Spring has come to Istanbul and it has brought many visitors from the States. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the chance to welcome my parents, close family friends, and good friend Tori from Vermont. It’s the perfect time of year to tour Turkey, with cool temps a decent chance of sunshine, and tulips in bloom!
Tulips are a big deal here. They are displayed in mosaics on sidewalks (see the icon of this blog), embroidered on textiles, and – as I’ve come to find – blanket Istanbul parks and medians from April through May.
Tulips were brought from Turkey to Holland in the 1500s. It is suspected that bulbs were first transported from Turkey to Austria by an ambassador of the Hapsburg Empire (Marie Antoinette’s fam). In Vienna, botanist Carolus Clusius worked to develop the tulip. Clusius then brought the tulip to the Netherlands after he was named director of the botanic gardens at Leiden University.
After arriving in Istanbul, I had heard rumor of a must-see tulip garden called Emirgan Park. When my parents confirmed their visit for April, I knew I would take my mom to see it.
Once we entered the park, the gorgeous tulips surrounded us. Given the limited time that the tulips are in bloom, all of Istanbul turned out to take advantage of the beautiful weather. Families set up picnics and photo shoots to enjoy the good vibes.
The garden visit was a nice bookend to our trip to Amsterdam back in 2018. Really special to host family here in Istanbul and thankful to those willing to make the trip.
Touring around Istanbul was loads of fun but we also had other plans just across the Aegean. To be continued…
Spring is rapidly approaching and with it comes the annual Grade 12 Art Exhibition. Most of my Grade 12 students are aiming for an International Baccalaureate diploma, the Visual Arts component of which includes curating and presenting artwork from two years of focused study.
Exhibition text, curatorial rationales (artist statements), and 8-12 polished artworks are all requirements of the IB Exhibition. I also request that they create their own flier and invitations. Months of planning and preparation goes into the show. Last week we had the chance to see the fruits of that labor.
Students study printmaking, photography, and ceramics over the course of Year 1 in Visual Arts. In Year 2, they choose the media and the subject of the art they create.
With eight students showing, the exhibition took up two levels including the school foyer and the upper hallway. We expanded the event into a week-long showcase, allowing more of our PreK – Grade 12 student body to attend.
On Tuesday, we held an opening at lunchtime. Parents, teachers, and students were in attendance. My students chose representatives amongst themselves to give remarks and I said a few words celebrating their efforts. I was very pleased with the parent turnout, particularly as our school is so far out of town.
Events like this aren’t possible without the support of the school facilities team and our administrators, one of whom even stayed late on a Sunday to oversee the installation of the large boards. I am very lucky to have that kind of support.
All in all, the IB Exhibition was a great success. The students put in a lot of hard work and brought their visions to life. Only two more weeks left with this group! Lots to do before then but this was definitely a feather in their cap 🙂
In seeking cool experiences in foreign cities, I often turn to AirBnb Experiences. There I find entrepreneurial guides who are passionate about sharing their cities, their art forms, and their cultures. It’s also a great way to meet other travelers, which can be a real joy when traveling solo.
Living in Istanbul, there is are cultural experiences everywhere I turn. I’m only too aware of all there is to explore and I’m always looking for access points into the many neighborhoods and pockets of the downtown area. Spotting a Syrian food tour on AirBnb Experiences, I was immediately intrigued. There is a huge Syrian population in Istanbul but I knew little about their cultural traditions. After inviting a few friends along, we booked a Saturday night slot in Istanbul’s Fatih neighborhood.
Growing up, I really had little knowledge of Syria, it’s rich history dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. It’s capital, Damascus, is one the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Our tour guide, Yaman, hails from Damascus, having moved to Istanbul in 2013 seeking safety and security as a result of the Syrian Civil War, a result of the Arab Spring in March of 2011. We quickly learned that there are 600,000 Syrians registered in Istanbul, 3 million registered in Turkey on the whole. Please note that I say registered as the number is likely much higher than recorded. Syrian storefronts were once identifiable by their Arabic script (see pic above). Unfortunately, times have forced a change.
