From the hotel windows

As the curtains drawn open, beyond them behold 
crisp cool mornings 
roof tops and residential density within the city of light
vastness and breathtaking chasm
the traveller's heart yearning for home.

Bratislava, Winter 2013

Bratislava, Winter 2013

Zagreb, Winter 2013

Zagreb, Spring 2013

Tokyo, Spring 2013

Tokyo, Spring 2013

Kawaguichiko, Japan, Spring 2013

Yokohama, Japan, Spring 2013

Singapore, late Spring 2013

Zagreb, Summer 2013

Split, Summer 2013

Breda, Netherlands, Summer 2013

Goteborg, Sweden, Autumn 2013

Gidleigh Park Hotel, Devon, England, Autumn 2013

Warsawa, Winter 2013

Istanbul, Winter 2013

Stockholm, Winter 2013

Random Memories of December

Kista Galleria, Stockholm

I had so little time to stop and wonder that I've hardly used my camera on my business travels. That and the quick in and out routine seems to have clogged up my creative spirit.

I was in Kista, Stockholm and I commuted daily from Stockholm central to the Kista Science Park, using the Tunnelbana (metro). It's a bit of a climb from the ground level at Central Station Stockholm to T11, the line that goes to Kista. The crowd made it difficult to stop and take a photo, even with my iPhone. But when walking through the Kista Galleria to the office, I could pause and take some pictures of the shops that were dressed for Christmas. Here is a gift box which I presume is used for donation of toys to some deserving children. The Swedes are very understated with their Christmas decorations. Less is more.

Spiral staircase, Kista

This spiral staircase really captured my imagination. It is located in a building that is part of a huge office complex in Kista. The walk between buildings can be 20 minutes or so, depending on the ground condition and the fitness of the individual. It was cold and wet on the day, so the short walk was far from being pleasant. Once inside the building, the open space, the modern decor and this spiral staircase really livened up the spirit. There were tea and coffee stations everywhere, with a wide selection of tea infusions, quite the opposite of the tea-dust tea bags that are available in the UK. Somehow the budgets are different, or is it the culture? I've also noticed the absence of loud conversations on the Tunnelbana, which is a huge relief for someone like me seeking an escape from the all-intrusive mobile phone calls on UK public transport.

Bucharest, Romania

I went back to Bucharest, Romania for a short visit. The trips between the airport and hotel, hotel and office were not particularly memorable. It was urban sprawl all the way and I had not been able to locate my bearings. This photo was taken on the way from the office to the hotel one late evening. The roads were unbelievably empty of traffic. The taxi driver, a surly middle-aged man did not make any attempt to make small talk. Usually, the taxi drivers would ask: Why do you come from? Are you on holiday or on business? Sometimes the conversation could stretch to their experience of their visits to the UK and their observations of the English. One such taxi driver worked at Stockton-on-Tees for a Pakistani taxi firm, and he concluded that the English were mostly drunk and rude. What could I say to counteract his own personal experience?

Otopeni airport, Bucharest

The Otopeni International Airport at Bucharest is probably one of the least well signposted that I've come across. At the departure hall no departure gate was shown on the LED display. There is also now a new departure area for domestic and international departures but it was not signposted. And what a way the security screening was set up! There was no conveyor belt so the passengers first of all had to fetch the trays which were stacked two feet away, and then manhandle the trays along a marble bench top, which was stepped up in three sections. Both the signage and the way the security screening is being organised can be much improved. Whilst waiting for the flight, I spotted this rather curious Christmas decoration: a polar bear and her cub lying beside a motor bike. The latter of course is a rare beast in Bucharest, considering the nightmarish traffic condition.

Istanbul - Süleymaniye Mosque

Forget about the superlatives such as this is the largest mosque in Istanbul. What captured my imagination is that the Süleymaniye is a vast religious complex that blends tall, slender minarets with large domed buildings supported by half domes in the style of Byzantine churches such as the Hagia Sophia. For me, the beauty of this mosque is that it is less thronged by tourists and more welcoming. I cast my mind back to our visit to the Blue Mosque and where we were herded like cattle into the mosque because it was 15 minutes before closing time. At the Süleymaniye Mosque, it was a more relaxed affair, where visitors were welcomed and small chat was exchanged: "Where are you from?". Inside, one could sit on the carpet, take stock, soak in the silence, and simply admire the architecture.

