Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

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Fall & Winter 2024
Lisbon: Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
December 6, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
Disembarking Encore, we headed to the nearest metro stop … at the Santa Apolónia Train Station … less than a 10-minute walk from the cruise terminal. We were happy to see that the metro system accepted Apple/Samsung Pay as we did not have to fiddle with getting tickets or passes.

As it turns out, Santa Apólonia is the end of the blue line … the route we needed to take to get to the museum … all easy peasy. Seven stops later, we were getting off the metro at San Sebastião. Another 10-minute or so walk found us entering the park like setting in which the entities that are part of Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian are located.

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian is named for an Armenian art collector. Born in İstanbul — more specifically in Üsküdar — in 1869, he left the Ottoman Empire in 1896 to settle first in London and then in Lisbon … the latter after WWII broke out. An avid collector, he added to his acquisitions almost until his death in 1955. Among his most important acquisitions — facilitated by the Soviet Government itself — are paintings, sculptures, and silverware from The Hermitage.

He donated his entire collection to the foundation that was established per his last will and testament … with the understanding that everything would be exhibited under one roof. Hence was born in 1969 the museum that bears his name. Today, under the umbrella of the foundation are several other entities, including an amphitheater, an auditorium, an art library, and a Centro de Arte Moderna.

In addition to the permanent Gulbenkian collection, there are temporary exhibits hosted at both of the museums. Admission is charged accordingly. We opted for the ticket for the two permanent collections. In hindsight, this was a smart move as we really didn’t have time for any of the temporary exhibits.

The diverse and eclectic Gulbenkian collection — consisting of about 6,000 pieces — is said to be quite unique in the world. I would have to agree with that. On display was everything from clay fragments and statues of antiquity; to carpets; to silks and velvets and tiles from Ottoman Türkiye; to glassware from the Mamluks and porcelains from Chinese dynasties; to European furnishings and tapestries; to paintings by renowned names such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Degas, and Monet; to sculptures by Rodin; to jewelry by Lalique.

I took three hours to go through the 11 galleries … and managed that time frame only because I paid less attention to some galleries than I did to others. Good thing I had a power bank in my bag as I ran down the battery on my phone with all the photos I took. So many photos, in fact, that it was quite difficult to select which 20 to include in this footprint!Read more
Sonia GelmanThat is the art style I understand
12/13/24Reply
6 likes
Fall & Winter 2024
Welcome to Lisboa, Portugal
December 6, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
Encore was docked and cleared by the authorities at Santa Apólonia by the time our scheduled 9:00a arrival time came around.

Deniz was on another ship’s tour today … to Obidos. We had plans for another DIY day.

On our previous visits to Lisbon, we strolled the streets of the city, getting lost on-purpose in some of the backstreets where we ate delicious food in hole-in-the-wall eateries. We hiked up to and around the Castillo. We spent a day at the amazing Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and the Cloister in Belem, and wandered the galleries of the Archaeological Museum. We went to the Museu Nacional do Azulejos to check-out the jaw-droppingly beautiful and detailed tile murals depicting the history of the area. We shared with friends a dinner of octopus at Solar 31 … a meal that Mui still raves about.

What we did not manage to do was squeeze in a visit to the world-renowned Calouste Gulbekian Museum. We aimed to change that today.

But first … here are some “Welcome to Lisboa” scenes … with the city bathed in the golden light of the morning sunshine.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
Cruising Up the Tagus River to Lisbon
December 6, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F
Our third time sailing up the Tagus River to Lisbon … the second port of call of this cruise.

The previous two sailings were during daylight. This time we enjoyed our river cruise under the veil of darkness; the city lights a-twinkle … hints of sunrise colors to the east eventually giving way to full sunshine and blue skies … the temperature comfortable enough for us to be on deck with just the lightest of jackets against the dawn chill.

Fun to see familiar landmarks along the riverfront once again.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
Christmas Cheer in Vigo
December 5, 2024 in Spain
One of the nice things about traveling this time of the year is the Christmas decorations that start popping up all over the place … the holiday cheer that makes us smile.

