I really enjoyed the call to prayer whilst in Turkey and it could even be heard from some of the far reaching parts of Goreme National Park. Some of my original footage has it but for better quality i've added audio.
My trip to Bulgaria was thrown to the wind as numerous
individuals pointed me towards Turkey- were Europe transitions into Asia. It
was a fantastic whirlwind trip with little preconceptions and lots of learning.
Having missed my first flight, I’d like to say because of a delayed train but onus definitely starts and ends with me, I had just 6 days to explore. I spent three nights in Istanbul and three in Cappadocia.
The bus trip from Burgas in Bulgaria to Istanbul in Turkey, was perhaps the only particularly tedious
and tiresome part, but in saying that the border crossing was a valuable
experience. Particularly as it highlighted difficulties faced by Turks in not being part of the European Union. As I'm sure most of you know their membership bid has been a major controversy because it would shift wielding political power and potentially mean greater muslim integration-- amongst other things.
Istanbul
Contrary to probably the majority of opinions I wasn’t
particularly taken by the city itself. I just felt the city was decidedly touristy and,
despite the Asian side retaining a less western feel, overall I didn’t experience the culture shock I’d imagined. I guess given Istanbul is a thriving city of 15 million and
sprawling it lacked some abstract level of authenticity I'd expected…. Perhaps that is somewhat misleading though as there was certainly numerous language challenges as English is
spoken by very, very, few individuals and admittedly my view was exceptionally
narrow due to time restrictions as well as being confined to the major tourist attractions surrounding the CBD. Nonetheless, obviously, the history and architecture Istanbul has to offer remains exceptional and thus needless to say it is still a must see for all (just keep a flexible schedule).
…Before reading on, note, that everything should be taken
with a grain of salt as I didn’t take a single audio or guided tour…
Surprisingly my highlight was the Basilica Cistern. Built in
the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I it
is an architectural and engineering feat I found uncomprehendable.
Me in the Basilica Cistern- close to Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia would definitely be a very close second. It was
simply fascinating to see the mixture of orthodox patriarchal and typical
Ottoman Turk (Islamic features) design. It is an architectural feat that is
said to have changed architectural history- marked by it being the world’s
largest cathedral for a thousand years thereafter. Its design merely reflecting
it’s equally tempestuous history.
Inside the main Hagia Sophia dome. Notice the Christian motif above the round arabic sign.
The Blue (Sultan Ahmed) Mosque I found less interesting but
still impressive and strikingly beautiful. It was built to surpass and proceed
Hagia Sophia. Despite the colloquial name, I found the blue tiles adorning the
walls of its interior less impressive than other designs found in Topkapi
Palace.
Blue Mosque from within the entrance court yard
The Blue Mosque from within Hagia Sofia.
Topkapi palace was sensational… I thought however the
experience was ruined by the sheer number of tourists. It was a modern day
battle as people threw their bodies around to get the best view or a step ahead
in the line. In spite of the viewing challenge the quality of design and palace
riches was eye boggling.
The entrance to Topkapi Palace and only the beginning of the crowds to come.
Inside Topkapi Palace in the courtyard near one of the libraries.
Tiles in Topkapi Palace
A good demonstration of the palaces riches and stunning tiles- in a library at Topkapi Palace.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to climb Galata tower, as I
arrived too early, or go inside Dolmabahce Palace, because unbeknown to
Ailleen, my roommate, and I, it isn’t open everyday of the week. In hindsight,
missing Dolmabahce was frustrating, as I had several days before led Parker, a
very amenable American and as it turned out an exceptional travelling buddy,
straight past it in search of Taksim square. A hunt that required in our case,
lets say due to an insufficient map, seemingly endless hill repeats. Regardless
I very much enjoyed loosing myself in less traversed portions of the city and
“Sweaty Parker” quickly learned that accompanying me would be somewhat both
physically and emotionally rough- haha.
Parker at the top of our final hill- just 5 mins from Taksim Square.
Taksim Square
The Grand Bazaar- one of the largest and
oldest covered bazaars in the world.
Spice Market Istanbul
Spice Market Istanbul
Blah Bridge- which I walked every day from Bada Bing over to Sultanahmet.
Invariably it was always packed with men fishing.
