Absolutely beautiful. Pots and pans and some spoons, knives and glasses, too. I wish I was there.
Tag Archives: Istanbul
Circles, in the Round
In her travel theme this week, Ailsa asked for circles. Who am I to say no?
I threw in a few orbs and spheres, too, beginning with Jimenez Deredia’s phenomenal chocolatey sculpture, Recuerdo Profundo, which I was fortunate enough to see near the Colosseum in Rome in July 2009. A few more snaps from that exhibit are on my flickr stream here.
Istanbul, March 2012
This one I found near the Galata Bridge in Istanbul. What’s not to love about this version of the Crescent Star? Image below, one of the coolest clock/mural combos I’ve ever seen, was taken during a quick transit in Pardubice, Czech Republic.
At the Main train station, Pardubice, Czech Republic, 15-Jun-2009
Musee Olympique, Lausanne, 31-Aug-2008
There are lots of circles to be found at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne that have nothing to do with the five rings. Above is the view up from the library level.
Sticking with the Olympic theme, this is a bit of graffiti decorating some shrapnel damage to a wall of the 1984 Olympic bobsled run on Trebević Mountain just outside of Sarajevo. The hour or so I spent there, strolling down the destroyed and graffiti-covered run with just the sounds of forest birds and bugs as a soundtrack, remains the most surreal I’ve experienced in recent memory. There’s a high-speed video –and a few more pics– of that stroll here.
1984 Olympic Bobsled run, Trebević Mountain, near Sarajevo.
Vietnamese People’s Air Force Museum Hanoi, 27-Oct-2010
This is at the Vietnamese People’s Air Force Museum, or Bảo Tàng Phòng Không – Không Quân, in Hanoi. How many of these countries still exist? Below, a ‘Do Not Enter’ variation, seen in Paris.
Fun with road signs. Paris, April 2012
Istanbul, 14-Mar-2012
Above, Istanbul again, fresh catch caught from the Galata Bridge. Below was taken in London this past August, just before I watched this guy getting man-handled by private cops.
London, Aug 2012
Shanghai, May 201
This is a 10-second exposure taken inside the Bund Tourist Tunnel that runs under the Huangpu River in Shanghai. It’s hideously tacky but a fun place to take long-exposures. There are four more here.
Dicobole Lancant le Disque, by Mathieu Kessels
We return briefly to the Olympic theme with Mathieu Kessels’ Discus Thrower at the Royal Museum of Art in Brussels and conclude in Shanghai with these orbs that you’ll see when you exit the hideously tacky Bund Tourist Tunnel. Full circle.
Shanghai, May 2010
Now, go check out more circles, spheres and orbs at Ailsa’s Weekly Challenge here.
Delicious, with a big pinch of salt
There is a filet of sole in there somewhere.
Jake’s Sunday post challenge suggestion this week is delicious. That was easy to find because it was one of the few pics in my flickr stream tagged with the word.
I thoroughly enjoyed this last March at a restaurant in Istanbul – sole baked in salt. Succulent, perfectly cooked, with just the right hint of saltiness. Delicious! This was the first time I tried it, but it’s not a process unique to Turkey. I’ve seen it on menus in Spain, Italy, France and Greece. Jake: Anything similar in or around Manila?
Related articles
#FriFotos: For Sale – Encounters with Commerce
Taking a break for an inning or two. Municipal baseball stadium, Teustepe, Nicaragua, April 1994
I haven’t been around here much for the past week, which is more or less par for the course during the hazy summer months. Missed me? 
‘For Sale‘ is this week’s #FriFotos theme on twitter, affording this quick glance back into when my camera met commerce head-on in various parts of the world. I’m unapologetically anal about tagging photos in my flickr stream but the ones I decided to include here weren’t found that way.
Rather, they were all snapped fragments of memory of buying, selling and browsing that immediately popped into my mind when the theme was announced. Some quite vividly. I was particularly pleased to recall the few shots below taken in Nicaragua –the bottom one, 22 years ago– now that I’m beginning to read up on the country again, trying to catch up on a lapse of nearly a decade-and-a-half. I visited there five times since 1990; my planned return sometime next year will be my first since 1999.
Enjoy, and I hope you’re making the most of whichever heatwave you’re currently a part of.
Lottery ticket seller. Near Istiklal Avenue, Istanbul, 14-Mar-2012
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Piraeus train station. Piraeus, Greece, 13-Nov-2008
Cigarette seller, Istanbul
Evening shoppers. Nanjing Rd. Shanghai, 24-May-2010
At a bus stop near Mtito Andei, Kenya, along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway, 30-Mar-2007
Shop keeper and his daughter, Teustepe, Nicaragua, 23-Feb 1990.
Related articles
- Rooftops… (pirancafe.com)
Shoes ( #Frifotos )
How strange, when your father’s wearing women’s clothes and platform shoes, that a pair of loafers looks incredible.
