Monday, December 10, 2007

Goodbye Pacific...














Goodbye San Diego. Why aren't you satisfying anymore? Time to move on. I will always love southern California. I will miss surfing the pacific with my girls. I will miss Mexican food, and warm weather. I will miss the aloe plants blooming and the big palm fr awns with their seeds. I will miss my nature walks any time of the year. All my amazing friends of course but I am out. Change is necessary. I will be back to Turkey by January...hello 2008.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Floating...


















Float:n. suspend on water; cork on a fishing line. I feel strange because I am suspended right now. I am doing some major transitioning in my life. Sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes good, and sometimes bad. LIFE.

The Deeper that sorrow carries into your being the more joy you can contain. -Kahlil Gibran-

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

So I'm back to reality?????

It's strange! I feel strange! I am depressed and confused. I am usually happy and confident but now I am just plan confused and what is all this crap I own? I have so much stuff!!! Except photoshop...I don't have photoshop now. So...no photos.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

COME-GO...STAY-LEAVE...














Some of my friends were joking before I came to Turkey, "Don't fall in love." But I did fall...Hard! What do WE do now? Change our everything...life, country, culture, language, goals, ideas for the future and what we thought our lives should be like...Or do we forget it ever happened and know we will always have a friend in a far away place? Many tears will be shed...many, many smiles too...

Friday, July 27, 2007

Still can't get used to it...














Turkish Toilet














My painting praising toilet paper...














Close up of the beloved paper...

So I have been here for almost six months and it just doesn't get easier for me. Someone tried to tell me Turkish toilets are more sanitary...I guess because not everyone sits on the same seat. How about seat covers? Also when you are peeing it splashes up onto your feet...gross!! Another thing that I am still not used to is having to carry toilet paper around in my purse because a MAJORITY of places do not offer it. I guess I am spoiled by the public toilets in America. There is usually never any soap either, but they do have lemon flavored alcohol cologne that everyone is always squirting all over their hands before or after they eat. Turks also seem to love the smell...blah lemon flavored rubbing alcohol. I do like how normally you get these hand wipes after eating (even though they are normally lemon flavored alcohol ones). It seems a little better you are actually wiping germs off instead of just rubbing them around on your hand. I have learned to horde these little wippy treasures in my purse for situations like above when I am faced without toilet paper or soap. The painting above just makes me laugh. I really do praise the little packets of Kleenex they sell around here. Also at restaurants my friends and I are always sticking napkins in our purses just in case. And to clean the toilets they just hose them down with water...OK easy but..then there are gross muddy foot prints everywhere???????And people don't flush them so some omit horrid odors!!! Ohhh Sweet Turkey I really do love you though...

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Complete Inspiration


















Sagrada Familia


















Sagrada Familia inside

This is one of Antoni Gaudi's many masterpieces throughout Barcelona. This Church was started in 1882 and Gaudi worked on it for over forty years until his death. The project continues and is only 50 percent complete. They anticipate 25 more years of work. The reason I am so inspired by Gaudi is his respect and love for nature. His muse is nature as is mine. Really please go tto Barcelona so you can fully appreciate it.

With the flower pots, surrounded by vines and olives, cheered by the clucking of the hens, the twittering of the birds and the buzzing of insects, and with the mountains of Prades in the background, I captured the purest and most pleasing images of nature, who is ever my mistress. -Antoni Gaudi-

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Big eggs and ham...things I miss...


















Beautiful fruit variety...


















Avocados...yes please!


















Prosciutto hanging everywhere...


















Little piggies in Spain...


















Actually, no I don't miss ostrich eggs because I have never had them...but thought this was a cool photo. I recently headed over to Barcelona and Madrid, Spain. These photos are from the open air market in the middle of Barcelona. You can find so much variety but for a pretty steep price. Since Turkey is a predominately Muslim country there isn't much demand for pork so it was a good treat. Also here in Turkey they have great beautiful fresh veggies but nothing tropical, no avocados, no limes, etc. I will be going back to America soon...to all it's choices????? Huh????

