses and gowns at a fraction of a price....

This shop specialises in "kuna" ceremony items. Seems that the night before the bride solemnise a wedding, she'll have a night whereby she'll be decorated and adorned in this beautiful attire while "henna" tattoo will be applied on her body and hands. One last "fun night" before she enters the world of matrimony. Well, the westerners have the "stag" party, the Turks have their "kuna" party.

More products and items to be used for the "kuna" ceremony.

Little boys would cringe on seeing this shop, I guess. Why? Because these are costumes to be worn when they have their "circumcision" ceremony. When they come of age, the male Turks will undergo a big ceremony to mark the circumcision event. They will treated like "king" or "prince" for the day and decked up with this beautiful ceremonial robes. This is to mark their journey forward into adulthood. I can assure you, the boys really look 'handsome' in their costume.

Ahhh...more gowns and wedding dresses....so many choices and only one wedding...arghh....

You have reached the Spice Bazaar area. This sokak is right behind the Spice Bazaar. This where you can get the best and cheapest lokum or turkish delights, all sorts of nuts and other products.

Noticed the man with a big basket on his back? Well....if ever your purchases become too heavy for you to carry, you can 'hire' him to carry your purchases at a small fees. Frankly, this is one scene that I could not bear to see. I know he's earning an honest living but my heart still bleeds when I see them.

Ohhh...lovely Van cat on leash! What a beautiful thing.....but she's on leash...she was actually scared of me when I approached her initially.

Took some time and some coaching before she allowed me to come this close. What beautiful way to end my day!!

Please note that the locals normally pay installments for their purchases. You'll notice that on the price tag, there'll be 2 prices printed on it. The higher one is for the installment payment. If you paid by cash, you should be paying the cheaper price. Likewise, if there is no price tag (which is more likely) then, ask for discount of at least 10% if you paid by cash. Most times, they'll be happy to oblige.

Finally, if you need to ship back your bulky purchases, make sure they pack the right items as its very common for them to ship a different item though I couldn't confirm if this was done intentionally or otherwise. Just be more careful and alert and after that....just enjoy your shopping experience in Istanbul !!

FOOTNOTE :

I was shopping along the Gulhane tramline when I noticed that many people were taking photos underneath this tree. Upon checking around (yeah..nosy Parker) they told me that few hundred years ago, convicts were hanged to death from this tree. What a significant tree....I hope I didn't get nightmares after taking this shot.....there is now a Juvenile Court right across this tree. Perhaps the Judge will point out the tree to the Juvenile convicts and remind them of the outcome if they didn't behave!

Istanbul Under Seiged....by the Tourists !!

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Sun, 3 Jun 2012 20:15:00 +0300

It's that time of the year again! Spring is definitely here and Istanbul is blooming with beautiful flowers, particularly the tulips. And like how bees are attracted to honey, so do the tourists to Istanbul.

It's that time of the year when you can never get a seat on the underground trains or the trams. It's that time of the year when the shopkeepers rehearse several phrases of different languages. And surprise you by talking in your languages and you immediately let your guard down at hearing familiar phrases in foreign lands. Didn't I warn you before? These traders have been trading for 1000s of years and psychology is their favorite pass time! Welcome To Istanbul...!!

Last year, Istanbul welcomed few millions tourists who splashed TL35 Billions buying all those colorful lamps, carpets, porcelains and those sinful sweets (Turkish delights, Baklava, Helva etc etc)! That's on top of its own people who already amounted to about 17 millions. And most of the tourists are concentrated at the Old City where The Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and The Blue Mosque are, to name but a few.

Everywhere you go, you can see the long lines of people queuing up to buy tickets to enter a museum or whatever. However, please be informed that, if you engaged a "guide" to bring you around the place, you needn't have to queue as this "guide" will miraculously get the tickets that you require. How wonderful...and it's only for a small fees. It's worth using their services as they'll also explain to you of the significance of the places that you're visiting. So..win-win situation.

Normally, the tourists from America and Canada will arrive in May. Those from the Arab countries will arrive in June. And maybe it'll thrill you to know that there are actually 3 tiers of pricing during this period.

The 1st tier, being the cheapest, understandably is reserved for the locals and maybe (if I'm Lucky) is also for Yabanci (foreigners) who speak Turkish or at least made an effort to speak Turkish. You see, they do reward you for making an effort, just like the French. So...most times, I was lucky to have this privilege. Is the price difference a lot? Let's just say, I could get two for the price of one...nice, nice...are you excited already?

The 2nd. tier is of course....for the wonderful tourists who came to Istanbul for a holiday. If you showed your liking of a product to them, you can rest assure that you'll be getting a higher than normal price. Be nonchalant and dis-interested and they'll drop their prices to the floor to get your attention. You need a poker face to excel in this game but if you're pressed for time, then you're already on the losing side. I have seen so many of my guests who would agree on the prices before I could even start to negotiate! They said that they were running out of time, so there goes their bargaining power.

Then the 3rd. tier is surprisingly reserved for a certain Nation that I could not mention here. I am yet to find out why these Nations are subjected to this highest prices but I have been told that it's because they like to 'take' unauthorized 'souvenirs' from hotels or elsewhere. Hmm...interesting...but I can't vouch how true this is. Not to worry, most of you readers out there fall into Tier 2, so it ain't that bad....do have a wonderful time in Istanbul !!!

This is how a normal crowd looked like on normal days at the side entrance of the Spice or Egyption Bazaar. This was taken on a Sunday when The Grand Bazaar is closed.

The crowd at The Taksim Square or Meydan is frightfully large on this day, made worse by the 'sending off' march' by the football fans for their favorite teams who were kicking off later on that evening. But it was an orderly march with discipline and many many policemen overseeing the procession.

See the crowd at Taksim Square? I saw no point in cramming into the 'sea of people' and decided to just stand by and watch them walk by as I clicked away happily at my camera. No point of getting myself crushed in this wave....

Even the vintage tram could not argue with the crowd and had to give way....ha ha..that's not a common sight !

The Topkapi Palace crowd on this crowded sunday afternoon. The queue to buy the tickets to get in was about a half kilometre long.....but nobody seems to mind..after all, once inside the Palace compound, you'll forget all the difficulties that you had to endure 'cos it was well worth it.....such beautiful historical scenery, views and exhibits. The muslims are particularly keen to see the beard, sword and footprint imprints of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. The ladies are ...of course...keen to see the 86 carat spoonmaker diamond ring!! Ohh.....what a beauty.....

As expected and as usual.....Grand Bazaar was besieged by tourist after I saw 3 big cruise liners berthed at the port. Lets do a quick math.... 3 liners of 4000 passengers multipy by 3...that makes 12,000 people. Assuming half will go to The Grand Bazaar, that mean at least 6,000 people are now in the Bazaar scouting for things from the 4400 shops. That mean, all the shops in the Bazaar will at least have a customer to deal with...wow!! While another 2,000 are probably busy looking for missing wives, friends, parents or who ever. Can you imagine what will happen when these people leave and try to take the tram back to their cruise liners?

The shopkeeper's assistant !! Who could resist such cutie??

The overly-pregnant Tram slithered dutifully ferrying the tourist and locals alike....in and out of the tourist spots. Standing room only. To get a seat is a privilege. To one lady tourist from New Zealand, I am sorry I lost you at the Gulhane Stop. I turned around and could not see you anymore as you went to buy the token for the tram. I hope you arrived your destination all rite that day.

Same Spice Bazaar side entrance but on a different day. And this was taken at 9am when the Bazaar just opened. Soon it'll be impossible to move freely....

Inside Spice Bazaar......impossible to move...

Trying to go out of The Spice Bazaar....impossible to move...really....

Traffic NOT moving....so I reversed and went out through the other door. Forget about shopping here today...you simply can't.

In front of The Yeni Camii (New Mosque). Actually these are mostly locals, the tourists have not risen from their sleep yet. Or from the Kahvalti (Breakfast) spread at their hotel yet. Soon this place will be swarming with tourists and this would signal me to make my way home.....

It was a National Independence Day and the Metro was decked with flags and balloons. After going through the 'sea of people' this was a welcome change and will help to put a smile back on your face after cramming your way through the city, the Tram and the crowd......and that what makes Istanbul so special !!!!

Congratulation Turkey......you are doing GREAT !!!!

Istanbul is Blooming - Flowers and Tulips

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:30:00 +0300

It's that time of the year again! Spring is definitely here and Istanbul is blooming with beautiful flowers, particularly the tulips (Lale). In fact, Istanbul had just concluded its 7th. Istanbul Tulip Festival which was started in April 1st and ended in April 30th.

For many of you readers out there who were not aware of this fact, tulips originated from Turkey and in the 17th. Century, one of the Ottoman's Sultans gave some to Netherlands, who in turn converted it into a multi-billion industry! But it does not mean that the Turks do not value their tulips. In fact, Sultan Ahmet III loved the tulips so much that his ruling period was popularly known as the "Tulip Era or Lale Devri, 1718-1730" where tulips were incorporated into many things. There's tulips motifs in their gown and garments, porcelains, tiles, carpets, textiles..almost everything. Tulips appear in many calligraphy designs as the Turks pointed out that the symbol of tulips actually spells out the word "Allah" in Arabic character (Jawi). And "Allah" means "God" to the Muslim, Christians and Jews. Everybody exclaimed "Allah, Allah " here when they were baffled, shocked or angry....so as to calm themselves. And this include the Muslim, Christians or Jewish Turks alike! READ MORE ABOUT TULIPS HERE AND HERE AND HERE

However, it was only recently that the Turks started its "love affair" with the tulips again. Hence, the birth of the Tulips Festival seven years ago. It seems that they just realised that when they showed their appreciation and love towards the tulips....luck, prosperity and everything wonderful befall Turkey. In bringing back the glory of tulips, they are hoping that the glory of Turkey will return. With the advent of the Arab Spring and other global events, I think they have some truth in that thinking. Turkey is now seen as a big brother and 'model' country to many troubled and emerging countries and some events globally are showing a positive growth and perception towards Turkey. Maybe the tulips did bring some "luck" to Turkey !!

And...as usual, me being human...we always take things for granted. Just as the Turks took their tulips for granted for centuries ago! When they were in full bloom, I forgot to take the photos and only when they were about to wilt, did I realised how beautiful they really are...or were. The tulips here are so big that they looked unreal, almost as if they were plastics. Believe me.. they are real and alive and beautiful. And they come in all the colors of the rainbow. Remember...black is also the color of a rainbow! So..here's wishing you colorful days ahead of you....wherever you are !!

Since I believe that at times..or most times....a picture speaks a thousand words...so it shall, today. Just feast your eyes on these beautiful and colorful chichek (flowers) and don't forget to praise our Maker for such splendid blooms.....Thank you, God.

Along the Gulhane Tram station in The Old City

At The Sultan Ahmet area along the tram line

I think either the planter is color-blind or he loves 'diversity'....the colors are all mixed-up...
along Tarabya Main Road

Some people commented that they look unreal and plastic-like but they certainly are real and alive...