Our little group met in a park in Fatih – the four of us, two guys from Berlin, and Yaman, our tour guide. Fatih is a sprawling neighborhood perched upon one of the seven hills of Istanbul. It is home to a huge Syrian population, delicious restaurants and cafes, and the Fatih Camii (pronouced jaa-me), or the Fatih Mosque. A glorious structure rebuilt in 1771 after a devastating earthquake, it is known as the Conquerer’s Mosque (Fatih means conquerer). It is named for Mehmed the Conquerer, the Ottoman sultan who brought an end to the Byzantine Empire by conquering Constantinople in 1451 at the ripe old age of 21. We were welcomed inside the mosque and marveled at it’s gorgeous architecture. Out of respect, I did not take any photos inside.
By happenstance, our Syrian food tour was scheduled just prior to the start of Ramadan, or Ramazan, as it is called locally. During this month-long observation, practicing Muslims will head to the mosque for sundown prayers each evening. After, the grounds of the mosque will be flooded with people ending their fast by sharing food, known as iftar. Children run and play in the yard of the mosque and adults socialize, often for hours. This celebration can last into the wee hours of the morning, often until 4am when observers will eat their second meal of the day suhur before the call to prayer begins their fast once again. Many observant people of faith abstain from water during the day as well. These daytime hours are meant for reflection, prayer, and study of the Quran, the religious text of Islam.
As this is my first Ramadan in a country of predominantly Islamic faith, I’m observing new customs everyday. My dry cleaner closes unpredictably early to prepare to for evening prayers and breaking fast. Traffic jams up around 7:30pm each night as people make their way to the mosque. The nights are much more lively in my park as people are out socializing after evening prayers at the mosque. Many of my students have begun fasting, too. I’ve always had a few students do observe in international schools but, as Islam is more common in this area, it is lovely that they have more support here. It’s really lovely to see them wish each other the best in their fast.
But back to the food tour. Born of the agricultural traditions of The Fertile Crescent, Syrian food is hailed as some of the best fare in the entire world. I’m talking hummus, pita, yogurt, pickled vegetables, and falafel for starters. The people of ancient Mesopotamia were not messing around. The spices cultivated between the Tigris and Euphrates create the rich flavors of Syrian food we enjoy today. Find a 15th century map of the region below.
The first stop on our food tour was Buuzecedi Restoran. A well-known spot in Damascus, this restaurant has been opened by the owner’s son here in Istanbul. Yaman tells us this is common practice and you have to check to make sure there is a legitimate link to the original, not just a cousin cashing in on the name. This one definitely checks out.
The restaurant was bustling with pick up orders, families enjoying their evening meal, and a Syrian soap opera on the TV. Our hosts were extremely welcoming and inviting, plying us with a continuous stream of dishes. Peep that chickpea pile on the bottom left.
We sampled dishes containing olive oil, tahini, fava beans, and eggplant. We learned that Syrians typically do not make their own hummus, they purchase it locally. This is due to the need for the chickpea mixture to be cooked through the night, requiring a huge output of energy. It’s simply more cost and energy effective to purchase. I brought a container of this hummus home, truly the best I’ve ever tasted.
Below is my favorite dish by far – it’s called fatteh. Made from yogurt, toasted pine nuts, chickpeas, with bits of toasted pita mixed in, it was super hearty. As Syrians don’t generally drink liquid with their meals, we Westerners were already finding ourselves quite full.
We next visited a bakery called ZayarOglu. There we enjoyed more pita covered with delicious spices. My favorite topping was below right – a mixture called za’atar made up of herbs, sumac, sesame, and salt.
Finding room in our second stomachs for dessert, we wrapped up our tour with knafeh. A pastry soaked in syrup and layered with cheese, knafeh is both savory and sweet. Thanks to the shared international border, there are Turkish and Syrian versions of this dessert. Both were delicious.
As I write this, the food tour is on pause in observance of Ramazan. The opportunity to learn about culture from people as warm and welcoming as Yaman is truly invaluable. I’m so thankful to be able to explore these cultures (new to me) in my own city. Hope you enjoyed this visual feast. Up next, a different kind of feast for the eyes – the Grade 12 IB Exhibition 🙂 Take care and have a good week, everyone.
On a bit of a creative streak, I sought out a traditional Turkish paper marbling class this past weekend. Ebru (ay-brew) as it’s called, translates to marbling in Turkish. Popular during the Ottoman reign, ebru was born at the same time that paper was invented.
