Tag: Turkey

ART, Istanbul, Turkey2 Comments

So We Do Not Forget, So We Do Not Fade

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I live for tradition, customs, ancestral wisdom, for age-old practices, sacred inheritances, timeless tales, crafted celebrations. I cherish the whispers of the past. Whispers that link me to a rich cultural tapestry of memory, to chapters behind me, to folklore, to mythology, to grandma’s stories. “Souvenirs of heritage” I call them. I am a woman of rituals, of ceremonies, sacred practices, of customs, symbolic acts, ancestral ways, time-honored tales. They are my psychological medicine, anchors to calm my restless thoughts, my lifebuoys, healing broths. I am a custodian of legacy rituals.  I cherish their magic and strive to pass them … Continue reading So We Do Not Forget, So We Do Not Fade

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Antique Ankara

aylinalpustun

They say Ankara was founded by the Phrygians at the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. According to one myth, King Midas discovered an anchor, which he dedicated to the Temple of Zeus, and from which the city derived its name. Ankara has a tender spot in my heart.   Having lived in Turkey’s capital in my elementary school days way back in the late 70s, and then migrated at the beginning of the 1980s, I have been back every year for the last ten years to meet my childhood friend for a long weekend in August.  We reminisce about the … Continue reading Antique Ankara

ART, Concerts, Istanbul, Paris, TurkeyLeave a comment

Fazıl Say’s Mesopotamia Symphony is beyond words

aylinalpustun

Music is no doubt a universal language and a very powerful at that. It has the potential to evoke a myriad emotions…comfort, solace, jubilance, bliss, joy, sorrow, misery, distress, anguish, grief, heartache and the feelings it stirs can go on and on…but above all it has the power to soothe and feed the soul. There are of course composers one feels closer to, perhaps because of the emotional impact they convey with their music, perhaps because their themes strike closer to heart, perhaps due to the historical context, perhaps due to choice of instruments, the familiarity of the melodies, perhaps … Continue reading Fazıl Say’s Mesopotamia Symphony is beyond words

Istanbul, travel, Turkey, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Tea, that heartwarming drink reflecting Turkish hospitality

aylinalpustun

Turkey’s love affair with tea goes beyond being just a caffeine vehicle. It is a social lubricant, an inseparable and compassionate companion for many who sip the crimson coloured liquid anywhere and anytime from sunrise to sunset. It is so magical that it has a cooling effect during boiling hot summer days, warming effect during the most frigid winter months, healing powers for the sick, the heartbroken, recharhing powers for the fatigued, relaxing powers for the stressed. That is how extraordinary and hence essential tea is for the Turks. Not only is it magical and addictive, tea is very much … Continue reading Tea, that heartwarming drink reflecting Turkish hospitality

Turkey, Uncategorized1 Comment

The news blackout in Turkey

aylinalpustun

My intention today was to finally write the short piece I have promised my friend Marissa on the Poliakoff exhibition I was fortunate enough to catch in Paris at the end of January. However the turn of events unfolding in my beautiful country has forced me to “put pen to paper” on a completely different matter. As of midnight March 20th 2014, Twitter has been blocked by our prime minister. The approximately 10 million users across Turkey are denied access to “tweet”. At a local election campaign rally in Bursa he threatened to “eradicate” Twitter and definitely kept his word, … Continue reading The news blackout in Turkey

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That famed street renown for art galleries in Istanbul: Boğazkesen

aylinalpustun

This afternoon I changed my regular route and decided to stroll from the architecturally enriching, very colourful and except for Sunday mornings, the forever clamorous touristy Istiklal Street down to one of my favourite museums, Istanbul Modern via Boğazkesen Street. Boğazkesen definitely deserves a long account of her stories to be disclosed, all from the history of the current Tomtom Suites, to the presently abandoned home of French nuns of St Joseph’s Orphanage to the myriad art galleries for which Bogazkesen is now well known for. However today she will merely shine through snapshots. Literally translated as “throat slitter” the … Continue reading That famed street renown for art galleries in Istanbul: Boğazkesen

ART, Concerts, Istanbul, Turkey, Uncategorized3 Comments

A Rendez-Vous with Nana Mouskouri

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Even though I do not remember the first time I heard a song by Nana Mouskouri, or which one it was for that matter, her folksy tunes have been traveling with me throughout my life – from way back when I was in primary school in the 70s, to my boarding school days in the 80s, to college in the early 90s and presently in my car CD collection touring Istanbul. Her multi-languaged repertoire has hence surpassed just being a name on album covers to becoming sountracks reminiscent of my life episodes, bringing into my mind a remark by the … Continue reading A Rendez-Vous with Nana Mouskouri

Istanbul, travel, Turkey2 Comments

A short promenade around Istanbul’s irresistable Grand Bazaar

aylinalpustun

The region between Galata Bridge and Beyazıt is the old market district of the city. As well as being one of the oldest, it is also one of the most architecturally rich and picturesque quarters of Istanbul where the tumultous sreets are full of clamour and commotion with crowds of shoppers hurrying along the maze of streets and sidewalk vendors trying to grab their attention. It is also a part of Istanbul where one is more than likely to come across a typical Turkish Bath which is has kept its authenticity to a degree without becoming too commercialized. Albeit brisk … Continue reading A short promenade around Istanbul’s irresistable Grand Bazaar

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Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art – a gem amongst the high rises in Istanbul’s financial hub

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Perched on the European side of Istanbul, Maslak is the typical business district with soaring steel buildings, sparse pedestrian traffic during the day, plenty of congestion at rush hour and eyecatching neon lights at night. Hence it was a huge surprise for me to discover a museum embraced by all the towering steel and glass buildings where most of the daily activities revolve around business plans, long meetings, fancy power point presentations, financial figures and lots and lots of coffee breaks. Proje 4L Elgiz Museum of Contemporary art was the treasure trove of the week – thank you TEB private … Continue reading Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art – a gem amongst the high rises in Istanbul’s financial hub

Istanbul, Turkey4 Comments

Beykoz – a peaceful waterside retreat in the suburbs of Istanbul

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With one of the most spectacular views of the Bosphorus, delightedly, Beykoz town center still belongs to its residents. Beykoz, once upon a time a remote fishing village with limited access to transportation and communication to central Istanbul is today linked by a very long stretch of road.   In fact, the coastline leading up to Beykoz is home to some of the most expensive houses and the grandest of the huge wooden Ottoman seaside houses called ‘yali’ so how Beykoz center has been spared the overdevelopment witnessed in many parts of the city is beyond my comprehension.  Beykoz derives its … Continue reading Beykoz – a peaceful waterside retreat in the suburbs of Istanbul