It would be lovely to see it all after nightfall when the lights start a-twinkling. Unfortunately, we have no overnight ports of call on this cruise.

Nonetheless, here are a few shots of the cheerful decorations we saw around Vigo today … even some that were lit up.Read more
TravelerVigo looks like a very festive, fun and interesting city. Love the beautiful Christmas photos.
12/12/24Reply
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Fall & Winter 2024
Vigo: Tapas @ Maria Manuela
December 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
Mui was debating between grilled octopus and tapas for lunch. Tapas won out. But where to go then became the question.

The woman at the Visitor Center had suggested that one of the places on Compostela Square might suit us. So, we huddled under the umbrella and headed in that direction.

Sure, there were plenty of places at the square … but some were closed until dinner time … some were seating only those with advance reservations … some had kitchens closing within the hour … and some just didn’t have an acceptable rating.

Just as we were about to give up, the stars aligned and we found a small eatery named Maria Manuela. What a gem it turned out to be … all the more so because it obviously catered more to the locals than to tourists.

Seated at a bistro table near the bar, we perused the menu as we sipped our beverages of choice — Mencia, a local red for Mui; Estrella Galicia, a local beer for me. The menu wasn’t typically Spanish, but we found plenty of options that sounded very appetizing.

After going back and forth a few times, we settled on four small plates — shrimp egg rolls with a Thai sauce; a green salad garnished with pomegranate seeds and walnuts; Jamon Iberico croquettes with an incredibly gooey center; and tacos pastor with pork and pineapple … served with a sauce that the waitress warned us was “muy picante.” Each dish, made to order, was brought individually and only after the previous dish was finished … every bite delicious. We almost skipped dessert … glad we didn’t. The French toast — caramelized a la crème brûlée — was served with dollops of chocolate ganache and mango sauce. Yummy … yummy.

It was well past 3:30p when we left the restaurant. We still had two hours before all aboard. The rain had dried up while we were enjoying our late lunch. It was still overcast, however, and the temp had turned chilly … felt all the more because of the damp air. Nonetheless, we took our time returning to the ship … a slow stroll the perfect wrap up to our day.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
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Vigo: Parque, Fortaleza, and Arte
December 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F
From the Co-Cathedral, we headed to Porta do Sol, which connects Casco Vello [Old Town] with Ensanche, the new district.

It’s a good thing that we weren’t going there to see an old city gate. There isn’t one anymore. Though Porta do Sol is, in fact, is the site of one of the seven entrances into the old walled city. Rather, our plan called for riding an escalator or two that would take us up into the higher reaches of the city without expending too much energy. Bonus … we found one of the city’s best known and most controversial sculptures … “El Sireno” by Francisco Leiro. The statue features a merman — a hybrid man and fish — atop a tall column. Some find the symbolism perfect for Spain’s biggest fishing port. Others feel it is way too avant-garde. Hence the controversy.

Monte O Castro is a hill in the center of Vigo … and that’s where we were headed. On the hill is a park by the same name … and at the top is what remains of a fort … also named for the hill. The path through the park and up to Fortaleza da O Castro consists of trails and a series of steep steps … the reason why we wanted to save some energy by taking the escalators to the bottom of the hill. Along the way, we managed to take some breathers from the steep climb … checking out the views of the estuary and the city, and the distant mussel farms.

The Monument to the Galleons of Rande, which consists of three anchors and some cannons that were recovered from the estuary, is located at the halfway point on the way up to the fort. It honors those who fought in the epic Battle of Rande, which was a source of inspiration for Jules Verne in his book, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” I’ll admit that I know very little about the battle that was fought in 1702. The info panels in the park were all in Spanish, so I will have to read up on it when I get home. But in reference to the treasure that Verne included in the novel’s storyline … the riches are said to have been unloaded in Vigo before most of the warships of the Indies Fleet were sunk.