The technique of paper marbling dates back to the 9th and 10th centuries. As with so many artistic techniques found along the Silk Road, it’s country of origin is a bit murky. Geotags include Iran, Turkestan (a region of Central Asia, not a country), Japan, and China.
Know as اَبری (ah-bree) in Persian, the term refers to the cloud-like appearance of ink upon paper. Suspended above a bath of water mixed with gall (the substance found in an animal’s gallbladder), the inks cast colorful clouds, pushing upon each other as oil would in water. Keragin (seaweed powder) is added as a thickening agent. Today keragin is imported from the States.
The studio, Turkish Arts, lies just a stone’s throw from the Hagia Sophia. Founded by my wonderful teacher, Betül, the workshop space is perched five stories above the street. The view of the Bosphorus Strait over the rooftops was mystical on a rainy Sunday. Betül is an incredibly accomplished artist, having studied traditional arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Art University here in Istanbul. She makes it look so easy! I was thankful for her help correcting my posture, how I held the brush, and how much ink I added before squeezing the excess. The technique below is called peacock and surprisingly easy, achieved by using a series of combs running through the ink.
I spend a few hours in the studio, trying different techniques which varied from flower creation to the more abstract, which I enjoyed the most. Just as I enjoying cooking rather than the more precise baking, I enjoy making art when I can be loose and inventive.
As I worked, the beautiful sounds of Radyo Voyage filled the studio. A Turkish radio station which plays a diverse array of music from countries worldwide, it set a mood perfectly. Available worldwide via Radyo Voyage’s app and website, I would highly recommend.
There is a contemporary marbling technique called Spanish marbling or “drunken marbling”. Likely the result of a happy accident (as we say in the art world), Spanish marbling incorporates a crumpled piece of paper which is flattened and shifted in the bath to mimic waves on the sand. The effect is really beautiful and harder then it looks to achieve!
My favorite result was a twice-dipped piece (below right), the first dip made by my teacher and the second (the blobs) made by me. The colors don’t bleed in the process but the layering makes for stunning results. On the left, I applied the same technique – applying dots of ink to form circles which reduced in size. I then used a thin wire tool to push the ink towards the middle of the circle, forming petals of a flower.
As my time in the studio drew to a close, I placed each sheet of paper on a mesh drying rack. Betül turned on the heating unit above to help speed up the drying process. After lunch with the friend, I returned two hours later to pick up my finished papers. All in all, a beautiful experience I would love to share with future visitors.
Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia. For the sake of clarity, I’ll note that I’m talking about Georgia the country, not the state in the US. Georgia (pronounced Jorgia) borders Turkey to the east, about a two hour flight. Russia sits to the north and Georgia was formerly part of the USSR its break up in 1991. Over the centuries, Georgia has also been ruled by Iran and even the Mongols back in the 1200s. It’s a very fertile land with deep cultural influences, owing in part to its position as a Silk Road outpost.
Today Georgia is known for its delicious wine and hearty fare. Bourdain visited in his heyday (check out his episode here). A mountainous region, tourists travel to Georgia for the hiking, the history, and the hospitality. Georgians are, to make a broad generalization, an extremely warm and welcoming people – big smiles, quick wits, and deeply proud of their country’s independence.
February break is always a welcome reprieve for a teacher. A little calm before the storm of spring activities, exhibitions, exams, etc. This year, I took part in another VAWAA experience (Vacation With an Artist). Five years ago I travelled to Mallorca and completed a four day residency with a textile artist. This time, I spotted a ceramics master class in Tbilisi and knew I had to sign up. My friend and fellow art teacher, Michele, opted to join me.
We flew into Tbilisi on a route parallel to the Caucasus Mountains, of US census fame. It’s outdated now but I recall checking “Caucasian” many a time in my school days, though I’m now keenly aware of how odd this was, having no genetic relation to this area of the world. As is the deal with VAWAA, we booked our own accommodations and flights. I opted for a renovated studio off of one of Tbilisi’s beautiful Italian-style courtyards. The balconies themselves are works of art and many are being renovated to turn into hotels. Tourism is booming in Tbilisi.
