The Center of the Universe

A few weeks ago we went to the center of the universe. A co-worker invited a group of us there – to his family home in Kurdimier. 

To most (well everyone actually), Kurdimier is far from Eden. It is hot, flat, dry, treeless, and buzzing with mosquito in the summer. But to our friend, who shamelessly brags about his home town, it is most certainly the best place in all of Azerbaijan.

We found ourselves in a garden…fresh tandir bread, homemade butter and cheese and tea, always lots of samovar tea. I ate pomegranates that grew from the trees in the yard, and grapes from the trellis above and watched people cook who knew what they were doing. 

It’s always interesting to have veterinarians together preparing and cooking meat on the grill. Being a thrifty sort, Azerbaijanis  don’t like to waste anything. I passed on the unidentifiable objects on the grill, but the eggplant stuffed with a little sheep fat was quite nice. 

My new favorite food is “soldiers in uniform” - whole potatoes surrounded by charcoal, cooked in the ground.  They were a banquet on their own, needing no accompaniment. With a couple of these in my pocket I think I could do anything! These people know how to cook and serve up the food! 

Paul enjoyed the view from the head of the table... 

...and Ruby loved playing volleyball! 

The next day I overheard our friend from Kurdimier say that he would no longer need to speak about the splendors of his village – because now everyone else will!! Having experienced the warmth and hospitality of his home and family, we wholeheartedly agree! 

21st Century "Thinker"

What Rodin would think?

72 HOURS IN ISTANBUL

I am a lucky one. I've been to Istanbul several times over the past few years - always on my way somewhere else - never for longer than 48 hours. It felt good to be intentionally going to Constantinople  (ha! I like using that word). Our visit was over Eid al Adha, the feast of sacrifice holiday. Animals are killed and a third  is kept, a third given to relatives and a third given to poor. Seems like a good plan, but I could smell the massacre as we got out of the taxi in Sultanahmet, a neighborhood surrounding the Blue Mosque. This is one of the lucky ones. I am not sure if the color of his hair or his smile saved him, but we saw him on Sunday, the last day of the holiday, so assume he was home free and a lucky one too! 

As always, food is on my mind, especially in a new town with new food choices! Beautiful desserts - Byzantium (I love it that this town has 3 very cool names) definitely knows how to do sweets! In spite of a bounty of Turkish food we ran across an asian restaurant with beautiful orange chicken and noodles. It was early in the day and Paul and I ordered a "Mao tea" assuming ...well....tea.....a lovely leafy beverage to charge us up for the rest of the day. We got something quite different which charged us up a bit just the same!

If I could only make a mosaic like this!

Ruby and Paul have a thing for obelisks. They took a trip to Luxor when we were in Egypt and since that time have talked about visiting all the obelisks that were taken (plundered) out of Luxor and deposited around the globe. They have seen the one in Luxor, Paris, and Istanbul.  New York’s Central Park and London obelisks are still on the list. I definitely support this adventure!

This was a sad moment. Initially distressed by the closed doors of the Grand Bazar, I made due and found plenty to purchase and bargain over. We threatened to purchase and wear  the family outfits below.  Ruby of course could not be more horrified, until I found the lovely underwear which were even more horrifying to her teenage sensibilities.

There was nothing that was not moving in this shop, except maybe the shop keeper.

Diana will recognize the tour boat on the Bosporus. Not a bad way to spend a few hours. 

People are people everywhere.....

The Hagia Sophia is always impressive. Construction makes it seem a little unreal - so 12th and 21st century at the same time. The mosaics always get me. 

The food is beautiful and the people smile in Istanbul. This is the fruit juice squeezer – she looks rather serious, but had big grins for us when we purchased pomegranate juice – something I could drink every day of every week of every year. They are finally coming into pomegranate season and life is good.

We stayed in one of the thousand hotels in Sultanahmet near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. This one had a terrace on the top floor where we watched the sun set every evening while listening to the call to prayer. Imams from three or more mosques dueling their melodious call over loudspeaker at the same time was mesmerizing. Its always good to be within earshot of the call and eyeshot of the Mediterranean.

I am not sure there is such a thing as too many photos of the Blue Mosque. With the onset of smart phones and selfie sticks the number of photos of the ceiling of this place must be in the gazillions. But it is so worth it a photo or ten. With both Ruby and I shooting, I had to edit this section waaaaaay down.