Christianity in Istanbul

Three down and a few more to go...

The first two here are of the Church of St. George. In short this is the principal cathedral of the Orthodox Church and the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch (the head honchos). I cannot wait to go back to this place with my new camera!


These next four pictures are of the Church of St. Savior in Chora. It is a bit out of the way, but the breathtaking mosaics make it worth the trip (yes, these are mosaics, not paintings, that you see)! It is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of a Byzantine church.

Consumption

Among the first questions I always receive is, “What surprised you most about moving to France?” or “What do you not miss about living in the United States?” My answer to both of these questions is “consumption.” It is difficult to explain to Americans how different daily life is when norms for consumption are completely different. As an American living in the States (with strong values of conservation and moderation) I thought I knew the meaning of “doing without” and “living simply” but at the end of the day it was a choice I made. Because, really, if there was anything I wanted, it would be available immediately and at an affordable price. I have found that in France this is NEVER the case, with the exception of a few things like cheese, yogurt, chocolate and wine.

Case in point :-) One of the first items I set out to purchase in France were paper towels. I searched and searched the store, not finding any. Then finally, I found them, but there was only 1 choice (I was expecting an entire aisle), and this one option cost the equivalent of $6 USD for a roll of 6. I made up my mind right then that I would use these carefully. I got home and placed one of the rolls in my American sized paper towel holder (images below). Back home a roll would have filled this completely and stood 4 inches higher, but you can see the results for yourself. I resolved myself to using these carefully.

Fast forward 10 months: there is a mess in the microwave that needs to be cleaned, and the holder is empty. I find that I do have 1 roll stashed at the top of a closet, and it is the last roll of the original package of 6.

Istanbul & Islam

According to Wikipedia, "Islam is the religion articulated by the Qur'an... An adherent of Islam is a Muslim, meaning "one who submits (to God)."

Lucky for me, I was in Istanbul during Ramadan, which is the Islamic month of fasting and prayer. Many people travel to the big mosques in Istanbul during this month, and there are big parties with music and food at night.

Although Turkey is a democratic, secular state, Muslims make up 98% of the population, with the majority of these being from the Sunni sect.

5 times each day Muslims are called to pray; the result is a haunting and beautiful voice filling the city (with help of loud speakers). Originally the prayer was called from minarets at each mosque, seen in the picture above.

The first set of pictures are of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commonly referred to as "The Blue Mosque" for its blue Iznik tiles. It was built between 1609 and 1616.

This next set of pictures are of Hagia Sophia. Built between 532 and 537 as an Orthodox basilica during the Byzantine empire, it was later turned into a mosque by the Ottomons in 1453. Today it is a museum with some very unique and valuable mosaics still being uncovered.

This is a fountain, one of many, which once served Muslim pilgrims. After many days of journey they would wash and drink from the fountain. Water plays a central role in the Islam faith, as it is the origin of all life on earth. "Cleanliness is half of faith," the Prophet tells his companions in one of the hadiths. Washing before each prayer (ablution) is required, as prayers carried out in an impure state are not valid.

Restaurants & Food in Istanbul

This is the first of a series of entries about my vacation in Istanbul. There is so much to share about this wonderful city, and of course I will start with the food :) I highly recommend all of the restaurants seen below.

The origin of Baklava is claimed by many ethnic groups and variations of this rich dessert are popular through Turkey, the Balkans, and much of Central Asia. The turkish variety can be made of pistacios or walnuts; I prefer walnuts. The thought of diet baklava made me want to vomit, but I still found the concept interesting.

Albura Kathisma Restaurant is located in the heart of old town. The meal was our first experience at Turkish cuisine. The food was very traditional and tasty.


The mashed-potato-looking stuff below is actually pureed eggplant. It has the consistency of gluey paste, but tastes devine.


For our departure dinner we at at this "Green House. "


This assorted appetize plate is very typical of Turkish cuisine: stuffed eggplant and two kinds of beans. We all agreed that the preparation and seasoning of the beans cannot be beat.

This main course was stuffed olive leaves. I was pleasently surprised because it tasted nothing like the dish you find in Greek restaurants (of course it was much better).


I do not have any pictures of the food at this restaurant, but it is a must for lunch. There are 2 meats to choose from: beef meatballs or lamb kabobs. Most of us agreed that the meatballs were the best choice. You cannot go wrong with the bean salad as a starter and semolina helva for dessert.

