Hammer up me some beer!

Who is the genius who came up with this invention? A hammer slash bottle opener. I was at Bauhaus the other day (the equivalent of Home Depot) and saw this tool.

I'm all for the 2-in-1 thing for efficiency (hey, it worked for the shampoo and conditioner industry), but construction and beer? Couldn't there be a potential problem here? Isn't this just a finger-slammin', pain-causing 'boo-boo' waiting happen?

Well, maybe they thought a few beers would help dull down the pain. In some bizarre way, that actually makes sense.

Would ya like some Hookah with that?

The other day I was at a hippie market, browsing around, minding my own business. When I came across this couple, smoking a hookah and playing Backgammon (a very popular game among the Turks - called 'tavla' in Turkish).

Aaah, tis da life, isn't it?

Carbaholics!

Turks must love carbs! In addition to the various breads and simits, another edible street phenomenon is the kumpir. It's basically a baked potato on acid. The baked potato is nothing new to our culture, but imagine ordering one on the street and eating it as you site see. Uhm, not so familiar...

When you order a kumpir, similar to ordering a sub sandwich, you select the ingredients you want to include inside this massive vegetable. You can load it with pickles, cabbage, radish, corn, peas, butter, cheese, carrots, sausage, mayo, ketchup, olives... you name it...

Last week, my parents and I ordered one... I tried to keep it healthy of course - stuck to carrots, cabbage, peas, etc... (no meat, no cheese).

Below is the product of our edible masterpiece:

Driving Under the Influence

Never drive while under the influence of this incredible city. With its spectacular views, your driving will certainly be impaired.

The last few days, I've been driving my parents around in the city. And lemme tell ya... NOTHING prepares you for Istanbul traffic. (Especially none of my years of Arizona driving).

I've decided there are 5 things you need to know (at least what I think you should know) in order to avoid death-by-car in this city:

1. Red means go... well, let's just say that you should already have left the intersection when the light has turned green.

2. Pedestrians *do not* have right of way. People should avoid you, not the other way around. If you slow down for these yayas (Turkish for pedestrian), you're bound to get honked at or perhaps even rear-ended.

3. Speed limits don't exist. Well, technically they do exist. But no one follows them. If a fast car approaches you from behind, it's best that you get out of their way.

4. Honking is the language of the road. Different honks (long, short, etc) mean different things. There's the "get out of my way (politely)" honk and the "get the f**k out of the way (not so politely) honk. Of course, the "Watch out, I'm in your blind spot" honk; the "Are you looking for a taxi?" honk... the "light's green-go you idiot tourist" honk; the "I'm trying to get your attention" honk... you name it, there's a honk for it.

5. Right of way rule - if a vehicle is bigger than you and can do more damage to your car in the event that you hit each other, then it has the right of way. Period. (So basically, the only power our rented sh**ty Ford has, at this point, is over squat tiny motorcycles).

Interesting vehicle observation: the driver's side rear-view mirror is a wide-angle lens, similar to the passenger side mirror. Everything is distorted and "objects may seem closer than they appear" - I wonder why this is. Although it's awkward for eyes to adjust from the rear-view mirror to the side mirror, it does eliminate that awful blind spot thing...

Quasi-Wedding Crashers!

I will probably never be able to crash a wedding in the same fashion as Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in the Wedding Crashers, but Friday night I found myself quasi-crashing a wedding I was unofficially invited to.

Let me 'splain. No there is too much - let me sum up.
My aunt was invited to the wedding reception for the daughter of an old elementary school friend (who she's known for over 40 years - can you believe that!?) Somehow my aunt managed to get my mom an invite (sisters have to do everything together, I guess). And since my mom didn't want to be third-wheel to my aunt/uncle, my dad was also was included on the guest list.

When they heard the bride was my age and the couple lived in the states, they assumed there would be guests from America and figured I might enjoy myself if I came. (Gee, how thoughtful - considering weddings tend to be quite awkward and uncomfortable when the only people you know are your parents, aunt/uncle). So despite my pleading and "Oh, don't even think about it" looks, I was thrown into the plans, too.

Of course this all had the potential of being somewhat bearable had I known of these plans much earlier in advance (I could have had time to warm up to the idea). This all went down Thursday morning, less than 24 hours before the reception which meant I also had no formal attire. (C'mon, I'm on vacation, here! I'm all about the flip flops, shorts, and tees!) So Thursday afternoon I scrambled around to buy a dress and put together a last minute outfit.

To make matters more interesting, my aunt/uncle didn't even show up at the wedding (due to circumstances 'out of their control')! So there I was on a Friday night, me at one table with some folks from Amsterdam (of all places), my parents on the other side of the room. I didn’t know anyone, nor speak any Dutch. Wearing a dress that looked more like something Sarah Jessica Parker could pull off in an episode of Sex and the City, wondering how I ended up here...

Given the variables of the evening, I did what any respectable unofficially invited guest would do...

A toast to the bride and groom - hoppa!

... I danced all night!

Supersized Baklava!

We've all heard of the famous Turkish delicacy, the baklava! (And for the record, it's a Turkish creation, not a Greek - in case there was any confusion on that...)