Once we arrived at the remains of the castle, we were delighted by the landscaped park-like setting, with a pond in the center. We wandered the walls and checked out the views … mostly veiled by a light fog. We might have spent more time at the fort. Except that it started to drizzle. Time to move on.

I had hoped to visit Paso Quiñones de Léon — a mansion converted into a museum that exhibits Galician Art. Perfect on a rainy afternoon. By the time we got back down to the bottom of the park, however, it was too late … the museum was due to close at 2:00p and we wouldn’t have enough time there. So, we jiggled our plans and went to check out the MARCO de Vigo, a contemporary art museum that is considered to be one of the most important museums of the city.

What can I say about the art at the MARCO? Interesting. Odd. Head-Scratching. Those words would all be appropriate. Not really to our taste, so I’m glad there was no admission to visit the museum.

By the time we left the MARCO, it was already past 1:30p. The drizzle that had followed us all the way from the park was now a light, but steady rain. Time to find a place for a tapas lunch!Read more
Sonia Gelman That is a strange piece of art
12/12/24Reply
Two to TravelThere was a lot of it!
12/13/24Reply
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Fall & Winter 2024
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Vigo: A Wander Near the Muelle
December 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
Disembarking Encore, first we went for a wander near Muelle de Transatlánticos where our ship was docked. Although the sky was overcast, there was no sign of the forecasted rain … not then at least!

My main reason for this wander was to find the Jules Verne Monument … commonly referred to as the octopus monument. Why is the author honored with a monument in this city? Because he mentioned the Bay of Vigo and the mythical treasures of Rande in his book, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” He also visited the city in 1878 … after his book was published.

We found the monument easily enough once the woman at the Visitor Center — across the street from the port — pointed us in the right direction. We also found several other photo ops around the area … including what looked like a statue toppled to the ground. There was no signage explaining what it was, so I did a bit of research and learned that it is called “El Nadador” [The Swimmer].

Casco Vello (Old Town) is easily accessed from the port area. But the streets are steep. So, we used a shortcut … a pedestrian bridge that connects to a small square from the second floor of the mall.

Once we crossed over, we found ourselves standing in front of the Church of Santa Maria … the Co-Cathedral of the Galician province of Pontevedra. Known by the locals as Colegiata, construction of the church dates back to 1811. The doors were open and mass had not yet started, so we went in for a quick look-see … loved the mosaic details in the sanctuary.

From the church, we headed further into the city … which I will leave for another footprint.Read more
Sonia Gelman That is a huge “house”
12/12/24Reply
Two to TravelYeah … OK for a TransAtlantic; not for a real cruise.
12/13/24Reply
8 likes
Fall & Winter 2024
Welcome to Vigo, Spain
December 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
With our arrival in Vigo slated for 9:00a, I was surprised to see the city lights twinkling when I pulled open the curtains just before 8:00a. We even had cell service on the phone thanks to our T-Mobile plan.

Vigo, is located in the northwest of Spain. It is the country’s largest fishing port. For cruise ships, however, it is a convenient port for Santiago de Compostela, a world heritage site and a place of pilgrimage for Catholics. No one in our party will be going there, however. Deniz has booked himself on a ship’s tour that will take him to the nearby Spanish-Portuguese border to visit towns on either side of the border. Having never been to Vigo before, Mui and I plan to explore the city on foot.

But first … breakfast at the Garden Café while we await the ship to be cleared by the authorities.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
At Sea to Spain
December 4, 2024, Bay of Biscay
Having crossed the English Channel overnight, we have now transited the Bay of Biscay and are cruising the Atlantic Ocean.

We had a monochromatic day at sea … quite chilly as well.

In general it was a quiet day … at least until we went to the theater tonight.

We shared our meals with Deniz … but otherwise we all did whatever tickled our fancy on a sea day. Deniz participated in a bunch of trivia-type activities; Mui went a-wandering between taking naps; I read, processed photos, and journaled.

