Istanbul

The Mosques in Istanbul

The Hagia Sophia Museum and the Blue mosque.

This is the landmark in the city.

So much history is attached to both buildings.

We were actually asked to watch another movie on the fall of Constantinople and it was a good watch for it related much to our visit to the once upon time Church  turned into a mosque for the present day.

Once a Christian church, Hagia Sophia has now been turned into a museum for both locals and foreigners to learn about the Turkish history.

Inside the museum were definite traces of majesty and prom praise of the past.

As you walk along the pathways, you wonder what it was like when the kings and queens and celebrities perform stately duties. 

If my memory is good, this central portion is for worship by kings. I may be mistaken though.

Nur said the Sultans were diplomatic as they did not demolish the works of Christianity and they em placed symbols to hide figures and images which is a conflict to the Muslim faith. But the original works are still preserved.

We also wondered if the lights were original?

It can't be ?

The 2 girls at their poses. Well, they can show them to their off springs.

This is supposed to connote Mary holding baby Jesus and till this day is still preserved.

 The old mosaics are still in tact and the building of centuries old still hold much nostalgia and stories of the past.

Do man look at the past for the future?

Nur said the red terra corta bricks are original of the days of old.

Renovation and maintenance are ongoing to preserve the building.

The girls were not to be seen.

So we had no choice but did a selfie.

Not too bad a try.

Yes, we have been to Istanbul with the museum behind us.

Outside, this Greek fountain on the left is at the courtesy of  Greece and we were informed that just a few weeks before our visit there was an explosion here. Many perished. This was reason for Sara to write in to the Turkish embassy for assurance to travel. Of course, we were told that business is as usual and there was nothing to fear. We almost cancelled the trip but dad said he wanted to go.

On the right is another landmark supposedly a gift from I have forgotten which nation. It must be another neighbouring country; all in good friendship.

I think this palace is under renovation and did I hear it right when Nur said it has a thousand rooms? I have got mixed up. I hope this is in Istanbul. Or is it at Ankara? The palace.
Istanbul has 3 bridges. The 3rd and longest one will connect Izmir to Istanbul and that journey takes 4 hours instead of the usual 7 by road. Presently, it has 2 airports but another one is coming up soon and it will be the largest in Europe.

Istanbul is a major connecting point for international flights.

Construction is a rampant activity and architecture is stylish and modern. 

Yes, the cruise is in Istanbul not Ankara...

After a quick kebab lunch we were rushed to the city ferry point for the Bosphorus cruise.

The Bosphorus Strait divides Asian and European Anatolia and it is an important waterway for trade, transport and tourism.

Cruising along the Straits, we saw buildings and landscape that were majestic.

Hotels and old palaces nostalgically lined the Straits between the Black Sea and Marmara Sea.

We also saw some technical and day schools with students and teachers lining up. It reminded me of home. Some of the best restaurants and hotels are found along this stretch of water.

Maybe some local tycoons own this cruise and I believe the rich and famous have their houses built along it too. The money is not the issue but having the opportunity to own a property along it is. Some people work all their lives to possess but actually the crux is to live a simple, meaningful life.

Old but still wanting to see the world from the top, we climbed to the upper deck amidst strong winds and rain. The two girls however chose to be in the covered part of the cruise. The cruise was a casual one for us tourists to savour in the local scenes.

I caught this. But I am not too sure what it is.

I guess it could be a ship repair work shop?

The ride was an hour or so.

In Istanbul, no tour is complete without being on the cruise, I think.

You know, it is good to record your travels for even though we left the place only 3 weeks ago, I have already got all the places mixed up.

I actually though the cruise was in Ankara but to discover again as I read my notes that I was very wrong.

Sorry for wrong facts.

Turkey was rainy.

In the night we had a quick look at a shopping  area and things are reasonably priced. The girls managed to get a few articles complaining the lack of shopping opportunities. But what can't you get in Malaysia?

Did not they realise many of the Arabic nationals and even Turks shopping crazily in Bukit Bintang?

But the place has a European ethos.

So, we had an American dinner at Hard Rock Cafe.

Enough of kebabs.

Yes, Nur with my girls.

Nur is informative and such a helpful guide.

We miss her immediately when we left for Almaty.

In the rain, a little Syrian refugee came up to me to beg for food.

They warned me that if I gave one, I may have a battalion after my back.

So I denied him.

Later, when he went away and when no one was looking, I gave him some Lira.

No one saw but I saw him going up to his mother and giving her the money.

The refugees in Turkey is an issue to contend with.

Goodnight and goodbye Turkey.

We leave for Almaty.

To Ankara

I hope you are still with me.

The awesome cave hotel was an experience of a life time and after a good night's rest, we were ready for the next few final laps of our Anatolian drive.