At the entrance to a Park, Tarabya

Pure white tulips...

Blue sensation at Topkapi Palace but...I don't know what it is...is it Begonia?

Little Aishah was thrilled to capture the beauty....who wouldn't?

Along Gulhane tramline at The Old City

Purplish-white tulips.....

Haghia Sophia amidst the flowers and Tulips....

These 2 girls requested me to take their fotos but I forgot to ask for their email to send to them,
so I hope they'll get to see it here

Near the Blue Mosque in The Old City

In front of the Blue Mosque

I was told that this is a Judas Tree. So called because Judas hanged himself from this tree after he betrayed Jesus Christ. Nonetheless, it still is a beautiful flaming purple or lilac bloom.
READ MORE ON JUDAS TREE HERE

The Judas tree, the harbinger of spring, belongs to İstanbul as to no other city in the world, and it has started to bloom, changing the color of İstanbul into a quintessential purple. Bosporus seems more beautiful with every spring.(PHOTO: AA, İBRAHİM YAKUT)
Photo and caption borrowed from http://www.turkeycentral.com/topic/14010-iconic-judas-tree-graces-bosporus-with-blossoms/

"Tree of Life" all along the Bosphorus. This what makes Bosphorus so spectacular in spring or summer. The "tree of life" symbol is commonly used in the design on carpets and other crafts.

"Tree of Life"

Beautiful lilac flowers to soothe your eyes while waiting in line to get into the Bassilica Cistern at The Old City

Tulips along The Bosphorus

Along The Bosphorus

Footnote :

Meet Meenah, my new friend for Spring! She'll come and perch on my window sill everyday. She would not fly away even when i opened the window to put some breads and water for her.

Hi Meenah !!

Tour of Turkey 2 - Pamukkale/Heirapolis

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:51:00 +0300

If ever you found yourself in Istanbul (or Turkey) and was wondering where would be a good place to visit, I'd propose that you spare 3 days and go to Efes, Pamukkale and Cappadocia (Kapadokya) but not necessarily in that order!

The first two has within it a UNESCO World Heritage site while Kapadokya is just as overwhelming and is really a "must-see" before we all 'kick the bucket' or at least should be in our 'bucket-list'. Only then, can you consider your tour of Turkey as complete...given a short time that you have. Alternatively, you can take a cruise to these beautiful places. That is...if you are not spooked by the "100 year-celebration of the sinking of the Titanic". Though..i still don't see how one can celebrate such tragedy.

Pamukkale is about 3 hour drive away from Ephesus (Efes) but you won't feel the distance since it will be a scenic drive with beautiful sprouting flowers and mountain view. There were many erik (plum) and sefteli (peaches) blossom and the good news is that..the cherry blossoms are also beginning to sprout! Yes...spring is finally here to stay! I can't explain enough how beautiful the cherry blossoms are and there is even a village called "Kirazkoy" meaning "Cherry Village".

Pamukkale basically means "Cotton Castle". Err..really? Why? You will understand this as you approached it. You will see a white 'scar' on the ridge (of the hill) and at a distance, it seems like as if the hill has a serious case of erosion (scarring) except that it is white in color. When you get nearer, you'll notice how white and pure the 'scar' is and it is actually gleaming in the sun. So much so that it looks like cotton....hence it's name "Cotton Castle".

Turkey has thousands of thermal springs but the most famous thermal spring is here, in Pamukkale. The thermal spring is unique because it is actually a thermal pool with gleaming white calcium formation (travertine pools). It is reputed to be curative and therapeutic and millions have thronged to this calcium pool to see and experience its magical (and mineral) healing power. There were so many visitors that the pool was under the threat of abuse and erosion and today, it is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and steps are taken to control and protect the pool. Now, the public are not allowed to bathe or wade in the calcium pool anymore.

But...all is not lost! You can still swim and have a dip in the "Cleopatra Pool" which is just metres away from the Heritage site. But please be warned that you have to pay TL25 for a 2 hour swim or dip and the charge is not normally in your package tour price..so be prepared with your own towels, swimsuit, flip-flop and all necessities....and have fun!

The view from our hotel in Kushadasi. This would be a landing point for Cruise Liners going to other places such as Greece and Other European cities. Pigeon is a symbol of Kushadasi and there is a statue of it to the left of the photo.

View of the travertine pool as you approached the town of Pamukkale. Its all white and that was how the town got its name...Cotton Castle.

As was explained at the end of my posting, our Guide for the day was not an effective guide. He was miles in front of us while we were busy taking shots. As such, I am not so sure what this is but I believe its the remnants of the City Wall built to protect the city during the Byzantine.

I believe this is the ancient Roman Bath. Beyond it is the huge "necropolis" i.e cemetery which extended a few kilometres to the north. Heirapolis was a cure center founded circa 190BC by Aumenes II, King of Pergamum. Hierapolis is actually a Health Spa and to accomodate the 'unsuccessful' patients, it also built Necropolis ( cemetery) so that the dead can be buried just a few kilometres away !! So..that solve any logistic problem that might arise from the popular spa!

The UNESCO World Heritage Travertine (thermal) pool of Pamukkale. A brown and almost dried up pool...a far cry from its former white and turquoise glory! Human have threatened its beauty and now steps are taken to ensure that the pool will return to its former glory. It still is breathtaking.....nonetheless....

How it used to be.....in all its grandeur...and when the public were allowed to wade in it...
(Images from Google Images)

Look at the white calcium deposits...its these minerals that are so potent and act as a healing medium to millions of people, thousands of years ago and till today. The calcium deposits are really beautiful to look at and it felt almost miraculous to be standing there and savoring the magnificent scenery on this fresh spring day... someone should really do a research on the people living around the area. Are they healthier....youthful...more energetic and rejuvenated....any sign or clue that these thermal pools are really effective and curative ??

Against all odds, I managed to capture the beautiful turquoise hue of the pool. The color is really magnificent and it really fills you with wonder at this wonderful creation that God and Mother Nature has given. Go see it before it deteriorate....which I hope, will never happen.

Breathtaking, don't you think ?? Imagine being here on a quiet, secluded, cool breezy and fresh spring day....priceless !!

Walking on yet another World Heritage Site.....this time on the way to the Cleopatra Pool....ahh..there goes one item in my 'bucket list' he he....wish you were here !!!

So..what is so special about the Cleopatra Pool? Firstly, it is so called because it was believed that Cleopatra and Mark Anthony came and swim in the pool. And why did they come here? Because the pool was reputedly able to cure many skin aliments, rejuvenate and make you younger (aha..) and cure other health problems. The Roman built a large Spa city ( Heirapolis) here and the pools are their means to cure the "uncurables" who have been turned away from the health centers or hospitals (and left to die) at that time. Don't forget, we are talking a timeline during Roman time...way before Christianity or even Islam came into the picture. And that..probably lured the beautiful Cleopatra and her lover here....or was it the effect of the pool that made her beautiful?? Hmm....don't you wonder, too?

So...go to Pamukkale, have a good lunch and then...take a dip or swim in the "Cleopatra Pool". That would be the highlight of your trip to Pamukkale (after looking at some ruins within the site). You must take a dip....the water in the calcium pool was believed to have originated from this pool. Where the water gushes into the pool, it creates a Jacuzzi effect and if you breathe in the vapor, you will realise how refreshing it is and that it tastes like a carbonated drink. Really...I'm not kidding you. I was down with cold (flu) on that day and it cleared up after I had a dip in the "Cleopatra Pool". You may say ....ahh...it's all in my mind but I did actually felt rejuvenated and err..younger! Hey...I must make sure that the TL25 was worth every kurush of it !!

We had a great trip but were unfortunate to have gotten a "guide from hell". I knew we gonna have problem when he said that the Turks built the Hagia Sophia! It is so important to have a good guide 'cos otherwise it could spoil your whole trip. I pitied the other tourists who were in my group and had to endure the guide. There are many Tour Agency company at the Sultan Ahmed area (Old City) and i'm sure like me, you too would not have a clue as to which to choose. I can't tell you which Agency to choose but I can tell you which one to avoid. PM me for more information.... meanwhile...Go....go to Pamukkale and take that dip...you won't regret it....

The water that flow to the Travertine Calcium Pool is believed to have originated from here. Look at the crystal clear water that one can actually drink from. At a temperature of 39 Degree Celsius, it is almost at a body temperature and this is why it is so perfect! Plus, it is of an almost neutral Ph value at its best !!

You can actually drink out of this pump (at the Cleopatra Pool) if you want to. It tastes just like the sparkling mineral water and that's what it is actually.

Peak tourist season.....don't think you can even swim in here now..(Image from Google Images)

The Cleopatra Pool. There are some sunken columns and other ruins in the water (destroyed during earthquakes) and we were startled initially....thinking that it was a BIG snake in the water. When we were there, it was not a full tourist season yet, so we had the pool all (almost) to ourselves !!

The serenity of the Cleopatra Pool...with its sunken columns and ruins for you to sit and relax and don't forget to wash your face with the water. You'll be ten years younger after your 2 hour dip or swim...

OK...so we didn't look younger after the dip in the Cleopatra Pool but only because the guide cheated us one hour out of the time allocated...shish....but we felt rejuvenated...and my cold cleared up the following day...not bad, not bad at all !!

See Reviews on "Cleopatra Pool" HERE and HERE

Footnote :

My niece was here for a holiday and had gone back home recently. She mentioned something interesting that I wanna share with you readers.

She said that while waiting in front of the Haghia Sophia, she was approached by two ladies (most probably gypsies) asking for some loose change. She didn't react and didn't handout any money to them. She simply ignored them. But she was very certain that when the ladies walked away from her, they were making a sound that sounded like a curse towards her.

And true enough...later on, she was 'conned' or 'sweet-talked' by a trader into buying something but on an inflated price! She figured that it was the price she had to pay for the 'curse'. I'm not putting anything into this, but it does make me think. Many a time, when I handed out my loose change to these people, I could have sworn that I heard them 'blessing' me. Could it be that their 'prayers' are quickly answered? So...next time you're in Istanbul, just hand out your loose change to them...it might not mean a lot to you...but a world of difference to them.

And another thing...never, NEVER EVER buy anything in Istanbul from the 1st shop you enquired from. Go ask other shops first before deciding to part with your money. Istanbul traders are a 'pro' at playing the psychology game and you'll hand over your money after 10 minutes of them befriending you...especially in the Grand Bazaar! They have been traders for thousands of years...is it any wonder ??

Tour of Turkey 1 - Ephesus (Efes)

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:19:00 +0300

They say that "those who didn't learn History are bound to repeat the same mistakes". But not all histories come with mistakes! We should also learn history to learn about the best way and options to follow for our lives and others.

If History and archaeological knowledge and findings are your passion, then Turkey offers you a Mecca of opportunities. Turkey is one of the centers of civilisation and it is rich with places literally 'littered' with all these historical and ancient findings. Its earliest settlement has been recorded as early as 3000BC and coupled with its interesting 'conquerors' who brought with them, myriads of culture, knowledge and expertise-transfer, wealth and whatnots....you'll be thrilled to be able to walk on the same path that was a hive of activities more than 2000 years ago!

