Turkey

Eye See You

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Eye See You. Cappadocia, Turkey. November 2012.

Eye See You. Cappadocia, Turkey. November 2012.

Cappadocia is a magical place known for it's fairy chimneys, caves, and hot air ballon rides, it is a beautiful, natural wonder. My friend and I traveled to Cappadocia by way of Santorini after the 2012 election cycle. We needed a break from the chaos of the presidential campaign and decided to go into the caves (and skies) of Cappadocia, Göreme specifically, to get away. My friend and I stopped at a popular overlook for the fairy chimneys and saw this very well protected tree. It was 'looking' at us in all directions. I love the concept of the "evil eye," you can give it, and like this tree, be protected from it as well. Fate cuts both ways so beware of giving the "evil eye" because you run the risk of getting it right back.

Blue

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Blue. Istanbul, Turkey. November 2012.

Blue. Istanbul, Turkey. November 2012.

I visited Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as The Blue Mosque, in 2012 and it was one of the most stunning domes I have ever seen in person. The blue tiles reflect incredible light and the craftsmanship is something I still have a hard time comprehending. Istanbul is one of the most artistically stimulating places I have visited and this stunning mosque is one of the reasons why I could see myself living in there. 

The Whirling Dervishes

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Spin, spin, spin. Istanbul, Turkey. November 2012. 

One of the highlights of Istanbul was watching dervishes whirl during the Mevlevi Sema at Galata Mevlevihanesi, the city's oldest "tekke". The men spun for about an hour+ to musicians playing from an elevated terrace. It was what I expected, graceful, spiritual, and mesmerizing. I did not understand the ceremony (and still don't!), however I could appreciate the difficulty in endlessly spinning. As a skater, I know what it feels like to spin, but could not imagine doing it for hours on end. 

Wall of Broken Tiles

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Broken Tiles. Istanbul, Turkey. November 2012.

My friend Roz and I came across this wall while strolling through Sultanahmet. What I love about these particular fragments is that many of them feature the tulip. The tulip is the national flower of Turkey, a fact that I was completely unaware of prior to my trip. Tulip, is actually derived from "tulbend," the Turkish word for the turban due to the flower's shape and likeness to one.