Childhood games of the times past Day 7

I get nostalgic thinking of the times when children played on the streets, enjoyed their afternoons with friends and still managed to do their duties. I loved it when I was little! Nowadays we drive them everywhere, organize (!) play-dates, drag them to every possible afternoon activity as soon as they've spoken appreciatively about a sport/art/music...

Istanbul's neighbourhood of Fethiye, being poor, still sees free roaming children playing with whatever they find and whomever is around. There a little boy is happily playing with a smug little girl, not worrying about tomorrow or his credit running out on the online game he got hooked on lately. Yap, these two indeed play some Childhood games of the times past.

Street food ambiance can sometimes beat any restaurant Day 6

Ah, the kumpir in Ortakoy! Smelly (the thing is a big potato with many extras from sauces to veggies to... well almost anything), loud (the vendors of course, a chance of beating the competition seems to become more and more tangible to them when decibels soar) and funny (ups, for me. In my language potato is called krompir and the Turkish name for the thingy sounds like a toddler trying to speak with mouth full of sticky toffee) yet enjoyed as delicacy by appreciative locals.

3 young, modestly dressed girls enjoyed their portions today in Ortakoy. With the view of the beautiful Ortakoy mosque, Bosporus bridge, Asian side palaces across, passing ships and the flowing waters of Bosporus itself, this setting is hard to beat. There comes today's title Street food ambiance can sometimes beat any restaurant.

Bon Appetit! Don't worry if you haven't eaten just now, Turks say it all the time - before and after the meal :-D

Merry Christmas from Istanbul Day 5

Seeing today is the day of Christmas eve (most important for my Roman Catholic roots) I could not avoid this subject, could I? ;-D

Oh, yes, if I would have to name the most impressive church I ever saw, it would definitely be the Holy Wisdom (that's what Ἁγία Σοφία means!). Well, hmmm, slight hiccup - I can say that only after digging deep into my imagination. Yap, the structure seen today is very impressive and to imagine that it's from 530s, was build in just few years, designed by mathematician and physicist and ended up (after a minor mishap of collapsed dome due to an earthquake) having the interior height of 55.6m - wow!! 

Yet I'm hard pressed to really, really picture it as it was - with its 15m high silver iconostasis, the golden dome seemingly rendered weightless by unbroken arcade of 40 arched windows under it and the golden mosaics on the walls and vaults... Just a few remain today and a part of one is today's photo Merry Christmas from Istanbul!

The sad story is that the Latin Crusades vandalized it (as well as the rest of the city, where do you think the horses from San Marco in Venice come from?!) in 1204 - oh yes, including the golden mosaics depicting the saints, Holy Mary, Jesus... Then it ended up converted into a mosque, grew 4 minarets, acquired a mihrab and minbar not to mention the huuuuuuge circular wooden plates bearing the names of prophets in Arabic.

Now I close my eyes and its former glory is not glowing fully even then. I cannot imagine its magnificence. Judging by the mosaics it was out of this world.

These are still the songs unsung Day 4

Ended up in one of the biggest Ottoman era graveyards today. Far from being creepy these places resemble more an open air museum than the last resting place. The gravestones are fascinating works of art and are sometimes breathtakingly beautiful. Surprisingly they're scattered all over - following absolutely no pattern - some of them askew, some of them fallen, some others pilled up... I've been told that this is the result of a firm belief that the soul has moved on after 7 years, which leaves room for another body to be buried in that place, discarding the previous stone somewhere near by.

Some of the gravestones resemble human shape and "wear" hats, fes, turbans. Some are decorated with flower patterns, very often incredibly intricate ones. Some just bear inscriptions in Arabic which to me resemble songs. Therefore today's title is These are still the songs unsung - a melancholic melody for the spirit free.

30 TRillion or 30 million lira Day 3

Day 3 was tough!!! I just did not expect to experience a setback so early in the project. I barely managed to find a shot OK enough to post! Not much interesting stuff and lots of ruined photos due to people jumping in front of my lens *sigh*

Finally I decided on this guy. He's one of the lottery ticket sellers that Istanbul is full of these days. The title of this photo 30 TRillion or 30 million lira is a marketing gimmick many of them use. They try to stand out in any possible way attracting attention to themselves with noise, flashing lights, weird costumes, seriously: anything. It's such a laugh!

Happy little shopper from the Bazaar alias The freedom of the little girls Day 2

A sweety pie for today.. a Happy little shopper from the Bazaar. Enjoying the outing with her parents, she looked so content. This is just after she got a little present. Her mother and older sister were completely covered and very modest but she is still allowed the flamboyant freedom of a little darling doll. Dressed mainly in pink, with the jewelry and flower details on her fur-like coat plus the bokeh in the back ground she reminds me of the joy of Xmas shopping.

Intense start Day 1

Enjoyed chasing the unsuspecting subjects around Galata bridge today. Being Sunday meant that there were many ;-D

One of the most interesting aspects of Turkish culture are the headscarves. Nope, I'm not going to go into political ideas concerning pro and contra. I meant interesting as in versatility and decorative imagination of the women forced or choosing to don them.

I love her headscarf. I also love the intensity of her facial expression and have (you might say predictably) titled it The intensity of motherhood.