On our first day in Tbilisi, we met Nato (pronounced Nat-o, a Georgian shorthand for Natalia). To know Nato is to meet Georgian culture face-to-face. Her passion for her country, the people, and its traditions is as rich as the palette of her studio projects. She cared deeply that our stay was as dynamic as possible and we could not have asked for a better host or master teacher. Below are my friend Michele (left) and teacher Nato (right) – her personality as bold as her beautiful jacket.
Nato’s clay studio, White Studios, is one of four studios she owns in Tbilisi, is located within the bowels of the Rustaveli National Theatre. This epic spot allowed us to hear the symphony play through the walls as we worked. On our first day, we spent time discussing what we would create, including jewelry and traditional Georgian glazing techniques. Nato was a font of knowledge, having perhaps singlehandedly resurrected the Georgian clay tradition after decades of Soviet automation. She is responsible for discovering and clarifying the white clay we used from Georgian soil.
We wasted no time diving in. Michele brought items from Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar to press into her clay. I was very taken with the green copper oxide technique which originated from Iran. Lots of experimentation and some small victories.
Over the course of the week, Nato treated us to Georgian food, recommended museums and other cultural must-sees, and even drove us out to Jvari Monastery, a 4th Century stone fortress commemorating Christianity’s arrival in Georgia. The country is unique in the region for its religion, surrounded by countries of Muslim practice.
Georgian food really deserves an entire blog entry of its own. When I lived in Moscow, if we went out for dinner it was most likely for Georgian fare. Robust, the food will give you the energy to survive the long winter in the mountains. Highlights include beans, savory cornbread (shaped like a donut below), pickled everything, and khachapuri (cheese-filled bread on the bottom right).
Georgia also has khinkali – essentially soup dumplings – with fillings that include beef, pork, salmon, or – my favorite – potatoes and spinach. Paired with Georgian wine (amber wines are popular right now), and you can see we clearly ate well. Georgia’s vineyards have become quite a destination as well. The country boasts over 200 commercial wineries, many of which provide accommodations and spa experiences.
In our downtime time during Tbilisi Week, we visited the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Books (respective pics below). I loved learning about the evolution of the artistic styles from the 20th to 21st centuries. And the murals on the ceiling of the Museum of Books were worth the visit (the museum was not super impressive itself, most likely because I cannot read Georgian script).
Back in the studio, we spread four days of learning over the course of the week. With clay, you need to factor in drying times and kiln firings. As an art teacher, it was a real treat to have someone else in charge of these logistics. Nato’s energy kept us excited and I tried sgraffito for the first time (bottom right). Etching into a layer of underglaze is definitely my new favorite technique and I’m looking forward to teaching my own students this practice in the fall.
All in all, we made a quite a lot of pieces in just a few days time (my spread is below left). We celebrated with a night out at a jazz club recommended by Nato. Tbilisi has a number of great jazz clubs to choose from including Konka Station, 1984, and Jazz Club Singer. Great vibes and talented musicians.
All too quickly, my week in Tbilisi came to an end. I would love to return and visit the mountains next time. There’s a felting tradition to explore and lots of beautiful hikes to monasteries as well. If anyone is inspired to visit, I would highly recommend doing so in the next few years as the city seems poised on the edge of a tourism boom. Can’t recommend the place enough. A great experience with warm and wonderful people. Until next time!
After a week spent teaching online, amidst the fallout from the earthquake along Turkey’s southern border, I needed to change it up. I decided to book a room in the Fatih neighborhood of Istanbul, close to a number of tourist sites. Despite having lived here for nearly 8 months, I haven’t made time to visit Istanbul’s crown jewels – the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. No time like the present.
After lunch downtown with friends, I took the tram to Eminönü. I headed downhill towards the banks of the Bosphorus and easily located Hotel Turkish House. As is customary in Turkey, I was offered chai (Turkish for “tea”) or coffee upon arrival. Having no immediate plans and knowing that it’s considered rude to refuse, I sat down to enjoy my chai in the hotel’s gorgeous entryway.
I was lucky enough to be joined by the hotel’s owner and designer, an architect from Turkey’s Izmir region. We quickly made conversation and she asked me where I was from and what had brought me to Turkey. She shared that she’s spent a little time in Cambridge, MA, and had even delivered her son to a camp in Maine outside Camden a number of years ago. A fascinating and accomplished person, it was wonderful to talk to her.
