Paris in Winter

New Years Eve 2009

I rang in the new year with some wonderful friends. We started the evening with Texas style chili and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, mixed that with a little travel planning, astrology and aerodynamics (see below), then headed off for the countdown at the Eiffel Tower. Finally, the night ended with some hot chocolate and a walk home.

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.