Today’s highlight was the “Choir of Man” … a show that requires reservations (at no extra charge). The Facebook group for this cruise and the CruiseCritic roll call were both a-buzz regarding the show … the consensus amongst NCL regulars being that it is not-to-be-missed.

Well, let me tell you. The show was great and lots of fun. But would I go again and again as some claim they do? No. Once you know what makes the show unique, the surprise element is gone and it becomes another stage performance.

So, what is the surprise? About 15 minutes prior to the start time, the cast — all guys who are regulars at The Jungle, a British pub — come out and invite the audience to go up on stage for a beer … a small amount served in a plastic cup. Wow! Was there a rush or what when the invite was issued! Eventually, Deniz decided to join in the fun, too.

The audience participation as “extras” continued throughout the show. Thank goodness I was spared!!! The one time I had to join a show cast on stage was on a cruise in 2002. That was more than enough for my “star to shine.” ☺️

All in all, a nice day at sea that passed quite fast.

Tomorrow is the first of our three ports of call before we begin the crossing to the USA.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
Embarking Encore & Bye Bye Southampton
December 3, 2024 in England ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F
With check-out from the Southampton Holiday Inn set for 11:00a, I had chosen the 10:30-11:00a slot for embarking Encore.

Ubering over to the Horizon Terminal — a short 5 minute ride from the hotel — we joined Deniz and got in line for the check-in formalities.

The first line was for the security check-point … long but moving along at a steady pace. What came as a surprise was that we were asked to remove laptops from carry-on bags. We had to take off jackets, watches, and belts as well … and anyone with clunky boots had to remove their footwear, too. Don’t remember ever having to do this at a cruise port before.

The next line wasn’t a line at all … we were directed to the check-in counter immediately and had our cabin keycards in hand within a minute or two. It was nice not having to repeat everything we had already completed online. Then came the waiting. With the ship coming from dry dock there were no disembarking passengers, so this was a surprise. Finally, about 30 minutes later, our group was called and we made our way aboard.

Muster drills since the COVID-19 pandemic have changed. Seldom is there an in-person drill anymore. Instead, we are sent a link to watch the safety video before embarking the ship. Once aboard, passengers head to the muster station indicated on their keycards to check-in. This ensures that everyone knows where their muster station is in the unlikely event of an emergency. So, to our respective muster stations we went once we were scanned aboard. (By the way, a more extensive video is on the in-cabin TV, which must be watched before one can switch to any other channel)

With the ship arriving empty from dry dock our expectation was that the cabins would be ready for us immediately upon embarkation. This wasn’t the case … still not sure why. So, we went to have lunch instead. In addition to the buffet at the Garden Café, several dining venues were open to accommodate the 3,000+ passengers sailing on this cruise (well below the ship’s 3,998 max at double occupancy). We opted to go to Taste, one of the smaller complimentary dining rooms on the ship … good food and good service.

By the time our lunch was over, the cabins were ready, so we split up to go to our cabins … us on deck 10 aft; Deniz on deck 10 forward. Not all of our luggage was delivered yet, so we decided to go off on an exploratory wander around the ship instead. By the time we returned to the cabin an hour later, all of our bags were waiting for us. It didn’t take long for us to find a place for everything we wanted to unpack … thanks in part to having once again used our Biaggi zipcubes.

Having settled into our cabin, we were free to enjoy Encore’s departure from Southampton as the sun set over the horizon. The sailaway from this port is not a very exciting one. We watched from our balcony anyway as Encore maneuvered its bow toward the English Channel and the city lights slowly came on.

We went to the Manhattan Room — the main dining room — for dinner … another good meal. The show tonight headlined Chris Burke in “Legends of Soul.” Mui and Deniz went to check it out, but neither found it entertaining enough to stay the entire 45 minutes. Oh well.

