Mozart Sunday In Turkey

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In Vienna there is a park called "Türkenschanzpark", means Turkish trench park. The words inscribed in Turkish and German on the fountain that was erected in this green area exhibit the traces of Ottoman influence: "The heart is the home of the friend, I came to give heart."




Combing the golden pages of our great history, of our great the Ottoman Empire.

Beginning of the 17th century. Stretching from southern Hungary to Jerusalem, to Mecca, to Cairo, and to the earternmost frontier in Algeria. The most powerful state in the world, the Ottoman Empire reached its largest historical size! Famed for its strong and efficient central government, military power and extraordinary wealth at its height. The Ottoman's ambitions extended all the way to Austria...

The 1st Siege of Vienna in 1529, led by Sultan Suleiman l the Magnificent.

1600's... Sadly those years marked the beginning of a long and slow decline that would lead to the dissolution of the Empire 300 years later, after World War I.

Then again in 1683, the 2nd Siege of Vienna. Ottoman leaders was hoping a new victory might restore the Empire to its full glory. After this 2nd siege of Vienna City, the figure of Turk and also Turkish Culture -exotic clothes, harems, to waterpipes- became popular throughout Europe. Turkish characters cropped up in all sorts of plays and operas.

Although in Mozart's time (Salzburg, Jan 27, 1756 - Vienna, Dec TODAY, 1791), the Ottomans ["Turks"] were no longer a serious threat to the Viennese or all Europe, it was still a recent memory. Made Mozart inspired by the Ottoman siege, above you played his famous Turkish March.

I like our March, the great Musician's piano sonata A major, a gift to Turks in highest value. So Turks are important for Mozart. And, Mozart for us. TODAY remarks the day of a man's 219th death anniversary that is highly avant-garde piece of music. Thank you, Mozart, we all love you.

My Damask Rose Come to Life

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Routine matters are not my cup of tea today! I was looking for something to titilate me..

I thought to be busy on a craft, yes it does take time but a finished project of which I will be proud in the end. Separating threads, following the chart, sometimes horizontal rows, x-cross stitch, sometimes lo-----ngstitches.. it is just fun, I like it! On the plus side, the last thing is to go out because how crazy cold outside in the town and we may receive snow earlier in November if it goes like this.

Let me share a bit about this beautiful rose. Damask Roses resemble the old European garden roses in flower, foliage and fragrance. In the middle ages linen woven in this special way was initially imported from Damascus (of Syria), so the name Damask was born. Damask is a fabric with a pattern that is created by using a weave different from that of the background. Ireland, Italy and France are now the countries where the finest damask is produced. Bought this kit in London a short time ago, however I could not find the right time to start it.

A 3-day long weekend started for us. The 87th anniversary of Republic Day ceremonies and activities are everywhere in the country today, one exception in Istanbul because of bad weather conditions cancellation. As I am in charge, maybe I can finish up my Damask Rose bookmark until Monday..

Don't Be Afraid To Be Young

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91 years ago, the address of future was penned by Him:

"Your first duty is forever to preserve and to defend the Turkish independence and the Turkish Republic. This is the very foundation of your existence and your future. This foundation is your most precious treasure. You will find the strength you need in your noble blood!"


We remember His address destined to the Turkish Youth on 27th Oct 1927. We remember his birthday on May 19th, 1881, born in Saloniki. We remember his initiation of Turkish Independence War on May 19, 1919 when he arrived in Samsun on the coast of black sea region. We remember today's our National Day of the Commemoration of our founder. We remember He gifted this day to the Turkish Youth to celebrate as Youth and Sports Day!

A tasty day of the shining stars of our future with colorful balloons, kites, flags, concerts, poems, events, parades, shows,... It's too good to be young, or feel young at heart:)

My Favorite Mix

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A beautiful day of places, cultures and people.