Friday, July 6, 2007

Gözleme














We headed down the coast from Didim to Ölüdeniz. Our first gözleme stop was a small roadside restaurant. It was run by this woman and I assume her son. They served only the Turkish pastry and Aryan(yogurt and water drink that Turks love!) The rooftop of the garden was dripping with grape vines and crickets were loudly chirping around us.














Gözleme is a Turkish pancake or crepe. The women start with a small ball of dough. They start to flatten it by working it back and forth on a big stick. Gradually making a large flat 'pancake.' They heat it on a hot convex metal dome. This gives the pancake a beautiful texture, a little chewy and a little crunchy. The traditional fillings are white cheese and a green mixture of spinach and other herbs. In Ölüdeniz they were making sweet as well as savory treats; chocolate and banana, lemon and sugar, etc. Even my Turkish boyfriend was surprised by this luscious twist.

We decided to go on a boat cruise when we got to Ölüdeniz(dead sea). The sea has the most amazing variety of blue hues. It is so,so,so clear you can see to the bottom for many meters and/or yards(depending on what scale you use). Our boat was a double deck 28 meter wooden boat. There were lots of other big tour boats there to soak up all the English tourists(There are so many English people it was a bit strange). The boats did a nice job of spreading out though so you don't feel to overcrowded. As we floated from beautiful location to the next I noticed these fun looking little row boats with thier striped canopies...huh? Hey everybody wants to make their money. These people follow around the tour boats selling gözleme. Great idea! What do you think San Diego??? My boyfriend was joking that he should come to the U.S. and start a gözleme boat for all the surfers sitting out there waiting to catch their waves. So funny...or did you have to be there?

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Magic Carpet Ride...
































So it was 50 degree C outside (around 120 degrees F). We were so freaking hot! Our jeep safari from Oludeniz stopped at a local carpet maker's guild. I ran to the air conditioner.

We were in a warehouse type setting surrounded by huge floor looms. We were told that an average wool carpet(4 by 6 meters) takes one woman 3 months; working an average of 6 hours a day(I think only 5 days a week). The Turkish carpets are also special because they use a double knotting system as opposed to only single knots used in other countries. These women are so so so fast. They whip their fingers in and around the base strings and then slice the end with their knife. Before you know it they have a whole row of knots done.

Our group was escorted into a viewing room. They gave us fresh apple juice(thank goodness...remember the heat!) and started the show. As we sat one man told us about the types of carpets; silk, wool, cotton, different weaves, etc. There were three other men unrolling the carpets for your visual pleasure. It reminded me of a circus, definitely a performance. They danced around the room popping these beautiful colors in front of your eyes. The floor was covered with a gorgeous array of colors and styles.

The Turks are good salesmen for sure. Did it work on me? Yes, I love supporting hand made goods. It was so inexpensive if you really consider the time it took to make these amazing creations. I need to save up for the silk ones. It was interesting because only women seemed to make the carpets and only men seemed to sell them?? We hopped back into our jeep and rode of into the heat; searching for our next possibe way to cool off????? Lot's of fun ahead.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Now it's time to say goodbye...














Where did the time go? There we all are,(Kloe and other exchange students) dancing at one of our favorite clubs. I feel like I just came to Turkey. Everything new, meeting all the other yobanci orenci(foreigner students) for the first time and now I am saying good bye. Exchanging emails and wondering who you will really keep in touch with. All my friends from U.S. are writing me "see you soon". I am in love with a Turk...what do I do about that? Wow life flies by! I guess just live in the now and enjoy as much as you can! I will always have a special place in my heart for Turkey and I know this isn't the end. I am excited though to see friends and family(of course). I miss food variety, sushi, blue water seafood, my mama's cooking, big fat Mexican burrito!!!!!! In my Turkish city variety is lacking for sure! I also miss Yoga and people to run with! Paths to run on and not getting stared at like a freak when you run by! OK that is it for now...I still have a month and a half.