In America they supersize hamburger and fries. In Turkiye, they supersize the baklava. Except Turks call their supersized dessert the havuc baklava (which means 'carrot baklava') This translation has nothing to do with carrots, though. It acquired its name purely because it looks like a carrot.

At some point during my holiday, I had to cave and order one (which I shared with my dad). The baklava may not the healthiest thing on the menu (can't imagine how many calories a supersized one has), but at least the Turks know how to make it *sound* healthy.

That should count for something, right?

It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got that Swing!

I'm a huge fan of jazz; my mom, classical to the core. But despite our differences in musical preferences, from time-to-time we accompany each other on various concerts. Rarely do we find that our tastes overlap, but sometimes we'll share similar opinions after a show. Last week we both realized that neither of us really enjoy chamber music. :)

Last Tuesday evening at the Topkapi Palace, inside the Hagia Eirene Museum, we listed to a musical trio (piano, violin, violoncello) playing selections from Ravel, Schumman, and Shostakovich. Although we both didn't care much for their musical selection, the venue in which the concert was held, was pretty phenomenal!

We couldn't use cameras during the show (not that you would get much from watching it online), but I did capture footage quickly before showtime so you can see the great architecture of this place!



I would love to see Pink Martini play here... now that would be a concert worth attending!

Instructors Just Wanna Have Fun!

Every Monday at 2pm, the Hillside City Club fitness staff get together for their weekly meetings to talk about upcoming club events and various facility issues. This week I was invited to sit in on the meeting and get the inside scoop.

The meeting was similar to those we have at the clubs in the US - how to increase memberships/clients, how to promote classes, avoiding tardiness and limiting your subs, etc. I suppose one can find some comfort in knowing that we all deal with similar issues world wide. But at the same time, we shouldn't be surprised since much of the fitness programming is structured from ideas developed in the U.S. first.

After the meeting, the department head suggested I do a brief master class on the BOSU to show the staff a few ideas and answer various fitness questions (not that I would necessarily have the answers, let alone articulate them clearly in Turkish). Although I was happy to oblige, I was completely caught off guard since I hadn't prepared anything concrete (nor had I practiced cueing a BOSU class in Turkish - though I was pretty sure 'BOSU' in Turkish was called 'BOSU'). I simply thought I was there for a meet-and-greet.

I spent the next hour (struggling) coaching a room of 20 people through various exercises. (Talk about putting your teaching skills to the test!) I had to use more hand gestures than normal, depended a lot more on making visual cues, and incorporated more repetition in my class - but somehow I managed... But I can't imagine how silly I must have sounded "BOSU up, BOSU down, right of BOSU, now left of BOSU." LOL!

Also, on Tuesdays of every week, the instructors get together at 3pm to hang out and share ideas and choreography. They wanted to show me a sample of what they do, so I stopped by. Although the afternoon was very informal (and more of a random workout session than a time to share ideas), I still had a lot of fun (and had a great workout, too)! It was another opportunity to get to know the instructors better. (And get a picture of some of the instructors - this is only half of the staff).

One major observation I've made so far is that most people in the fitness industry here do both personal training and group exercise. Obviously this is not something new since we know that you can't make a living with teaching group ex alone. But it's also not easy to get around in this city. I can't imagine teaching at multiple clubs and for various companies, either. People stick to teaching at one place, full-time. This probably explains the close friendships among the staff and the community-centric culture you experience at the fitness clubs. (Something that unfortunately, we don't see a lot of at our clubs in the US - instructor loyalty and group camaraderie.)

Fish Over the Sea

My mom took me to dinner at Borsa, an amazing restaurant upon this hill overlooking the Bosphorus. There are two restaurants, one on the Asia side (which we ate at) and another on the Europe side (the original).

Whichever one you go to, the views in Istanbul (especially overlooking the sea) are amazing. Always fluid, constantly changing. You can spend hours gazing at the view and never get bored. There are always interesting things going on worth watching.

In the couple of hours we spent at dinner, we saw the city transition from dusk to night, the lights sparkling off the water... sigh... unlike anything else in the world!

In case you were wondering what I ate. Catch of the day - fish, of course! :)

Party at IKEA

Going to IKEA was a monumental event for us that took two attempts on two different days to find. First day consisted of us driving around in city traffic, getting lost, and missing the direct streets to get there. We circled for an hour before heading back home. The second day we caught the right exit ramp off the freeway and finally landed on the IKEA planet.

Touring IKEA is something you'll definitely NOT find in any Istanbul tour book, but when you're here for almost 2 months, every day can't be a party day, right?

Actually, it can.

Because on this particular day at IKEA, there was a huge summer blow-out! Everything was on sale! And to celebrate the event, they hired a killer DJ who spun tracks that kept the customers grooving through the showrooms. It was as if I were in a disco club at Ibeza, except I've never been to Ibeza and I was looking at displays of a kitchen.

Needless to say, it was a helluva party...??

I love the nightlife... I like to boogie!

My cousin took me out again Saturday night to Taksim Square. This time, instead of karaoke, we did an mini pub crawl and hit the live music scene! Although it's tempting to be cliche and say "What happens in Taksim, stays there" but I'll spare you the mystery. Because in my case, what happens in Taksim gets edited into a short video montage.