Cuisine experience: Contrary to some other blogs I thought the corn from street stalls and the sesame bagel/pastry rolls were both near horrible. However the muscels w rice are a must try... When ordering what we call a Kebab try to specify that you don't want hot chips...Generally cuisine on the Asia side was of a better quality and seemingly almost always fresh. For a treat try ‘Ciya Sofrasi’- peasant style dishes that come highly recommend by various food critics.
Sour lamb kebab from Ciya.
Taken at the food markets on the Asian side of Istanbul
Cappadocia
Cappadocia was enchanting. The landscape is exceptional in that it is forever changing--at once both spectacular and spellbinding. (I admit on this occasion I would have enjoyed Phil's and now Lucy/Eric's geological insight). Cappadocia is, however, perhaps more ethnologically fascinating due to the lack of information and gaps in understanding about the civilisations that dwelled there.
Despite also having exceptional numbers of tourists, especially
within Goreme, remarkably Cappadocia and Goreme national park nevertheless retain a feeling of isolation and
authenticity…although this aspect may perhaps be dependent on ones willingness
to do it alone (without a tour group) and on foot.
Cappadocia is known for its “fairy chimneys” which are a result of volcanic activity and erosion. The basalt formations being soft in nature
allowed for them to be shaped into homes and points of refuge for local
communities. The resulting churches, underground cities and tunnel systems are nothing
short of captivating.
On my first day in Cappadocia I joined Luke and my room mates Lauren and Carmen on a day trip to Ihlara Valley. The valley lies an hour south of Goreme and the four of us hired a car to undertake the journey ourselves- it was fantastic!
Luke watching Lauren & Carmen burrow to no
where in the Underground city of Derinkuyu.
Lauren at Ihlara valley car-park market
At the top of Ihlara Valley
Relaxing after lunch in a bungalow on the river at Belisirma within Ihlara Valley
Carmen soaking up the serenity in Ihlara Valley
Carmen and Lauren coming down from a Cave in Ihlara Valley
At the Northern end of Ihlara Valley
A church on the Western Side of Ihlara Valley. It is believed the first signs of monastic activity in Cappodocia date back to the 4th century. Many churches feature leading examples of post-iconoclast Byzantine art.
A local man and his sister showed us the fish they'd just caught and
explained how fishing is their hobby and done using nothing but your hands.
A random shot within the Valley
View from the top of Ihlara Valley in the late afternoon
Hot Air Ballooning :-)
Dawn hot air balloon ride
I splurged on the chance to appreciate the size of the civilisation from the air... but to be perfectly honest I would say its not value for money and you get a much better appreciation of the sheer ingenuity and physical triumph of these structures from being up close and personal with them. All the same the balloon ride is still great, weather permitting, but the novelty of the ride is perhaps the fact that everyday between 50-100 balloons take to the air. The view is magical as the already stunning landscape becomes dotted with colourful glowing mushrooms. Unfortunately the balloons seem to somewhat overshadow the real reason you took to the air in the first place.
... arguably the balloons also seem to have a negative impact on the environment, causing tangible degradation from running into cliffs and clipping the tops of trees. This seems to be in direct conflict with UNESCO statement on its World Heritage Site stating that "Although the area has been extensively used and modified by man for centuries the resulting landscape is one of harmony and consideration of the intrinsic values of the natural landforms."
My nameless French friend who I met on the hair raising car ride in from Kayseri airport.
As evidenced my second day in Cappadocia started with a balloon ride but the day turned out to be even more enjoyable and spectacular as I ventured to see as much as possible in the time I had left on foot. Fortunately by chance Parker had booked the same hostel as me and as such we spent the morning together. Which entailed several hours wandering not entirely lost but slightly unsure of where we were. First in search of Zemi Valley, which we never found, and then successfully through the love valley up to Cavusin.
In the afternoon I wandered from Cavusin through Rose and Red Valley, although unfortunately I couldn't do all of them, as well as Gulludere and Aktepe Hill. The most impressive church is Kolonlukilise and is simply a must see for the size and design in my opinion are unrivalled. This is so despite the lack of artwork.
Note, I did not do the open air museum which is said to be spectacular but at no point did I feel at a loss- see for yourself below.
The famous phallic symbols found in the aptly named love valley.