Located on the Asian side of Istanbul the çiya chef provided us a feast for lunch. The owners have 3 locations, each with a different atmosphere.

http://www.ciya.com.tr/index_en.php

The Pudding Shop was another favorite among our group for lunch. Our meal there, pictured below, was a bit pricey compared to others, but the taste made the cost worth it. The custard rice pudding is a must.

Jakarta, Indonesia

Unfortunately while in Jakarta I worked quite a bit (yes there IS a downside to travel). Be that as it may, I had a very wonderful dinner with colleagues at Dapur Babah élite. Below are just a few of the meals we enjoyed. In addition to the food, the atmosphere and service was top notch.

My eggplant, tofu, and yellow curry dish with a side of satay and rice - very traditional Indonesian.

I don't remember what this was, but doesn't it look appetizing?

Another appetizing but nameless dish.

I know for sure this was some sort of duck.

No surgeon general's warning in Indonesia. They just flat out tell you that it kills you, and in case you don't believe it, they also show you a pair of black lungs, with an arrow pointing to a cancerous area.

And in case you still decide to smoke, you can always go for the ones individually wrapped in gold.

Lisboa

There is soooooo many wonderful things about this city: the people, culture, weather, food, architecture, and beaches :)

Here is how to duplicate my perfect weekend…

1 day & night in Cascais
1 day & night in Belém or Alfalma (Lisbon)
1 day & night in Sintra

Cascais is centrally located between all three areas and would be a nice home base, but hotels can be rather pricey; the primary attractions of this seaside town are the quaint and beautiful beaches.

Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; if you are into architecture or shopping, you do not want to miss this town. It sits nestled on a hillside, accessible by a steep, winding, narrow cobblestone road that will make your stomach churn, but is completely worth the ride.

Belém is a waterfront neighborhood west of the city center; the Museu Colecção Berardo, located in the Centro Cultural de Belém, while small, is an essential visit for anyone remotely interested in modern art – it is very well done. Also in Belém don’t miss the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and the world famous Pastéis de Belém. There are several museums to see in Belém if you have the time.

Saturday & Tuesday mornings in Alfama bring Feira da Ladra (Thieves Market) – you have to wade through a lot of junk, but there are gems to be found. I was able to snag some one-of-a-kind jewelry for a really good price – a find like this makes wading through the junk totally worth it! Also in Alfama is the Museu do Azulejo (National Tile Museum) and the Castelo de São Jorge, both not to be missed. I am told the Sé de Lisboa is the oldest church in the city and a site worth seeing, though I was not able to make it there myself.

If you are staying in Portugal longer than 3 days, spend one more day in Lisbon, and then head Southwest or Northwest to the sandy beaches! Bon voyage

Berliner Style

Berlin Day 4

Last day in Berlin and feeling the effects of yesterday's sun; no matter what I do to prevent it, I always end up ill after being in the sun more than a couple of hours, and this day was no exception. But I made it out to the final muesum on my list, the Pergamonmuseum. The Pergamon houses original-sized, reconstructed monumental buildings such as the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus and the Ishtar Gate, all consisting of parts transported from the original excavation sites.
Antiquity Collection

Islamic Art

More Islamic Art

From ancient Babylonia

For my lovely Leos out there (you know who you are)

Over the course of 4 days I did and saw everything that I wanted to while here. There were definitely a few things I missed that will see when I come back some day. Would like to spend some more time in Eberswalder Strasse, go to the top of the dome in the German Parliament, and see the DDR museum.

Berlin Day 3

Checkpoint Charlie

If you know of Fat Tire Bike Tours, you know they are the best way to see a city; they have tours in Paris, London, Berlin, and Barcelona, and they are a great way to see a city and meet interesting people along the way. On day 3 I took the Berlin City tour; theme for the day was WWII and Cold War. Took many pictures on the tour, but only 2 made it to the blog.

The German Parliament Building

An older part of the wall

Several shots from East Side Gallery (currently being painted for 20 anniversary); I walked this 1km stretch of the wall after the bike tour ended.

After seeing the wall I headed over to the Jewish Museum; I really wish I had more time and energy to take advantage of this wonderful museum. Everything is just very well done, chocked full of interesting history and delivered in many different mediums so that one does not get bored. But it was the end of a long day for me and I just didn’t have the energy to soak it all in. I did learn several new things though, and for the small 5€ entry fee, it was totally worth the trip. The museum also has a nice restaurant on site, which is where I had dinner. I highly recommend this museum.