I was...on those marbled-paved walkway that was used by the likes of Alexander the Great(in 334 BC) and Emperor Augustus! Not to mention, millions of other visitors from all over the world ever since this ancient Rome city was excavated and uncovered and open to the public. As we speak, more excavations and findings are being discovered as the archaeological excavations are underway continously till today. To be able to see and experience the actual place that you read about is really something out of this world. Well. at least to me.

Ephesus (near Izmir) is located next to the Aegean Sea though centuries ago, the sea was further inland, as far back as Selcuk town. However, silting of the sea brought forward the land and also the demise of the area as an important sea-port and trading center back then. However, the land left behind became a very fertile cultivation land and that explains why Izmir is considered as one of the 'garden' of Turkey since it supplies many vegetables and fruits to places like Istanbul.

The ruin of the ancient Roman City showcased a comprehensive city and give you a glimpse of the lives of the Roman people when they occupied Turkey and made it their capital for "Asia Minor". It may be called "ancient" but there is nothing ancient about the city or their way of lives.

More than 2000 years ago and they already have theaters, "parliment", offices, shops, library, public toilet, paved walkway, underground water and sewer system, markets, terrace houses (really?) and even..wait for it...a brothel! Ahh....i knew that would catch your eyes...more on the brothel later!

The Romans came before the Byzantine and that why there were many temples among the ruins. Of course, you'll hear a lot of Hercules, Zeus and other Gods that were entombed in the magnificent columns, statues and any other buildings and structures. I'd recommend that you read about it first before making the trip as once you're there, there are simply no time to do anything else but to be amazed and mesmerised by all those evidence of the "contemporary" ancient city.

It is also advisable for you to at least combine your trip to Ephesus with Pamukkale, which is just another 3 hour drive away from Ephesus. I will write about Pamukkale in my next posting. Meanwhile, I will let the photos "speak" a thousand word and hopefully, you too could get the awe and admiration that I felt as I walked those trodden pathways lined by white, blue and yellow marbles from Turkey, Iran and Iraq. Boy..the Romans are great builders and they really knew how to live and enjoy life....

You might wonder...what brought about the "ruins'? Well...first they were threatened by the silting of the sea, thereafter came a big earthquake that more or less....wipe out the entire city and its civilisation. Today, whenever new stones or evident is excavated out, they will try to piece out the jigsaw puzzle and maybe even make up more hypothesis about the great lives of the Roman people.

The latest finding was on late last year where they uncovered a mosaic-lined pathway in front of rows of terrace houses. I am already surprised to hear that they have terrace houses...let alone a mosaic-paved walkway in front of these houses. Even we can't afford such luxuries in our modern urban pavements!! Now..do you still think that "ours" is the most modern and civilised society???

The General Layout of the Ancient City. SAMSUNG sponsored the excavation of the area.

Part of the underground water system that was used to transport water for the city. Some broken clay pipes were also discovered together with this 'pond'.

Bath at The State Agora ( Market)

A 1400 seat "Odean" that was used for lectures, music performances and meetings for the councils. Built in AD 150, it even incorporate a small tunnel (at the top) to let the "late-comers" in without interrupting the lectures or shows. The lower seats are actually of marble, obviously reserved for the VIPs.

Marble carving of the Winged Victory that was on the Hercules Gate. However, during my trip it was put somewhere else, possibly for some restoration or maintenance work.

The Curetes Way leading to the more interesting places of interest.

The Romans built the statue of their leaders and Councilors along the Curetes Way till they reached the Gate of Hercules, where barriers were constructed thereafter to stop any charriots or carriages from going further. As is expected, leaders and councilors changed most of the time. This would require the replacement of the statues accordingly. To mitigate the problem, only the heads were changed each time new faces joined the Council.

Close up of the colorful 5th. century mosaic pathway in-front of the Terrace Houses. A similar mosaic picture was also uncovered recently, believed to be of either Alexander The Great or a Roman Girl but the Turks call it Zeugma. This partially completed potrait of Zeugma has been used numerous time on paintings and other crafts.

The mosaic pathway in between the Terrace Houses (on the left) and The Curetes Way and the Temple of Hadrian (on the right). Note the interior of the Terrace Houses. The new structure in the background is actually offices/quarters for the workers doing the excavation works.

The front of the Terrace Houses. If one row of houses are facing one way, the other row will have their front facing in an opposite direction so that each row would have their own privacy. No "Nosy-Parker" neighbors looking right into your front door! Genius, don't you think? And these were built more than 2000 years ago !!

Magnificent Corinthian-Style Temple of Hadrian. The Head of Medusa at the top is to protect from evil spirit. It was dedicated to Hadrian, Artemis and the people of Ephesus in AD 118 but was re constructed in the 5th. century. Across the street is the row of 10 Terrace Houses with the elaborate 5th. century mosaic pathway.

Close up view of the elaborate and intricate friezes in the porch and the head of the Medusa on The Temple of Hadrian.

The "everlasting" motif found on the Temple of Hadrian. So...this is where Versace got the idea for his designs...cool.....

The Library of Celsus. They used Architectural Trickery to create the "Optical Illusion" of the building so that the lower level looked as if they are higher than the top level and also to create an illusion so that the middle portion looked further apart than the other two ends. Genius...don't you think?? The library was used to store 12,000 scrolls in niches and around its wall. A 1 meter gap between the inner and outer wall help to preserve the scrolls from damage due to temperature and moisture. It was built by Consul Tiberius Julius Aquila who dedicated it to his father Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemeanus in 114 AD. Celsus was buried under the western side of the Library.

The gate of Augustus. The other side of the gate lead to an 110m square Agora (Market place) where trading of food and crafts are done. The gate was dedicated to the Emperor Augustus and his family. Apparently, the Romans like to 'relieve' themselves at the gate here, giving a new meaning to the "those who piss (pass) here" !

The house where Mother Meryam (Virgin Mary) was believed to have spent her last few years of her life (AD 37 - Ad 45). It was reputed that she came here with St. John.

Spring water well at the Meryemana ( Virgin Mary's House). Visitors can take or drink from this well. The water is understandably very fresh and refreshing.....just don't forget to bring an empty water bottle to fill it up with this spring water. Some people would also make a wish before drinking the water!

Explanation according to the Quran on Mother Meryam (Virgin Mary)

Signage explaining the The Baths at the State Agora.

Signage explaining the State Agora

The Odeon that sits 1,400 peopleThere is however a bigger theater called the Great Theater that could sit 24,000 people. The great theater is still being used for concert and Elton John had also performed there. The beauty of the theater is that the acoustic is so good, no microphone is required. In fact when we were there, someone played the song "Stairway to heaven" on his iPhone and we could hear the song clearly more than 300 metres outside of the theater. This superb acoustic was achieved by the design of the seats as well as a wall behind the platform / stage.

The Public Toilet. But only for Men. The women's were built elsewhere. In the winter, the marble slab would be very cold. So, the Master would normally send his slave to the toilet to sit on the slab first. Once the slab is warm and comfortable enough, he would then use the toilet!! The sewer is built very deep down below so there is no stench emanating from this 'very public' toilet. Actually, I have seen something like in China but I'm not sure who copied who...???

This was on the Sacred Way, facing towards the Library of Celsus. There is a footprint, a bee, a flower on the left of the footprint and something else to the right of the footprint. This discovery reinforces the belief that the "big house" with many rooms found across The Library is indeed a Brothel. Those whose wants to visit the brothel will have to check his footprint here first. If his footprint is bigger than the print, then he is 'big' enough and can go get his "honey" (from the picture of the bees and flower) i.e to the prostitute. Otherwise, he'll have to turn right and maybe go to the library...!! Some people said that that's the very reason why the library was built across the brothels. To give the men an alibi (going to the library) when in reality, they're going to the brothel...it's all about the oldest profession in history and the oldest excuse from a man...!!

The Ottoman empire (or Sultans) built more than 80,000 cami (mosques) across Turkey and most of them are quite distinguishable with its quarter dome and 4 or 5 minarets. Sultan Ahmet Camii (The Blue Mosque) is the only one with 6 minarets. However, this is one mosque that was built before the Ottoman time and it is called the Isa Bey Camii. As can be expected, it is way too modest compared to the grand and opulent cami so favored by the Ottoman Sultans. The above are actually tombstones of some famous people and those with the head that look like a head gear actually belong to the mosque or state officers.

Stunned...mesmerised.....awed....admiration....to be walking on the same pathway that was used by the Romans more than 2000 years ago !! It was truly a walk to remember....a walk of a lifetime...

I know..all those ruins are not everybody's cup of tea, so after the few hours of walking and savoring the ruins, our guide took us to a carpet factory to see how carpets are made. This is cauldron of silkworms in hot water. The lady is spinning silk thread from the silkworms and these threads would be used to make a fine silk carpet. I was told that silk threads are stronger than most metals. Anyone out there want to dispute this??

The lady on the left is making wool carpet while the lady on the right is making silk carpet. Notice the sizes of the threads. That explains why silk carpets are more refine, softer and better looking than wool carpets. As such, silk carpets take longer time to complete as compared to wool. A normal wool carpet would take few months, depending on the size and pattern while while a good silk carpet could take years to make. That is how this factory calculate its cost. Its just a matter of multiplying this time in months with its fixed monthly cost. Its fixed monthly cost include the girl's salary, the raw material and other variables such as water and electricity. I think I have finally found my "quest" for that elusive carpet's real cost. It really irks me when I don't know how much is the true cost of a certain carpet 'cos the Seller can put any price and you haven't a clue of how to get the real value and cost of the carpet. Don't you? Now, I know the trick !!

Footnote :

To those of you who find this posting rather 'dry'.....I know, it's too much history and most people do not like to look back, for whatever reasons..I have something to 'jolt' your imagination here. I am very sure that you have heard of or even seen a Belly Dancer, right? Well...what would you say, if I said that there is also a MALE Belly dancer. You don't believe me? Look at these photos....cheeriooooo !!

Scene taken at Hodja Pasha Cultural Center Istanbul. 2 hours of Anatolian Cultural Show. This show by a male belly dancer caught everybody by surprise. The Turkish Belly dancing is a bit different from the Arabian Belly Dancing. While the Arab Belly Dancing is sensual, Turkish Belly dancing is more energetic and fast with loud drumming music. Hence, the muscle movement is faster and this guy moves the fastest!

He got the loudest clap and even did an encore.....and I was even scolded by a big lady next to me for giggling. and that was after this guy had finished, mind you......sheeshhh

If you think belly dancing is sleazy...think again...at least not in Turkey.

See those expressions?? See how full of attentions they are? Actually...you're really enthralled by the muscle movement of the belly dancer. They are supposed to emulate the movement of a snake! One dancer did just that, with just a drum to guide her with her snake muscle movement...