"It is believed that the first signs of monastic activity in Cappadocia date back to the 4th century at which time, acting on the instructions of Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea (Kayseri), small anchoritic communities began inhabiting cells dug into the rock. Later on, in order to resist Arab forays they began banding together into troglodyte villages or subterranean towns such as Kaymakli or Derinkuyu which served as places of refuge." (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/357)
Looking up at the forgotten caves of Cavusin
Parker examining Cavusin Church (Nicephorus Phocas) thought to be built around 965.
Near Sunset viewing in Rose/Red valley
A view of Goreme National park from the dirt trail leading back in to town from Rose/Red Valley.
A view of Goreme National park from the dirt trail leading back in to town from Rose/Red Valley.
A view of Goreme National park from the dirt trail leading back in to town from Rose/Red Valley.
"Rain, rain, go away,
come again another day!" The weather has been awful the past month!
Denmark's best kept secret, is the ever howling onslaught of wind, so when its
not raining your nonetheless often chilled to the bones… Okay, okay, perhaps
that is a mild over exaggeration,
regardless, my spirits have not be dampened and there is much to report.
Before getting into it,
this posts music to read by is somewhat more mainstream/commercial-
Aqua --which according to wikipedia was “the most successful
Danish band ever” and a more recent Danish Duo, 'Nik and Jay' with “Lækker” (in Danish).
... and something more for
almost everyones taste Lukas Graham with 'Ordinary things'. Lukas is from the infamous free town in Copenhagen called 'Christiania'.
A weekend in Skagen was a welcomed
change of pace. Outside of the main summer months Skagen is a sleepy town for
locals and those with time-share rentals that simply want to get away. Being
out of season it was very quiet- particularly with the weather against us.
Nonetheless, Poul had a wonderful birthday, turning 84, and I still managed to
wander along the beach and even go for a swim! Well more of a dip- my entire
body stood to attention with the water at a refreshing 10 degrees!!
Being in Skagen we of
course strolled out to where the North Sea and Baltic Sea meet (pictured
below).
Poul, Lars, Marianne, Me and Bodil.
A delicious unknown kind of shellfish.
One of many fabulous spreads Bodil put on whilst in Skagen.
Part of the Art Gallery- yellow with orange/red roofs is the most common kind of building in Skagen.
The location of Skagen has over the years drawn many famous Danish and Scandinavian artists due to its special quality of light and as such we enjoyed an afternoon at the local gallery gazing over the Marie krøyer Exhibit- ‘It takes Courage to have talent'. The exhibit was striking for its depiction of the period as most works showed very relaxed everyday life scenes, of particular merit, for example;
and Michael Ancher's work, 1874, 'A maternity room in Jutland' which surprisingly captures a collective of unattractive lower class individuals.
Particularly interesting was the original hotel dining room that survived the war, known as 'Brondum’s Dining Room', and designed by architects Ulrik Plesner and Thorvald Dindesboll in 1892. Brondum’s art collection had been incorporated into the decorations with portraits mounted in frieze and paint murals on the timber walls. It is hard to describe and imagine but picture approximately 30 artists and local residents of Skagen over the period starting 1870 to the turn of the century starring down at you :-0
For those interested you can read more about the artists here.
The Beach at Skagen.
Bodil, Lars, Marianne and Poul where the North and Baltic Seas meet.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Femke, Liv and Christina standing triumphant but with sore legs at the entrance to the museum.
Louisiana was a fantastic day trip. Olivia, Femke, Christina and I began the journey with a two hour bike ride north along the coast and ended it with coffee in the gardens. We saw two exhibits, 'Self- Portrait' and 'New Nordic: Architecture & Identity'.
Christina in the garden at the end of the day.
Highlights from 'Self Portrait':
Spainish cubist and surrealist Joan Miro’s self-portrait, Marc Quinn’s quote, “I always think if you can save yourself you can save the world too”, and Japanese artist, Yayoi kusama’s permanent installation mixed media work, ‘Gleaming lights of the souls’.
Myself and Christina inside Kusama's installation 'Gleaming lights of the souls'.
Highlights for 'New Nordic: Architecture & Identity':
Conversation between Danish artist Juhani Pali asmaa and Peter zumthor and Jan Gehl’s talking point on 60km/h architecture, or rather, transport not as a technical but political issue. How to prioritize life in cities? Has the human scale been forgotten- respecting the senses, small and intimate an eye level scene.