The monumental courtyard of exceptional grandeur
with colonnaded columns of marble and granite

At the four corners of the courtyard are the four minarets.
Four minarets are permissible in mosques endowed by a sultan,
in this case Suleiman I

The vast interior of the Süleymaniye Mosque
Restrained if a touch underwhelming, but this is a place of worship after all

The main dome of  Süleymaniye Mosque,
flanked by semi-domes and to he north and south arches by windows,
supported by enormous monoliths

Istanbul - The Kariye Museum

Glorious mosaics and frescoes from the Byzantine era. What it lacks in size, the Kariye Museum or the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora makes up for it with its breathtakingly beautiful interior. The place is slightly out of the way, with no access to it by public transport, and just as well, since it was not chockablock full of tourists, just a bunch of aficionados all clutching their guidebooks, examining and scrutinizing every details. It is a sheer joy to admire the beautiful mosaics and the frescoes, and wonder about the days when the church was converted into a mosque in the 16th century and all the images were buried in plaster. This is simply a treasure not to be missed if one is ever in Istanbul.

The unassuming exterior of Kariye Museum, Istanbul

One of the domes featuring Christ as the centre piece

One of the domes featuring the Virgin Mary and Child as the centre piece

Beautiful mosaics depicting the life of Christ

More mosaics

The side chapel covered in frescoes

More mosaics

Istanbul Archaeology Museums

This is an underrated gem in Istanbul. It is located within the grounds of Topkapi Palace but probably attracts only a fraction of the visitors, which made the place less crowded for people like me who truly love museums and their exhibits. Inside, the treasures are breathtakingly beautiful and very well displayed, with Turkish and English inscriptions. It is a place that deserves a whole day and probably return visits. For now, here are just a few of my favourite pieces.

The famous Alexander sarcophagus. Seeing is believing.

The Sidamara sarcophagus, a glorious masterpiece of marble carving

Glazed tiles from the Ishtar Gate. I once saw similar tiles on a grand scale at the Pergamon Museum, Berlin.
There, they had a whole gate, which the Germans had plundered from Iraq

One of the many stunning sculptures

Islamic ceramics

Entrance to the Museum of Islamic art, featuring magnificent tiles

An exhibition featuring mosaics from Ravenna, Italy

Mosaic from the Roman times

The many faces of Istanbul

First of all, the world famous traffic jam. It's almost everywhere and the congestion is frustratingly constant. The surprising thing is: we witnessed no traffic accidents. The taxi drivers are adapt in squeezing into or pass the most stringent space, perhaps a few centimeters away from the next car. Aah, the magic of a taxi ride. Another surprise, a number of taxi drivers could hold a basic conversation in English on politics, in this case whether Turkey should join the EU and their views of Islamic fundamentalism. Jaywalking in Istanbul is entirely out of question. Riding a bicycle in Istanbul could be a life threatening experience.

Traffic at the Bekistas area, approximately 10:00 hours on a Saturday

Still there, approximately 22:00 hours on a Sunday

And now, the cats. They were everywhere too, on the streets, loitering at public places. They all looked well fed and cared for, compared to the feral cats I once saw at Rome. At this street hawker's stall, no less than four cats were left "guarding" the merchandise when the owner left his stall unattended.

Cats everywhere, Istanbul

Next, the street vendors. They were everywhere too. At the public places, most of them are licensed. Elsewhere, probably not. Unlike street vendors in other tourist spots, the Turkish vendors hardly hassle the passers-by, which is a relief. Only a couple of times when we were in the vicinity of the Grand Bazaar that some youths approached me to sell perfume obtained from the grey market. I did not examine the merchandise closely since I do not support fake goods or the grey market, but the articles looked genuine enough. There was of course the famous Chanel No. 5. These young men only ever approached women, I noticed, presumably we women are more susceptible to bargains. At the Sultanhamed, be prepared to be accosted by a constant stream of vendors selling Bosphorous boat tours. There were also enterprising vendors selling guide books to Istanbul in French, German and English at strategic locations. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and kicking.

Stationery vendor near the University, Istanbul

Lone vendor selling crowns made of artificial flowers

Sweetcorn, boiled or char grilled

At a cafe near the Istanbul University

What impressed me was the tidiness of Istanbul. Hardly a piece of litter was in sight. This is probably due to the litter brigade employed by the municipal government seen around the city. Compared to litter-strewn UK, it was a pleasure to be walking around in a city that takes pride in itself. 