Our tour guide


















My girls and I headed to Iznik for a couple of days. All we really had heard was "there's a lake." Tamam...Let's go! We started to explore the city, popping in and out of the ceramic shops. People watching as usual I notice a little man. He hopped up as he saws us coming but he started heading away from us instead of towards us...huh? We start to pass him when he pops around and yells, "hosgeldiniz" (welcome in Turkish). He directs us into his favorite ceramic shop. Ok thank you???????? As we come out he is waiting for us holding three Erik(green sour plums). He gives one to each of us. Again it is the talking with the hands and eyes. I have become "good" at speaking turkish... I connect words without any verbs. He invites us for cay(tea). We follow him and his little cane to the local corner men's cay place. In turkey there are tons of places with men only sitting inside drinking tea. It is a ltiile intimidating but in we stroll, three bayan yobancis(foriegn girls) and our new friend Mehmet. We all get cay and almost as fast as we get it his is gone. We signal to him in a way, "how do you drink it so fast?" He pulls out his dentures for us. I love it! Anyways he decides to show us his city. We try to go to the museum but it is closed. He tries to talk the guy into opening the door for us since we are yobancis. It was hilarious. Next we follow him to the camii(mosque) in the photo. He points out the stone carving... cok guzel(very beautiful)!! The topping on the cake was when he brought us to the stone wall fortress that surrounds the city. There is a cemetary. He starts signing this beutiful Turkish song and making a sleeping hands gesture. He was singing for the dead. I have a video...I'll show you later! You never who you are going to meet and how they will affect you. Thank you Mehmet!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Switzerland














Even when you are there it seems fake. The Swiss people have created this wonderful harmony with nature and modern life. They have nice cars, trains, showers, every modern thing yet preserve this amazing nature around them. We were able to drink from the water falls and the fresh spring feed faucets all over town. In many cities around the world you can't even drink water from the tap let alone an outdoor faucet. I love it! My sister, her man and I hiked the SHARK'S FIN. It deserves capital letters and we freaking rock! This vertical climb took us 3 1/2 hours up and 2 1/2 down. It is worth the pain because when you get to the top...this is your view! Imagine the panoramic! We caught our breath, devoured some peanut butter sandwiches and took a small nap amongst the wild flowers. Then it was back to Turkey.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Olympos














Just a spoonful of sugar...














Friends...














and a beautiful beach...

Helps the medicine go down, the medicine go down. Well actually that is the medicine. Olympos is tucked into a beautiful wooded valley. You feel like you are on an island because there are no big hotels blocking your view. Everyone stays in small pesions with treehouses or small cabins as your accomadation. You can walk freely around the ruins of the ancient city or jump off rocks into the sea. The salty sea is great for floating on your back and dreaming. cok guzel! I like surprises!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Pirates...arhhgggg!!!


















This is the Harbor view from my friend's secret garden. We traveled around the south on the Mediterranean. We climbed by car(haha)through Alanya and Antalya smelling orange blossoms and sea for days. We toured castles, caves and waterfalls. We heard stories about princesses, sultans and pirates. This is inspiration for a book for sure. I will find my pot of gold!

Monday, April 30, 2007

Small town hospitality...


















One of our new little friends in Afyon...


















We were on our way to Alanya and stopped off in Afyon to take some photos and stretch our legs. All five of us were equipped with cameras and smiles. We started exploring the old part of the city with it's intimate colorful alleys. We all were stalking a mother hen and her three different colored chicks for a photo...so cute. We stumbled upon two little boys running up and down this stairwell. I was tired just watching them. There was also a little covered woman sticking her head out the window. She was getting some sun and hanging a rug on her clothesline. She offered us tea and we accepted. She brought us pillows to sit on. The little boys were wrestling and showing off for the camera. They were so sweet and ran up the hill to pick us girls little yellow daisies. A few other women came out of their houses to meet us, Yobancı orencı(foriegn students). We all felt so welcomed by these total strangers. It was a beautiful day of sipping sweet tea and meeting new friends.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Spring is in the air...