Turkey moved in California! Orange County Great Park, Irvine, in the south of Los Angeles. The biggest festival abroad on Discovering Turkey, since 2009.

Read more about Anatolian Cultures & Food Festival

Our EU membership goal and commemorative festivities in Ankara on the celebration of peace and unity of EU day!

Read more about Europe Day

Oh, world-wide about moms...!

Quite a day, choice is yours;)

Gift Giving Reversed!

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She made me dream,
She made me wonder,
She made me question,
She made me apologize,
She made me spell,
She made me write,
She made me READ!


She taught me how to help others,
She taught me how to create peace,
She taught me how to be respectful for nature,
She taught me how to survive the life,
She taught me how to LOVE AND MEAN IT!

Most importantly, she made me understand that math is the most important lesson and the basic of life. I should use my brain when playing with numbers but everytime I should follow my heart by what I make.

Who made a difference in my life, and taught me important how to's?


MY TEACHER!
She was my first teacher in elementary school.

Every November 24th, I certainly take some time going back thru my very good memories and then turning my eyes on this very special treasure, a fine gold-plated teapot, as above.

This is a teacher's gift! Maybe surprised? When I was in elementary school, my teacher gifted my parents because of my leading success in the classroom. Following the years to come, of course I gave flowers and gifts to my teachers but this is so special as I've been gifted by my teacher. Her unique efforts in showing me the right way are unforgettable for me. And, this gift is a treasure that makes me remember her all ways.

I remember very well... those years...

I was little. The representative of our class was gathering money from the parents to buy the gifts for the teachers. Every year around the new year, this gift tradition was being done for Mothers' day and the Teachers' Day. Since we were two sisters following up each other in only 1-year -like twin we were grown up-, I remember how irritated our parents were every time when they were asked for money. Because my parents had to pay twice for each occasion.

Today the time is changed a lot as we know well. Now the students are having serious problems about what to give and-or not to give gift(s) to the teachers. Most of the time, teachers are not pleased with the cheap presents or a bunch of flowers but they like to have brand or expensive things from the families. Unfortunately I do not find appropriate this kind of stressful and materialized gift giving to the teachers. The pressure is here, if every parent has paid then you are also expected to pay to give a gift even if you don't really like it. In my opinion, the value of expressing emotions can not be overstated in order to enhance the relationships. Whereas it can reduce the quality of education system.

What do you do? Do you buy gifts to the teachers of your child and find it extremely important?

In our fast-paced, hectic and economically not so good world only a very few people take the time to write a good card or even a little note, maybe a call to the teachers. Should we not forget them! Hereby I would like to express my feelings and big sympathy from my part of thanking our both old and new teachers. I am also coming from a family in which three generations are teachers.

Today they are being gifted by their students and celebrated with various cultural activities in the rest of the country, because Happy Teachers' Day in Turkey.

87 Years Ago...

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Showed that the Turkish Nation could never abandon its independence and unity, so that August 30 victory was achieved in 1922.

In towns, cities and villages across the country there are ceremonies and parades to mark the Victory and Turkish Armed Forces Day (Turkish: Zafer Bayramı) commemorating our country's victory in the Independence War and the role of the country's military forces.

"Strong Army, Strong Turkey" is the motto of this year's Victory Week celebrations from Aug 25 through TODAY, Aug 30, which are unfolding even more gloriously than in previous years!

Venedik'te Bir Gece

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''Comparing both of them is hard. There are big similarities between the two countries. Important difference is the language.''
by Massimo Rustico

Event night at Venice Palace/Istanbul

Every year June 2nd Italians celebrate the anniversary of birth of the Italian Republic. I know this important event of Italian contemporary history is celebrated in Italy with military parades and speeches delivered by the President.

The celebration of the 63rd Anniversary Party of the Italian Republic of this year organized by the Consulate General of Italy, (above) Sig Massimo Rustico and his wife Monica, in Istanbul. A successful and social event attended by Italians and Turkish. All the local news stated that it was interesting and successful.