Turkish Delights - Flying carpet from Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Wed, 7 Mar 2012 23:51:00 +0200

Its inevitable. Anyone who has been to Turkey must at least buy one Turkish rug, be it carpet, kilim or both.You may make a solemn promise not to be influenced by the oh so friendly carpet sellers but no matter how defiant you are, you will always buy them eventually. I dare you to prove me wrong!

What is it about carpets that tickle everybody's fancies?? After all, it's just a piece of cloth that you put on the floor or wall and then, forget completely about it,right? Or..is it really that simple?

Today i had a lesson on Turkish carpet which i hope to share with you, so that you'll know what to look for when that special day arrives for you to claim your 1st piece. You'd probably knew by now how to look behind a carpet and count the knots. The higher the counts the better,right? Wrong! And you'd probably knew already that a good carpet would have that luster and shine.A better shine and luster would indicate a better carpet,right? Wrong again! And...isn't the softest and lightest silk carpet the best among all? Emm...think again, my dear readers!! The hint here is....unlearn and re-learn.

Today, you'll have to forget everything that you've learnt about carpet and re-learn again. You'll be shocked to learn that your normal standard and guidelines in choosing a good carpet is not accurate, reliable and applicable anymore.

First, let us understand what and why are carpets created. In turkey, most people in the villages or provinces rear lamb and other animals, apart from the usual farming activities. After the meats are eaten or sold off, they have to make full use of other parts of the animals. The skin are of course turned into those soft and beautiful leather products such as jackets, bags and shoes.And please be informed that China is the biggest buyer of Turkish leathers. So much so that even the Turkish leather manufacturers are finding it difficult to buy Turkish leather now.

The wools are spun to make into yarn or thread for clothes, bags and rugs (carpets and kilims). These wools are spunned by hand,so that's why the yarns are quite thick. there is so much that the fingers can do! Hence, handmade carpets would have a bigger threads or knots at the back of it. I know, we've been taught for centuries that the smaller is the knots at the back, the better. we've been told to see if its like a tapestry behind the carpet. So, that mean, if the thread or knots behind the carpet is so tiny and fine....yes...you guessed it...it's machine made!Forget about what the salesman said about tiny finger of a child spinning them. There goes one myth!

Being human, we always think that perfect finish is always the best. We are always attracted to the carpets that seems perfect in design, shape, co-ordination, shine and luster. In fact, that's why human created machine to produce all these near perfect carpets. Handmade carpets are normally trimmed by hand as they are being knotted and tufted. In doing so, the finished piece would inevitably be of "uneven" texture. In other words, handmade carpets seldom have that super-shine and super-luster look or finish. They will eventually be heavier than most machine-made carpets. And especially so for Turkish carpets since they are normally double-knotted as compared to their Persian cousins. So..there goes another myth.

Let's talk about the color of the carpets. The people making the carpets in the villages are normally not exposed to chemical dyes. They always use things which are available locally to them. Hence, they will only use organic dyes from vegetables or fruits. Think of good paintings that use natural paints. The paints (or colors) will get better and more intense and stable with time as the dyes stabilise itself. The same will happen with handmade carpets of natural dyes. The color and design will get better over time and that explains why handmade carpets of more than 50 or 100 years still maintains its color and beauty over time.

Silk carpet? Ohh..who doesn't wanna own this exquisite piece of art? That'll be the "piece de resistance" and we should all try to have at least one of these magnificent "object of desire". When buying your silk carpet in Turkey, be very careful with the definition of "silk". Silk could be pure natural silk, mercerized silk, combination silk and/or manufactured silk.

To get pure natural silk carpet in Turkey is extremely rare and most times, these so called silk carpets are "mercerized silk" that came from China. Pure natural silk carpet would feel heavier as compared to the "mixed silk". Try to do this test to see if its pure silk but ask for permission from the shopkeepers first before you try. If he knew that the silk is not natural, he'll turn white or the shop might catch fire ha ha. Light one piece of the fringe of the carpet. If the fume or smoke is black on top, its not pure silk. If the smoke emits a synthetic smell, its not pure silk. Pure silk will have clean white smoke and there is no stringy synthetic 'melt' from the burnt fringe. Good Luck with it!

Turkish rugs. There are carpets (tufted) and there are kilims (non-tufted). The tribal designs are the exquisite pieces and are a challenge to identify the best that caught your eyes.

Do you believe in "Flying carpet"? There it is......

This is not a Turkish carpet! It's actually an 80 year old Tabrez (Persian) carpet. Look at the magnificent colors and conditions of this piece. If and when you get a good handmade natural carpet, your 'heirloom' would remain in pristine condition for many generations to admire and appreciate. A wonderful "wool on cotton"masterpiece.

The Turks call this a seccede (sejede) size and design. This is normally used as a prayer mat but can be put elsewhere or on the wall. Look at the natural brown color in the centre which could have come from a tree or fruit. No two pieces can be the same due to the inconsistency of the natural dye.The design incorporate a chandelier which form a big part of the Turks's life.

Another secede design and size which also incorporate a chandelier design.

The gorgeous green color on this "wool on cotton" carpet originated from a chestnut tree! This piece is normally hang on the wall for the beauty to really "come out".

Another chandelier design carpet but with intricate detailing on the border .

A large silk on cotton piece but the photo did not do justice to this piece. It has a beautiful blue centrepiece accompanied by a bouquet. And of course, the color will change its hue as you move around it.

A tribal rug from the Kurdistan region. It is so unique and would add colors to any part of your home

Another tribal rug from Kurdistan, spun from wool yarn and may have taken months for the maker to finish the piece. Look at its unusual design and colors.

I am sure you can 'feel' how soft this "silk on silk" carpet is. It is really gorgeous and cost quite a lot,too. But one only need to get one good piece like this and that's it....you're done for life. There was however, one expat who actually acquired 17 pieces of carpets here before he was eventually transferred to another country! When you have acquired the taste for it, it'll grow on you and nothing will make you happier than to look at all these beauties.

Another beautiful design of "wool on cotton" carpet. The contrasting colors make it even more interesting and exciting.

This is another "silk on cotton" carpet but I really think the design is "too busy" or "too crowded". Maybe you might have a different opinion,huh?

My all time favorite and I'd always thought this design is truly Turkish until I was told that it actually originated from the border of Iran. This "1001 nights" design are so called because each small rectangle in the design depicts a night out of the 1001 nights legend. Meaning, each rectangle tells a different story as according to the 1001 nights legend.

1001 nights "silk on cotton" carpet. This truly is a beautiful piece and I wish I could have it for my private collection. I already have a place for it in my mind and in my house,really! If only the price could match my fantasy!!! A good 1001 nights silk carpet could fetch more than US$20,000 a piece, depending on various factors. But on the display of any good carpet shops, you will always see this design being hung as a centerpiece...and it sure will temp you to go inside the shop to see it.

A very unique Anatolian kilim made of organic wool. The pastel spring color is so beautiful and could be put anywhere you want in your house or office. You sure will be the envy of many and it sure will be a conversation topic on many occasions. Someone told me once that, money one can find....but good artifacts or products you can't find all the time. This is one such product that one should not miss !

So, how do you make sure that you're going home with real, authentic Turkish carpets? Get a reliable seller, and do a research on it. I found a few sellers who were willing to share their knowledge and I would seek them whenever I want to buy a piece.

One seller that I discovered recently even had a showroom in my country a few years back. So it seems that almost all tourists from my country would flock to his shop as they feel secure in knowing that what they bought from him are genuine and authentic enough and they know that they can always go back to him should there be any problem. His clients are mostly people from all walks of life and I feel secure and happy enough to deal with him because I could see that he is very passionate with his pieces and loves what he is doing. The photos in this post were taken from his shop and you can browse more on his website CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE.

Simsek's store in the Grand Bazaar. He would personally go to the provinces to collect the rugs and that explains why his collections are unique and exquisite. He can tell you more of the pieces over cay or turkish kahve without any obligation whatsoever. It is so important for you to understand about Turkish carpets before you buy them. Then, you'll be happier with your purchases.

Trying to figure out which 1001 nights is better. He also showed me "Made in China" 1001 nights as compared to Turkish made 1001 nights. The former are lighter, shinier and has more luster as explained in this posting. Frankly, before meeting Simsek, my natural tendency was to for the former. Now I know better.

This tribal rug is so irresistible.....should I get one for myself?? It'll look gorgeous in the Study.....but hey, I don't have a Study !

Ohh....my object of desire.....1001 nights......now...which bank should I break ???

In Turkey, most young ladies in the villages would make a carpet as their dowry when they get married. Normally, these are in a form of a prayer mat but they also do other type of rugs. And each province will have their unique design or colors to signify their culture or even historical events. So..expect to hear Hereke, Ousak, Kayseri, Anatolian, Konya rugs and others when you scout for your pieces. And while you are at it...learn some history behind the pieces 'cos you are expected to repeat them when you invite your guests to view your beautiful Turkish carpets...isn't that fun?? So..have you got yours, yet?

Coming Soon : Look out for my posting on "Turkish Porcelain".......Stay Tuned......

Food Glory in Istanbul - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:27:00 +0200

It's snowing as I punched my keyboard and since I can't go out now, I might as well write about something sizzling. No..no...not what you're thinking, don't hold your breath. Let's talk about food..glorious food in Istanbul. Now..breathe....

Being strategically located between the European, Asian (and Middle-Eastern) continents, Istanbul reap the benefit of all where food and cuisine is concerned. Since you can find Greeks, Georgians, Armenians, Russians, Kurdish, Syrians and etc etc, you can expect the same diversity in the food that you can find here. And like in many other places, foods in Istanbul are actually representation of other provinces in Turkey and its surrounding neighboring countries. There's always a story behind each dishes and if you are brave enough to ask, they're happy enough to tell all.

Whatever you do...do NOT, I repeat...do NOT ask where did Baklava come from? The Greeks and the Turks will go blue in the face trying to defend the origin of Baklava. I got kicked under the table many times by my hubby whenever I started this sensitive question, so please be warned! Fact is..nobody knows, but there is a slight difference between baklava that came from Turkey, Greece or the Arab nations. For me, the best Baklava in Istanbul came from O*****y where it is still being made fresh daily using fragrant fire wood, with the pastry flake as thin as a cigar paper. It is so special to me that I won't even tell you where it is because I fear that over demand will spoil its quality. So...PM me if you really wanna know and you must make a promise not tell anyone. Scouts honor!

Kemal Ataturk played a big role in influencing the food in Turkey. Since Turkey was at war during that era, Kemal influenced them to make the dishes as simple and practical as possible but still delicious and meaningful. This is a stark difference to the usual meals prepared for the Ottoman Sultans which were normally elaborate and 'massive' with desserts alone prepared in more than a dozen types at one sitting. But the dishes are still prepared till this day and can be obtained from many shops or restaurants in the city.

Most people would mistakenly think that Turkish foods are similar to Arabian foods. Turks don't eat rice as often as their Arab neighbors. Rice are normally used for filling in their dolma and in making rice pudding. They eat bread everyday, all the time. And they eat lots of salad, either fresh or cooked.

