A very biased review of the novel ‘A strangeness in my mind’ by Nobel prize laureate, Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. Plus, some observations concerning the Istanbul street sellers from today.
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All articles filed in Turkey
Reflections on Turkish breakfast + poem
Do you know how big breakfast is in Turkey? A strange breakfast situation analysed and poeticised. It was tasty, and pink, and ripe. But that day, it was hidden on a kitchen counter, almost out of sight…
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Indecision
This poem is a summary of sorts of the anguish caused by a desire to change my life completely.
And it is also inspired by the UK shipping forecast.
Grey skies,
red brick…
Update from Istanbul
It’s been a long, long few months of weekend coronavirus curfews in Istanbul. Turkey is actually a pretty good place to be in general and especially so now, because, although the Stay at home message was prevalent, citizens and residents above the age of 20 and below 65 were allowed quite a lot of freedom…
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Ancient wonders of water engineering in Istanbul
Fresh water. What would we do without it? In the Aegean, the cradle of western civilisations, water springs were sacred. To pollute the water was a mortal sin. Ever since the beginning of humanity, people have chosen to settle near life-giving sources of fresh water; with one notable exception: Byznatium. The beginnings of the city later named Constantinople, today’s Istanbul, were rather dry, despite its numerous waterways.
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The life of pets in Istanbul
A glimpse into the lives of the city’s stray cats and dogs. At this link: https://somenoteson.com/the-not-so-secret-life-of-pets-in-istanbul/
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Tulips: Turkey’s pride and joy
The tulip is an all-important Turkish flower that gained popularity during the time of Suleyman the Magnificent. Today,tulip lovers from all over the world flock to Istanbul to enjoy the city’s Tulip Festival and to visit the Tulip Museum.
Read MorePhoto of the day
Dear Readers, To help us stay positive in these challenging times, I will be posting photos (mostly from Turkey) daily, on my other blog: https://somenoteson.com/category/photo-of-the-day/ Stay safe!
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Yıldız park and porcelain factory, Istanbul
You know all these ornate plates, jugs and Turkish coffee cups that you see in The Mangnificent Century and other Turkish series? Some of them might just have been made in the Yildiz porcelain factory in Istanbul.
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The Fez water clock and the Islamic Science and Technology museum, Istanbul
This model of the water clock from Fez, Morocco, is on display at The Islamic Science and Technology museum in Istanbul.
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Purple Travel Path 