With the days staying lighter longer, I had my sights set on the Great Palace Mosaic Museum, just a short walk from my hotel. Turns out that the Great Palace wall abuts the hotel’s garden, fully visible from my room. It’s not everyday that you find a 6th Century Byzantine palace wall outside your hotel window. Turkey is full of amazing ruins existing side-by-side with contemporary life.
The mosaics at the museum were exquisite. Restorations had begun in the 70s and today we enjoy the mosaic floors and walls of the Palace created during the time of Justinian. It’s truly mind-blowing. A lot has been done to ensure that the colors don’t fade as they are unearthed.
Next I visited Sultanahmet and enjoyed watching the gulls circle the minarets of the Blue Mosque. With dome upon dome, the Blue Mosque is a sight to behold. It is just as stunning as it was when Brett and I first visited back in 2009.
Thanks to the lack of tourists in winter, I was able to walk right into the Hagia Sophia. This stunning building has changed job titles many times since its construction in 360 AD. It’s been a Greek Orthodox Church, a mosque, and a museum (which it was when I last visited Istanbul).
Today it is once again a mosque so I was asked to cover my head with my scarf. I also had to remove my shoes before entering the main prayer hall. It was just as beautiful as I had remembered – rivaling St. Isaac’s in St. Petersburg and St. Paul’s in London. A hush fell over the visiting crowd, respectful of those answering the afternoon call to prayer.
Upon exiting, I was feeling lucky so I popped across the street to the entrance of the newly renovated Basilica Cistern. Another hold over from the reign of Justinian, the Cistern once provided water to the Great Palace as well as the Topkapı Palace (a destination for another day). I could not believe my luck as I was able to walk right in after purchasing my ticket.
The mystical space features over 300 marble columns, lit by a rotating light show. The effect is both eerie and ethereal. Thanks to the late hour, I had the place nearly to myself and I was struck by sound of droplets hitting the water, falling from the ceiling thanks to condensation.
Winding my way around the space on a raised metal boardwalk, I took in the contemporary sculptures on display. Adding to the magical appeal, many sit partially submerged in the water of the cistern, lit from below. A not-to-miss experience in Istanbul, for certain.
As I tried to digest all of the history available in this one amazing city, I watched as the sky turned pink and orange – a signature Istanbul sunset. Making my way to the Arasta Bazaar (a minuscule, more tidy version of the Grand Bazaar), I admired the embroidered textiles on display.
My destination was Jennifer’s Hamam. Another not-to-be-missed destination in Istanbul, Jennifer’s is beloved by local ex-pats and tourists alike. The story goes that Jennifer, a Canadian woman living in Istanbul, travelled the Turkish countryside searching for traditional textiles and artisans. Dismayed at the generational loss of trained craftsman, she created a consortium of artists across the country and began producing gorgeous Turkish towels made of organic cotton, linen, and silk.
Featuring traditional patterns (my favorite is “baklava”), the tiny store is stocked floor to ceiling with the towels and garments. It’s incredibly high in quality and truly fun to get lost making choices. Jennifer employs an all Turkish staff and I was able to have a long chat with the two men working that day, checking in on their families in the earthquake region and getting their take on the situation as a whole. They were overwhelmed by the global response to Turkey’s cry for help – teams of volunteers arriving from countries as far reaching as Australia, Mexico, and Japan. We all had tears in our eyes, united by our shared humanity.
After a good night’s rest back at Hotel Turkish House, I crossed over to Istanbul’s Golden Horn for breakfast with friends. Stumbling upon the entrance by accident, I took the Tünel funicular up to Beyoğlu. In operation since 1875, it’s the second oldest underground urban railway in the world, bestest only by the London Underground. Another opportunity unique to Istanbul, I would highly recommend a ride.
I capped off my downtown stay with a Turkish breakfast at Privato. Nothing like sharing a Turkish breakfast with friends to help you slow down and appreciate the moment.