Let's start with the cay (Turkish tea)! More Turks drink cay than coffee, in this tulip-shaped cup. Cay can be either 'strong' or 'weak'. and is always taken without milk. And cay is taken throughout the day. The cup is small, so they need to get a fresh one many times in a day. That mean, it'll remain hot when they take it. And...they don't have to go to the toilet too often because it's so little. See? How practical.

Turkish coffee. Do NOT take it on an empty stomach, esp. in the morning. It is prepared in an espresso cup (tiny cup) and is so thick, at times..the spoon can stand on its own! And make sure you don't drink right till the end 'cos the coffee powders are there in the cup. Just 2 or 3 gulps will do the job.

Menenem...Turkish favorite breakfast dish. It's actually an extended omelet where onion, tomatoes, sucuk, cheese curds are also thrown in and fried in olive oil. The way to eat it is to dip it with the bread that will be sent to your table. This is normally served straight from the tiny omelet-pan that it was cooked in.

My favorite "on the go" food. Balik ekmek literally mean Fish Sandwich. Its simply fried or grilled Uskumru fish and put in between the ekmek (bread), plus some raw onions and salata (salad). You can also squeeze some lemon for taste. And then you pray that your mouth can open big enough to chomp down the contraption. And I mean really BIG. This innocent looking sandwich is actually very very tasty and do not be fooled by its humble and plain look. Looks can be deceiving most times, you know?

Midye Tava (Fried Mussel). This super delicious dish can be eaten in a restaurant as part of a dish or just eaten on the stick as you walk on Istiklal Caddessi (in Taksim). Do not walk too fast or too far, though...'cos I'm sure you'll go back to shop to buy more, really! Especially when the temperature drops to zero. Its worth getting the frost-bites on your fingers, don't you think?

Or....you can have your Midye Tava as a sandwich...whichever way you'd prefer..it still is as delicious !

Kumpir (Baked Potato) is a MUST if you are in Istanbul. And Ortakoy is one place where you should head to as the ambiance there is better since you'll see rows and rows of kumpir stall there. And it's so much fun watching the Seller trying to get you to buy their kumpir. What you see here are toppings for the kumpir. Yes..all of them. Depending on what you're ordering, you just point to them what toppings you want to go inside your kumpir. Or just say 'karisik' for mixed and you'll get all of them. Please note that 1 kumpir might weigh 1 kilo, so you might wanna share 1 kumpir with someone! It is BIGGGG...

Can you see the size of the kumpir? You must watch the way its being prepared. Upon splitting the kumpir open, the man will quickly and thoroughly mix cheese, butter and salt with the piping hot potatoes. Once all potatoes are mixed and caramelised, then you are invited to choose your toppings and sauces to be put on top of the melted cheese-potato-butter delight! It's heaven! After eating the kumpir, forget about dinner, 'cos you'll be full for a very long time. In fact, forget about breakfast, too !! ( Photo: Google Images)

Gozleme, thin bread filled with either cheese or spinach. Best when eaten hot and still crispy. In my previous posting about "Perth" I showed a modified Gozleme being sold there. They made it thicker with fillings but the real Gozleme is thin and crispy.

Ahh...Kokorec. Stuffed rolled lamb intestines. I have been told that it is very delicious but I am yet to try it out. Somehow, I could not bring myself to eat it, yet. It is very popular and you can see them being sold everywhere, esp. by the street. I am sure most of you readers out there would give it a try without any hesitation...Bravo! My..I do envy you...

Pide...Turkish National pride. A flat bread that you can put toppings on, just like you would a Pizza base. It is very popular especially during the Ramazan. There is also a another version called Lahmacun whereby the base is very thin and grilled in furnace or kiln till crisp with toppings of your choice. You must give them a try when you are next in Istanbul.

Edirne Ciger Tava. This was one dish where I let my nose directed me to the dish. We were walking in Edirne when a beautiful aroma caught our nose and we literally let our nose trail the aroma till we got to this shop. Apparently Edirne is famous for Ciger ( deep fried heart of a beef or lamb ) Tava. The marinade made the fried pieces smell so delicious that one simply can't resist the temptation to grab a chair and sample the dish. The soft and tender ciger is so delicious particularly when eaten its complementing raw onion and deep fried biber (green pepper or chillies). It's available in istanbul, so you don't have to travel to Edirne to get it.

Closed-up of the deep-fried biber (pepper or chillies)

Closed-up of Ciger Tava ( deep-fried heart of beef or lamb)

My favorite kebab shop, Durumcu Raif Usta behind Grand Bazaar. Its the most authentic kebab shop, with no frills or pretense. You get chunks of the meat that you chosed and they will roll it in the durumcu ( thin bread) together with all the salata, grilled green chillies and bhaharat (spices). Its smoky, its warm and it tastes how kebab should taste like. Non-fancy shop where you take your seat, eat your kebab, pay and go. Its a bit daunting for ladies as not many ladies eat there but hey..take my words for it. Its worth every single Kurush of your money. I didn't even care if I was the only lady eating there. The pull of the Shish (lamb) kebab was too overpowering. It is SOOOOO ummpphhh !! I'd say, the best in Istanbul...

You can have more salata or spices or chillies if you want. Being a regular, they know what I want and my Shish kebab is always perfect here. Hmm...I think I'll pay them a visit tomorrow....PM me for their address if you want. I can even give you the direction....then YOU tell me if it wasn't the best kebab you've ever had....

Preparing Portakal ( Orange ) Juice. Almost everybody uses the same 'squeezer'. You can also have Nars (Pomegranate), Elma (Apple) or Ananas ( Pineapple) Juice if you want.

A local lady preparing Gozleme in Kapadokya ( Cappadocia )

Grilling the Gozleme in Kapadokya

Specialty of Kapadokya...Tandir Kuzu or Tandir Et. Lamb or Beef cooked in its own 'tandir' or clay pot. If you found yourself in Kapadokya, be sure to try this fantastic dish....you can't get it elsewhere, not even in Istanbul....I think. Well...I have not found any shop in Istanbul that sell them.

Tandir Kuzu of Kapadokya....when you open the pot. Its delicious as the juice of the meat will be released into the gravy under a very slow and long fire. Out of this world !!

Iskender Kebab...the famous dish of Bursa. It was reputedly created by Alexander The Great in Bursa on his way to Persia. Legend has it that he asked his men to grill the marinated meat on vertical sword so that the juice of the meat will flow down and mix with the rest of the meat at the bottom. If you placed the meat horizontally, the juice will be lost in the amber or fire. Clever. wasn't he? Iskender kebab is now eaten with 'creamy yogurt' and its special sauce. After putting the plate on your table, the waiter will ask if you want any 'yag'? That means oil. Just say YES, 'cos that what makes this kebab even more tasty. Forget about the calories and whatnots....you're only in Istanbul once, yes? This Iskender kebab, you MUST try. I am yet to meet someone who doesn't like it......

Iskender Kebab...looks so plain and simple but I am sure it takes hours to prepare. And this was at the Original Iskender Kebabci of Bursa. The restaurant have been in business for more than 100 years....mind boggling, doesn't it??

If you are like the Turks or the Japanese, who hates to try new food...well....there is always the Golden Arches for you. Where everything else remain and taste the same....how boring can that be ??? In Istanbul, some smaller McD does not operate as a fast food joint. You order and wait for them to cook for you. Now, that could be the only different for McD.....

There is something peculiar about the Turks though. They just do not want to try new or 'foreign' foods. Try giving them a food that they are not familiar with, and you'll get a feeling as if you had just given them poison! I'm not alone in feeling this (if you think that my cooking is terrible, huh !) but all the Yabanci that I met said the same thing. I must find out 'why'....one of these days. They will NEVER EVER try any food that you offered. One of my country's local chefs was furious when he was faced with this predicament when he was here trying to promote food from my country. So, there you are......and that explains why it is so difficult to get imported foodstuffs here. Apart from the strict import regulations, they are simply not interested, period!

I guess the Turks are like the Japanesse when it comes to food. They'll stick to theirs wherever they go. That explain why you can get so many Turkish restaurants and shops in other European countries, esp. Germany where a majority of the Turks live and work there. Actually, it's not such a bad thing....be proud of your food and culture...no matter where you are.

I hope I can cover all the important and popular food from here but I know that this require more than one posting. There are still plenty more to go.......Afiyet Olsun !!

FOOTNOTE :

Happy Birthday to those who were born today in this leap year! Poor thing..you guys can only celebrate your birthday once every 4 years....but you guys sure are special !!!!

We touched 3838 viewers yesterday....what a lovely number. Thank you All !!

Asian Ladies Club Of Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:14:00 +0200

I finally did it! I had always moved and go about alone but this time, I managed to celebrate an early Valentine with a group of pretty ladies who share similar language and maybe, similar feature,too.

This Asian Ladies Club of Istanbul (members of 30) was initiated sometimes last year but I only knew about it after a friend introduced me to them. They are actually a sub-group of the International Women of Istanbul Group. I had wanted to join that group,too but......frankly, I normally prefer my own company ha ha..so to speak.

So, there I was...with my humble croissant pudding as a 'peace-offering', and my faithful DSLR on my neck. It was a pot-luck affair and I can't do my usual trick...coming with fruits as an offering. He he..these ladies are killer 'cooks and chefs' and I can't let my country down, can I? Ok..sure, croissant pudding aren't exactly my national dish,is it? Shh...they don't know it...I told them that it was, for breakfast. Perhaps now you would understand why I stay away from any group or club!

There were ladies who originated from Indonesia, The Philippines, Korea, Japan, Romania, Vietnam and Turkey. Almost all these ladies share one thing in common. They're mostly married to local (Turkish) men. Others are Asian ladies married to American and other nationalities. There is also another common thing among them. They're all beautiful. Most of them are also of mixed parentage and that explains their exotic beauty. And most of them are mothers with young children. So that explains why this Group do not arrange group outing or tour outside Istanbul, which I was looking forward to. See...I still have to travel alone. How much fun can that be ???

The Turkish government was very generous with their citizenship last time. A lady got her citizenship the day she got married to her Turkish husband. And then, there is another couple who had to get married in Turkey because in Indonesia, the government do not allow the couple to marry if they are not of same religion. So they had to get married in Turkey as the wife did not want to convert to Islam, even though the husband is a muslim.

And then, there's some ladies who are neither an Asian or married to one but joined the group anyway, simply because they love the food, or they had been to Asian countries and love the food and everything Asian. One even love a Malaysian singer (Siti Nurhaliza) even though she was in Kuala Lumpur more than 10 years ago.

As they say in the song....It started with a kiss..but this time it started with a Cake. A beautiful cake specially bought by the gracious host, Shakila Stevenson. Everybody was oohhhing over it. I was told that Turkey only just recently went big on cakes and confectioneries. Seems that few years ago, they had difficulties in getting good cakes from a good shop. Very surprisingly as there are cakes shops almost at every corners in Istanbul now. That's how fast Turkey evolves, even in businesses. The business turnover is very fast,too. After every few months, you'll notice that the shops have changed owners. I wonder how serious is 'bad loans' problem here??