Isometric Exercise

I swear I am not obsessed with bathrooms! But I can't help but find fascinating things about them on this trip. While traveling to the Buyukada last week, I had to take a restroom break after lunch and came across this little hole in the wall... er, ground.


I'm relieved to say - good thing we do isometric squats in my aerobics classes. Otherwise, I may not have been able to utilize my full range of motion and perform my biological duties without some major quad burn.

That's all I have to say about that. :)

The Lunch for a Princess!

The main delicacies in Turkish cuisine are the kepabs, meatballs, and variety of fish. Since I don't eat meat, but love fish - when I visited the Buyukada, for lunch I ordered the fish. And nothing brings out the flavor of a "fresh from the water, to the grill, and to your plate" fish than a tall glass of EFES beer and a side order of french fries. Mmmm...

Of course, I wasn't alone in these thoughts. On this particular day, a hungry little stray cat also shared my opinion. He (or she) politely tapped my shorts - as if to say, "excuse me, can you be so kind to indulge a poor old cat, such as myself, to a bite of your fresh fish?"

I'm definitely not much of a cat person, but I just couldn't deny him (or her) food - just look at those eyes! So, a few pieces of fish may have slipped off of my plate throughout the course.

So there we were, two total strangers, a cat and a human, sharing this amazing lunching experience together.

The Big Island of... Istanbul?

When we think of the 'Big Island' we think Hawaii. Well, in the Sea of Marmara and off the coast of Istanbul, there are nine islands called the "Princess Islands" - four are inhabited and house some of the richest residents of Istanbul (who often keep their summer homes there). The biggest island is called "Buyukada" (buyuk = big; ada = island). Duh... :)

Last Wednesday I spent the day at the Buyukada. The best part about going to the island was the remarkable views of the Istanbul coast. For transportation, they only allow horse/carriages and bikes (the occasional mule is okay, too). No cars! So the weather was nice and the air was fresh (well, smelled of sea water, of course)!

For 10 liras (about $10 bucks) I rented a bike for the day and pedaled the entire island! The ride was quite spectacular and the complete tour took me only an hour. I wish was able to video tape my ride (then I could have shown it in one of those video-based cycling classes)!

Halfway in my tour, a police officer on motorcycle drove up along side me. Nice guy doing his island rounds. (Can't imagine there being any major police action 'round these parts, but...) As we were talking (and riding), he asked me to join him on a Fanta break. (Didn't know people actually asked to "wanna, wanna - Fanta, Fanta?") We stopped at the local gazebo and talked for a few minutes about places to see on the island. (Though this sounds like the perfect set up for an island fling, don't get any flirty ideas - he was just a nice kid in his early 20s trying to help out the lost tourist.) I never saw him after that. (Get your mind out of the gutter.)

Anyway, after my sugar high, I headed to the top of the island where there was a restaurant overlooking another island. I parked my bike and enjoyed a wonderfully delicious meal!

After lunch I rode through some of the side streets and residential neighborhoods to check out some of the old, traditional summer homes. I was so close to pulling a "can I use your bathroom" stunt so I could get a peek inside the houses - but I decided against it. Good thing, too, because I later found out that the signs outside the gates that read "Dikkat, Kopek var" meant "Beware of dog" :)

Overall, it was a great day! Got a lot of sun, a lot of exercise and explored a place I'd never been to before. :)

Curb Your Exer-thiasm

I had a funny morning. I went to my first two group exercise classes at Hillside City Club - the nearest gym by my parents' apartment.

First class was awesome! It was called "workshop" which meant it was a rotating class, a different format each week. Today's class was aerobic dance, high-low mixed with a hint of Turkish folklore. Totally different, a little out of my element and I looked entirely silly doing the routine. But, at least I had fun! The class was packed for an 11:30 am time slot, and the teacher was hella entertaining to watch. He was really motivating and kept charming the ladies. He didn't use a mic - he didn't have to. He broke down his routine with whistles. He whistled once to show us the next move, twice to take the routine from the top. That's it! Now, hoppa!

The next class was even crazier. It was a Schwinn indoor cycling class, not to mention, my fave format in group fitness! But outside the amazing euro-tech disco music and the Penn Badgley look-a-like instructor from the show Gossip Girl, the class had a few contraindicated moves. For one, sprinting as fast as you can with minimal load while standing up isn't my idea of an effective drill. And two, cuing the head down (actually looking down, head below heart) then head up... and doing this repeatedly "up for 4, down for 4, up 2, down 2" is probably asking for trouble. What's the Turkish equivalent of 911? However, if the paramedics look anything like the cast of GG, then sure, I'll bob my head up and down until I pass out anytime.

Here's the irony of the whole morning's experience: despite my history in the commercial fitness arena, somehow I ended up looking like the fool in both classes, the newbie participant who couldn't 'keep up' with the routines. The uncoordinated dancer. The weak girl cyclist... sigh. I so wanted to go up to each instructor and justify why I couldn't move my hips in both directions or why I opted out of the (unnecessary) sprints. But of course, I couldn't do that.

So I overcompensated. And when I went to thank each instructor for a great class - I sounded like a retarded Japanese boy going through puberty. Tan Kee, Tan Kee. I figured if they thought I was foreign, then maybe they would forgive my performance. You know, chalk it up to "maybe she couldn't keep up because she couldn't understand what we were saying."