My time downtown helped refresh my outlook during a tough time but also reminded me of two things: First, that the kindness and generosity of the Turkish people is truly unmatched, even in the face of harrowing times. Second, that Istanbul is an incredibly dynamic city bursting of ancient and modern wonders. Now taking reservations for Fall 2023 😉
Let me start by saying that I am, once again, thankful to be safe and sound in my Istanbul apartment. We are in the middle of a storm which started on Saturday, bringing winds of over 80 miles per hour, along with rain, sleet, and snow. When extreme weather hits, the government sends out text message dispatches like the one below and I run them through Google Translate to understand (a very necessary app). Many flights and ferries have been cancelled but thankfully power lines in my suburb of Bahçeşehir are underground, ensuring that I am safe and warm.
If these past few months have been indicative of anything, however, it is the fragile state of affairs in this region of the world. Both natural and manmade disasters have plagued Türkiye, most recently in the form of powerful earthquakes in the southeastern portion of the country, in an area along the Syrian border. Syria and Lebanon have experienced great damage as well. This dispatch from the US Mission in Türkiye provides a brief overview.
If anyone wishes to contribute to relief funds, AKUT Search & Rescue Association is on the frontlines. They are a quality organization and accept donations in the form of USD, Euros, and Turkish lira.
As a result of these terrible events, Türkiye has entered a week-long period of mourning. My school is operating online and we will not return to the classroom until Monday. Various stores are closed and few cars are on the road. Considering that victims of the quakes are being brought to Istanbul hospitals, it is for the best that everyone stay home and let medical professionals do their important work.
Thankfully, I have friends and neighbors around me and we check in regularly. My furry companion is quite pleased to have daytime company, having created a little nest at the foot of my bed.
This morning has brought some glorious sunshine peaking through the clouds. It’s a bit startling, the beauty of the sun, knowing there is so much loss and pain a mere 500 miles to the southeast. It’s a grave reminder to be thankful for health and safety, and appreciate the little things. I certainly appreciate you for taking the time to check in and wish you a safe and peaceful week ahead.
Forgive the pun – as a teacher with two weeks left of school, my sanity is hanging by a thread! It’s hard to believe but 2022 is rapidly drawing to a close. Holiday parties abound and the weather here has shifted to grey skies with a near constant mist of rain. Reminds me of the fall I spent in Oregon. I’m excited to be headed back to Massachusetts very soon to see family and friends. My first fall in Turkey is nearly in the books.
Heading back to the States is always exciting. Spending time with loved ones, hiking familiar trails, and cozying up to watch the Pats all sound pretty great right about now. It’s also a great excuse to share treasures from my travels with the folks back home. And when you live in Turkey, there’s only one place to shop for literally anything you could ever dream of – Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar.
My friend Michele offered to show me around the marketplace this past Saturday morning. She’s lived here for ten years and knows the Bazaar like the back of her hand. I could not recreate our route if I tried! That’s Michele leading the way into the Eminönü marketplace in her yellow jacket. I’m sure you’d never guess that she, too, is an art teacher 😉 Birds of a feather.
The skies threatened as made our way through the continually narrowing streets. Turkish delights beckoned at every stall with each vendor selling their special mix of options. Piles of spices lined the aisles as well. Keep in mind, we’re not in the actual Grand Bazaar nor the Spice Bazaar – this is the stuff on the outside, ripe for the picking.
Small shops hawked everything you could possibly think of. There was the guy sharpening knives behind his little pushcart and a man attempting to carry bags and bags of rice on his shoulders down the cobblestone alleyways. Vendors called out cheerfully in English, easily identifying me as an American (I was with an Aussie and a Kiwi, odd man out). Must have been my Eddie Bauer raincoat (lol).
Multiple shops were overflowing with Christmas gear. Considering that 99% of Turkish people consider themselves to be Muslim, this was a bit unexpected. But we happily snapped up some glasses for the photo booth at the holiday party next weekend.
Possibly my favorite corner in the market contained all the paper goods and handmade paper stores one could ever need. I had a lot of fun picking out souvenirs for folks back home and it brought back good memories of shopping hanji in Namdaemun.
There were entire stores filled with only boxes, twine, and wrapping materials. Michele really took our tour to the next level when she brought us to the jewelry market. 6+ floors of shops dedicated to glass pieces, silver pendents, and strings-on-strings of beads.
This was peak sensory overload, as you might imagine. Michele adopted mosaics as her COVID handicraft and, with options like these, I can certainly see why.
