Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Turkey - Correction
I have been informed that Istanbul is actually only divided into 2 parts - the Asian and European parts. But the European part consists of old town and new town. So from now on, I shall speak of Istanbul as having 2 parts. :)
Turkey - Day 2
We were late this morning. Nothing unusual there, but we were trying to get around each other to get ready, and really not used to sharing a bathroom amongst 5 people, haha. (We got used to it, but were also offered the use of another bathroom in one of the other apartments.) I woke up and there was my sister! I miss my sister when she is away, we have lots to catch up on over the next week! *yay*
We were supposed to be ready by 9a.m. to start our tour of the city, but I think my brother and I weren't ready til about 8.45! So instead of doing the cruise of the Bosphorus River which would enable us to see the 3 parts of Istanbul, we reversed the day's plans, so that we covered the tours planned for the afternoon first.
Hence, we headed across the Bosphorus Bridge to Camlica Hill on the Asian part to view the European sections of Istanbul. Even on a cloudy (and rainy and cold!) day, the view was amazing. It was a pity the clearest objects in the photos were the trees in the foreground :)
We drove back to the European side after that - there are signs saying 'Welcome to Asia' and 'Welcome to Europe' on the respective continents - and headed for Beylerbeyi Sarayi (Palace). The summer home of Sultan Abdul Hamid and later Sultan Abdul Aziz, we got to see the furniture, paintings, and elaborate paintings, curtains and chandeliers that were used in the saray, which were similar to those at the more expansive Dolmabahce Palace. In Beylerbeyi Palace, we got to see the 'harem' - the domestic part of the palace which is separated from the official sections.
Next stop was Pierre loti Hill after (a big!) lunch for more awesome views, this time of the 'Golden Horn' - that part of Istanbul that is shaped like a horn, and where the water supposedly looks golden. From there, we took a cable car down from the hill and were treated to more beautiful scenery. It's so hard to explain the feeling, but it was like a calm just washes over you when you see such beautiful sights.
We then joined the cruise on the Bosphorus River, and got to see the different architecture on all 3 parts of Istanbul, as well as the luxurious homes by the river. We got to taste some locally made yoghurt, and saw the Ciragan Palace Kempinski. Once a palace, it has been converted to a grand hotel, with room rates up to 50,000 Euros per night... Okay, remember to breathe...inhale, exhale.
Back to the apartments to get ready for a special dinner - to celebrate my parents' wedding anniversary (belatedly) at Asitane, another restaurant specialising in Ottoman cuisine. It was a great dinner, but we ordered too much food for appetizers and mains, that we had no room for dessert! Was quite disappointed, but it felt like I had filled my separate 'dessert stomach' with the main dishes. Oh, well.
What I'd noticed by this point is that even in the nice restaurants, service in Turkey is very different from what it is in Australia. Australian restaurants emphasise service a lot - always very attentive, eager to please, usually polite. In Turkey, it was different. Perhaps it is because of a fundamental cultural difference, I'm not sure, but most of the waiters do not exude much warmth. Dishes are cleared without a word or asking whether you are finished with it, sometimes removed when you are taking your last bite and the fork has barely left your mouth. It was a bit of a shock, and not something I got used to, even after 8 days there. And at times, even when there are only a handful of occupied tables in the restaurant, the waiters were nowhere in sight when you needed them. But luckily, the food was good enough that I could ignore all this and concentrate on filling my belly with hot bread and kebab and kofte! And quince. Seemed to be a lot of that around.
We were supposed to be ready by 9a.m. to start our tour of the city, but I think my brother and I weren't ready til about 8.45! So instead of doing the cruise of the Bosphorus River which would enable us to see the 3 parts of Istanbul, we reversed the day's plans, so that we covered the tours planned for the afternoon first.
Hence, we headed across the Bosphorus Bridge to Camlica Hill on the Asian part to view the European sections of Istanbul. Even on a cloudy (and rainy and cold!) day, the view was amazing. It was a pity the clearest objects in the photos were the trees in the foreground :)
We drove back to the European side after that - there are signs saying 'Welcome to Asia' and 'Welcome to Europe' on the respective continents - and headed for Beylerbeyi Sarayi (Palace). The summer home of Sultan Abdul Hamid and later Sultan Abdul Aziz, we got to see the furniture, paintings, and elaborate paintings, curtains and chandeliers that were used in the saray, which were similar to those at the more expansive Dolmabahce Palace. In Beylerbeyi Palace, we got to see the 'harem' - the domestic part of the palace which is separated from the official sections.
Next stop was Pierre loti Hill after (a big!) lunch for more awesome views, this time of the 'Golden Horn' - that part of Istanbul that is shaped like a horn, and where the water supposedly looks golden. From there, we took a cable car down from the hill and were treated to more beautiful scenery. It's so hard to explain the feeling, but it was like a calm just washes over you when you see such beautiful sights.