Tonight we have an unexpected time change … losing an hour as we head east to Spain. This will be the only time we have to set our clocks forward on this trip. The good news is that tomorrow is a day at sea, so we can sleep in.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
Southampton: A Pre-Embarkation Stroll
December 3, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 37 °F
This being our third time in Southampton, we had no real sightseeing plans today. Having spent the majority of yesterday sitting, however, we felt that a stroll around town would not go amiss. After breakfast at the hotel, we headed out toward the old city walls and followed them to Bargate … built as part of the city defenses back in 1180.

Though the sun was out, it wasn’t doing much to temper the morning chill … the temperature was just above freezing, so no surprise I guess. Nonetheless, we persevered. Believe you me, the room never felt more welcoming than when we returned to the Holiday Inn nearly an hour later.

Peeking out the window, we caught a glimpse of our ship at the Horizon Terminal. Time to meet up with Deniz and embark the ship!Read more
Thanks for the photo tour of Southampton, Erin! Looks like a fun place to explore, even in wintery temperatures. Wishing you a Bon Voyage on your crossing and safe and happy travels home. [Mary O. Greenberg]
12/5/24Reply
Two to TravelThank you … in Vigo today … first of three ports of call before the crossing.
12/5/24Reply
TravelerI hope you have a wonderful crossing! For a future visit, taking the high speed (1/2 hour) ferry from Southampton to the Cowes/Isle of Wight is fun. https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/isle-of-wight-ferry…. We also really enjoyed the Titanic exhibit at the Southampton Maritime Museum.
12/6/24Reply
Two to TravelWe’ve done all but the Isle of Wight/Cowes … maybe next year. Enjoyed the exhibit and museum.
12/7/24Reply
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Fall & Winter 2024
To Southampton … via London
December 2, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Our travel luck held! We are now settled into our room at the Southampton Holiday Inn … 90 minutes earlier than expected!

The first bus ride — from Stansted Airport to the Victoria Coach Station in London — was uneventful. We even got a surprise ‘free’ panoramic tour of London that gave us glimpses of some of the city’s iconic landmarks … Big Ben and Parliament; London Bridge; the Thames and the London Eye … amongst others.

Once we reached the coach station, we were able to switch from our 7:00p ticketed departure to an earlier bus at 5:30p. We had just enough time to grab some yummy meat pies for a quick dinner before it was time to board the bus.

Getting out of London was the worst part of our travel day. It took about 45 minutes to do so in stop-and-go rush hour traffic. It was a bit chilly on the bus … even with the extra layers National Express had strongly suggested we bring with us. Once on the motorway, however, it was smooth going. Nightfall hid from our eyes what was outside the windows, so I whiled away the time by reading my book; Mui napped.

A short Uber ride from the Harbor Parade Coach Station in Southampton brought us to our hotel; Deniz took a cab to his hotel. We will meet up at the cruise terminal tomorrow.

Time to get some shuteye now.

(I’m not one for ‘through-dirty-windows-photography’ but I could not resist snapping a few memory shots … attached to this footprint in lieu of a boring photo of our hotel room at the Holiday Inn.)Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
Hello England!
December 2, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Landed at London Stansted Airport on time at 1:05p … despite the delayed departure from ADB. Smooth, uneventful flight.

The shuttle train between terminals was jam packed, but somehow we squeezed ourselves onto it.

The immigration queue was long, but moved at a steady pace towards the ePassport gates. We scanned our passports, the gates opened, and we officially entered England.

Once we collected our bags, we made our way to the National Express coach station. Our tickets were for a later bus, but we managed to get on the 2:30p departure to the Victoria Coach Station.

Fingers crossed our transportation luck will hold and we’ll manage to score seats on an earlier connecting bus from Victoria to Southampton.