- Moon Unit Zappa
I’m the most utilitarian shopper and consumer when it comes to shoes. But these, resting peacefully in a large crate in a small bazaar near the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, I found oddly appealing. These boots below, from the Grand Bazaar, not so much. But they’re all colorful, which is this week’s #Frifotos twitter theme.
The quote? It just brought on a chuckle since I couldn’t remember the last time I thought about Moon Unit Zappa. I hope she’s doing just fine.
30 Minutes in Istanbul’s Spice Market
Love Tea
The Love Tea immediately caught my eye. Can’t hurt, right? Unfortunately the 250g I bought was left in a bag in my hotel room. And so it goes. I can only hope the next occupant made use of it as it was meant to be used.
This, and the pics below, were taken last week at the Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul, popularly and more simply known as the Spice Market. It’s a massive L-shaped arcade-style building with 88 rooms located near the waterfront on the Golden Horn, in the shadow of the ‘New Mosque‘ on Eminönü Square.
Like the Grand Bazaar, which I didn’t particularly care for (more on that another time), the Spice Market is quite the tourist attraction as well, but it’s also a place where plenty of locals shop. “More than half,” one shopkeeper told me. From the sounds of the non-stop lively commerce, I had no reason to doubt him.
Obviously, piles and piles of colorful spices abound. The colors are blindingly delicious, the scents delectably delightful. But there’s plenty more besides tea and spice. Like shoes, unfortunately.
And LOTS of sugar, too. About half the shops in the Bazaar sell sweets, primarily a countless variety of Turkish Delight, or Lokum. These items aren’t as ‘gourmet’ as they appear – they’re mainly flavored jelly and cornstarch. But they’re good. The huge blocks are nuts glued together with a sweet gel.
And if it’s not spicy or sweet, it’s nutty or fruity. None of it is particularly cheap, by the way. Prices for various nuts, dried fruit and figs, for example, were on par with prices here in Slovenia or in markets I’ve visited in various cities in France, Italy or Spain.
But just as interesting to me was what was outside, mainly the handful of stalls with a nice variety and selection of fresh fish. But to get to them you first have to walk past a stalls where you could buy a machine to roll grape leaves…
.. and this display case full of hooves.
I had seafood in Istanbul six of the eight nights I was there, and couldn’t get enough. It’s reason enough to return.
Shopping tips? Just a few:
- Taste and smell before you buy
- Look for shops and stalls who clearly specialize in something
- Go where the locals go
- Avoid buying cheesy souvenirs here, and
- Don’t leave your Love Tea behind.
By the way, I didn’t feel like fumbling around with my SLR, so these were all shot on my Sony HDR CX350VE video cam.
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Last week I came across the travel blog Budget Travelers Sandbox which hosts Travel Photo Thursday (#TPThursday on twitter), and am delighted to join in this week. When you have few minutes to browse, check out host Nancie’s photos and those of others who take part. You’ll see some great photos and visit some wonderful places. The link to this week’s post and links is here.
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Previous Istanbul posts:
- 45 Second Cheap Hotel Advisor – Istanbul
- 60 seconds with the Bird Seed Sellers of Istanbul
- The Dandy Dozen – My 12 Favorite Mannequins in Istanbul
- 40+ Creative Commons Licensed Images of Istanbul now Available
- 1 min w/ skull & bones on Galip dede Caddesi, Istanbul
- Hotel Pic of the Day – Sheraton Atakoy Istanbul
- Light in Babylon – Istanbul Street Music Quickie
- Small Collection of Blocked Websites in Turkey
45 Second Cheap Hotel Advisor – Istanbul
Sphendon Hotel
Akbiyik Degirmeni Sk no:46
Istanbul, Turkey
That is the view from one of the two small rooftop terraces. It’s taken with a zoom but yes, this budget hotel is really that close to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district. Pretty nice, no?
The rooms were a bit small but comfortable, there’s free wifi throughout, and the breakfast (included) was quite good, a blend of western and local, with the emphasis on the local. All that, plus a very hospitable and welcoming staff, for 35 EUR/46 USD/night (I booked through venere.com).
What’s most appealing is the location, set on a quiet mostly residential street but less than a 10 minute walk from the Blue Mosque. Both the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market/Eminonu Square were a leisurely 20 minute stroll away. Nearest tram stop is Sultanahmet (2 TL per ride), roughly midway between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, is also a 10 minute walk. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants just a short walk away as well.
It’s a bit difficult to find initially, so be sure you give your cab driver the exact address. Taxi ride to the airport (40 TL/16.50 EUR/22 USD) took just over 20 minutes in mid-morning but you should probably give yourself twice that.
Oh almost forgot: the wall surrounding the courtyard is 1600 years old.
(I stayed at the Sphendon for three nights, 12-15 March 2012).
60 seconds with the Bird Seed Sellers of Istanbul
Another shot for Vimeo’s 1 Minute Project, and yet another attempt at trying to capture a glimmer of beauty in the mundane. I wondered if the women learned patience from the birds, or vice versa.
