Selim Sesler'in konseri: Selim Sesler's concert

Last night we went out to eat at this great little restaurant and then to a bar to hear Selim Sesler play. Don't ask me the name of the restaurant because it wasn't marked! But it was on the sixth floor of the Emir Han just off of Istiklal Caddesi... We went with Alex's konuşma (speaking) class led by the teaching assistant, who is a very friendly, generous person! (Are you reading this Didem?) The music was fantastic and I've included a little clip so you get an idea. Also you can get more information about him at http://profile.myspace.com/selimsesler


The group at the concert was much smaller... They don't know what they missed!!

Yağmur: Rain

Lately, we have enjoyed some rainy days. According to my Turkish teacher, Istanbul used to have one rainy day for every 10 sunny days. In the last two years, however, it has rained once every two months or so. The newspapers frequently have stories about drought conditions, disappearing reservoirs, and failing crops. So, people have been pretty happy about the rain despite the inconvenience of walking through rivers of trash. For your viewing pleasure, here are some rainy day scenes:



At least yesterday's rain cleared the air of humidity. The other times it just made the rest of the sunny day even more humid!

Ezan: Call to Prayer

Every day, six times a day, there is the call to prayer from every neighborhood mescit ("chapel") and congregational cami (mosque). The times are calculated according to the season, and right now, the ezan is chanted at 3:46am (to wake people up), 5:51am (the first morning prayer), 1:22pm, 5:17pm, 8:32pm, and 10:18pm. We can usually hear several ezan at the same time. Here are a couple of recordings. I can't say much about the camera-work, but the sound is interesting.

İstanbul'in Kiliseleri: Churches of Istanbul

They are tucked behind walls, peeking over rooftops, and sometimes just in plain sight. I've seen a lot more churches in Istanbul than expected. Of course, there are the historic churches that have been converted to mosques, or like Aya Sofya from a mosque to a museum. But here are few of the active churches that we've come across in the city:
A Greek church just behind Taksim Square

A church down the hill from Taksim that we can't find identified on our maps

A Greek church we saw on our architectural tour in Eminönü

A Gregorian Armenian church in Eminönü


Its elaborate and very European interior...

A Protestant Armenian Church (aka the American Church because it was founded by missionaries)

Check out that austere interior with countless light fixtures in the ceiling!

Menemem kebabçıda yemek: Eating eggs at the kebab restaurant

It's time for true confessions. We have been lapsed vegetarians on this trip. It is possible to eat well and eat only vegetables, but... This is definitely a meat culture and many vegetable dishes, if they're served hot, include some meat or meat stock.
With Alex's "konuşma" (speaking class), we went out to eat at a kebabçı in Bebek. Alex didn't want to eat meat and he ordered menemem, which is a super scrambled eggs dish with tomotoes, peppers, and cheese. One of the teachers at the table was astounded and tried to explain to him that this was breakfast food, and the meat was excellent here, etc. Yet he was resolute. Me, I had the tavuk şiş (chicken shish kebab) and yes, it was tasty.


Even though she objected to the menemen, she was quite friendly and it turns out that she did her masters degree at the University of Arizona!
After the meal, we traveled in a caravan of taxis to Ortaköy Iskele, the pier for the evening boat tours of the Bosphorus. There is an impressive mosque right next to the pier, outdoor vendors of food, clothing, and jewelry. It's quite lively!

İstanbul'in Tepeleri: The Hills of Istanbul

It's a fact. Istanbul is a seriously hilly city. Getting around as a pedestrian involves slogging up steep inclines, navigating through the trash, and squeezing out of the way for any type of vehicle. (One way signs are taken as a suggestion, by the way.) So, here are a couple of pictures of typical hilly routes we've taken:
Stairs (half-way only!) down from our apartment building to the Bosphorus

The other half to the bottom of the hill...

Pürtelaş Caddesi, which we use to get to Taksim Square

Look far in the back, do you see the stairs?

Hafta sonu İstanbul'da: The weekend in Istanbul

Alex had his midterm exam on Thursday (and did better than he expected, of course!) and had Friday free. So we spent the weekend being tourists together, which was great fun. I already mentioned the shopping, but we also spent a good many hours in the Archaeology Museum, went to one of the Prince's Islands (Kızıl Adalar), and ate out a lot :D
Here are some of our photos from the weekend:
Alex takes care of lions everywhere!

From the Ishtar Gate in Babylon 575 B.C.

Details of various Roman statues:



Gold tchokes from the Artemision (near Ephesus)


Cybele, a goddess who's got what it takes!