Street sweeper in the Bekistas area, Istanbul

And now, Atartuk airport. There were three security checks on departure: once at the entrance, once past passport control and finally at departure gate. On the first two checks, everything had to be emptied into trays, coats and shoes had to be removed. By the third time when someone strolled along and asked to do random checks, it was getting particularly irritating. There must be loopholes somewhere in the terminal for the airport authorities to perform three security checks. 

Second security checks pass passport control

Perhaps the only aspect of Istanbul that I found uninviting was the way one of the Duty Free shops at the Atartuk airport charged the customers. The goods were priced at Euros, but the tills charged the local currency of Turkish lira, which could not be described as a favourable exchange rate. When I offered to pay Euros, they imposed €1.40 currency commission on a transaction of €52. That left a bad taste in my mouth and I decided to abort the transaction.

Istanbul - Not quite a food blog

What should I blog about first? Without doubt, food. But, Istanbul is not exactly a foodie's paradise so what are the possibilities for a Chinese who live to eat?

Chestnuts and sweetcorn seller

At practically every street corner or public place, you will see licensed vendors selling three staples of street food: bread, chestnuts and sweetcorn. The bread is very cheap, only 1 Turkish lire each, and very tasty. If you are lucky and just happen to buy during the replenishment time, the bread is still nice and warm. I really loved the bread, even though I try to avoid carbohydrate. Another thing, I found the street vendors extremely polite, the older men more so.

Bread stall near Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

The chestnuts are in comparison quite expensive (10 TL for 750g), at least in comparison to Vienna. But they are fat and sweet. Also, there is little fear of food poisoning in case of unhygienic handling, since the little darlings are roasted in their shells over charcoal.

Street food vendors at Eminonu Bosphorous Quay, Istanbul

There was a large selection of street food vendors at the Eminonu Bosphorous Quay, the pier where tourists go to pick up boat trips along the Bosphorous Straits. In the evening, a lot of locals gathered there to eat a fish sandwich, which I believe to be mackerel. Unfortunately, due to lack of time, language problem and the biting cold, I had not tried this local food, much to my chagrin. 

Juice and Tea Station, Istanbul

Throughout Istanbul, I saw a lot of shops selling coffee, tea and fruit juice. The orange juice is a bit sharp for my taste, but I enjoyed the Turkish tea, served in a small glass cup shaped like a tiny vase, with no handles. The tea always comes with two lumps of sugar.

Pretentious food at Wine and Bite, Istanbul

And now from the cheap and cheerful to something pretentious. We dined at a wine bar at the Besiktas district that served their own label wines as well as small bites (akin to tapas). None of the wine was to my liking after tasting, so I settled for water. Then, in order to avoid cheese in my food, I opted for a meatball, which came as a flat piece of minced meat. Ball it was not. It was accompanied by some grilled vegetables, all served on a rectangular plate. Frankly, I have never understood the concept of rectangular plates. So, a small piece of minced meat and an even smaller selection of vegetables cost 24 TL (equivalent to £8). It was probably one of the most unsatisfactory meals I ever had.

The Pudding Shop at Sultanhamet, Istanbul

Back to simpler food. We visited The Pudding Shop at Sulthanhamet, a rendezvous point hosted by a very friendly and welcoming manager. The walls were decorated with newspaper cuttings recording visits by celebrities such as Bill Clinton. Here, it was good honest home cooking, no frills, lots of cheese (why must everything be covered in cheese?), and good service.

A quick bite at lunch time for the locals, outside Hagia Sofia, Istanbul

Just water for this dog

Local candy

Something I did not try: a local sticky candy. I was fascinated by it - the street theatre of it all. It reminded me of black treacle on a stick, a candy that I once enjoyed as a little girl.

A fast food restaurant at the Bekistas district

We bumped into this little restaurant patronized by local office workers. It served a selection of kebabs with an array of standard salad dishes, served with very thin slices of flat bread, dusted with paprika. No alcoholic drinks were available, just pop and yoghurt. Simple concept but extremely tasty food. The service was good too, with four waiters working their socks off. It was service with a big smile.

Salad selection 

And finally, this selection of salads and kebabs are very common in Istanbul. The display was strategically placed to entice diners into the restaurant.

Alas, on this trip, we were so tired in the evening having done sightseeing 5 or 6 hours on foot that we could not muster enough energy to take a taxi ride to some fancy restaurants for a spot of fine dining. Maybe I have missed out on the really good food at Istanbul.