Food, glorious food! Kimchi, rendang, gulai, fried noodles, beef salad, anchovies and 'something', chicken curry etc. etc. I almost 'accidently' ate a bacon sausage rice...where did she get bacon from? It's almost impossible to get pork meat here in Turkey. Phew !!!

The smile before digging in....it was great food, great company and great moment. The food were delicious as they were all home-cooked. What a good way to know of our neighbor's cuisine. Sue..the kimchi's delicious, you must teach me how to do it. I'd always thought that kimchi comes in a bottle??

The host has decorated the house in a beautiful valentine theme. Err..since I'm the latest edition, I get to hold the roses...I think! Kyoto. to my right, has lived in Istanbul for more than 20 years. A turkish-speaking Japanesse, her husband has had businesses in other part of the world as well.I think she is set to live here forever, though her children are in the US. Hey..everybody loves Istanbul.

Group photo after all the plates are almost empty. That explains the smile on everybody's face. The baby belongs to Neney. The baby is actually a twin. Its a boy and girl twin...how lucky for Neney after waiting for 9 years. See....it was worth the wait.

Audience captivated and mesmerised by Shakila's performance. She sang Whitney Houston's number and another 'lost love' song. It was so beautiful, we even had one lady crying when she heard the translation. Shakila's releasing a new album and will start the promotion soonest. Look out for her, will yer? You won't regret it...she's a great singer and a natural.

Neney, what are you up to? Neney crushed my theory that there is no happy-ending 'holiday romance'. You see...Neney came to Istanbul for a holiday, fell in love with a local guy, married him and lived happily ever after. Ok...Ok...I know that in my previous posting I warned of falling in love in Istanbul. I'm happy for Neney but how many Neney can that be? Its easy to see how they met, feel in love and married since Neney is such a bubbly and fun person to be with. Even with the 4-month old twins, she doesn't look stressed at all, but happy and cheerful.

The beautiful and sultry Kim Cahirkaya is the hardworking President of the Club. Her sultry beauty is the result of an American father and a Vietnamese mom. Do not mistook her petite and soft demure 'cos one can see the toughness and seriousness in her the moment you set eyes on her. Way to go...Kim, keep it up. Don't let these ladies bully you, he he...

A rare moment when you can catch the President (Kim) smiling. She also did the delicious Red..err..Purple Velvet cake which is almost gone by the end of the day. It was really delicious and was the talk of the day. Well done, Kim. Err...can you bake one for my birthday if I told you my birthdate?

With beautiful Eva, Eka and Elif. Eva (to my right) and Eka (to my left) are both Indonesians married to Turkish. They both speak fluent Turkce and have lived here for more than 10 years. Both are also bubbly and charming and cheerful. In the black is Elif, a Turkish married to a Belgic who prefer to live here than his homeland. Ahh...she's the right authority on everything Turkish. So..I asked her the question I've been asking around. Do the ladies cook in Turkey? Yes..at home but special dishes will be cooked by the men. Aha...I knew it.....the men are better cooks here. I rest my case !

Shakila singing her 'lost love'. I guess there's a Shakila in all of us,huh? Cheer up dearie...it's better to have loved and lost..than not to love at all. What beautiful voice..you could hear a pin-drop in all those silence. This is one talented lady and I know that I'll be one of the first to buy her album. Bravo Shakila....you're born to sing...so keep on singing!!!

She finally smiled....after letting it all out of her chest. See ?? Your life doesn't end just because your love did. Close this door and open another one. Who knows..it could be better !! In fact, I can see that you do have a better life now....

Shakila with her 1.5 year old BoBo. A Chow Chow who followed her around as if she's the youngest kid to her. BoBo trails Shakila everywhere she goes and sleeps on the same bed with her...but the husband doesn't mind. A very affectionate breed and a beautiful sight to look at.

BoBo the LionWolf..she looks like a lion and does not smell like a dog. With her distinct dark blue/purple tongue, her breed is one of the oldest in the world and originated from Mongolia. Do not be fooled by her gentle demure 'cos her breed is known to be very fierce and protective and have been used to fight off wolves. The Mongolians used them for war, farming and on their cattle farm. If you took her out for a walk, she would out-walk you anytime with her huge paws and big stride. Btw....i had to 'court' her for a few hours before she let me come this closed! and that was before I knew how ferocious they can be......

Yes...we love something for our own reasons, don't we? My friend said that, I must go so that I can Blog about it, so why not? And..in the process, I discovered a 'gem'. Among the ladies, is a professional singer from Indonesia. I am not sure if you knew or have heard of her but apparently, she was BIG in year 2000 when she won the Asia Bagus contest and started to collect her trophy in international events and contest thereafter. Unfortunately, she disappeared for a short while when she was based in the US with her American husband.

Shakila Stevenson (nee Meiski Shakila Serhalawan) started her singing career at 4 years old in her local church. Her famous uncle, Bob Tutupoly coached her singing and oh..boy...her tenor is so powerful and wonderful and I wondered no more how she could have won all those contest and awards. She did a rendition of "I will always love you" sans music and ........I think, I can safely say....Whitney Houston is alive...again!! CLICK HERE To Hear Shakila sing 'Takkan Hilang' and HERE For Shakila's Katakan

Malaysian Astronaut 'crash-landed' in Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:59:00 +0200

Okay..he didn't actually crashed-landed but landed he did...today. A few years ago, Malaysia bought a few dozens Sukhoi fighter planes from Russia. As a gesture of goodwill (and gratitude), the Russian government offered to send one Malaysian off to space. To the International Space Station, to be exact! 400 km away from Mother Earth.

Subsequently, Malaysian citizens were offered and invited to apply for the chance to be the country's Astronaut. Out of a few thousand applicants, only one man managed to pass all the required physical, mental, intelligence,aptitude and attitude test.

The talk "12 Days In Space" was organised by TurkSat and The Istanbul Technical University. TurkSat is a service provider company and is very popular for satellite TV.

The Organizers of the talk. Cok Tessekur Ederim.....

Dr. Shiekh Muszaphar, Malaysian very own Astronaut... Sorry girls, he's spoken for. This dishy 39 year old Orthopedic Surgeon just got married 2 years ago, where many Astronauts from all over the world attended the wedding. He claims that he was never satisfied with whatever he has...and always looking for something new. He also claims to sleep only 4 or 5 hours a day because there are too many thing to do......really?? Doesn't the Mrs. mind?

Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor is an Orthopedic surgeon, a mercenary, a part-time model and a restaurant-er. The world was never enough for him. So, he decided to see and own the outer-space as well. And that was how I found myself seated in the "Earthquake and Disaster Management Engineering" Lecture theater of the Istanbul Technical University today. My embassy invited me to go and my friends prodded me to go though I was not interested initially. Hey..I'm an engineer, I prefer to have my two feet rooted and firm on ground earth. Besides..I didn't even know how to spell "astronaut", really!! Ok..ok....go take photos, shake his hand and go home and Blog about it. Besides...he's quite good-looking, eh? Simple enough, right?

Except that his presentation was quite good actually and it gets my attention. As so was the rest of the audience. The room was packed with students,lecturers , media people and of course...commoners like me. I think he was the right choice to be sent off to space. Apart from the technical and physique requirement, he also possess a certain enthusiasm, drive and charm and before long, you could see that he had the audience eating out of his hands. The audience were mesmerized by his 30 minute presentation. Another 30 mins. for the overwhelming Q&A. Followed by the packed photography session with the eager audiences. I had to take the photo with him, how else to prove to my friends and the Embassy that I went...ha ha.

All Astronauts have to go through vigorous and challenging routine, exercises and tests every day for almost 2 years. This include being subjected to near-zero oxygen condition whereby your body would have the tendency to black out. They were trained to breathe through their abdomen, just like how the singers did it. And he mentioned of the side effect of having his capillaries in his body bursting trying to compensate and to divert the blood and oxygen to the head.

An astronaut is also subjected to a spinning chair (centrifuge effect) such that the body would be subjected to massive gravitational push which would go as high as 9Gs. Meaning...its like having 9 times of your weight crushing on your chest! A roller-coaster would impact a 1.5G, whereas an F1 racing car driver would have a 3Gs effect. One can sustain up to 16Gs so far..but who wants to know and find out?

No....he's not crooning to this lady....he's delivering his talk. See what I meant about being charismatic? I can understand now why he was chosen. I believe its because he also has that X-Factor.....that would draw and attract the crowds to his presence. On top of that, he had to be physically fit. The eyes must be a perfect 6/6, the hearing is perfect and according to him "no fillings in the teeth and no scars or prior operations, no matter how minor". Why?? Because the fillings would rupture and the scars would also rupture under such extreme situation in space or in their capsule. Not to mention that their internal organs must be able to withstand all those extreme routines, exercises and actual space conditions. Hmm....at least we do know now that Dr. Muszaphar does not have any scar, wounds or fillings in his teeth. What kind of a man is he? Is he human at all? Why does God load up all the good thing into this one man? Aren't you curious? I am !!

Unknown to many (outside Malaysia) he lost his brother while undergoing the training. But he never talked about it in the talk though he did touched a little on his family background. He also mentioned that the radiation in space is about 5 x of that of a chest X-Ray and hence, you will age very fast if you stayed in space. I think he has a point there because I saw that he was youthful in the videos taken during his space trip, almost boyish though he was 35 years old at that time. Ahh...see...I know there's a reason why I didn't like Space travel and all.

With his fellow astronauts, the names of whom I can't recall anymore....

Do you know that while in space, your spinal ligament will stretch and lengthen by about 10cm (4 ins) or even 6 ins.?? Why ? Because there is no gravity to push you down and your ligament will be pulled to that effect. And most astronauts will experience back-pain since there is no support for your body. there are many more effects on the body and the body could deteriorate very fast if you did not work out and move your body,so they had to work out at least 2 hours a day.Unfortunately, your 'increase' in height will revert back to normal once you touch good old Mother earth.

It started with a DREAM. He had always wanted to go to outer space ever since he was a young boy. Now..what's the odds of that happening, huh? Dreams are possible. But in order to achieve your dream, you must first have a dream...got it?

He claims that he heard the Azan (Muslim's call for prayers) when he was about to leave the ISS and has become a better Muslim now as he felt that God chosed him for the mission for a purpose. He feels closer to God and has since started researching the Quran for his better understanding of God. From the 500+ Astronauts (in the world), there were 9 Muslims and he had intended his presentation to be a reference for other Muslims to follow when/if they went to space. Of course, few modifications had to be done. Like sticking to praying 5 times a day instead of 80 times due to their location.....

Q&A session.....with simultaneous translation during the talk and Q&A. I could see that Turkey is ready for an Astronaut of their own. They already have their own satellites....what's sending a man to the space? I am sure that it will be just very soon!

Qs : Would you go again, if given the chance?
Ans. : Yes, definitely...especially to Planet Mars...even if they gave me a one-way ticket.
Hmm....careful Doc, going by your luck, you might get what you asked for. Be careful with what you wished for, ok ?