We then joined the cruise on the Bosphorus River, and got to see the different architecture on all 3 parts of Istanbul, as well as the luxurious homes by the river. We got to taste some locally made yoghurt, and saw the Ciragan Palace Kempinski. Once a palace, it has been converted to a grand hotel, with room rates up to 50,000 Euros per night... Okay, remember to breathe...inhale, exhale.
Back to the apartments to get ready for a special dinner - to celebrate my parents' wedding anniversary (belatedly) at Asitane, another restaurant specialising in Ottoman cuisine. It was a great dinner, but we ordered too much food for appetizers and mains, that we had no room for dessert! Was quite disappointed, but it felt like I had filled my separate 'dessert stomach' with the main dishes. Oh, well.
What I'd noticed by this point is that even in the nice restaurants, service in Turkey is very different from what it is in Australia. Australian restaurants emphasise service a lot - always very attentive, eager to please, usually polite. In Turkey, it was different. Perhaps it is because of a fundamental cultural difference, I'm not sure, but most of the waiters do not exude much warmth. Dishes are cleared without a word or asking whether you are finished with it, sometimes removed when you are taking your last bite and the fork has barely left your mouth. It was a bit of a shock, and not something I got used to, even after 8 days there. And at times, even when there are only a handful of occupied tables in the restaurant, the waiters were nowhere in sight when you needed them. But luckily, the food was good enough that I could ignore all this and concentrate on filling my belly with hot bread and kebab and kofte! And quince. Seemed to be a lot of that around.
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Türkiye blog
Blog on the first day of the trip was drafted on Day 3 and published retrospectively - look out for it, the post before "Home. Or am I?"
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Home. Or am I?
As I unpacked after 8 days in gorgeous Turkey, I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness. For all the joy I felt, for what I have seen, and hope to see and feel again, and the possibility that I may not be able to. Of wanting to stay for an extended period of time, to experience it deeper, to know the people, and to know better the people I have met. Of wondering what else is out there that I have not seen or experienced, that may be as eye-opening an event as this trip has been. I'm sure there are many, some I am aware of and others, like this country, which I am unaware of and completely unprepared for. The beauty, the sights, the smells, the sounds. I will forever cherish what I have seen, and hope to be able to explain it in the next couple days when I write about the trip. I hope I can do it justice! For now, sleep...
Monday, 22 December 2008
Turkey - Day 1
Family holiday!! Usually a drama-filled affair, and there was already some of that in the planning of the trip, so I was curious to see what would go on during the trip. Start of Day 3 today - so far, so good :)
On the first day, we checked into our apartment in Sultanahmet - the old European part of Istanbul. When we arrived at our lodging, we were a little confused, as it appeared to be an office. First thought was that we were being taken to the travel agent's office before our accommodation, but then they started unloading our luggage. Hmmm...
Behind the unsuspecting façade are the quaint apartments of Istanbul Apart's Home with a double bedroom, and sofa beds for 4 people. A wall-mounted flat screen tv, heater/air conditioner, kitchenette, shower, and the very modern amenity of free wireless internet. It is a tad cramped for the 5 of us, partly because Mum, sis and I have too many bags :) But it is also cosy, which is good considering that it is 0-8 degrees Celcius outside!
We had nothing planned for the day in terms of tours, as we were waiting for sis to join us that night from Manchester, so we opted to see a local shopping mall (yes, on the first day! lol) and then headed to Galata Tower. Situated in the 'new' European part of Istanbul, the 360° view of the 3 parts of Istanbul (old and new European, and Asian) was incredible. As clichè as it may sound, I really did let out a gasp. And that was when I first realised how little I knew about Turkey.
Truth be told, the image I had of Turkey was more along the lines of hot and dusty, open air bazaars, that sort of thing. Maybe it was the fact that we were there in winter, when the temperature was usually in single digits, there was a lot of rain, and we were probably a bit sheltered, being with the guide in a van/bus for most of the time. But there was something captivating about it all: the architecture; the busy streets where drivers blare their horns even more than they do in KL (yet no one seems to take offence to it the way they do here); the mixture of old and new; the preservation of, and pride in, its history; and the ability to embrace the rapid changes of the modern world.
Back to Galata Tower. We made our round of the observation platform, then headed inside for Turkish coffee. Now this I was prepared for and looking forward to! More photos on the observation platform with the night lights of Istabul before heading to the main shopping strip, İstiklâl Caddesi or Avenue, to look for a restaurant called Haci Abdullah, which I'd read about on the internet. The wonders of the internet :)
Located off the main strip, and partially hidden by some construction when we were there, this restaurant has been around since 1888! It serves Ottoman cuisine, and the food is on display as you walk past the kitchens to your table. As if we weren't hungry enough! By then, we'd walked at least half an hour in a slight drizzle of rain from Galata Tower. Surprisingly, I wasn't too cold even though I only had a long sleeved top and a vest on (ok, and the beanie too), but I sure was hungry!