But I think I made the situation even more confusing when I asked the front desk lady to call me a cab in Turkish with an American accent. I really do have an accent when I speak - really.

Talk about a Curb Your Enthusiasm/Larry David moment. The Turkish girl pretending to be an American girl with slightly foreign Japanese accent so the hot instructor won't mistake her for a loser weakling participant, only to reveal she clearly knows the Turkish language. Sigh...

Anyway, I was happy to have gotten a few hours of activity in my day, burn a few calories... what more can you ask for?

I want to ride my bicycle!

Although it was a relatively overcast weekend (even rained a bit), that didn't deter us from our bike ride by the seaside on Saturday. My cousin Ozer, his friend Sirin, and I headed out for an afternoon out.

The casual ride was more for experience than for any cardiovascular challenge, and the manzara (Turkish for the 'view') was exceptional (as always)! Having lived in the desert for so long, it's easy to mistake a body of water to some kind of mirage. LOL.

We didn't ride any long distances - about 10 miles total, but veering through the streets of Istanbul, avoiding pedestrians and cars made the excursion last well over 2-hours. There were many people running, having picnics, flying kites, biking, walking, relaxing, playing near the seaside. Lots of families, couples, friends hanging out! Quite pleasant, actually.

At the half-way point of our journey, we stopped to take a snack break. And in Turkiye, you can usually find vendors selling simit, roasted chestnuts, or corn on the cob - these are the most popular street delicacies. We stopped for corn, of course. Who doesn't like a good piece of corn mid-bike ride, right? (joke) In Turkiye corn vendors are the equivalent of a hot dog stands in US.

We arrived home tired, but just in time for the first soccer match of the season: Turkiye vs. Portugal. Unfortunately, Turkiye lost 2 to zero but the team is only warming up! :) I suspect they'll make a come back in the next match.

(top photo credit: Bilgin Esme)

Surpriz!

The word 'surprise' in Turkish is surpriz (pronounced soo-preez) which probably comes as no surprise. Pop star Gülben Ergen sings the song entitled 'Supriz', which seems to be topping the music charts lately.

The sound that you'll hear from the video below is very typical of Turkish pop musik - a little traditional flare mixed with dance-tech beat. These type of songs are generally one-hit wonders, a summer trend, and the singers often disappear after their initial peak. A slightly different visual approach than Gece with "Asik Miyiz" but entertaining, nonetheless.



Give it a few seconds to load (you might have to watch a quick advertisement). But if you can not view the clip, go here.

Buzz Off Mozzies!

Summer is the season in Turkiye where mosquitoes like to 'spread the love' and cash in on their vacation time.

We all know that these annoying little buzzards leave a series of bumpy pink 'love bites' on your skin. And although they are a bit itchy and uncomfortable, they are also just another part of our ecology.

Since my arrival here, I've been blessed with 7 love bites (that I can see). About 4 on my arms and three on my legs. (I'm sure y'all wanted to know that.) And seeing as I still have a few more weeks of vacation, I anticipate receiving a lot more of their affection.

Of course you can take preventative measures to avoid the health risks associated with mosquitoes. They are, after all, vectors for Malaria. Rest assured that I will not be traveling much in the Malaria risk areas of Turkiye.

But then again... you can never be too cautious.

Buzzzzzz...

Bagel vs. Simit

In the US, Americans have their bagels. In Turkiye, it's all about the simit - especially the 'street' simit. Same round shape as the bagel, except a little wider, crispier, and with sesame seeds all over it!

You can find a simit vendor just about anywhere on the street - they're virtually on every corner. Some are traveling vendors that walk up and down your neighborhood, yelling SIII-MIIIIIT! and people come out of their apartments to buy them!

They are best in the mornings or right after lunch when they come out of the bakeries hot and fresh!!! And while most Americans couple their bagels with coffee, Turks prefer their simits with tea. Simits are usually found on the breakfast table or as part of the afternoon tea-time.

I think I've averaged about 1 simit per day. They range anywhere between 1 to 0.75YTL - Yeni (new) Turkish Liras, depending on where you buy them (or if you look like a tourist, they vendors might charge you more!).

In fact, mmm... I'm eating a simit right as I'm writing this post. So does that mean I'm blogging with my mouth full?

Topkapi Palace *Brief Nudity*

Aaah... the Topkapi Palace! One of Istanbul's greatest palaces on the European side of the city. Built in the center of the Ottoman Empire overlooking the Bosphorus Sea, this amazing landmark was home to 31 Sultans between the 15th and 19th centuries!

It's got everything a under one, er... many roofs (way too many to count, in fact). Although its rich history spans hundreds of years, there's no way to deny the fact that it's absolutely breath-taking!! (Dick Osseman has taken some 'ossem' photos of the palace!)

The kitchen was perhaps my favorite aspect of the palace, though there were much more luxurious parts of the palace (as most would agree). But there's something about knowing that hundreds of cooks slaved together 24/7 to create dishes worthy of the Sultan's tongue that puts the show Top Chef to shame. I mean, imagine having to keep 6000 residents of the palace fed throughout the day - including the big guy himself!