Deniz(Sea) and Güneş(Sun) are very sweet. Especially when you are sharing them with good people. I took this photo in Didim. It is a small spring Iris popping through the rocks and sand along the Aegean Sea. Çok Güzel(very beautiful)...

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Sweet fruits of my labor????


















Here is a little taste of the painting room at school. Paint everywhere but that means there is work going on! I like it a little dirty! Charcoal and oil pastels are fun. Cay(tea) and ciggarettes all over the room (yes you can smoke in the classrooms...a little different than cali). Below is my first painting done in Turkey...


















I believe I will call it "Sitting in Your Eyes." The name is inspired by the book Honeymoon in Purdah, An Iranian Journey by Alison Wearing. I highly recommend the book. It is about a Canadian girl's travels and the people she meets throughout Iran. A friend gave it to me before I left and it was amazing to read while becoming acclimatted to the Turkish life. The quote that inspired me is this...
"At the top of the stairs, he pauses before opening the door to his house. 'I invite you to our home where I live with my family. I do not ask to you if you are good person. Already I see it: your heart it is sitting in your eyes'."
They had just met this man who invited them into thier home. I find Turkish people doing this all the time. Here have some tea...let me feed you... and we will talk with our eyes, our hands and small words since my Turkish is so awesome(haha). Also the small pocket dictionary is my new good friend! Do American people do this? I feel like many of us are scared of strangers? What will they do to me...blah blah blah??? Or is it I am more aware of talking with eyes and communicating in other ways because I can't speak the language? Sometimes it is nice to just see and feel peoples actions rather than listening to a bullshit story round and round in circles...Words can be a beautiful, beautiful thing as long as they are backed with action. What do you think? Talk to me...(haha)

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Sweeter than sugar...














These children are much sweeter than sugar cubes. Since being in Turkey I have been completely enamoured with the Turkish children who run around in their little blue school uniforms. Each child has a different hand embroidered white collar. At our University there is a hot lunch program they offer for one lira per day(about 75 cents). Surprisingly it isn't too bad and obviously you can't beat the price. They also bus in elementary school children to feed. The kids are always zipping and zooming around us during lunch. On this day Spring was in the air and oranges(portokal) were on the lunch menu. All these kids were outside in the sun eating these huge, sweet, juicy oranges in their blue complimentary color uniforms. I thought they were so beautiful and asked if I could take a photo of a few of them. At first there was three, then seven, ten and all of a sudden my photo was swarming with twenty-five orange and sun kissed children. I felt kinda bad cropping the photo because each was posing in their own cute way.

Sunday, April 8, 2007

"I love technology...


















But not as much as you you see"...Thank you Kip from Napoleon Dynamite. That is a line from the song he sings to Lafawnduh on their wedding day...so cute. Oh yes...Happy Easter and I really do love technology. The wonderful Internet allows me to talk to friends and family when I am miles and miles and miles away. It was so good to see your beautiful faces and hear your voices today (you know who you are). In this photo my cubes are a little fuzzy but I like it anyways. I can still know via the Internet what is going on in my friends lives...like getting engaged,surfing in Hawaii, also "Jesus Christ"...how quick you are at cleaning up the garage door remnants. I miss surfing and the sea. Good to see a glimpse of San Diego today. I will head to the west coast of Turkey next weekend though. So I almost forgot it was Easter today (Tara where am I going?) because I am in a Muslim country. I tried to tell my friends about the Easter Bunny. It was so fun to hunt for your basket or eggs. Like a buried treasure map...arghghhgh(my pirate noise?????????)