It took place in the fine building of the Venice Palace in Tophane. And it was attended by important personalities from business and social life as well. The theme was A Night in Venice (Turkish: Venedik'te Bir Gece). When talking about Venezia, yes the guests were with their masks at hands, see below, a Turkish guest.



Happy Birthday to you, bella Italia in our hearts:)

Politricks over Politics

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You know the dead truths, not the living,
The world of things, not the world of loving.
Where does any miracle start?
Cold eye, look in your heart!

-Adam Mickiewicz

*Known for his love of Istanbul and Turks.
*Regarded as a national hero in Poland for his poetry and life struggles.
*Greatest romantic poet since Jan Kochanowski (1530-84) and Mikolaj Sep Szarzynski (1550-81)

Two-years ago I've visited this Polish hero, Freedom Poet Adam Mickiewicz's three-story house in Tarlabasi, neighborhood near Beyoglu that's located on the European side, where he spent the last years of his life until his death in 1855 (below):


His house turned into a Museum in 1955 to commemorate 100th year of his death. Inside the Adam Mickiewicz Museum; the first hall displays the history and traditions of Poland, Mickiewicz's literary works and personal belongings from Poland. The second hall dedicated to his efforts in the Polish national movement and in particular the documents and photographs of the battle for freedom in Poland. The third hall is about various documents, photographs and engravings from his years in Istanbul (or better saying, during the Ottoman Empire).

His body was first transported to Paris and then returned to Poland. There's a symbolic grave of the poet in the basement of the building (below):


26 researchers and academics from Poland, France, Russia and Turkey meet today for the Adam Mickiewicz Congress at the Topkapi Palace, remarks the 153th year of his death. With the organization of Eminonu district, the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum and Warsaw Literary Museum, the presentations on Mickiewicz's life (Dec 24, 1798 - Nov 26, 1855), his poetry and his thoughts will be discussed during this 3-day Congress.

When I go to opening out historical pages, I see that his devotion to equality, liberty and moral idealism was not limited to the shallow movements of the pen. His public actions in defense of these principles led first to arrest and deportation to Russia in 1824. He never returned to Poland. After his release, he spent the rest of his life in Turkey where he continued to write his poems. Eventually to his death himself from cholera epidemic in Istanbul, he organized a Polish legion to aid the Turkish army in its fight against Russia during the Crimean war.

I understand that he became a leading poet, but his many interests such as philology, mysticism, especially politics did not give him peace of mind.

Can you tell politics brings happiness or prosperity?

At Five Past Nine

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He spent his last years...

...in The Dolmabahce Palace, Istanbul.


Unfortunately his health deteriorated...


On Nov 10, 1938 at 9:05 a.m. died in this room that is now part of the Museum.

''One day my mortal body will turn to dust,
but the Turkish Republic will stand forever.''
ATATÜRK

Have a look inside the Palace? Take here 360degree online tour with awesome views and maps.

After that, leading to capital City Ankara. Taken his tomb temporarily from Ethnographical Museum, he was buried in his eternal resting place at Anitkabir on Nov 10, 1953.

''This nation has never lived without independence.
We can not and shall not live without it.
Either independence or death.''
ATATÜRK

Anitkabir is the Turkish nation's window on its past and future. Take here 360degree online tour to fully explore His Mausoleum.

As occurs every November 10...


We commemorate today the 70th anniversary of the passing away of Turkey's great leader and founder, our Father figure: Atatürk

With the lowering of flags and blasting the sirens and horns at 9:05 a.m. which the moment when he died. His spirit is still very much alive, and deeply embedded in our national consciousness.


Rest in peace.

We are following for YOU.

Stitch-In-Red

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How is your October days? I mean what costumes are your days wearing this month?