And boy were these sultans big!! Their portraits hung in one of the rooms, and they were either all overweight or obese. Not to mention, so were his wives (harem)! Well, I guess when you have your choices between your fast food and your fatty women (or is it fatty food and fast women?)... who cares about CVDs and STDs?

Although I know nothing official about architecture, I could deeply appreciate the time and effort it took to create such details in these structures. I mean, just look at this stuff! The building I'm standing in front of, parts of it are gold-plated, baby! Oh, don't even get me started on the 86-carat, 17 gram, pear-shaped Spoonmaker's Diamond. Uhm... hello!

If you ever visit Topkapi Palace, never spend less than 3 hours (and that's if you're cruising through - no joke!) Get there early tour the rooms, enjoy the view from the restaurant during your lunch, then relax by the many gardens around the premises. On your way out... buy a simit.

Just to tease you... here is the view from Topkapi Palace! Enjoy!

Grand Bazaar is, well, GRAND!

No one should leave Istanbul without visiting the famous covered market called Kapalıçarşı (aka the Grand Bazaar) - full of every imaginable thing in the world - including Aladdin and his monkey friend Abu! The bazaar is Turkiye's equivalent to a swap meet, except it's a lot more physically and emotionally exhausting.

First of all, there are about 4000 vendors on 82 different streets. It's a labyrinth. A few turns here, a few steps there, you can end up walking for miles and never find your way out.

And if you do get lost, don't even think about asking someone to help you find your way out - espcially the store owners. The vendors are highly cunning and manipulative - they will do anything, say anything to get you to buy something. They may even ask you to step into their shop to show you an item, perhaps offer you tea, then (in some cases) close the door and refuse to let you leave until you make a purchase. What do you expect, it's a tourist trap and these guys have to make a living!

Also, bargaining is the name of the game. Never, never pay for anything without bargaining your price down to, at least 50% of what they ask. The first, second, and third offers are always too expensive, you're guaranteed to find something less expensive around the corner. You haven't experienced the true essence of buying from the bazaar until you've bargained your way out!

I captured some video of the bazaar below, so you can get a highlight of the scene. But I couldn't grab too many photo ops because 1) you can find better pics on the net, and 2) any more, I would have been harrassed by them vendors. Because nothing says 'tourist' like a white chick with a camera.



After capturing my media, I put away my camera and put my sunglasses on (it's helpful in avoiding eye contact with the vendors). I walked briskly and got out of there as quickly as possible. I'll definitely go back though - there were a couple of things that caught my eye...

NOTE: Never go into a bazaar for casual window shopping... to have a successful bazaar experience, you must go in with a focus (know what you want to buy), an "I'm-calling-the-shots" attitude, and a time limit. This way, you're bound to get what you want, at the price you want it, in less than an hour. :)

Me... I'm going take the easy way out and go there with my mom, instead. I know... I'm lame! But she's very effective when it comes to bargin shopping and shop bargaining. (And you would totally understand if you saw the purse I saw and just had to have it... LOL!)

Tourist for a day!

On Wednesday, I took at full-day Imperial & Ottoman bus tour around Istanbul. I became your cliche tourist for the day! I visited classic Turkish landmarks - like the Ayasofia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar (with a lunch break at a rooftop restaurant). I also met loads of folks in my tour group from India, Japan, Argentina, Italy, and of course, the United States (Colorado, to be exact).

I had seen most of these places in my previous visits, so I wasn't as obsessed with taking pictures of everything like some of my other tour mates (plus, my parents were avid home video directors back in the mid-80's, early 90' - so I knew most of these places were captured on VHS tapes and collecting dust at home.) So I focused more on enjoying each place with more attention.

But these landmarks never, ever get old. You can visit many times and still be in awe of all the cultural history, inticate architecture, and unique views that (even now) continue to leave you breathless.

You can see most of my pics from my day trip in my Turkiye Flickr album.

Five Mile Run/Walk Route

I've saved today's 5 mile running/walking route on gmap-pedometer here. If you look at the route in 'hybrid' or 'satellite' view, you can get an idea of the neighborhood I am currently living in called Suadiye.

More pictures and runnin routes to come!

Gece - "Aşık Mıyız?"

I always look forward to learning about what bands are 'in' and what songs are 'hot' in Turkiye during my visit. Obviously, music is universal and what is popular in the US is also well-known here. But I also get a kick out of listening to Turkish pop musik which sometimes share similarities with the sounds we're used to in the states.

One example is a band called "Gece" (pronounced Geh-Jeh, 'c' sounds like a 'j' in Turkish), which means the night. The song is entitled "Aşık Mıyız?" which asks the question "Are we in love?"

Check out the video below and let me know your thoughts. (If you can't view the clip, go here).

Gece - Asik Miyiz by Aluxton
Uploaded by Aluxton69

I rather enjoyed this song. What do you think? Would the band translate well in the states?

Interesting Thing About Restrooms

Whether it's a restroom inside an apartment, house, restaurant, or theater, the light switch is usually located OUTSIDE the bathroom. Isn't that weird?! I've asked around to find out why, but no one really seems to know.

My theory on this strange design phenomenon is so you won't have to blindly look for the light switch when you enter the restroom - which makes perfect sense since there have been plenty of times I've found myself sliding my hand up and down the wall, searching for the light switch... haven't we all done that at some point?