Come to think of it, we really were on a marathon for the last 9-10 days and more often than not missing our Malaysian culinary. Yes, we do miss nasi lemak, char koay teow and just name them.
So, we left beautiful Cappadocia in Winter and her good memories. Even as I remember the place as I write, it surely was not easy to repeat the feat and much stamina is required. The winter walk was a challenging one as it took a toll on our limbs and the cold was a poor reminder.

En route to Ankara, we stopped by Salt Lake where again we were exposed to all products associated with salt from creams, to perfume and soap. Apparently, if you apply some of the beauty products, you are on the road to an improved look.
None of us bought anything as we eagerly looked towards Ankara in the 5 hour drive.

Ankara, the capital city of 7 million people is the administrative center for Turkey where many state quarters and the civil service administers better control over the country. But Nur said that the present civil upheavals and also external threats are adding pressure to the tourism industry and she is afraid the money churning sector will be badly challenged.

Old Ankara taken from a hill view as we parked ourselves for the noon lunch.

We travelled together with 5 other families and though this was the first for all of us, we indeed concur that it is a meet of a life time. Some may be your friends all your life and yet you do not get to travel together, let alone with family members.

Dad and I took the decision to tour with the younger 2 girls as they are still free and easy with no family commitments.

We also realise that the children we brought up are not to be assumed as our own at sometime or another as they have now ideals and values that differ from ours through time.

We may spend time with them and much often than not, to iron out differences and they in their present moments may actually chide the older folks for not being in sync  with the latest updates about life.

They also sometimes fail to understand that some preferences and values stay eternal. Yes, that is why we are not in sync.

That's me with dad, Esther and Sara.

These are the Tings of Sibu. The 3 daughters and only son are on their study breaks and they took this holiday season to be together before they split after the trip. Life is such, The parents do all they can for their off springs but more often than not; it does not happen the other way round. Not that I know everything but I have learnt enough from mistakes in life. Aha, this will again cause my children to say I am not in sync.

This Malay family also took the opportunity to travel together on this break. It is a closely-knit family and very good company. As you can see, the children are in their teens and still listen to instructions.

That is lawyer Ng on the right with his dear wife from China. Next is engineer Andy with sporting wife from Sarawak. They converse in Bahasa Malaysia just like when my parents converse with Esther. The beauty of ethnicity. 

All over Ankara, mosques dotted the city as it has 80% Muslims especially after the Ottoman Empire took over from the Byzantine Empire.

To close the day's tour before Istanbul the next day, we were given a little history of the city by the Ataturk museum visit.

We were fortunate as we had a chance to see the guards exchange their duty times.

 I saw this in Korea, Taipei and Praque. 

Where there is a state museum, we will see them.

The square was the place of the national Museum and the Mausoleum.

It was raining but under control.

The temperature though was low.

All that you want to learn about Modern Turkey is best known through the writings found there. Nur spoke with much pride about the Republican Ataturk and his social reforms. 

We were told under him, Muslim men can only have 1 wife and every home is to have a family name. Ataturk created alphabets and the Turkish language and allow coed schools. Girls are to go to school and can sit in state assemblies. 

Turkish is the first language in schools and English is the second language. 

Nur emphasised that Ataturk did not use religion in his political agenda and it accounted for his success. She truly spoke about him with much pride.

As I browsed through some writings, I could not help but jot down this quote:

"Unless a society walks towards the common purpose together with all its men and women, there's no technical possibility and scientific probability of its becoming civilised or advanced."

Think about it.

He truly was a wise man.

It's always the case. When you are on the top, you see things differently.

Oh that all leaders be wise. we pray. 

With the visits, we ended our day at Ankara.

The Folk Dances

No one leaves Cappadocia without witnessing the local folk dances.

Almost all tourists will congregate at the same dining place for a night of entertainment and fun before leaving beautiful Cappadocia.

Turkey truly taps on tourism as a main source of income.

The evening was accompanied by local hard drinks. Of course you can opt for soft drinks. We tried the local alcohol and we were not used to it. So, coca cola was the better choice.

In all honesty, the evening was graced by other fun except the food.

We were served cold food and it was not palatable. 

Maggie mee would have been a better alternative at that juncture; it must be because we were beginning to miss the Malaysian cuisine.

Sufi whirling dance was the first dance.

3 gentlemen whirled up and down and as there was no explanation to the dance, we really did not know what it connoted. 

The men were not very youthful and I suspect they must have been in the trade for a long, long while.

 Pretty local lasses took the stage with folk steps and they were very flexible.

Belly dancing was part and parcel of the show and this was only the initial part as we were introduced to veteran belly dancers later in the evening. I imagined that these young girls were climbing on the career ladder and someone among them will one day take the centre stage and bring the audience up their feet. Everyone truly tried hard at the performance. They must have been trained from very young and entertaining tourists is in their blood.