There is an entire floor dedicated to yarn, probably a dozen shops in total. Macrame materials, cotton yarn, wool, organic yarn. If you name it, it exists on the upper level of the marketplace.
As Jenn knows, I’m not a huge fan of shopping as a past time so I tried to take this all in as sightseeing. It became harder to do as the morning wore on and the streets began to fill with people. Below is a moment of respite I found above the crowds, the landscape echoing the dusty rose palette of nearly everything here in Istanbul. There is beauty in the breakdown.
Please keep in mind that at no time did we actually enter the Grand Bazaar itself. That adventure will have to wait for another day. But this overload of color, texture, and noise was enough to brighten up this grey December morning which began with this view of the Bosphorus.
Some of you have asked, is life in Istanbul really as wonderful as it seems? The answer is not so black and white. Excursions like this one to the bazaar are not my everyday life, but they are within reach with the help of others. It would be possible to filter this blog like any other type of social media – often with rose-colored glasses. Be assured – I do see red when frustrations appear and they certainly do appear, just as they would in daily life anywhere. It’s an experiment in extremes at times. Expat life isn’t always easy and seemingly simple tasks can prove wildly challenging in a foreign language. But there’s a lot of beauty in this life, too. As someone recently reflected, you can let these things get to you or let them pass. Truly depends on the day but that’s my task as I begin to settle in to my home-for-now.
Thank you for following along with my journey! I hope to welcome many of you in person to this wild and wacky place in the coming years. As you can see, Moloko has launched a visitor campaign of her own, modeling the comfort and snuggle opportunities afforded by the guest room, now open for business.
As 2023 approaches, I want to wish you the best, wherever this holiday season may find you. Whether with relatives or chosen family or both, I hope this December brings you all the blessings of the season and, perhaps, renewed hope for the year to come. Please take care and I’ll catch you on the flip side!
It has been another eventful week here in Turkey. On Tuesday morning, just after 4am, I awoke to my bed shaking and my Thai chimes ringing in the living room. My chimes were slamming against the wall so it only took about two seconds to realize we were having an earthquake.
Thankfully I had been warned about earthquakes when I first arrived so I was prepared. I paid a carpenter to “earthquake-proof” my apartment, drilling into the concrete bedroom walls to prevent the heavy wardrobes from tipping over. I purchased a stockpile of water (enough for three days was the recommendation) to keep in my apartment, should I be stuck inside. I also packed a “go-bag”, a practice I had put into place during some of the more tense moments in Moscow, when I had to anticipate possibly leaving the country suddenly. The items below are part of the contents of my go-bag.
Thankfully, this earthquake was fairly benign. Centered 250 km due east in Duzce, it registered a 6.0 but was thankfully shallow. While that region experienced a number of aftershocks in the hours and days which followed, life went on as usual here. The chatter on my morning bus ride to school was more excited than usual. Most of my students seem to have slept through it, according to my informal classroom polls. Unlike the bombing the week prior, my school didn’t feel the need to issue any community statement. CNN didn’t even carry the story due to a lack of injuries (thankfully) compared to a fatal Indonesian earthquake only days before. And though my toaster has twice blown the electricity in my entire apartment, there were no further issues following this event. Here’s hoping that this is the last exciting event for a while. Pictured below, a slightly shell-shocked kitten in the early morning hours, not thrilled to have experienced her first earthquake.
On a lighter note, World Cup fever has gripped our community. With 60+ countries represented in our student body, the kids are passionate about watching the matches and talking constant smack in class. We’re streaming Iran vs. Wales in study hall and national jerseys are worn with pride daily. Football is life in Europe and Turkey is no exception. The last time I enjoyed the World Cup in Europe was at TASIS when we let the campers stay up to watch Spain beat the Netherlands in 2010. Waka waka.
Piggy-backing on all that national pride, my school celebrated International Day on Saturday. A flag parade was announced and a lot of delicious food was served. Students who don’t normally engage were happy to help their parents out at their national booths. The event, like the World Cup, spurred a lot of conversation entry points with my students, and I heard about family moves to Turkey from Ethiopia, Morocco, and Iran in recent days. The majority of my students are very privileged to have made this jump and be attending a private international school.
