This was our last day!  In the morning we visited the tall ships that had sailed in to the city yesterday - we missed them in full sail!











For the past eight days we have enjoyed some great food.  One restaurant that we particularly favored was a cafeteria with Turkish food where we selected from a vast array by just pointing.







This restaurant is under a bridge and this Cem showing Susan the fish choices of the day.  She decided on meat after viewing the fish.







Turkish coffee is as thick as syrup!



Along the Golden Horn are fancy, decorative boats where fellows grill fish for delicious sandwiches with lettuce and onions.  They were cheap ($2.80) and yummy - although it took one whole day and several handwashings to rid ourselves of a fishy smell!







These fellows, dressed in colorful attire, were our waiters.  The fellow on the right is holding containers of pickled veggies.



Street vendors were everywhere offering some interesting nibbles including roasted chestnuts, roasted corn, donuts, and bread rings crusted with sesame seeds.











Also a favorite (mine, but not Susan's) was the Turkish ice cream made with something that makes it gooey almost like Turkish taffy.





A very popular sandwich is shaved roasted meat or chicken on a roll.  These vendors are seen are on every street corner.



There are also a lot of candy stores and bakeries with super sweet goodies.



The markets displayed gorgeous produce and lots interesting fish.







We saved the best for last.  It was too expensive for souvenirs!



Tomorrow we leave at 9am, tired but very happy.  See you all soon.

Yesterday was a full day of adventures.  We started with the Blue Mosque where the interior space was almost as impressive as Hagia Sophia.  It was built 11 centuries after Hagia Sophia (in the 17th century) and displays beautiful Iznik tiles throughout its interior.







Then we toured the underground cistern, built in the 6th century, with a capacity of 27 million gallons.  There are 336 columns supporting brick vaults that cover an area equal to two football fields.





Next we made our way to the Grand Bazaar, which covers a huge area with 4000 shops connected by spacious covered pedestrian streets.  Many of the shops cater to tourists, but occasionally we encountered some quality merchandize.  It is a haven for pickpockets, but we out foxed them.  Here is some of the stuff we saw.





















To roundup the day, we were strolling on Istiklal Street when we encountered a rally (or protest - we didn't figure out what it was about) with a police presence in riot gear.  Fortunately for all, the event was peaceful.

Like all cities, Istanbul has grafitti.  But in addition to the standard style of calligraphic mark making, the walls here also display stenciled images.  They're quite intriguing and I am sure they have meaning, but it escapes me as to what messages might be.

Susan and I just had supper on her balcony where we watched the moon rise over the boat traffic on the Bosphoros. 



Dinner included an array of delicious Turkish appetizers.



Susan attended a demonstration of Whirling Dervishes the other evening.  Here are some of her pictures.





To view a video of the Dervishes whirling, go to:  http://www.lonelyplanet.tv/Clip.aspx?key=DAE16F634CC10FC8

There are cats everywhere here. They are fed by people who leave bowls of water and food for them on the streets.  Some look more cared for than others.  All are docile.  Here are some of my favorites.











More adventures tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

Since Istanbul is very hilly, our legs are challenged. Advil helps a lot.  We have also mastered the tram, the underground funicular, taxis, and buses.  Yesterday was a day of visiting historical churches that are now museums.

First we went to Chora Church on the outskirts of the old city next to the old walls of Constantinople.  The outside of the church is unadorned rough stone, typical of Byzantine churches.  But inside the church the walls are a dazzeling display of mosaics depicting Christian scenes with shimmery gold backgrounds.  They date from the 14th century during the late phase of Byzantine culture.







Below is a fresco in the funerary chapel.  The scene depicts Christ  descending into hell to save the righteous Old Testament figures.



Next we visited Hagia Sophia, the most important and famous of churches in Istanbul.  It was built during the 6th century by Roman Emperor Justinian and it served as the mother church for the Eastern church until 1453 when the Ottoman turks conquered the city and converted the church into a mosque.  Today it is a museum that has importance to both Christians and Muslims.  Until the construction of St. Peter's Bascilia, Hagia Sophia was the largest enclosed space in the world.  The interior is immense and the construction of domes supporting domes creates a space without interior supports.











When the church was converted to a mosque, the mosaics were covered with whitewash.  They have now been retored.



More later...

Susan and I arrived in Instanbul on Friday and have been having a grand time since.  Below is a map of the area. The city is located on either side of a body of water called the Golden Horn.  The part below is the old section (very old) and the other is the new section (still quite old.)  This land on the left is on the European side while the land on the other side of the Bosphorus is Asian.

I indicated with red dots where Susan's hotel is located and where the apartment where I am staying is located, both in the new section of the city.


This is a view from Susan's balcony overlooking the Bosphorus where fishing boats, cruise boats, tankers and commercial vessels, and ferries are operating all the time.



This is the view from the apartment looking over the Golden Horn at famous architectural monuments.  The white dot on the left is Hagia Sophia, the next dot to the right is the Blue Mosque and on the far right is Solemnize Mosque.



Yesterday we took a cruise on the Bosphorus and viewed some of the most expensive residential property in Istanbul.  Along the embankments are old and new palaces, mansions, and homes all with views of the water.  Many of the 19th century homes and palaces have been beautifully restored.

The most famous building is the Dolmabahce Palace built in the 19th on grounds where earlier palaces stood.  It has 285 rooms, 43 halls, 6 baths and 6 terraces.