So far, our ‘travel day weather’ is continuing to hold. Chilly here in England. Mostly overcast, too. The rain that left the pavement wet is long gone. The sun just might succeed in breaking through.Read more
TravelerAssume headed to Southampton am ocean cruise is next?
12/2/24Reply
Two to TravelTransatlantic back to the USA.
12/2/24Reply
TravelerWonderful…have a great voyage.
12/2/24Reply
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Fall & Winter 2024
STN Here We come
December 2, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Onboard Sun Express XQ940 … waiting for the wheels to start rolling.
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Fall & Winter 2024
İzmir: At ADB
December 2, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ 🌧 50 °F
Yesterday’s pouring rain is no more. And the fog that blanketed the airport when we first arrived is being burned off by the sun. Looks like good weather for our flight to London Stansted!

We met up with Deniz at the Alsancak IZBAN light rail station shortly after 8:00 for a quick ride to ADB. By 9:30a, formalities completed, we were at Cakes & Bakes for tea while we await boarding for our flight to STN.

The last segment of our fall-winter travel begins.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
Bostanlı: "Until Next Year" Tea Party
November 30, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F
Hakan and Serenay—my nephew and niece-in-law—together with her sister, Işılay, hosted us for tea this afternoon. It was a sort of "farewell, until next year" get-together.

Even the weather cooperated with warm-for-November temperatures and rain holding off until the early evening hours.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
İzmir: ICC Rug Exhibit
November 29, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F
Mui and I went out this morning to run a few pre-departure shopping errands.

Afterward, I stopped by the exhibit hall at the Izmir Chamber of Commerce building to check out the small display of handwoven rugs ... some lovely pieces to be sure.Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
İzmir: Thanksgiving
November 28, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F
... with immediate and extended family. We all have much to be thankful for and sharing the day was a nice change from our usual 'solo' dinner.

Usually, we set up Mom's Christmas tree on the Sunday following Thanksgiving. This year, we did it this morning. For one thing, Mui and I will be busy packing on Sunday for our Monday departure from Türkiye. But more importantly, the 'flat tree' project needed a bit of extra attention to make it work. It turned out pretty nice, IMHO, and it doesn't take up any space in the living room.Read more
TravelerSo fantastic your family Thanksgiving!
11/30/24Reply
Two to TravelYes, the invitee list kept growing from 10 to 14.
11/30/24Reply
8 likes
Fall & Winter 2024
Surprise Anniversary Cake
November 26, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 46 °F
It’s not often that we get to celebrate our anniversary with family present.

Not only did we do so tonight, but they also surprised us with a delicious blueberry-flavored cake, layered with cream and topped with forest berries. Delicious … not a crumb was left!

43 years are now in the can … going on to 44!Read more
TravelerHappy anniversary!
11/27/24Reply
Two to TravelThank you! 😊
11/27/24Reply
Sonia GelmanHappy Anniversary and Happy Thanksgiving!
11/27/24Reply
Two to Travel🙏🏻…enjoy your tropical Thanksgiving.
11/27/24Reply
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Fall & Winter 2024
İzmir: Lunch @ Doyuran
November 26, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F
Before leaving the museum, we called Aylin to give her a noon meet-up time for lunch.

Our destination was Doyuran in Kemeraltı’s Ali Paşa Square. The restaurant is housed in what the sign said was “Pamuk Dedenin Yeri” [Place of Grandpa Cotton]. The eatery is a Manisa kebapçısı with just two options on the menu … the type of kebap for which it is named and döner [think gyro] … both of which can be ordered in portions ranging from full, to 1½, to double. Trust me, the full size order is plenty big. In fact, a half-size portion would have been perfect for me and Mui would not have had to eat my leftover döner ☺️.

Manisa, by the way, is a neighboring province. The style of kebap here consists of long meat patties, served over pide, a type of Turkish flat bread … garnished with yogurt and tomato sauce … with a side of tomato slices and a green pepper (the hotter the better 🥵). Sorry, didn’t get a chance to take a photo before everyone dug into their food!Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
İzmir: Ziraat Bankası Art Museum
November 26, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 43 °F
We started our day by going to the old Ziraat Bankası [Agriculture Bank] in Konak. Not for banking purposes. But to visit the İzmir Art Museum. As Aylin had visited the museum before, only my brother joined us.