My October days are bright and deep. They are like patchwork days filled with color, gracefully painted by red. The days of my Red October are:





Oh my, these balloons and red-white flags are to wish the best for her Birthday:

Yes. Turkey is 85 years old. Today.

The celebrations for the anniversary foundation of Turkish Republic continue all over the country. All I can say is that my October days are the joy filled days to be tasted, ...amazed, ...sipped, ...wished, ...photographed and ...remembeRED!

And I'm now off to marvel at bursting fireworks over the Bosphorus Bridge:)

Fall Romance?

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When there is LOVE there is LIFE.
by Gandhi

Bagdat Avenue, Anatolian part of the City

Life can be interrupted at any time. In an unexpected moment we can be thrown a curve that we'd never, ever anticipated. Gas prices, rising unemployment ratio, airline schedules, bankruptcy of prestigious investment banks, floods and hurricanes, global recession, small and big wars...

Can you tell me what do you do when you can't really change fate? You live. You become aware. And you don't waste a moment. Even ongoing world financial crisis can't keep us away from love. It was fun to capture trend live and in person as seen above:)

Yesterday it was a great super sunny day to just take deep breaths and let it all out. I was wandering around on Bagdat Avenue where's I live close by, and enjoying the summer-like fall weather while sipping my coffee.

How is your Thursday shaping up? Are you letting the love pour in?

Today marking Mamatha Gandhi's 139th birth anniversary.

Assunta In Cielo

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The Pauline Year

Pope Benedict XVI has declared June 2008 - June 2009 ''The Year of Saint Paul'' in celebration of the 2,000th of anniversary of the saint's birth.

Saint Paul

The anniversary year formally begins on 28 June, and many pilgrims are expected to visit his church in Tarsus.

St Paul (or Paul of Tarsus) was born in Tarsus of Turkey, at the start of the Christian era, sometime between AD 7 and 10, according to church historians. Raised as a Jew named Saul in Tarsus, and later changed his name to Paul. He made three journeys through Anatolia between the years AD 47 and 57, preaching the Gospel and writing letters to the Ephesians and Galatians, before he was arrested in Jerusalem and beheaded in Rome in AD 65. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, he became one of the church's foremost evangelizers, first among Jews, then among Gentiles.

Tarsus, the largest city of Mersin in Turkey, nearly 920 kilometres (570 miles) south of Istanbul, is where the road to the first sewer in the world, the Roman way, the gate of Cleopatra, the Donuktas temples and the temple of Danial. A 12th century Saint Paul's Church is the second holiest church; the first is Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Here are my photos (and me:), taken during my visit in May 2003. The Church as seen at the top, and the fountain below, which both bear his name.

Saint Paul's monuments in Tarsus City, Turkey

Remember Me

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I have my hobbies,
I love my hobbies,
but sometimes it gets in the way,
of not doing as much as I would like...

Memory, or album quilts have a long and wonderful history. They were first made in the eighteenth century when people spent a lot of time moving from place to place. In today's world, memory quilts can still serve a very useful purpose. While now they are most often made into a wall-hanging, they can be used to in a variety of ways. For example; as a gift for a baby shower, or to a couple to celebrate their anniversary... As with anything, this idea can be expanded on and changed to suit your purpose, take an example: Signature Quilts.

The term of signature describes a quilt that contains ''signatures''. The people tend to visualize a woman making and signing her block to be later sewn together into a friendship ''Signature'' quilt. Let me state that a signature block is often abbreviated as siggy. Unfinished square of 11,4cm (4,5'') in size. Here's a siggy block; my mother's contribution for my collection, hand-stitched, lovely and colorful, a theme of flower bouquet:


In other words, a quilt made up of blocks signed by many different individuals. These are common blocks to use in block swaps on the net, or in a guild. Each person signs his/her block with her data, name-date-city/country, and something (special) wish, and the blocks are then combined either on their own or with other pieced blocks, to form a special quilt. Usually made as a friendship project.