This is the mosque of the Dolmabahce Palace.  Behind it is the Ritz Carlton Hotel.



Here are more palaces as well as more modest homes that we saw.










This is a castle/fort dating from 16th century that enabled the Ottomans to control the boat traffic on the Bosphorus.



The city is full of roses.  Everywhere they are blooming in a variety of colors, sizes, and patterns.









Yesterday afternoon we went to the Spice Market where we discovered an exotic array of products, many destined for tourists luggage to take back home.



This is Henna.



This hand pattern is henna that can be applied to the hand in a ready made design.



Fruits and nuts of all kinds and combinations.



Turkish Delight.



Bottles of fragrances for custom mixed perfumes.



More tomorrow!

On Thursday my friend, Susan, and I fly to Istanbul for a week.  I toured Turkey many years ago but did not have enough time in Istanbul to fully explore the city. So, I plan to revisit some familiar sites and discover new ones.

I'm packed, but not ready to leave.  I am eager to return home but will miss San Miguel and its magical ambiance. 

When I began the blog this year, I was not sure what I was going to photograph or say that I hadn't covered last year.  Turns out that there was a lot and I suspect when I come back next year (which is likely) there will be even more.  

The attraction of San Miguel goes beyond the beauty of the place - it is the mix of local and foreign culture as well.  For instance, on Friday in the Jardin in front of the main church, el Parroquia, the descendants of the native Indians danced and celebrated. On Saturday evening, the week-long Baroque music festival concluded with a concert in the Parroquia of Bach's "Magnificat" conducted by Sebastian Knebel. Then on Sunday evening, a bandstand was erected in front of the church for an oldies concert including songs by the Beetles and the Beach Boys.  And when these kinds of special events aren't going on, there are the mariachi bands in the evening.  (Doc Severnson and John Davidson are residents of SM and occasionally give performances.)  There is something for everyone here. 

I posted some short video clips of the Indian fiesta on YouTube.  To view them, click on the links.

Fiesta: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoMrAK6rfRg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrhsA9hECac

The oldies in the Jardin Sunday evening: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I00pBRwTfTM


In addition to music, there are lectures, films, art openings, exercise groups, tours, book signings, and classes in art, cooking, Spanish, photography, meditation, dance, bridge, and yoga.  There are discussion groups, social groups, religious groups, motorcycle groups, gardening groups, support groups and theatrical and music groups.  And there is an incredible amount of charity and volunteer work going on for animals, for children's' education, for feeding and housing the needy, for women's education, for providing health services, for orphanages, for hospice, and other causes I can't think of at the moment - and all of these organizations sponsor fund raising events.  All of this stuff happens everyday of the week.  So there is a local newspaper published by the library that lists what's going on on a daily basis.  If you were here on Wednesday, March 10, you could choose from 26 different offerings!

San Miguel de Allende is truly a unique place.

I have some miscellaneous photos to share.  First, this is a picture of Gary Berkowitz, printmaker and folk art artist wearing one of his latest creations made of corn husks.  For several years now he has created a line of funky glasses that have become collectors pieces.  If you can't tell, Gary is a character.  He and his wife, Jo Brenzo who is a photographer, graciously share their studio with me.



Below is a manipulated photo of Gary and Jo.  The photo is by Shannon Reece.



Here are a couple of new additions to my folk art collection.  I love 'em!



This has been my home away from home for the last five weeks.  I've been doing my blogging on the kitchen table.  The steps lead up to the rooftop patio.



This is the entrance to a little Italian restaurant next door to my apartment.  I just had dinner there - homemade pasta with pesto sauce.  I spent the last of my pesos!  SEE YOU ALL SOON!!

Tomorrow I leave for home, so I decided to spend my last morning at the Botanical Garden.  I picked a good day to visit it because it was overcast, in the mid 60's, there was a slight breeze, and no blazing sun to contend with.  The garden consists of several acres of land high above the town - I took a taxi up and walked down!  Most of the area is natural with several kinds of cactus, mesquite, acacia, and succulents.  Paths wind through the area and lead visitors to specialized gardens and a conservatory.  Cacti from all over Mexico have been collected for display gardens.  Along the edge of the garden is a deep canyon with trails.







Here in the high desert terrain, there were a few signs of spring.  Cacti were sending out new growth, the acacia was in bloom, and I spotted a few flowers.  It will be several weeks yet before the profusion of flowers appear.













And I became intrigued by the geometry and symmetry of nature!



On my walk back from the Botanical Garden, I descended through a neighborhood  located on a steep hillside called the Balcones (Balconies) where elegant homes are hidden by high walls.  I did get a glimpse over the wall of this house.



I have to pack now.  I'll do a wrap up entry this evening.

I never stop marveling over the colors and color combinations I am discovering here.  Only in Mexico do these homes have charm -   how tacky they would look in New England!  Within the historic district, colors are restricted, but outside of the zone is another world.









And the few incidents of graffiti that I have found have been artistic as well.  Made with markers and brushes instead of  spray paint, the marks are calligraphic and resemble Abstract Expressionistic canvases.











And while I have been here I have been working on a new series of prints that continue the direction of my Travel Series.  These new prints are more colorful, textured and layered than earlier versions.  They reflect my continuing fascination with prehistoric markings, petrogylphs, etc. and a primitive aesthetic.