Capping off International Day, I watched a new film on Netflix called The Swimmers. Premiering just this weekend, the film details the harrowing journey of two sisters from Damascus, Syria, through Istanbul and onto mainland Europe (Greece) by boat. We hear about refugees arriving on Greek islands in the news, Ai Weiwei creates art installations from the hundreds of thousands of life preservers abandoned on the beaches, but to observe this film, based on the true story of Olympian Yusra Mardini (Rio 2016), is wild. The pics below are my own taken from Ai Weiwei’s installation in Copenhagen in 2017.
“It could never happen here”, a phrase uttered all too often in this tumultuous world should be a warning to us all. As a US citizen, with only two countries bordering my own and vast oceans protecting me from international invasions, I will admit to being very naive of my privilege. This movie breaks down those walls, painting a picture to how quickly people can be forced into refugee situations and in my own backyard here in Turkey.
Today I’m headed down to Fatih, the neighborhood which encompasses Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. It’s hard to believe but I’m on the hunt for Christmas presents, my flight home being less than three weeks away. Always fun to share the treats of a new place with those back home. As always, thanks for reading and I wish you all a safe and healthy start to December.
Greetings from Istanbul. The mood is decidedly despondent after yesterday’s tragic events. If you have not yet heard, there was an explosion on a very popular shopping street downtown. Six people were killed and nearly 80 others wounded. It was a picture perfect fall day with shoppers and families out enjoying the surprising November warmth. The events of yesterday brought back the not-so-distant memory of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. Another glorious day ripped apart by an act of senseless violence.
Before this terrible event unfolded, I took a little weekend adventure on the other side of the Bosphorus Strait. Istanbul is one of the only cities in the world that spans two continents and I hadn’t yet made it to the Asian side. With that in mind, I made a last minute AirBnB booking and Googled ferry departures.
There is a ferry terminal is located just off my main bus line, making for an easy transit. The ferry ride itself cost all of 80 cents and I was treated to a few stops on opposing sides of the canal before we moved into the open channel of the Bosphorus.
The Bosphorus Strait is over two miles wide at parts, giving the illusion of the open ocean at times. There was light chop on the water as the seagulls drafted our wake. Wooden benches lined the top deck and vendors rolled through, deftly brandishing tea in traditional glass cups, their sea legs the result of thousands of crossings over their lifetime.
We steamed for Kadıköy, a popular port neighborhood once home to prehistoric settlements of civilization. Today it’s a hot spot for nightlife, hipsters, and rich retirees – though they have mostly moved over to Moda, the calmer neighbor to the south. I found my sixth floor walk up and set up to enjoy the sunset from the rooftop.
I could hear the roar of the crowd from the football (soccer) stadium just over the hill. Day drinkers were hitting their stride and restaurants were beginning to set up on the streets below.
Kadikoy has a vibe all its own – very free spirited and relaxed. I checked out a record store and a few bookshops before meeting up with some friends from school who took a water taxi over from downtown. The restaurant scene appears to be pretty fabulous in Kadıköy, where you can find anything from Italian to Ottoman.
On Sunday, I awoke early to explore the neighborhood of Moda. With the bars only recently shuttered, I had the sunrise all to myself. Just me and the sea gulls.
Walking the perimeter of Moda, I met many a cat living in the rocks of the breakwater and watched the massive tankers on maneuvers out in the strait. Making my way back to Kadikoy’s ferry terminal, I boarded a boat bound for Karikoy to meet friends for brunch.
The morning couldn’t have been more glorious and my sweater was plenty warm despite the mid-November date. The gulls bobbed and weaved, occasionally flying between the posts on top deck while matching course and speed.
We sailed past the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, each lit up by single beams of sunlight as if on a movie set. I reveled in Istanbul’s beauty, on full display against the backdrop of a true blue autumn sky.
After docking, I made my way up to Galata Tower to enjoyed brunch with some new friends. We happily swapped stories of our respective weekends and enjoyed yet another delicious Turkish breakfast.
My thoughts are with the loved ones of those lost yesterday. Those who commit acts of terror wish to sow fear, to fracture relations and turn us against one another. But they will not keep me from exploring this city which I am growing to know, this culture I am only beginning to understand.
The Turquoise Chronicles 