The friendship quilts bring to mind dear friends showing their care through a quilt. They also bring a touch of sadness as all too often the quilt was made for someone who was moving on to distant places, perhaps never to see those who signed it again. Annelies from the Netherlands is the headquarters for a worldwide database;) and organises the siggy exchange-mailing list. You can contact with her, if you're interested in.



Although I've left group because of my busy worklife, I'd like to show you here close-up with a signed blocks from several countries, which I exchanged in the past years. Maybe you're curious what happened them? They're still waiting to be sewn one by one together to form a Friendship Quilt as seen above in big batches, one day I hope...

A couple of weeks ago, Birgit asked me to make a siggy block as the Bavarian capital, Munich, is turning 850 TODAY!

-Birgit's siggy block for my collection

In the 8th century, Munich was a small monastic settlement known as ''bei den Munichen'' (by the monks). The founder of Munich was Duke Henry the Lion, who, in 1158, destroyed the Isar bridge on the old salt road, which lay somewhat to the north at the time. He then built a new bridge near Munichen. The City received market and minting rights in this context, which set the cornerstone for undreamt of growth into a city of over a million inhabitants. A Reich-Council meeting in Augsburg on June 14th, 1158 confirmed the Duke's action. Since then, this became the official birthday for Munich.

The motto of the birthday is ''Building Bridges'', and it aims to connect the founding of the city from a monastery with today's lively, colorful and yet tradition-oriented urban culture. Every year ''today'', Munich's birthday is celebrated in the best local fashion with vast quantities of beer and plenty of sausages. The festival features lots of music and street performances in colorful medieval costumes, taking place in the city centre between Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz, see the photo below.

Birgit's rules are simply: to use blue or blue-white fabric, write a birthday wish in the center of the block. In my siggy for her, I prefer to make an appliqué Turkish Evil Eye Bead (Turkish: Nazar Boncugu) in the center of my block, see below. Because...


It's believed that the Nazar Boncugu deflects the bad energy that is being directed towards a person onto itself, thus dispersing its powers. The Nazar Boncugu is blue in color and the age-old Anatolian belief, which holds the real shielding power and absorbs the negative energy.

This is not surprising since the people in many Mediterranean nations highly believe in the protective powers of the blue color. That is why, front doors of houses in these Mediterranean countries are painted blue to ward off evil spirits.

It's very typical in Turkish culture. You can find it all over Turkey. There are very different sizes but the shape is usually round. Turkish women use it as a bracelet, earring or necklace -ohh me too:) So Turkish people like to attaching the evil eye pendant in front of his house or office, hanging it from the neck of his newborn child, or his farm animals and even on his newly acquired machinery. You even come cross it here on my journal, placed two of them, can you find?

Wonderland Of Colour

Shots of pretty 'reds, blues and yellows' from yesterday's...

I said yesterday?

YES! May 19th, one of the most important days of Turkish calendar, marks Commemoration of Ataturk and Youth and Sports Day (Turkish: Genclik ve Spor Bayrami). It is the day that the anniversary of founder Ataturk's landing in Samsun on the Black Sea 89 years ago, as the opening step in launching the struggle for national independence: May 19th, 1919.



To commemorate this day, Ataturk decreed that the day should be dedicated to the youth of the country, which he always believed in them as its future and important to the nation's health and well being.


The nationwide celebrations began with the country's top civilian and military echelons visiting Ataturk's Mausoleum, Anitkabir, in capital Ankara, laying wreaths at the tomb.


All day long Youth Day commemorated nationally across the country, with many colorful sporting and cultural activities with a special focus on the youth of the nation. Now look at the photos from our Youth Day, and enjoy:)






At the stadium celebrations, youth groups and students performed various dances and music performances, athletic activities following a parade of folk groups and scouts:

A question to you from these girls:

'' Hi from Turkey:)
Do you also celebrate Youth Day in your country? ''

Source: Photos via local news media, Hurriyet.