The museum is housed in the bank’s 1930’s-era building, which was constructed in the Early-Republic style … described by one source as a blend of the country’s First National architectural style and Art Deco. The museum was opened in 2023 … following a complete restoration of the building. I was happy to see that the restoration stayed faithful to the original features of the building.

The museum is fairly small … but bright and airy. Upon entering the ground floor lobby — where once banking activities were conducted — one immediately notices its crowning feature — a stained-glass ceiling in the middle of the space. Absolutely stunning. The two bank vaults have been pressed into service as information rooms, if you will, with posters of the other museums and galleries that have been founded under the auspices of the bank. What used to be offices on the first and second floors serve as galleries … the colorful art — by Turkish painters and sculptors — is well-spaced out so as not to form a chaos of color.

Nicely done!Read more
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Fall & Winter 2024
In the Meantime ... At Home in Colorado
November 10, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F
We're still in İzmir. It very rarely snows here. And when it does, it's mostly flurries that don't last long once they hit the ground.

That is not the case back home in Colorado. We do get snow in the winter and early spring. But it's not often that we get a doozy ... like this weekend's storm!!! The photo attached to this footprint is courtesy of our neighbor, Bruce. I imagine our deck looks pretty similar to his!!!

I thought I would post the photo in this trip journal ... just to remind us of what we are missing by being here and not there 😉Read more
TravelerLook on the positive side. 1. You are not there; and 2. Great start to ski season in Colorado!!😀
11/10/24Reply
Two to TravelAnd 3. Because there’s more than 3” of snow, the driveway is being cleared by the HOA crew 😉. We keep getting front door camera motion alerts 😀
11/10/24Reply
TravelerMo's sister in Denver said it was one of the biggest storms that she can remember.
11/11/24Reply
Two to TravelThey seem to be getting bigger and stronger.
11/11/24Reply
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Fall & Winter 2024
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Bostanlı: Lunch @ Sinope
November 3, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
Sinope is a ‘mantı evi’ in Bostanlı, a neighborhood of Karşıyaka … across the bay from where we are in Alsancak.

Mui and Deniz discovered this restaurant back in September. Today, they kept their promise to take us all there for lunch. Since we can’t all fit into Murat’s car, Mui and I took the ferry over; Hakan and Serenay live not too far from Sinope, so they simply walked over to join us.

Mantı is a type of dumpling … some refer to it as a Turkish ravioli. The dish is an old one that goes back to the time of the ancient trading route known as the Silk Road, which stretched from China to Anatolia. One version or another of this dish, therefore, can be found in many countries in this region … under different names.

Made with a thin dough and a meat filling, in Türkiye it is traditionally served with a yogurt sauce (with or without garlic) and drizzled with paprika-infused melted butter. Garnishing with dried mint and sumac is a common option. But there is another version of mantı that comes from Sinop, a province on the Black Sea Coast. There they serve mantı with a plain butter sauce and garnish it with chopped walnuts.

One of the owners of Sinope is from Sinop. Hence the restaurant has both versions on the menu. As well, they have a crispy version that is deep fried and served with two dipping sauces. Almost everyone in our party ordered the half-and-half plate of mantı; and shared an order of the crispy mantı. Delicious!

After our meal, we walked to Hakan and Serenay’s place and they hosted us for coffee and tea. There was dessert too!!!

Trust me, walking to the ferry landing afterwards for the return trip home was much appreciated 😉Read more
Traveler That really looks good!
11/5/24Reply
Two to TravelIt was.
11/5/24Reply
TravelerDelicious!
11/5/24Reply
5 likes
Fall & Winter 2024
İzmir CRF: Light & Sound Show
November 2, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 63 °F
Returning from our impromptu outing to Alacatı, we all congregated at mom’s for a while. Once night fell, we hopped on the tram and went to Konak … the city center.

