Comments on: Ready to go Home. When can I come back? http://poptarticus.com/2011/tales-from-a-strange-land/ready-to-go-home-when-can-i-come-back/ Shannon's Super Sexy Blog. Music. Travel. Randomness. And a Lot of Wine. Tue, 22 May 2012 07:17:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Stella Duffy http://poptarticus.com/2011/tales-from-a-strange-land/ready-to-go-home-when-can-i-come-back/#comment-1836 Stella Duffy Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:35:31 +0000 http://poptarticus.com/?p=684#comment-1836 if you're still there (and er, 'dumb' books aside!), you can go to the 'Little Hagia Sophia' (Küçuk Ayasofya Camii) and see what was once the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, built by Theodora's architect, and a prototype of the large (current) Hagia Sophia. She most certainly visited it, and it's been beautifully restored, albeit as a mosque. And in Hagia Sophia itself, you can stand on the green marble spot in the women's gallery, marking the place where the Empress - Theodora originally - stood. You can also look up and see Theodora and Justinian's initials engraved in the finials of the column in HS. There are certainly still a few touches of Theodora in Istanbul - you just have to search them out! if you’re still there (and er, ‘dumb’ books aside!), you can go to the ‘Little Hagia Sophia’ (Küçuk Ayasofya Camii) and see what was once the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, built by Theodora’s architect, and a prototype of the large (current) Hagia Sophia. She most certainly visited it, and it’s been beautifully restored, albeit as a mosque.
And in Hagia Sophia itself, you can stand on the green marble spot in the women’s gallery, marking the place where the Empress - Theodora originally - stood. You can also look up and see Theodora and Justinian’s initials engraved in the finials of the column in HS. There are certainly still a few touches of Theodora in Istanbul - you just have to search them out!

]]> By: Stephen Douglas http://poptarticus.com/2011/tales-from-a-strange-land/ready-to-go-home-when-can-i-come-back/#comment-1797 Stephen Douglas Sat, 17 Dec 2011 02:10:15 +0000 http://poptarticus.com/?p=684#comment-1797 Great write-up Shanon. Many many thanks. Why? I am 69 years old and I have been to Turkey in 2008 and 2010 not including my first exposure to Izmir in 1966 where as a young Navy lad I bought a brass Samovar with Russian tax stamps embossed in the brass after much haggling with an old shop keeper and I can never forget the smell of that old bazaar. Old world was speaking to me. I was captivated by a scene of old swarthy men sitting on low stools around a charcoal fire that was roasting a large vat of black shiny Turkish coffee beans during winter days. The kids had small transistor radios which was a big deal in those days. No matter where I went I saw the huge dividing boundary between youth and old people. Two very different worlds side by side. I saw Ephesus before cruise ship crowds became the norm. Now at my age, my nose no longer works as well. Still, no regrets other than aging. In 2008 I did a Rick Steves tour and in 2010 I did two long tours back-to-back by Pacha Tours of Eastern Turkey and all of the midland areas. In all my life I have never seen so many 'rock piles' as I call the old Roman sites. So it was that I read your Turkey blog to refresh my senses of bad coffee and so-so food, but meeting so many wonderful natives. I toured in early spring. I did eastern Turkey starting from Trabzon and on to Kars, Van, and many other places. Like you, I had a little netbook computer I used to send email stories to many friends who followed my tour of Turkey. I stayed several days after the tour in Istanbul just to relax and wonder around. Rode a lot of ferries.....always a wonderful thing to do as you did yourself. And visited many old haunts from my earlier visits. I love Istanbul. I want to live the rest of my days there. My wife does not share those sentiments. I have grandkids. No. It does not appear I will be so lucky. But I hope to return there soon. Also, I want to ride the Greek Island ferries as I did in 2008 in late October. It was wonderful to have it all to myself tourist wise. The Med beckons to me still. Very glad to read your blog. You seem to have a great appetite for travel ....and like you, I appreciate the wine and cheese after a long day on my feet in Turkey. But file this one item back in your mental filing system. The city of Sivas is dry!!!! I stayed one night at the Bayut Sivas Hotel downtown and the hotel has a beautiful bar lounge. Can you imagine my reaction when the barman told me there is no alcoholic beverages served here. I stopped breathing at that moment for some time....and finally took a deep breath. Why? Ever after I always kept two or three bottles of wine in my luggage while on the road. So, you see, even at 69 yrs of age I still have a child like wonder. Old age does not kill that inner child. But you must know that by now. May you have many more travels before old age. Old age ain't bad except you feel it deeply climbing many steps in the summer heat. Winter is not so bad after all. But finding good hot coffee in cold climbs.....maybe. Good luck Stephen R. Douglas Great write-up Shanon. Many many thanks. Why? I am 69 years old and I have been to Turkey in 2008 and 2010 not including my first exposure to Izmir in 1966 where as a young Navy lad I bought a brass Samovar with Russian tax stamps embossed in the brass after much haggling with an old shop keeper and I can never forget the smell of that old bazaar. Old world was speaking to me. I was captivated by a scene of old swarthy men sitting on low stools around a charcoal fire that was roasting a large vat of black shiny Turkish coffee beans during winter days. The kids had small transistor radios which was a big deal in those days. No matter where I went I saw the huge dividing boundary between youth and old people. Two very different worlds side by side. I saw Ephesus before cruise ship crowds became the norm.
Now at my age, my nose no longer works as well. Still, no regrets other than aging. In 2008 I did a Rick Steves tour and in 2010 I did two long tours back-to-back by Pacha Tours of Eastern Turkey and all of the midland areas. In all my life I have never seen so many ‘rock piles’ as I call the old Roman sites.
So it was that I read your Turkey blog to refresh my senses of bad coffee and so-so food, but meeting so many wonderful natives. I toured in early spring. I did eastern Turkey starting from Trabzon and on to Kars, Van, and many other places. Like you, I had a little netbook computer I used to send email stories to many friends who followed my tour of Turkey. I stayed several days after the tour in Istanbul just to relax and wonder around. Rode a lot of ferries…..always a wonderful thing to do as you did yourself. And visited many old haunts from my earlier visits. I love Istanbul. I want to live the rest of my days there. My wife does not share those sentiments. I have grandkids. No. It does not appear I will be so lucky. But I hope to return there soon. Also, I want to ride the Greek Island ferries as I did in 2008 in late October. It was wonderful to have it all to myself tourist wise. The Med beckons to me still. Very glad to read your blog. You seem to have a great appetite for travel ….and like you, I appreciate the wine and cheese after a long day on my feet in Turkey. But file this one item back in your mental filing system. The city of Sivas is dry!!!! I stayed one night at the Bayut Sivas Hotel downtown and the hotel has a beautiful bar lounge. Can you imagine my reaction when the barman told me there is no alcoholic beverages served here. I stopped breathing at that moment for some time….and finally took a deep breath. Why? Ever after I always kept two or three bottles of wine in my luggage while on the road. So, you see, even at 69 yrs of age I still have a child like wonder. Old age does not kill that inner child. But you must know that by now.
May you have many more travels before old age. Old age ain’t bad except you feel it deeply climbing many steps in the summer heat. Winter is not so bad after all. But finding good hot coffee in cold climbs…..maybe.
Good luck

