Today I finally explored a bit around the street on which I live. I found a lovely antique book store to which I plan to return. I also discovered, in the Columbus sense of the word, a vintage store. I proceeded to thrift in Istanbul with all appropriate glee. I bought
an Ottoman coin with a hole in it as well as a Russian coin with an image of
Lenin on it… And a few other items. I also ran into some people there that just
graduated from UNC- and a graduate who lives here with his wife now. Three people total from UNC or North Carolina.
- Visited Dolmabahce Palace - OK, rococo and baroque styles were horrid in France
and they are just as bad in Turkiye. A gilded world, I saw putti. Not pleased.
Apparently this palace cost 35 tons of gold, the name means filled garden
because the land it rests upon was once a bay in the Bosphorus Strait– and in
all fairness it is an impressive sight…
- Visited the Military Museum- Fascinating place, saw a performance
by imitators of the military band, called Mehter troop. Viewed many swords,
rifles and a full scale model with a backdrop and sound effects of battle of
Mehmet the Conqueror’s capture of Constantinople. Also viewed an intriguingly
official rendition of events from the Armenian conflict… To say the least – there will be photos
of this exhibit up shortly.
- Then I ran into someone that I had met at Cup of Joe. On Istiklal in Turkiye. This man had also seen me at the peace protest... He was with a friend who is thinking about graduate school at UNC. The world is shrinking faster than your jeans in the dryer.
- Sat across from/at a table filled with Turkish people, French people, a Hungarian person, an American and a German. To name a few nationalities that were involved.
- Raised a toast to Obama on a sidestreet with Efes
- Realized Istanbul really is the center of the world.