Part of the New Nordic Architecture & Identity display- only 29% of Danes drive.
The view from Louisiana Museum
Hodgepodge
At the Mackelmore & Lewis concert in Copenhagen.
Student Welcome Concert in the Black Diamond (aka the Royal Library)
Alex and Sam at 'Mother' for dinner.
Lunch at Soph's place.
Sam, Sam and Marcus at Jura's (Law faculty) Thursday Bar.
Liv patting a goat.
Day trip to the zoo with Sam (yet another one), Kasey and Liv.
Top three interesting facts from the zoo:
In Sri Lanka 90% of male elephants are now born
without tusks- the genetic material has been eliminated due to hunting.
Approximately 1 million tonnes of wild animals
are killed every year in West and Central Africa.
It is estimated that rainforest areas disappear
every year corresponding to 204 times the size of Denmark.
Dinner party #1- in which I blew a fuse!
Alex and Marcus.
Soph and Alex at my place for a dinner party.
Marcus helping out in the kitchen at dinner party #2
Who knew Nick was an amazing musician!
Ben and Peta at the Opera House. We went to the Ballet- 'The Golden Cockerel'. Amazing set design & costumes!
Interesting points from
the exhibition relating to Nordic Architecture and the Welfare society:
The Nordic welfare society
is built on the idea of community-shared responsibility and equal rights to
culture, health and education. Over the past half century The Nordic Model has
designated a welfare society that is for everyone, irrespective of class
income, workload and religious observance.
Geographical-cultural
communities as Scandinavians understand them are today being challenged in
Nordic countries by integration and globalization. Just as the distinctively
Nordic- the Nordic identity if you like- is subject to constant change, the
communities with which they identify are also constantly being broken down and
renewed.
In Scandinavia the welfare
society and the architecture are closely connected. The Nordic community
perceives their identity to be, to a great extent, manifested in the built
landscape. Schools, town halls, hospitals, student halls of residence,
libraries and nursery schools are public buildings that form the settings for
everyday life in the North. Awareness of the architecture as a social tool
began as early as the 1920s, when Danish architects like Kaare Klint- and later
Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen and Finnish Alvar Aalto-designed houses and
furniture that reached out to the general public in terms of both price and
function. Their architecture has its roots in ideas of new social contexts and
collectivities.
Nordic architecture today
is also architecture that actively thinks with the Nordic model developing the
public institutions- creating new functions, new institutions, new
citizens. Everything must contribute positive signals to the city in which
they are built. Public buildings are no
longer perceived as authoritarian monuments, but as visible symbols of the
democratic culture of the Nordic citizens- and of everyday life in the welfare
society.
Today human wellbeing and
sustainability are considered in the forming of public space- multifunctional
urban spaces are created; city spaces that meet human beings at their own tempo
and on their own scale, and which can be used by many different kinds of
people.
Today the boundaries
between private and public are breaking down in our society.
The exhibition
explored the great changes taking place at present in terms of our relationship
with public spaces. It negotiated new territories in trying to extend our understanding of how public spaces look and what they can be
used for.
Side note...
The exhibition was
extremely thought provoking in exploring the benefits and the rationale behind
aspects of the welfare state. Particularly as most nation states move to
commodify heretofore public goods. Some of my fellow students and I have
discussed whether corporatisation has led to a cultural shift in Australia?
(However given we didn't live through free education it is difficult to
formulate a decisive opinion)
Does a corporatized imperative exist within our
education system given in Australia knowledge has been commodified and is now
highly valued by the market? Surely, Neoliberalism is not the dominant
political philosophy of our time? Has a parsimonious mentality led to meek
private responsibility when deciding public good? Do we have a prevailing
passion for the acquisition of material goods and hedonistic lifestyles, rather
a social consciouns that speaks for protecting public goods?
Favourite Danish Designer to date: Henrik Vibskov- unbeknownst to me his one of Denmark’s
Design Icons. Copenhagen's best bar
and cocktail bar to date: For Cocktails head to: Madam Chu's, Gammel Strand; And for beer: Mikkeller.
And lastly recommend restaurants to date: Mother Any of Madklubben
Having missed my first flight, I’d like to say because of a delayed train but onus definitely starts and ends with me, I had just 6 days to explore. I spent three nights in Istanbul and three in Cappadocia.