I had planned for a short interview with him after the talk but looking at the audience swarming around him, I took 5 and waited for my turn. It was a good day, it had been forecasted to snow or rain but neither happened. The turnout for the talk was very good and the Lecture Theater was full and over-spilled to the steps. Good thing I arrived early and got a vantage seat at the front.

Finally got him to ourselves. Me and several Malaysian students who have come all the way from Bursa (2.5 hours away) to attend to the talk. I can now post this photo to my Embassy as proof that " I was there" he he...Its interesting to note that the students were actually under scholarship....from the Turkish Government!!! Thank you Mr Erdogan....these students are so lucky and I hope that they know it already.

Yes....we Malaysian are a cheerful and happy lots....
What a great way to end a great day....Mr. Angkasawan, Hos Cakalin....Seni cok seviyorum !!!

Frankly, I am proud that he is our Angkasawan (Astronaut) and he didn't fail to impress, even on foreign soil...Bravo Doc, Malaysia chosed a right Astronaut in you. I concur absolutely!!!! Now, let me write the salient points of the presentation, else I might forget the interesting facts and stories. I betcha...if your children had listened in to the presentation, they too...would wanna be an Astronaut. It's really that impressive except...aha....there's always a "but", yes? I wish he had used a different singer for his "Intro"....Ella is soo yesterday news...and the second song was just as 'distracting'. My 2-cents-worth, Doc.

As an added plus, I met 5 students from my country and 3 others each from Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. It's good to talk to these students and I kinda miss lecturing those Engineering students when I was back in my country. In fact, when I entered the Univ. ground, I felt so excited and never realised how much I actually missed the academic life. Ohh...such noble profession.....

Come...let's explore the space with the good Doc, he was in space for 12 days but what a lifetime journey it was for him. He even mentioned during Q&A that he doesn't mind being sent to Planet Mars.....on a one-way ticket ! Oohhh....is the world still not enough for you, Doc ??

Çöp (Hande Yener)

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:13:00 +0200

3388..We Have Touched 3388 !!

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:13:00 +0200

Thank you...today, we touched 3388 (actually its 3396 now) viewers and I want to give you readers and followers a little something to commemorate this achievement. But why this number? Well....I always believe that number 3 and 8 hold special significance to me,especially since I was born on 3rd. August. So, thank you for making this number special again today.

Thank You .....muah muah !!!

As my gratitude for all your support I would like to present here a Turkish singer who actually caught my eyes the first time I arrived here. Its true that I haven't a clue as to what she was singing about but it still is beautiful to my ears. Watch her perform and see if you agreed with me....I know..she's a bit too sexy but nonetheless...is creative and captivating....Enjoy!!

VIEW MORE ON HANDE YENER

READ MORE ON HANDE YENER

Well...you have seen and heard her sang the song Cop. Actually, that was the first song that haunted us when we first arrived in Istanbul. A year ago...that song could be heard everywhere...in the park, in the shopping centre, even while you were dining. It was only months later when we could eventually get the name of the singer and the title of the song.

Hande is a great singer and is beautiful and attractive and I'm sure that she'll be on top of the chart for years to come. Move over Beyonce.......finally, we have someone who should be seen and heard at the same time !!! Sorry guys...Beyonce can't sing...period !!

News Just In!

Whitney Houston has died! Its really a great loss to the world and such a shame that drugs could destroy someone so talented.

It was always a challenge when we went for karaoke to see who could sing Whitney's "I run to you" song the best. I can assure you...not many could achieve the high note. What great, powerful and beautiful vocal she had. What a crying shame !!

Rest In Peace, Whitney...you deserve a good rest.

HAPPY VALENTINE DAY....may everything beautiful happen to you on this Valentine.

Winter wonderland in Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Wed, 8 Feb 2012 12:18:00 +0200

Istanbul is normally linked to the beautiful historical and unique buildings, the invigorating hamam, the vibrant and friendly people, the rosary carrying men and to a certain degree, the elegant and colorful scarved women and fezes (tarboosh) hats. Now, throw away your perceptions and try to picture instead Istanbul gone all white, covered with snow! Aha...not that easy,huh?

Istanbul (or rather Turkey) is now experiencing the coldest weather in 35 years! At its lowest, the temperature dipped to -7C degree but elsewhere in Turkey has recorded a biting -25C degree! To some, this might be a norm and i had a friend in Canada who went camping in the forest at -40C degrees, but even at zero degree, i think i'm already having a brain freeze!!

The beauty of winter in Istanbul is that, the temp. do not remain the same everyday. Last Saturday, it recorded a warm 15C degree while the day before,it was -3C degree!Yeah..how could the temp. changed so drastically? Compared to the British weather, it's a bit better. Why? In England, you can have four (4) seasons in a day. The temp. will change drastically within the same day. However,in Istanbul, its pretty consistent. If the day started as raining, trust me...it will be raining the whole day. And if it's sunshine, it will remain that way for the rest of the day.

And..the weather forecast is accurate,too. You can bet your life on it...at least for the 3 day forecast.

Thanks to the wonder of technology. I remember when we were students in England, we used to make fun of the British weather forecast. It has an accuracy of maybe 10%. And how we mocked at Terry Wogan (of BBC 2 then) by saying that he just went out of his office, put out his finger to feel the air and made his weather forecast...he he. Good ole Terry,we love you,though.

Istanbul is not affected too much with the freezing sub zero, thanks to the Bosphorus. The cold wind and fronts coming from Russia is normally 'neutralized' by the Bosphorus and hence that explains why Istanbul and the areas closed to Bosphorus is warmer compared to other places. Aha..I know, we blame Russia for everything!

I was curious to see how the grand Dame Hagia Sophia would look like covered with snow and went to take some photos. I was mistaken in thinking that the place would be tourist-free (in this weather). The tren (train) was jam-packed with tourist though I haven't a clue as to where they were going. I noticed that they are many Arab tourists here now and you can tell them by the dozens of shopping bags that they carry. I think they are here for the shopping as its still a Sales season. They don't seem to mind the cold weather ....maybe they have mink coats underneath their shawl???

Istanbul's traffic was brought to a gridlock during the blizzard. Many people were stranded and schools were closed for a few days. Those who managed to reach their office did so by walking as the cars, busses and trains were not able to continue with their journey. (Photo from HurriyetDailyNews)

Waiting for the buses to take them to work, home or shops. Even then, there is no guarantee that they can reach the destination on time, if at all. Moments like this, you feel like giving a bouquet of flowers to the bus driver! (Photo from HurriyetDailyNews)

An aerial view of Istanbul (new city) in white. (Photo from HurriyetDailyNews)

My village (Tarabya) is still white and cold, despite being so near to the Bosphorus. Its eerily quiet,too.

Acibadem ( Bitter Almond) Hospital. It is now owned (majority) by a government-linked company from my country. Been there couple of times and this is one (private) hospital where I don't see many patients or activities going around. When you step into the building, you can't help noticing how 'deserted' and quiet the hospital is. Maybe because its charges are relatively high, starting at TL250 for normal consultation. Oh...and IBO (Ibrahim Tatlises) was treated here before being sent to Germany.

Along the Bosphorus. You'll be surprised to know that there are still anglers doing their favorite pastime, fishing !!

Bosphorus at its quietest. I had waited for the snow to melt first before making this trip. In doing so, I lost the chance to take the photo when the area was really covered in thick snow..sigh..

Modern Museum. Normally a busy venue for many tourists.

Going towards the Old City. Can you see the Topkapi Palace on top of the hill? Its a different scenario now, almost everything is in white. and the sun is sadly missing.....

The Grand Dame Haghia Sophia in winter. It is still majestic, even from any angle or condition she is subjected to. Actually, I now see the rationale behind the quarter dome. It is more efficient compared to pitched roofs. And more beautiful in winter.

The park fronting the Hagia Sophia. The tourists were not many here but they were many in the train. I wonder where did they go during this cold weather? Maybe they all went to the Grand Bazaar.....aha, that makes sense.

Yeah..I know, she does looks lonely and deserted....for NOW! When the sun comes out and the snow has melted, she'll be the envy of many again.

The Sultan Ahmet Mosque also cuts a lonely figure now. There are no more admirers on the bench to soak in the beauty of this masterpiece. I wish I had come here sooner during the heavy snow so that the view would be whiter and nicer. I had waited for the snow to melt before coming here, for an obvious reason! I could see that it must have been prettier when the snow was thicker.....my loss...opportunity like this don't come often. Will try again when its snows.

The Sultan Ahmet Mosque....still is beautiful, isn't she?

Too cold to stop and admire the beauty.....gotta go to the kebab shop and eat that shish kebab beside the Grand Bazaar...oohh..best in the world !!

Times like this, we must not forget our feline friends...how are they surviving in this weather?

Hagia Sophia...she is still beautiful, yes?

Another take of the Grand Dame, Hagia Sophia. Cool...

More people are beginning to arrive....

This year snow and blizzard has caused lots of havoc in the Eastern Europe region with Ukraine being the worst hit. More than 200 people have died in Ukraine and the temp. is still at -35C degree! Even Spain is not spared. I just find it strange to see palm trees covered in snow...

I still think she's beautiful...even when covered with snow and with the sun missing....but then again, maybe I'm biased.

My neighbor putting on final touch on the Snowman. That's one lovely and cheerful snowman.....Bravo !!

and here goes the hand.....she's good...don't you think?

My son's version of a Snowman (indoor) !!

Frozen garden and frozen swimming pool. wait a little while and I can ice-skate on it..yipee...

the snowman snowed over.....

I'm not sure how long the cold snap will be but as I write this, its has started snowing again. And I could hear the strong wind (35 kph) rattling at my doors and windows. Maybe I'll hibernate for a while till the snow thicken again and go take photos of the Hagia Sophia again. Or..Plan B, I can just hibernate and thaw my brain out of the brain freeze. Err...now, where was I.....

Footnote :

On a warmer topic, we had steamboat for Chinesse New Year lunch over the weekend and it was great fun. Its so much fun eating steamboat when the temp. is dipping. For those who do not know what steamboat is....its a meal where you dip and cook your own ingredients in the chicken or other flavoured broth which is put in a big pot for you to cook. Its similar to the Japanesse Shabu-shabu but with more and varied ingredients. Its delicious...especially when had among friends....

Keeping warm with Steamboat with homemade fish balls and Rendang and Curry..Afiyet Olsun!

Sweet Sensation at The Four Seasons @Bosphorus in Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Thu, 5 Jan 2012 23:13:00 +0200

How time flies...we are almost entering the second month for the year and it felt only yesterday when we welcomed 2012 with a bang! Well...plenty of bangs,actually!! And what do you know...I have already broken my resolution for 2012....to live healthily and stay fit at all time! In fact...gosh,I am soo embarrassed to admit this, I broke it a few hours after going into the new year...sob sob, I am soooo NOT making another one next year!