This is at Eminonu Square in front of the Yeni, or New Mosque, on the Golden Horn near the Galata Bridge. As you can probably guess from the sellers’ wardrobe, it was windy and chilly, not the best conditions in which to hold my camera still for 60 seconds.
I forgot to ask how much a plate of seeds cost. Does anyone know?
1 Minute Project rules: the video must be exactly one minute long (the clip is), remain unedited, have no camera movement (ie panning, tilting, etc), and should only use original sound.
Istanbul, 14 March 2012, 11:48am.
A few more photos:
The Dandy Dozen – My 12 Favorite Mannequins in Istanbul
If you’ve spent any time zipping through my flickr stream, you’d have noticed a regular and steady supply of mannequin shots. I snap pics of quite a few but I have no idea why. Maybe it’s just because they’re good at standing still when their photo is being taken. Like this one:
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that they tend to adapt varying looks and attitudes in different parts of the world – but not as you might imagine. Mannequins on Shanghai’s Nanjing Road shopping street don’t necessarily look like their ancestors were natives of the east Chinese coast. Just like those in the main bazaar in Rabat don’t have much in common with Berbers. I’ve also noticed that like most throwaway consumer products these days, many mannequins too are being produced with as little attention as possible to detail, craftsmanship or durability. They too are as trashy as the junk they’re trying to sell. Case in point:
Here’s the rest of my diligently selected dandy dozen I came across while strolling about the rain and chill of Istanbul last week. This one appears to be held together with every piece of stretchable medical supply that this shop sells.
Do people really do this to their children?
And the rest!
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40+ Creative Commons Licensed Images of Istanbul now Available
This is a lottery ticket seller on Galip dede Caddesi, not far from Istanbul’s bustling Istiklal Caddesi pedestrian thoroughfare. When the gentleman saw I was getting ready to snap a photo, he quickly removed his cap, fixed his hair, and then carried on making idle chat with passers-by.
It’s also one of 41 photos –the first batch of several– from my recent visit to Istanbul that I’ve uploaded to my flickr stream that are now available for use under a Creative Commons license. More specifically, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, or CC BY-NC-SA, and I only ask that credit is given as specified with each photo. Strictly non-commercial, please. Follow the links if you’re not sure.
I’ve got about a dozen stories and videos in the works collected from my first, and unfortunately brief, visit to this amazing city, which I’ll be posting over the next few weeks. And plenty more photos, too.
I’ve got nearly 1300 photos available with the same CC license on my flickr stream. For previous updates, check the creative commons tag here on Piran Café.
Oh! By the way, I’m about to inaugurate a free monthly newsletter. Sign up now and you’ll be automatically entered to win a travel guide of your choice. Drawing is on 1 May, so do it now!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
1min w/ skull & bones on Galip dede Caddesi, Istanbul
I really enjoy the 1 Minute Project on Vimeo, an attempt to take a brief pause to watch moments that are usually overlooked, never acknowledged and otherwise forgotten. As the title suggests, it’s simply a one-minute record of and from a place where you choose to turn on a camera – sometimes they can be visually interesting and even appealing, sometimes not so much. But those 60 seconds are now there and recorded for posterity’s sake.
This was shot on Galip dede Caddesi (Street) on 14-Mar-2012, not far from Istanbul’s busy Istiklal Caddesi pedestrian thoroughfare. It’s handheld, so apologies for the slight movement.
1 Minute project rules: the video must be exactly one minute long (the clip is), remain unedited, have no camera movement (ie panning, tilting, etc), and should only use original sound.
Hotel Pic of the Day – Sheraton Atakoy Istanbul
This is from the minibar price list at the Sheraton Atakoy in Istanbul where a grossly overpriced Snickers bar isn’t much cheaper than a grossly overpriced condom.
Prices in Turkish Lira; 1 USD=1.80 TRY, 1 EUR=2.35 TRY
Light in Babylon – Istanbul Street Music Quickie
After a pair of cold and rainy days, the sun made a brief appearance here in Istanbul this afternoon. I decided that it wasn’t coincidence that I came across the band Light in Babylon soon thereafter jamming on Istiklal Avenue, this city’s busiest pedestrian thoroughfare. The wet and chill left me with a cold; the trio’s music blanketed it with a smile. Thank you.
You’re welcome to download and use these creative commons images (non-commercial use only).
This is vocalist Michal Elia Kamal – captivating voice.
Metehan Çiftçi playing the Santur, a Persian hammered dulcimer:
and guitarist Julien Demarque:
I bought their CD, Life Sometimes Doesn’t Give You Space, and you should too. I’m looking forward to giving it a listen when I’m back home in Ljubljana Wednesday afternoon. Hopefully they’ll let me use a song or two in some Istanbul videos I’ll be working on over the next couple weeks. Maybe if I ask really nicely.
Here are all links you’ll need for a little while. Check ‘em out! [ Facebook page ] [ Facebook group ] [ Reverbnation ] [ Myspace ] [ Bandcamp ]
Okay, okay. By popular demand, one more picture of Michal Elia:
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