I looked at compassion at this veteran dancer. She really did not look youthful bu the swirls she did was no easy feat. She danced a good 10 - 15 minutes tirelessly and her head motions would have sent an ordinary person to the ground.

But such is her fate.

She finds pleasure in her performance.

Do you not think this is no easy feat?

But the epitome of entertainment was this vivacious belly dancer.

She is a perfect host and her apt dancing caused her audience to be mesmerized. No one could take their eyes away from her movements. She was a perfect score.

She not only was the star of the night but she engaged her audience with the highest degree of professionalism. She had us in stitches when she coaxed some of the audience to join her in belly steps and no one went away without being entertained. She was really exotic.

Belly dancing is an art and only the best can do it.

The whole team got together for the final toast to Cappadocia.

Aren't we privileged to make a trip there?

Goodbye Cappadocia as we embark for Ankara, our next destination.

Local Pride

Cappadocia is never short of surprises.

It's either the natural or the man-made.

We asked and considered about the group's decision to visit Anatolia in winter. Why did we not come in Spring or Summer? We concluded that we cannot find snow-capped tuff except in winter.
So, it is best to visit in Winter.

Do you not agree that we can see and touch snow only in winter? 

Winter does create an ethos that no other season can. 

We are so used to the heat in tropical lands that it is really the snow that makes the difference. 

So, we had no regrets. 

Winter-land is surely beautiful.
That was the Uchisar situated at the highest point of Cappadocia.

I wonder it is appropriate that I term these animals as the species from the yak family. Long-haired and long-horned ; it may just be it. We strolled through the tuff-filled Pasabag Valley.

The Anatolian flag flying high over a sign that read- church. Yes, Nur told us that it used to house the St Simeon Chapel built into the fairy chimneys with the 3 heads.

They say the chapel is inside that cave. It was too challenging for us to comb around it. So we looked from afar; already so satisfied.

Cappadocia has much to show with its natural features.

Next, we were given a first hand knowledge of some of the artistry here. We went to the banks of Kizillirmak to the Avanos Pottery Village where the finest products are created.

In this valley, you are only deem a man if you know the pottery trade; to make and sell. Pottery of all shapes and sizes are created both for local use and export.

It is often a trade that runs in the family with the father passing down his skill to his sons.

The trade is as old as the country and the best quality ones are handled with skill and splendour. Yes, the ones shown here are allowed photography so they are still not the best. Later, we were ushered into inner quarters where no camera is allowed. So the best is not exposed.

Over here, they are more expensive than some of those sold outside. But believe me, there is a difference in quality. So, the English saying 'penny wise pound foolish' is very true. When you want to acquire for long term display, purchase the original ones. They look better and last longer.

Next, we were told we cannot leave the land without first have a taste of local carpets. It's like having 'longin tea ' in Hangchow and wearing south sea pearls when in Sabah. So, the carpet story.

We were entertained at an education centre for carpets.

There are apparently 3566 ( I don't know how the figure came about) weavers in this cottage industry. The government is fully supporting it by subsidising electricity and shipping charges. 

Even on a small piece of carpet, there are 144 knots and it needs 10 months to weave it. Carpets here have double knots not found anywhere else in the world. I asked about those sold over in Malaysia to which the man quickly replied " Turkey doesn't send her carpets to anywhere in the world except by order". Real turkish carpets can only be bought in Turkey itself. Believable?

So the carpet weaving industry is mostly dominated by the womenfolk and the expert earnestly explaining the authenticity of a local Turkish product.

This piece will take 10  months to complete and it changes its hue as one turns it around. The most expensive one is silk followed by cotton or a mixture.

Silk farms are cultivated to rear silk cocoons. A cocoon is a mile of silk ! It is known that the spider web is the strongest of all material followed by silk. They are inflammable and silk is 6 times stronger than steel...

Cappadocia is a local term which connotes beautiful horses. People from the south and south eastern parts often bring their beautiful horses for trade and competition. So it is not surprising that images of horses are carved on them to signify the role of the animal in this kingdom. The Hittite tribe is especially versatile in the horse connected carpets.

Everyone has an Achilles' heel. The best salesman will look for it in his clients so dad was no exception. Dad is not into buying things. But when he sees the worth in a choice, he gets it. 

Do you see anything in this carpet?

Ask him why he bought it.

Let's not remember the price attached to it.

In the hills of Cappadocia, a group of ladies diligently knitted this runner in front of me and I also fell prey to it. But I think it is beautifully hand -woven, so it's running across the coffee table in the house now.

Yes, much is found in the land of the arty people.

Much to buy.