But I can't help but think of the vulnerable position you are putting yourself in while attending the restroom. The idea of letting the power of the light switch rest in the hands of the people in the hallway just seems very unsettling.

Lights out. Flush.

Kizkulesi Tour

Kizkulesi is translated in English as "Maiden's Tower" and it's one of the most romantic symbols in Istanbul.

Legend has it that a princess (long ago) was sent there by her father because a fortune teller told him that his daughter was going to die at age 18. So, in order to prevent any bad things from happening, he had his daughter/princess locked away in a tower to avoid any potential harm.

Well, as we all know by now, fortune tellers never lie. So on her 18th birthday, a supply boat arrived to the tower carrying food. And wouldn't you know it, hidden among the basket of grapes was a poisonous snake. With one delicious bite, the snake took the life of the princess.

That's only one version of the legend. There is another, more romantic version of the story, as told by the French - about a woman trapped in the tower because her father forbid her to marry her lover. And another version that claimed it was used as a prison. Who really knows?

But one thing is for sure, this 2500 year old landmark stood through the Ancient Greek period of the Archaic ages, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. According to the historical brochure, "It is a symbol of loneliness, love and uniqueness and has been the subject to many poems, paintings and photographs through the years."

My mother and I had the opportunity to visit Kizkulesi on Sunday afternoon. It was an extremely windy day, but we enjoyed our 3 hour excursion to this historical landmark.

We took a ferry to the platform where the tower stands. The waves were particularly strong that day - so it was hard to capture a nice shot of the tower from the boat. Inside the tower, we discovered a romantic restaurant and quaint, tiny coffee shop near the top.

At the very top, we could see a spectacular view of the coast. My photos hardly do it justice - so I'd highly recommend checking out some rather gorgeous shots of the tower and restaurant here.

The Otübus Experience

Riding on a city bus in Istanbul is like being in the live version of the 1994 adrenaline-packed action flick SPEED. The driver maneuvers the bus like Sandra Bullock on speed. Weaving in and out of traffic, hoping not to kill anyone along its path. But unlike the Hollywood version, he actually succeeds in keeping the city in tack, taking you from point A to point B, C, D, E...X without much cross-city destruction.

In the course of my thirty-minute bus ride (and after I got over my fear of flying), the people who flew in and out at each bus stop, some while the bus was moving, had very interesting stories to tell. Many thoughts went through my mind...

- A 30-something lady gave up her seat to an older mid-forties woman. Same mid-forties woman, then gave up her seat for an elderly man in his mid-sixties. Perhaps respecting your elders is a universal gesture, with no cultural boundaries. My heart melted. Despite a crazy world, there's always room for compassion.

- A passenger entered the bus from the back, not able to get on from the front because it was too crowded. He handed his bus card to a passenger, and the passenger handed it to the next passenger, and so forth until the card slowly made its way to the front. The bus driver slid his toll through the machine. Then the bus card slowly made it back to its owner. It's amazing that in a city where you're taught to keep a close watch on your belongings and trust no one, that at least 7 people had a hand in helping this stranger pay the correct bus toll.

- As people enter the bus, you find yourself shifting places, sitting down as seats are vacated, then standing up again, giving up your seat for those who need it. You move towards the middle of the isle, then get pushed to the side of the bus, and so forth. And as you move to different spots inside the bus, you hang on to different poles, hold different handles, and lean into various seats and wonder how many millions of people have been through here before you? Definitely not the preferred mode of transportation for the 'germaphobe'.

- Awkward silences are prevalent on city buses. In a city with 15 million poeple, everyone lives a breath's distance away from each other. Yet, somehow conversations on a bus are limited. In fact, most people are either sleeping or blankly looking out the windows. Eye contact is rare. Every once in a while a cell phone may ring, but rarely someone answers it. And if they do, the conversation is cut short. Everyone is in such close proximity that one couldn't help but eavesdrop on every conversation. Weird to think that we guard our privacy differently in certain circumstances, yet find it absolutely necessary to share our dialog on a blog or via Twitter for everyone to see...

- Smells. Distinct smells of perfume, deodorant, aftershave, sweat, and other random odors. Some good. Some not. You're packed in like sardines, and after a while, you don't smell a thing (until the next stop when a new wiff of air passes through.)

The people on the bus represent a cross-section of a unique culture. Rich or poor, young or old, regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic class, or gender... everyone relies on the bus (or some form of public transportation) in their Istanbul existence. Let's face it, the bus is cheaper, more efficient, much faster - and anyone with a car knows that Istanbul traffic can be a nightmare!

Taksim Square and Surrounding Areas

A bit more about Taksim Square...

"Taksim Square is the heart of modern Istanbul, laid out in the late 1800s near a taksim (branching-point) in the city's water distribution system."

But at nights... the place turns into an entertainment culture hot spot! It's located on the European side of Istanbul, near an area called Beyoğlu (pronounced bey oh loo, the 'g' with the little squiggly on top sounds almost like a 'y').

Full of life and activities, the main street where my cousin and I are standing is Istiklal Street - where you can find all sorts of nightlife, clubs, coffee houses, karaoke clubs, restaurants, street vendors and performers... you name it, it's probably there - along with 10,000 other people.

