Fishing in Golden Horn

I have no internet connection since last evening.

I post todays photo at an internet cafe.

Not pleasent !

Have a better weekend than mine ...

Waiting for the Ferry / Part 4

This locomotive is one of the first ones, that served at this railway station.

It sits next to the neat building that I have been posting for four days.

Waiting for the Ferry / Part 3

Ceilings...

Tomorrow, Part 4, a little surprise...

Waiting for the Ferry / Part 2

Rauf asked me about the exterior of this building.

Here it is...

People are rushing to the Ferry.

The bigger building behind this little one , is Haydarpasha Railway Station,

which I have posted before

Tomorrow, the ceilings in part 3...

Waiting for the Ferry

In front of Haydarpasha Railway Station, on the waiting lounge for the Ferry.

Usually, I prefer to wait outside, but this one is a very old building

and it is really enjoyable to sit and look at the art work and ceilings.

Also, it is warmer :)

Evil Eye

The evil eye belief is that a person can harm you, your children, your business

by "looking at them" with envy and praising them.

Therefore it is imperative to have one of this blue glass eyes.

With that , you give the message as "I see what you are doing, and you cant get away with it."
The force of the evil eye was a widely accepted and feared random element in Turkish daily life. Nowadays, very few believe in the evil, but it is still such an enjoyable tradition.

You'll see them all over Turkey.

These were in Spice Market.

Questionnaire

How many pair of shoes do you buy a year?

Is there any brand you prefer?

Anyone?

Green & Purple

I was shopping at the Farmer' s market and took this photo today.

Never thought, it would come up so nice.

The result was like a little present to me.

Have a nice weekend...

Secretive Church

I was walking at Beyoglu, saw this church under the sunshine

It brighten up my day....

Wanted to learn the name and the history, but they were so secretive.

Also, it was closed.

So, I had to live with the picture only...

Brooms

Good thing there are no witches around here.
It would be difficult to ride these brooms.

Spring

Finally, Spring in Istanbul...

The Old Peninsula

I have taken this photo from the Ferry today.

This is the Old Peninsula, known as Sultan Ahmet also.

Three gorgeous buildings can be seen together, from this point.

The one at the very right is Topkapi Palace.

The one in the middle, is Hagia Sophia, that I have posted before.

The one at the left is the Blue Mosque, that I have posted here and here before.

Sunday Reading

Reading papers and listening Norah Jones this Sunday.

Have a nice weekend you all.

Simit

Simit (Turkish Bagel) is very cheap, very delish and very Turkish.

You definitely have to try it with a glass of tea.

Less than a dollar.

Inside Spice Bazaar

This is how it looks inside the Spice Bazaar.
Completed at 1660, this bazaar is always very crowded and colorful.

Therapy at the New Mosque

It feels like a therapy to watch people, feeding pigeons.

This photo was taken today.

The mosque is the New Mosque, in Eminonu, next to the Spice Bazaar

Do not get confused because of it's name, the mosque was completed at 1663.

Nostalgic Tramway - Today

Previously, I had posted about this Nostalgic Tramway.

This photo is taken today.

It is raining, windy and very cold.

We were getting ready for the spring, but winter came back:(

Outdoor Shoe Shining

This is Turkey's answer to the outdoor shoe shining and repairing.

This is strictly a Man's world.

Door Open

You never get bored in Istanbul

This colored door opens in every 5 or 10 minutes. A little man comes out with a trey in is hand,

serves everybody tea, who sits outside this door, on little tables and then in the next 5 or 10 minutes, he comes back, collect all the glasses and his money and disappears again

And it goes on and on and on all day....

Cafe in Tunel - Another View

Another view of that cozy Cafe in Tunel.

But it is hard to sit outside today, it is ice cold.

Have a nice weekend

The Big Jump

I know that this is not one of my greatest photos.

I just wanted to show you how crazy Turkish people can be....

The minute the ferry gets close to the dock, the people start jumping off with no fear of them being crashed between the ferry and the dock.

Everyone looks on, like this is normal.

Here, you can see a bunch of them , old and young; gearing up for the big jump....

Wildest thing I've ever seen....

Rahmi Koc Museum

I am taking you to the Rahmi Koc Museum today.

I haven't been there, I took this photo from the sea side on the ferry.

My friend Emre was there and he says;

"This museum exhibits industrial and technological objects, engravings, paintings and models. There is also a cafeteria and a restaurant open to visitors. "

This vessel was originally built at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, USA in 1944: it is more than 93m long, and displaces more than 2,400 tons. The boat saw service in the Second World War against the Japanese before being decommissioned and placed in the US Navy Reserve fleet in 1946.

She was transferred to the Turkish Navy on 2nd July 1971, and renamed TCG Uluçalireis. She then gave thirty years of valuable service to the Republic of Turkey before being finally transferred to the care of this Museum in 2001

Ask Emre for open hours and address.

He gives a lot of practical information not for only this museum , also for Istanbul visitors.

Cafe in Tunel

I would like to invite you to my favorite cafe in Istanbul today.

It is in Tunel ( Taksim ), they serve the most delicious desert and cafes there.

Has a very unic ambiance, there is a couple of antique shops next to the cafe. In fact, the owner of the cafe owns also the antique shops. There are lots of old items around.

And since it is 15-16 centigrade today, we can sit outside and enjoy the nice weather.

Are you coming?

Walking in Beyoglu

I have mentioned several times, that Beyoglu/Taksim is a very old neighborhood and almost all buildings are historical.

Well, I can not tell that this one is old...In fact it is brand new. But they made this original painting ( or photograph) on their wall, showing the same place in old times. Maybe 50-60 years ago.

I found that very nice.

Hope you enjoy it...

Gorgeous Red

This gorgeous is a school.

I could not believe that first. I thought, it might be a church, a libary, a museum or a governmental building...After I found out that it is a school, I looked it up on Internet and find out, that it is a high school, completed at 1881 and has around 50-55 Greek students recently.

And it is a boy school !

How sad is that...

It looks over the Golden Horn, has a spectacular view...