That night, we had a really good dinner, and I was sorry that sis was not there to enjoy it, or Galata Tower. She was due to arrive at 9pm, but her flight was delayed, so she only ended up arriving after 10. By which time I had long gone to sleep even though I had the best intentions of going with my brother to pick her up. Whoops... :)
On the first day, we checked into our apartment in Sultanahmet - the old European part of Istanbul. When we arrived at our lodging, we were a little confused, as it appeared to be an office. First thought was that we were being taken to the travel agent's office before our accommodation, but then they started unloading our luggage. Hmmm...
Behind the unsuspecting façade are the quaint apartments of Istanbul Apart's Home with a double bedroom, and sofa beds for 4 people. A wall-mounted flat screen tv, heater/air conditioner, kitchenette, shower, and the very modern amenity of free wireless internet. It is a tad cramped for the 5 of us, partly because Mum, sis and I have too many bags :) But it is also cosy, which is good considering that it is 0-8 degrees Celcius outside!
We had nothing planned for the day in terms of tours, as we were waiting for sis to join us that night from Manchester, so we opted to see a local shopping mall (yes, on the first day! lol) and then headed to Galata Tower. Situated in the 'new' European part of Istanbul, the 360° view of the 3 parts of Istanbul (old and new European, and Asian) was incredible. As clichè as it may sound, I really did let out a gasp. And that was when I first realised how little I knew about Turkey.
Truth be told, the image I had of Turkey was more along the lines of hot and dusty, open air bazaars, that sort of thing. Maybe it was the fact that we were there in winter, when the temperature was usually in single digits, there was a lot of rain, and we were probably a bit sheltered, being with the guide in a van/bus for most of the time. But there was something captivating about it all: the architecture; the busy streets where drivers blare their horns even more than they do in KL (yet no one seems to take offence to it the way they do here); the mixture of old and new; the preservation of, and pride in, its history; and the ability to embrace the rapid changes of the modern world.
Back to Galata Tower. We made our round of the observation platform, then headed inside for Turkish coffee. Now this I was prepared for and looking forward to! More photos on the observation platform with the night lights of Istabul before heading to the main shopping strip, İstiklâl Caddesi or Avenue, to look for a restaurant called Haci Abdullah, which I'd read about on the internet. The wonders of the internet :)
Located off the main strip, and partially hidden by some construction when we were there, this restaurant has been around since 1888! It serves Ottoman cuisine, and the food is on display as you walk past the kitchens to your table. As if we weren't hungry enough! By then, we'd walked at least half an hour in a slight drizzle of rain from Galata Tower. Surprisingly, I wasn't too cold even though I only had a long sleeved top and a vest on (ok, and the beanie too), but I sure was hungry!
That night, we had a really good dinner, and I was sorry that sis was not there to enjoy it, or Galata Tower. She was due to arrive at 9pm, but her flight was delayed, so she only ended up arriving after 10. By which time I had long gone to sleep even though I had the best intentions of going with my brother to pick her up. Whoops... :)
Thursday, 18 December 2008
The Generational / Cultural Divide
Grandma just got back from her holiday. I kind of enjoyed the peace and quiet for a while, though I was working such long hours that I didn't have too much time to experience the quiet. I know it sounds like a horrible thing to say, but she gets really loud, practically shouting, when she's agitated or restless. I don't think she even realises that she is loud, agitated, or restless, but that doesn't change the fact that she can get quite loud.
But I digress. My aunt who lives in Singapore is here with grandma. When I got home at almost midnight tonight, they were sitting at the dining table, having supper. Then grandma started talking to me, with her mouth full of food. So I said, I don't understand what you're saying. Then my aunt jumps in and tells grandma not to talk when she has food in her mouth. She goes on to explain to her that Western culture teaches people that it's rude to talk with their mouth full. This may be true, but I don't like that it makes me sound like a snob to my own grandma.
The fact of the matter is, that the person who taught me this is my late maternal grandfather. When I was about 7 and sitting next to him at the dinner table, he chided me. He wasn't the most gentle or subtle of people, so that memory is forever etched in my mind.
So by just saying that I could not understand what she was saying, I was made out to sound like rude Western-educated grandchild who just said whatever she pleased to her grandmother. Really can't please everyone!
But I digress. My aunt who lives in Singapore is here with grandma. When I got home at almost midnight tonight, they were sitting at the dining table, having supper. Then grandma started talking to me, with her mouth full of food. So I said, I don't understand what you're saying. Then my aunt jumps in and tells grandma not to talk when she has food in her mouth. She goes on to explain to her that Western culture teaches people that it's rude to talk with their mouth full. This may be true, but I don't like that it makes me sound like a snob to my own grandma.
The fact of the matter is, that the person who taught me this is my late maternal grandfather. When I was about 7 and sitting next to him at the dinner table, he chided me. He wasn't the most gentle or subtle of people, so that memory is forever etched in my mind.
So by just saying that I could not understand what she was saying, I was made out to sound like rude Western-educated grandchild who just said whatever she pleased to her grandmother. Really can't please everyone!
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Karma
I'd like to believe in karma. But if I do, then I must be doing something really wrong, or be breaking some law of the universe without realising it.
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