Below is a better picture I got from here.


And if you want - check out the video capture of the street. (This was shot close to 1am, mind you... and the crowd showed no signs of dying down).

Karaoke Night at Taksim Square!

Some people join the cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to learn a language, I join karaoke night. LOL. Saturday night (around midnight - after a 10pm dinner) we went to Taksim Square - one of the most popular areas for clubs, bars, restaurants, street vendors and performers. And of course, karaoke!

Because we were a big group of 14 people, we were given our own karaoke room where we got to pick our songs and sing to our heart's content. The group selected a list of old Turkish songs as a way to entertain themselves. (Traditional Turkish songs are known for their telling tales about the pains and agony of unfulfilled love. What can I say? The Turks love drama - it's in their blood.) Of course, I knew none of the songs. NONE. But I could bring on the drama with the best of them!

Although I now know more phrases in Turkish than I did before tonight, don't ask me to sing "you broke my heart into a ka-zillion mini-pieces" and "My love, come back to me, can't you see I'm completely broken without you" in Turkish. My singing makes the only-positive Paula Abdul cringe.

On the other hand, I was enjoying my cousin and his friends dancing and singing till 3 am...

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

I can't really imagine Turkish people running in flocks to see a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Not because it's not an entertaining musical - cuz it is (hey, I have the Donny Osmond recorded soundtrack) - but because of its light religious and cultural references than might not clearly translate to this audience. An Egyptian Pharaoh as Elvis?

On Saturday night we went to see this Andrew Lloyd Webber classic. It was sung in English, which is why my cousin and his friends probably they didn't understand a thing! I did my best trying to translate Joseph's dreams, but to no avail. I only got puzzled looks and blank stares.

During the intermission I heard English being spoken around me. I wondered why. Then I learned (after reading the program) that this was an event held by a British theater arts organization. Apparently there is a large British community living in Turkiye. Wow, didn't know that! I wonder if anyone of them knew Posh Spice.

I asked my cousin how he'd heard about this musical. Turns out, one of his friend's girlfriend was in the musical - her first. And we were all invited to support her efforts. (Later I found out the only reason she joined the cast was to learn more English.) Interesting way to learn a language, in my opinion. Perhaps I should joined the Paris cast of Les Miserables to polish up my French. Oui Oui!

After the show, we did the obligatory "You were great!" kisses and hugs scene. We even posed for a photo with Elvis, himself!

A Birthday Celebration!!

Birthdays are always fun (especially when you have an amazing cake and a PlayStation 3)! On Tuesday night, we celebrated my cousin's 24th birthday. After the obligatory family party, he and I went over to his friend's house where a small group gathered to wish him health and happiness!



In Turkish, rather than singing the words "Happy Birthday to You", our translation is "We're so glad you were born" (melody remains the same).

The birthday cake was to die for! Soccer-themed, pistachio covered (crumbles) atop strawberry shortcake-like delight! It was so delicious, the pieces melted in your mouth the moment it touched your tongue. I couldn't help but indulge in a few small bites. :)

Wouldn't you know it, my cousin's friends were also a group of gamers! And we ended up playing a few selection of games. I saw there was an EyeToy set up on the TV set, so we played a game called Creature Features (demo included). But you can see my cousin unsuccessfully playing the game here.

The night continued with the unveiling of Ratchet & Clank 4!!! Do you know how long I had been waiting to play this game!? I obsessed over the first 3 R&C. In fact, the reason I bought the PS2 was mainly for the R&C series. I couldn't believe I had the opportunity to demo the fourth one. I am more convinced now that I need to save up my $$ for a PS3.

The guys finished the night with a multi-player soccer game while the ladies cheered them on - fascinated by their intricate game play. Needless to say, we came home around 3:30am (which, in my mind, was only 5:30pm in Arizona-time, so it didn't feel so late!) Good thing I'm on vacation! (My poor cousin, however, woke up 2 hours later to go to work.)

Smoking Kills

I saw this warning label on a Marlboro pack in and thought the message couldn't have been more clearer...

Smoking Kills

Visit to Enka Spor

I had a meeting scheduled with the Fitness Director of Enka Spor, Dr. Aysel Pehlivan, on Monday afternoon. The facilities were located on the European side, which meant the majority of the day would be spent on the road. In fact, we took 6 different modes of transportation to get there (and back): walking, autobus, minibus, 2 kinds of water taxis (big boat and a little boat), and dolmuş (shared taxi). For a 1-hour meeting, we were practically on the road for 5 hours! Welcome to İstanbul...

Anyway, Aysel was wonderful woman. She has been in the fitness industry back in the days of Jane Fonda! When Turkiye didn't have an established fitness industry, she was one of the first to push for its evolution.

Author of the book Sporda Beslenme (which means 'Growing Up In Sports'), which (from what I understood) focuses training and cultivating the elite athlete from an early age.

She is also a university professor where she gives lectures in their fitness management department. And serves as an executive member of the Turkish 'Sport For All' Federation. Quite an established personality, indeed!

Aysel was kind enough to show me around the facilities which were quite accomodating, despite some of their upscale competitors (like Hillside City Club - which was located in the next door plaza).

I hope to meet up with her again, as well as, some of her colleagues. More later...