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Almond Joy














What brings you joy? Something that brightened my day was when my mother sent me this email about my adorable grandparents...Lennie and Phemie. My mother wrote, "It's so cute, they have a new ritual at night. Dad eats the two nuts out of the Almond Joy and Mom gets the rest. (she can't eat nuts) then it's two kisses and I love you and off to bed. Such simple things like you said are often the best. I just always feel good after I leave there. Believe me I know what mothers mean to daughters." Yes mother...I know too. I love traveling but sometimes it is hard being away from my family. They are my root system and they keep me strong. Even though my family isn't right by my side I have meet some good friends here in Turkey. This photo makes me laugh. I went to a friend's late at night after dancing. He insisted on making tea even though it was around five a.m. and we should be going to bed...He didn't have any tea so he rushed down to the store. He came back with a pack of cigarettes, some tea, nescafe packets(just in case I wanted that instead), and sugar cubes wrapped in newspaper. Tesekkur ederim...Thank you to my friends and family

Monday, April 2, 2007

sugar sugar...dunna nanananana...


















oh hunny hunny...dunna nanananana...you are my candy girlll and you got me wanting you...So The Archies sang that song back in 1969(thank you google...I did not know that fact). This photo is just a portion from the gigantic sugar cube bowl in the fine arts faculty canteen. For 65 kurus(the s has line through bottom and makes sh noise), I have a lovely cup of nescafe in the morning. I agree Kloe...I really miss fresh ground, strong ass, french roast...just cream and no sugar. Delicious! Let's see... today my cali girl(not candy girl) and I went to the bazaar. We bought fresh strawberries(cilek-the c has line through bottom also and makes ch noise), green apples (elma in turkish) and cagla (again the ch noise and a thin over g which makes g silent and draws out the a)...yes! I am learning turkish!!! Cagla is this strange fruit that I have never seen before. It grows in March and April. It is this green,fuzzy seed/fruit like thing. It is a little bitter yet crisp and refreshing like cucumber...interesting? I had glass blowing today. We made small animals;fish, seals,etc...dunna nananana...Who is your candy girl...or boy? sweet boys...

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Again the tea...














Warm, warm tea...and people. This is a tea dish. There are always suger cubes on it with a tiny spoon or stir stick. Tea is always served in a small glass that is curvy like a woman, small waist in the middle. I still find it interesting that there is no handle. I had to learn to drink it with out burning my fingers off...find the balance. Tea is always warm as are most of the people I have met here. Discussing it with other Turkish people they agree that Turkish people are warm(kind and open) unless you are not. If you are cold to them they will be very, very cold back. Let's be warm...shall we?

Saturday, March 31, 2007

The sweeter the better


















I have never drank so much tea in all my life! You always, always drink tea with 2+ big, fat sugar cubes...forget that sweet and low stuff. I actually have never seen sugar substitute in turkey. huh? Also it doesn't seem to matter what time of day it is...8 a.m. after you woke up or 5 a.m. and you still haven't gone to bed. Why not have another glass. Tea is very much a social thing. Total strangers will take you into their homes and insist on making you a cup of tea. Actually I would feel rude saying no. You drink tea at stores, the police station, school, and with just about every person you meet in turkey. The hand in this photo belongs to my beautiful friend Rahmi. He was my first friend in Turkey with a huge, pure, kind heart. My friend from Cali and I had just gotten to Istanbul and were staying at a hotel. He heard us speaking English and initiated conversation with us. He was with his adorable daughter and another kind friend. He took us under his wing...no questions asked. He feed us cheese and salami toasts and plenty of tea. He told me he drinks 20+ cups of tea a day. At first I thought it may be an exaggeration but no...very normal in the Turkey. Really...Wow! (he always says that in an adorable way). I feel very fortunate to be here in the turkey and to have met Rahmi. Mother you would approve(miss you mom and family!!!).

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

ohhh...sweet turkey














I have been in Turkey now for almost two months. Everyday I find myself taking joy in the little sweet things; drinking endless cups of tea, communicating through eyes and some form of sign language( Yok Turce but I am trying), walking around the bazaar...tasting cheeses off the old cheese man's knife, smelling the simit baking(circular pretzels covered in sesame seeds), Hearing the (I'll admit at times annoying yet funny) kalabak su water truck constantly driving around, watching the little kids in thier bright blue uniforms with hand embroidered collars running around screaming...It is all in the little things.