İzmir’s iconic clock tower, dating back to 1901, is located in the square in front of the Provincial Government House. This week, it has been serving as the canvas for “Zamanın Hüneri” [The Craftsmanship of Time”] … a light and sound show art installation associated with the Culture Route Festival.

The show far exceeded my expectations … with traditional Turkish motifs projected onto the clock tower in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Nicely done … and the crowning touch to our day.Read more
TravelerMagical 🌈
11/5/24Reply
TravelerFantastic! Your photos and video are magical.
11/5/24Reply
Two to TravelThanks … it really felt like magic.
11/5/24Reply
2 more comments
9 likes
Fall & Winter 2024
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Alaçatı: Lunch and a Stroll
November 2, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
Leaving Arkas Art, we headed to the Alaçatı Pazarı [Market Place] for a stroll.

This open-air market place is billed by some as the “Society Bazaar.” You need something? You will more than likely find it here … from fresh produce and freshly canned goods to dried foodstuff; to clothing for one and al; to sunglasses and costume jewelry; to cologne and perfumes; to kitchen utensils and knick-knacks; and more. Brand names … knock-offs. Anything and everything you can think of is sold by the vendors. If one of them doesn’t have what you’re looking for, another one surely will.

(I took just one photo of the pazar area today. If interested, you can see the photos I took on a previous visit at the following link. Though that trip was 14+ years ago, not much has changed … just grown in leaps and bounds — https://2totravel.blogspot.com/2010/04/from-paz….)

As it was getting on towards 2:00p, the first order of business was to sate our growling tummies. We found one of the casual eateries in the pazar and ordered ourselves some gözleme and tea. What is gözleme? I suppose you could describe it as a savory Turkish turnover, usually made with thin, unleavened dough. You can order it with a variety of fillings … from cheese, to potatoes, to spinach, to meat … or a combo of any of these ingredients. The beverage of choice when having gözleme is usually Turkish tea or ayran (made with watered down yogurt).

We made sure not to fill up too much as our next stop was for dessert at the historic İmren Tatlıcısı [Sweets Shop], which has been serving goodies to locals and visitors alike since 1941. Yummy, yummy … especially the profiteroles, but the ice cream was pretty tasty, too.

Next up was a slow stroll through the streets of Alaçatı … a bit of sightseeing and exercise to walk off some of the calories. And then back through the pazar to return to the car for the drive back home.

We were all pleasantly tired by this time, but our day was not quite yet over.Read more
Traveler Beautiful photography.
11/4/24Reply
Two to Travel🙏🏻
11/4/24Reply
TravelerEvery time you write about Ismir (and post your gorgeous photos) it makes me want to go there!
2/2/25Reply
Two to TravelIf you time it right, we’ll guide you around İzmir 😉
2/2/25Reply
8 likes
Fall & Winter 2024
Arkas Sanat Alaçatı
November 2, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F
Anyone who has been a regular reader of my blogs knows that we are huge fans of the Arkas museums … founded by a Levantine family whose roots in İzmir go very deep. Each museum is different. We have visited every museum … some more than once.

Leaving the Picasso and Warhol exhibits, we decided that we would continue our day of “art immersion” with a 57-mile drive to Alaçatı — a neighborhood of the District of Çeşme — to visit the latest addition to the Arkas museums.

Established in an old laundry facility leased from the district, Arkas Sanat Alaçatı is described on the museum’s website as “a new stop in İzmir’s Art Route.” The museum is home to the Victor Vasarely exhibition. Vasarely, a Hungarian born French artist, is known for his geometric designs and optical illusions. His works are said to form the foundation of the Op Art Movement.

In addition to the Vasarely permanent exhibition, which is curated from the Arkas family’s own art collection, we enjoyed a temporary exhibit entitled “New Lands” … featuring 155 contemporary artists under the age of 40. Some of the pieces were … well, let’s just say interesting!Read more
TravelerLOL!!! That's a pretty wild look for Mui. :-)
2/2/25Reply
Two to Travel😁
2/2/25Reply
10 likes

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