Red Bull Flugtag 2008!

Up until now I had only heard about the Red Bull Flugtag (and also saw a kicker video about it on a Spacekicker blogpost a while back). Anway, if you've never been to one, you should go! A few years ago it was in Arizona and I missed it. Had to come halfway around the world to finally experience it.

Anyway, a bunch of man-powered quasi-flight-mobiles get launched off a huge ramp over the course of 3 hours. It's total chaos and lots of fun. Major Red Bull riot!

On Sunday, the first-ever İstanbul Flugtag was held at Caddebostan Plajı (plaj = beach). There was an estimated 85,000 people at the event! Everything from Aladdin and Turkish tea cups to Florence Nightingale and large-scale green bug named Yusuf all attempted flight (watch Yusuf here).

Here is the launch of a disco-themed record player entitled 'Chicky Chicky Boom Boom'. (Click on the points on the timeline to read additional comments)

Wii-Fit A World-Wide Phenomena!

Once again, while walking down İstanbul's famous Bağdat Caddesi, I came across a demo of the Wii-Fit. A crowd of people surrounded a kid while he tested his skiing skills.

Although viewers seemed wildly excited about this new game, hardly anyone was buying it because of its cost. The Wii console is (in Turkish liras) the US equivalent of 600-700 dollars!

No fear. In time, not only will the cost of the Wii go down. But new and improved (and more affordable) exergames will enter the market.

The fact remains - exergames are not going away anytime soon. It will continue to grow as a global trend! Just ask my exergaming friends Ernie (the Exergaming Evangelist) and Alasdair (the Exergame Physiologist)!

Health & Beer?

During my quest to find the health and fitness clubs in my neighborhood (not all in one day, of course), I came across this little place - Sports Time. Interestingly this place sits just over a pub.

I don't know if the concept of a health center in such close proximity to a bar is totally wrong or simply brilliant! I guess it depends on how you look at it.

Would a person's drinking habits change if they knew they had a health club hovering over their beers?

Or how about the people who attend the health club regularly - Would they find bar fries and a tall glass of Efes more or less appetizing after their workouts?

Mmm... this is today's burning question...

Indiana Jones Doesn't Hold Up!

My cousin and I went to see a late showing of Indiana Jones 4 on Saturday night. Left halfway. (Oh, in Turkiye the movie theatres stop a film for intermission). Nuff said.

Classy But Fishy

My mother and I spent the afternoon lunching in a fantastic (hidden gem) outdoor fish restaurant called Suna'nin Yeri (Suna's Place). Overlooking the Bosphorus Sea, we had a view of the Europe side of İstanbul.

We ordered the fresh catch of the day (don't ask me to translate the fish name to English! The fisherman caught the fish and within moments it was cooked and brought to our table! Coupled with a tasty mixed green salad and a cold glass of Efes Beer (a Turkish beer), you really couldn't ask for anything more.

Now you can enjoy the view from our table. (I've included some comments on the video with some explanations - if you click on the dots on the timeline, you can read my notes):

It's A Small World After All!

What are the chances of attending a fitness conference on your 3rd day in İstanbul and bumping into industry big names like Lawrence Biscontini, BOSU's very own Douglas Brooks, and international choreographer Marvin Foster!

Well, today I attended a FitnessTurk İstanbul Convention and had the pleasure of seeing these guys in action. They truly uphold the motto of 'fitness without walls' - bringing their expertise to fitness and wellness professionals around the world and to Turkiye!

I enjoyed chatting candidly with each of them as they expressed their love for the city. Their enthusiasm for fitness and wellness certainly bleeds through in all languages - even Turkish!

Her Keze Teşekkürler! (Thank you to everyone!)

UPDATE: If you want to read my comments from one of Lawrence's session - check out the notes "From Great to Extra-Ordinary" on this Group Exercise Blog.

YouTube banned in Istanbul

Apparently YouTube is banned in İstanbul. From time-to-time there is intermittent access, but it's fairly unreliable. So rather than uploading my videos to YouTube, I'll be using Viddler to post media, instead.

I've updated an earlier post 'Starting with a Bang!' which now has the video from the party. Enjoy!

Pedometer

I brought my (cheap) pedometer with me on my trip and have been logging my daily step counts on WalkerTracker. (A widget on the side of my blog will keep tabs on my daily progress.)

It shouldn't be too much of a problem staying active and meeting the recommended 10K steps-a-day since you can't get anywhere unless you do some walking (even if it's to a taxi).

Hopefully, I'll be diligent enough to log my numbers in regularly. There are plenty of great parks and gardens in my area. Tons of opportunity to do some walking by the seaside, too.

With such great opportunities to indulge in rich foods, some form of exercise is a daily must!

'So Different, Yet So the Same...'

A classic lyric from the great No Doubt song 'Different People' about how the world is so full of different kinds of people yet somehow we are all the same.

Anyway, I was walking down Bağdat Caddesi (a famous street in Istanbul - think Rodeo Drive) when I noticed a Starbucks and a Ben & Jerry's next to each other. This reminded me of this song. How we can be halfway across the world and still experience bits and pieces of familiar culture: people hanging out, drinking coffee, working on their laptops...

So different, yet so the same...