Stephen R. Douglas

]]> By: Stephen http://poptarticus.com/2011/tales-from-a-strange-land/ready-to-go-home-when-can-i-come-back/#comment-1790 Stephen Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:00:01 +0000 http://poptarticus.com/?p=684#comment-1790 I love your writing. Such a unique voice. I will always be your groupie. Istanbul freaked me out. I kind of hated it. Because of the Islamic culture men dominated the psychic space and I found them to be bullies one minute and petulant babies the next. But reading your posts make me want to go back and give it another chance. I love your writing. Such a unique voice. I will always be your groupie. Istanbul freaked me out. I kind of hated it. Because of the Islamic culture men dominated the psychic space and I found them to be bullies one minute and petulant babies the next. But reading your posts make me want to go back and give it another chance.

]]> By: Natalie Be http://poptarticus.com/2011/tales-from-a-strange-land/ready-to-go-home-when-can-i-come-back/#comment-1772 Natalie Be Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:32:40 +0000 http://poptarticus.com/?p=684#comment-1772 Nice Shannon. Brought back memories of my trip in March. I also found the trippy nooks and crannies facscinating and even at night, I wanted to just keep meandering down the dark, dimly lit alleys. Kind of scary but enticing at the same time!!! Nice Shannon. Brought back memories of my trip in March. I also found the trippy nooks and crannies facscinating and even at night, I wanted to just keep meandering down the dark, dimly lit alleys. Kind of scary but enticing at the same time!!!

]]> By: Jonathan http://poptarticus.com/2011/tales-from-a-strange-land/ready-to-go-home-when-can-i-come-back/#comment-1684 Jonathan Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:06:02 +0000 http://poptarticus.com/?p=684#comment-1684 I've loved all your Turkey posts! Really made me want to go back to Istanbul... Was that 'Theodora' book the Stella Duffy one? If so, it's not dumb at all - I'm reading it now, and loving it. Guardian review: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/17/theodora-actress-empress-whore-duffy Are you in CA over the holidays? We're eating our way through SF: staying in Lower Haight from 19 Dec - 4 Jan - would be great to meet up for a meal/drink if you were coming north. I’ve loved all your Turkey posts! Really made me want to go back to Istanbul… Was that ‘Theodora’ book the Stella Duffy one? If so, it’s not dumb at all - I’m reading it now, and loving it. Guardian review: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/17/theodora-actress-empress-whore-duffy Are you in CA over the holidays? We’re eating our way through SF: staying in Lower Haight from 19 Dec - 4 Jan - would be great to meet up for a meal/drink if you were coming north.

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