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Dec 08, 2004 09:00 PM On my way to Konya
Tonight I head out for a week to check out the world famous Mevlana Festival in Konya, Turkey. The week-long festivities celebrate the life, spirituality, and artistry of the great Sufi mystic Celal ed-Din Rumi. Should be some fun times in the freezing cold steppe of central Anatolia....
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Dec 07, 2004 09:00 PM Movie Night at the Bornova Grand Theatre
I spent the day working, meeting with students, and teaching, and then planned my week-long trip to Konya. I finally called my parents (1st time since October and 2nd time since I left in September - I know *shame*). This evening my friends and I planned a movie night and we set up a make-shift ghetto style movie theater with a couple of extension chords and a labtop. Good times.
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Dec 06, 2004 09:00 PM Unexpected Borova Night
I spent the day finishing up the work I didn't get to the night before, catching up on some travel writing, and helping my friends study for their exams. It rained a little :( Then, I went out to dinner in Bornova and stayed up having some great talks with friends at a pub and didn't get as much sleep as I wanted. Ah, the life!
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Dec 05, 2004 09:00 PM Back to Izmir
Back to life as usual in Izmir. Spent all day working, preparing my lesson plans, and chatting with my friends. The weather is still beautiful!
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Dec 04, 2004 09:00 PM Çay in İstanbul
Retracing the route of the famous Orient Express, I got into Istabul bright and early and saw the cloudy sky open up over Topkapı Palace. I met two interesting women on the train from France and Croatia and we had tea and börek in the morning before I took the afternoon bus back to İzmir. I had a lot of fun playing tour guide for a couple of hours! Now, back to work....
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Dec 03, 2004 09:00 PM Beautiful Day in Sofia
I got into cold, rainy Sofia before sunrise exhausted but excited. Soon the sun came out and I spent the whole day exploring this wonderful city. Only in Sofia do orthodox icons and pornography coexist, adorning the walls of some gorgeous 19th century buildings. Orthodox churches, an Ottoman mosque, and a huge synagogue were on my mind as I rode the train back to Istanbul.
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Dec 02, 2004 09:00 PM The Religious Spleandors of Western İstanbul
Got to Istanbul bright and early and walked all over the less touristed tourist parts West of Sultanahmet. My feet hurt but it was worth it to see the religious frenzy of Eyüp. I also visited the Bulgarian Orthodox church, the Greek Orthodox patriarchy, and the old Sephardic Jewish quarter. Next: Bulgaristan!
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Dec 01, 2004 09:00 PM Renewing My Visa
Left Izmir tonight and went to Istanbul so as to cross the border into Bulgaria before my Visa ran out! Hung out with Erasmus gang, smoking nargile and playing tavla, before I left. Great fun. Met a gaggle of Americans on the way north.
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