From Juliet's Balcony

ISTANBUL

Hotel Kybele is nestled between shops, sidewalk cafes, larger hotels on a busy street up from Hagia Sofia and The Cisterns. It's a small boutique hotel decorated with thousands of suspending ceiling lamps. My room alone, perhaps 10x14 is outfitted with fifty-seven colorful, etched glass, creamy milk glass, some with dangling crystal rods, each unique from one another.

Hotel Kybele

here I am!

lobby hanging lamps

As the title of this entry suggests, the charm of my room exists in a tiny little balcony from which I write with a wonderful vantage point of cafe barkers enticing customers to sit and enjoy, of shop sellers versed in multiple languages enough to greet and welcome guests to step into their world and a multitude of street vendors offering anything from fresh squeezed pomegranate or orange juice, roasted "kestane" or chestnuts, shoe shine, roasted corn on the cob, "simit" or fresh brewed "chai". While the tour season is coming to a close, the rumbling of diesel bus after bus after bus is still more than I'm comfortable.

The Turkish people I have met, encountered or engaged in conversation have been inviting and welcoming visitors to their country. With Turkey aspiring for membership approval into the EU the tourism board is putting on the dog for all the world to see. A billboard along the Bosphorus exclaims: Istanbul, The Most Inspiring Place In The World!


One last day to walk between the two magnificent mosques Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque, through Arasta Bazaar and around the neighborhood. I came across a wonderful organic linen shop called Jennifer's Haman, a wonderful Canadian woman from Alberta, Jennifer Gaudet whose mission has been to present the finest linens possible from small family owned specialty looms in Turkey. Incredible stories of silk farmers whose workers, family members and friends all carry a small pouch of five silk cocoons in their front pockets as being close to the heart is the right temperature for the worms to produce silk. Each cocoon can produce equal to three football fields in length. She has encouraged new designs, patterns and fiber mixes to her factory owners though change is a slow process.

Jennifer's Hamam, Arasta Bazaar

silk cocoons

also check out:  www.jennifershamam.com

Arasta Bazaar shops...

In a conversation with blue-green eyed blonde jewelry maker, I learned he is full blood Turkish who he believed his ancestors were from Hungary or Russia. Fati, Sureyya's brother spoke of Turkish people have been known to come from a variety of eight strains of ethnic groups which explains why I have been asked I were from Eastern Turkey. Those from Turkmenistan, Kazakstan and Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries derived from Mongolia are considered Turks! As in their family from Southeastern Turkey in Gazanhi they are from Arab blood, and yet others North near the Russian and Georgian borders, and middle eastern countires of Syria and Damascus, and so on. Turkey had been ruled by several empires whose influences are in the faces of their people, food, culture and customs.

Fati and Sureyya

Sureyya with her parents

This last night in Istanbul we enjoyed a fabulous view of Hagia Sofia from a rooftop restaurant and a house specialty of pottery cooked mixed kebab presented at the table complete with a gloved server atop charcoal flame, then cracked open at your table.

Hagia Sofia in the background

Kebap specialty of the house.

Perfectly cooked beef kebap with
rice and oh yea...french fries!

seasonal salad

Turkish ravioli

Margaret and Hagia Sofia

Pudding Shop Ice cream cart sported a cow bell ringing, crowd drawing and costumed performer; a combination of showmanship, part magician, all salesman!

fast hands...I mean with the ice cream scooping!

check out the size of our scoops!

Life Among the Ruins

EPHESUS AND ENVIRONS

Our guide and driver, Murselin suggested we see the museum first, followed by the mosque and St. John's Basilica then the late afternoon at Ephesus. He has clearly done this a time or two before since the timing worked out beautifully to have lunch in between.

Murselin our driver and guide while in Sirince

About Murselin - he met us at the airport and from then on stuck like glue. His English is quite good and loves all things American and especially Starbucks coffee! He is a driver, guide, works in a carpet store with his cousin, and a Kurdish wedding singer. Yes, he is easy on the eyes but more than that, entertainingly funny and utterly vain but in a silly way. He announces his arrival by exclaiming "handsome man, I am here!" Normally a person would find this terribly annoying but he laughs at himself along with us.

Kurdish wedding singer, Murselin!

Black Sheep Carpets and friends

One day we asked that he drop us off at the beach for a couple of hours so we could hang out in our swimsuits without feeling self conscious. He let us get settled then graced us with his company at our beach chairs. We took some photos, one of the two of us to which he remarked "Is that me? Wow I look so good!" to think I was concerned about how much skin was showing.





Oh, back to topic: The museum is a good precursor to the activities planned. It's sets the foundation and demonstrates fairly easily the discovery, intent and examples of these ancient civilizations and the political environments surrounding them. No need to spend much time there, just enough to brush up. The Isabey Mosque sits just below the citadel of St. John's Basilica were both early sites prior to life at Ephesus.