So..you may ask, what made me let go of my resolution so early and so easily? Well....what would you do if it happened to you (rhyme with the song "It's my party"). Rule # 1, you should never ever celebrate New Year with a Brunch. Rule # 2, Celebration and Resolution involving food must never mix.

Ok ok..enough suspense already....I lost to the "most sinful and most tempting" deserts at the Four Seasons@Bosphorus Hotel in Istanbul. I shall demonstrate to you the artistic display of the magnificent, tasteful and obviously sinful feast to the eyes as well as the palate....and you'd be the judge to it. Perhaps you would then understand how I could lose my control so shamelessly. Ah hah!

This hotel is sitting right on the Bosphorus and is next to the Dolmabahce Palace and the Kempinski Ciragan Hotel. I have mentioned the Dolmabahce Palace,yes? Now..Ciragan (pronounced Jira'an) is the Rolls Royce of all hotels in Istanbul and the cheapest room rate is about Euro600, the last I checked. Why? Its in the furnishings, as it maintains most of the rooms based on the splendid Ottoman palaces...you get my drift? That..and other things, remember, Turks are very warm and hospitable people and these would be reflected in the services. So...you would not complain of the thousands of Euros that you would have to pay for such wonderful stay.

Now, when I had my Brunch there, services at the Four Seasons was fantastic! I could swear that not less than five (5) waitresses and chefs served us at our table. Someone even went to our friend's parked car to retrieve a stroller when one of the babies fell asleep! And no request was too much to any of them. It felt almost like as if we were dining at home among friends and family members. The line between patrons and hosts very quickly dissolved and ohh...boy......I must admit, I've never seen such friendly staffs and such great services before! Not even from my vast travel from all over the world. One must really make it a point to go and stay or dine at this hotel, at least....once in your lifetime!

The view of Four Seasons from the Bosphorus. It looks deserted and not so appealing because it has just stopped raining. But you can actually feel the tranquility and the magic of staying in this centuries old building. It would even look better in summer when the trees are green and the flowers are blooming!

Its almost sunset at 4.30pm and garden looks very peaceful indeed. Can you imagine having a wedding reception here, especially during summer? Yes...many such weddings took place here and the scenery would be breathtaking......have you booked with your "wedding planner" already?

How cool can it be? Waiting for the boat to take you to your destination.....to the Anatolian (Asian side), to Eminonu for more shopping at the Old City or simply leisure cruise and if you are up to it...with dinner on the cruise as well, right from the doorstep of your hotel. No traffic jam, no hassle and NO worries !!

Its just like being in Venice...you jump into a boat to go places. What a lovely way to spend your holiday. Can you see the Bosphorus Bridge in the background? It would be more interesting at night when this bridge (and its twin, The FSM koprusu) is lighted up in different colors.

I forgot to ask if these tiles ( on the floor) are centuries old or recently added to the building but it certainly is an interesting piece. I think I know now what to put in my house when I start to re-furbish it..hmmmm

I noticed that the porcelain items here are even more eye-catching than the pieces you can get from The Grand Bazaar. They are really exquisite and beautiful pieces but I didn't check the prices. A good piece could set you off for more than TL1000. It depends on the color, the quartz used and of course....where it originate from. If its from Iznik...then you are getting top pieces and would cost considerably more...but you'll be most definitely be buying a piece of history as Iznik almost don't produce anymore. Most items are now made in Khutahya.

Other beautiful collections that caught my eyes....you really need to scrutinize and zoom in on the details of each and every one of them to see the real beauty of it. Even the colors could tell you the date when it was made. Centuries ago, the Ottoman empire sent many of their craftmen to China to learn the art of porcelain making. Compared to the Chinesse porcelains, Turkish collections are normally unglazed and have the distinct blue and/or turquoise which is due to the clay used in Iznik and its near regions. And each motif tells a story and its age. Ha ha..you'd never thought a humble plate or bowl could tell you so much,huh? Go raid your grandma's cabinet to hunt for those priceless antique bowls....who knows, you can buy a mansion by Batu Feringhi in Penang after selling it!!

Of course, my highlight today is the "sweet indulgence". Desserts were conspicuously absent on the buffet table and we were wondering why was it not in the spread. And...you guessed it, nobody wanted to go and ask why! Until we saw the table next to us...brimmed to the full with those colorful "object of desire" and staring at us....OMG! So we eventually asked how to get those beauties. Aha..turned out that they were waiting for us to finish our meal before they make the "grand entree" with those exquisite tiny pieces of "heaven-sent". They came in different sizes, shapes, taste and indulgence. So....would you still blame me for being sooo weak ??? Huh....I thought not!

Now...this is what I meant ......The Sin !! Afiyet Olsun !

All the colors....shapes...and temptations...each temptations are a heaven-sent that melt in your mouth and will melt any "broken heart"......if you had any..ha ha.... see the colorful candle holder? These guys were just stunned and could not decide on which pieces to jump into. Did somebody said calories? What calories ...... ?

To top up our day, the shushi chef turned out to be from Bali Island and he obliged us with 'Nasi Goreng' and 'Mee Goreng'...out of the normal spread and "on the house". That would translate to free "Fried Rice and Fried Noodle". And..wait for it, you may think that I'm biased but I can easily vouch that its the tastiest Nasi Goreng that I've ever had! And my fellow countryman agreed,too. Thank you Sumerta, it was great to meet someone who could understand our gourmet preferences.. Serefe !!

Sumerta, the "shushi" chef from Bali Island who disappeared into the kitchen and came out with the delicious Nasi Goreng and Mee Goreng for us! How nice......I now have someone to teach me how to make tempe (fermented soya cake)...something that I've been meaning to learn. Terima kasih Sumerta.....

With the rest of the guests...before the "dig-in".....

Sophie (in white) and Melanie seems oblivious to the display....but then again, Steve Jobs did a good job of distracting our children from the world, with his iPad and all. Noticed the concoction in the "glass tube" in the foreground? he..he..those aren't poison or chemicals, those are pure fruit juices! they lined the glass tubes at the entrance and I initially thought we were having chemistry lesson afterwards. They looked so "lab-type" that it took me a while to realise that they were actually juices.

Macaron with a twist,or should I say..fruit tart. Sophie couldn't decide what to make of it. should she eat it or just look at it? When I first met 5 year old Sophie last year, she was telling me about the Tsunami in Japan and its nuclear reactor catastrophies. I thought that was a heavy subject for such a young girl but then it hit me. All natural or man-made disasters in the world will have an effect on our children and their children, of course they need to know about it! We are responsible in handing over a GOOD earth to them. All of us have a part to play. So dear readers...please teach others to make this earth a better and safer place for the NEXT generations...that would be my APPEAL to you for this year.

Ahh..did I say candles? No...they are actually dondurma ( ice-cream) in a tea-light candle stand. How original can that be? The Turks are really creative people. You just need to watch their advertisement (printed or on TV) to realise this. Most advertisements are really creative and out-of-the box creations.

To all Chinese of the world .... Gong Xi Fa Cai...Happy New Year ! May this "water dragon" year bring us everything wonderful, vibrant and full of prosperity. May these vibrant RED flowers bring in all the LUCK in the world that we wish and hope for. Do have a great 2012 !!!

It was a good New Year celebration....even though we knew that we had all packed a few extra kilos by the time we left...but hey......who's complaining ??!!

Actually, I didn't intend to write this piece but during the recent Chinese New Year meeting here, I met with a GM of a 5 Star hotel that's going to open its door late this year! Also on the Bosphorus. Talking to him made me realised that it would be another great hotel and his planning and ideas for the hotel is very interesting and exciting but I can't tell you yet till I have his consent. Maybe when it opens its door, i shall make a review on it. Meanwhile, this is my piece on The Four Seasons. Its a great a hotel to stay at whenever you're in Istanbul......enjoy !!!!!

Footnote :

Desserts of a different kind. We were having 'high-tea" in my country when we were told that the buffet spread was closing in 5 mins. So...that explains the 'massive and big spread' that we had. Ahh...that's what these ladies want you to believe he he. Phew..I hope I explained that well..Kak Shahid and Rita, you owed me one !!!

Mutlu Yillar!! Happy New Year .....from Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (A.Zuraini) — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 09:08:00 +0200

I know....its been a long time since my last posting. Maybe its a writer's block, maybe it's a heavy heart but I needed sometime to get back on my normal track of mind. You see..I lost someone very dear to me recently and I refrained from writing out of respect for him and also..I needed time to get over my grief. Lets pray that God will bestow upon him all good things and place him in heaven. Amen.

I, however, have penned a little something that I wish to share with you, dear readers....on a loving memory of my dear late father. I know, every father is special...and so was mine......he was a good man, not because he was my father, but because people told me so. Here's to you, dad.....Thank You, dad

So...how was your new year celebration? Very Explosive? Sure...i think we spent almost billion of dollars throughout the whole world to welcome 2012...with fireworks.

Turkish do not celebrate Christmas (Noel) and Christmas day is not even a public holiday here. However, New Year is celebrated with much jubilation and people will exchange presents on New Year. And I would always get the delicious 'Assure' porridge from my Landlord and incidently, he also had us with him for this year New Year's dinner. Serefe !!!

Istanbul New Year's Eve 2012 Fireworks Live Stream Bosphorus Webcam

Downloaded from http://www.myworldwebcams.com/new_year/istanbul.html

istanbuldinnercruises.com

604 × 374 - Happy New Years Eve 2012 - Google Images

murrtravel.com.lb

621 × 349 - New Year celebreation in Istanbul - Google Images

newyearistanbul.com

500 × 400 - New year Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise, New Year - Google Images

YILBASI - worldbulletin.net - Google Images

globaltableadventure.com

800 × 533 - New Year's greeting from 1900.Fireworks in Istanbul, Turkey - Google Images

People watch the “Pergamon: Panorama of the Ancient Metropolis” panorama created by artist Yadegar Asisi at an exhibition in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. (PHOTOREUTERS, FabrIzIo Bensch) New Year’s Day is traditionally a day for looking back at the past, and looking into the future.
Todayszaman - Read More HERE

This year, I didn't go out to celebrate tho' there were many celebrations at Taksim, Besiktas and other places. Just watched the fireworks from my balcony. It was too cold and I was weary of the 'tense' situation arising out of the accidental killing of the kurds in eastern Turkey. Times like this, I figured it safer to stay away from public places and celebration. Just in case...if you get my drift....yeah...I'm too careful, but you can never be too careful actually. You just need to pay attention and be sensitive to your surroundings, that's all. Then, you can leave the rest to fate.

At the stroke on midnite on New Year, Istanbul rocked with several fireworks displays and cannon sounds!! It was as if you were in a battlefield....but it really lifts your spirit and brightened up the night.

Lets just pray that 2012 will be a better year, will see better improvement and will bring peace, joy, wealth and happiness to each and everyone of us. Life is too short actually....so, lets fill 2012 with positive things and thoughts, improve the quality of our and our neighbor's lives and do our part to make this world a better place to live in.....Amen !!!!!!

Istanbul crowds welcome new year

New Year Celebration Around The world - Hurriyet Daily News