Isabey Mosque, Selcuk

original columns and ruins of Isabey Mosques dating to 1375

the ruins at St. John's Basilica, Selcuk

more ruins

We took a lunch break at a small cafe of Murselin's friend Ebo who seemed quite entertained by the The American Sweeties. 

meet Ebo 

lunch at Ebo's

After lunch He brought us by his cousin's shop where we had the sales pitch on carpets. All well and good, everyone is striving to make a living.

On our way to Ephesus with perfect timing as the major tours were starting to wind down. It's been many years since I've studied and written about Roman and Hellenistic archaeological ruins though all familiar. The amphitheater and library were most impressive. Begun the visit at the top entrance winding down though the ancient civilization past the Agora, Bath of Agora, and Odeon making your way towards the terrace houses towards the library before a path to The Great Theater.

Ephesus ruins...

more...

the library...

the marble walk...

the amphitheater

What made me laugh? Girls in high heels and dresses desperately trying to navigate the slippery and uneven marble walkways and steps; painfully tiptoeing baby steps.

Saturday in Selcuk

SELCUK

Travel partner Margaret found Nisanyan Inn earlier this year and as the planning process began we wrapped our itinerary around the inn and the Selcuk Saturday market.  I love a local market and thinking about what wonderful delectable dishes I'd create from the offerings.  

We wandered through the abundant tables of fruit and vegetable harvest, household booths of linens, kitchen and bath necessities, women's clothing, handbags and...well...EVERYTHING1  It's sort of a your neighborhood Target or WalMart in individualized tents but with fantastic people watching. 

Brilliant aubergine, courgette and peppers...

   

lemons, tomatoes, more aubergine and beans...

do you know what these are?

red and green varieties of okra...

olives...

crates and crates of local tomatoes...

and mandarin oranges!

Murselin introduced us to his friend Hulya (Julia) Celik whose jewelry shop Moon Light Silver Shop was an absolute blast ~ full of her own creations, traditional Ottoman Empire pieces, contemporary designs, gem stones and more.  Between Heather, Margaret and I let's just say we probably made their monthly rental payment for the store.  I'd be happy to show you my fabulous silver cuff that makes me feel a little like Wonder Woman when I wear it.  Oh yea, "Girl Power!"

Hulya's favorite saying is "GIRL POWER"!

the loving couple

with the girls

A little beach time, just us girls, right? Wrong!  Murselin couldn't stand to be away from his American Sweeties so he joined us at our lounge chairs. 

Murselin and the Flats

Far From the Madding Crowd

SIRINCE

Far above the busy town of Selcuk nestled in the hills is the tiny town of Sirince and Nisanyan Inn whose logo is that of a snail. Perhaps an indication of the pace of life, the slow crawl up the one lane dirt road that it takes to get here, or the slow travel concept taken to a new level, or that snails come when it rains? From where I am at this moment, across the valley you can hear the donkeys along with the workers on the hillside picking olives, the hens, rooster and chickens clucking and chirping, the crabby geese squawking every time someone walks by them, the flowing water from the hillside, the frogs at night and so on.

pink cottage

our cottage entrance

doorway to the cottages

the perch overlooking the valley

daily breakfast is served!

tomato and cucumber, staples in every Turkish breakfast.

great breakfast made by Arzu

additional outdoor dining for the cottages

Arzu had been hard at work preparing breakfast

The ambience is unmatched, quiet though full of life. The staff take great care in their work in preparing incredible breakfasts of little plates of green and black olives, compote of fresh fruit spreads from quince, mandarin and Ginger to peach, apricot apple, flavorful cheese curds seasoned with olives oil and herbs, sheep's milk and feta cheeses, red pepper paste, chopped cucumber and tomatoes honey and fresh baked breads.

Arzu with fresh picked vegetables from the garden.

shy Amalia slowly but surely made her way to us...

eventually Amalia and I chatted in german at dinner

Details and conveniences are presented in a wonderful outdoor setting under a grapevine covered area, warm woolen ponchos for when the breeze kick up, chessboards and backgammon for game enthusiasts, and Turkish style seating for reading, visiting or enjoying the panoramic view.

The Inn has a lovely rustically appointed dining area both inside and out, with a limited menu with funny translations: stew like mommy made or salad with warm stuff. But don't let this fool you. Their food is brilliantly prepared!

dining room

steps to the dining room

outdoor dining

courtyard entrance

The daily meze, sort of a daily antipasto selection varied from rice stuffed aubergine or peppers, sauteed leeks with vegetables, green beans, roasted red peppers with yogurt and so on. But wait, I forgot about the bread starter grilled with butter and olive and seasoned with herbs. Decadent! Everything garden fresh and bellissima!

Mezze: stewed okra, sauteed green beans,
potatoes, canellini beans and beets with yogurt.

More mezze: roasted red pepper with yogurt, mixed vegetables
and sauteed lemony green beans

Salad with warm stuff:  sauteed vegetables with walnuts and apricots.

Stew like Mommy made!

The first day here was spent in complete relaxation starting with a leisurely breakfast, followed by reading or writing on the terrace area, which graduated to more reading by the pool nestled below the pathway and surrounded by trees and picturesque vistas and finally an invigorating plunge into chilly waters! Great way to start the stay in Sirince.

a day at the pool

relaxation