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Posts from the ‘Turkey’ Category

Oct 18

Turkish stuffed mussel receipe
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Street Food – Turkish Stuffed Mussels

Midye Dolmasi beautiful street food stuffed mussels in Canakkale, Turkey

Unmanned delicious stuffed mussels along the pier in Canukkale

While art and history usually drives most of my travel choices, I do like to eat well while I’m on vacation.  The flavors become so linked to my memories that one good bowl of tzatziki sends me to the beach in the Southern Peloponnese or a perfectly crispy wienerschnitzel reminds me of the sunny little garden cafe filled with Viennese office workers out to lunch.  I dream of recreating these things.  I do my best to attempt them over the first month I’m home and then on other random weekends when I get a craving for proper Guinness stew.

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Oct 11

Terrace House wall fresco, Ephesus
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Ephesus Terrace Houses

As if the ancient Roman city of Ephesus wasn’t already amazing, there is a separate museum within the site that lovers of art and history must see.  The recently excavated and partially restored Terrace Houses are located in the center of the site.  Homes of some of the wealthiest citizens were built on this valuable real estate (ie. across from the ancient public toilets!) which is evident today in the extensive mosaic floors and frescoed walls.  The artwork dates from the 1st century BC to the 7th century AD with several homes torn down and combined into a small basilica during the later part of that period.  Remnants of indoor plumbing throughout the homes are also visible.

Terrace House, Ephesus Read more

Aug 30

amphora evil eye - Turkey
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Seriously Warding off the Evil Eye

evil eye and tourists

So are the blue glass evil eyes just tourist kitsch?

You’re probably seen this symbol before: the light blue and white circles set in a dark blue glass base.  This stylized eye is meant to ward off the “evil eye”.  Transcending culture and religion, there is a belief throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East that because of jealousy someone could wish bad luck on a person.  This ill-will is passed through a focused glance or “evil eye” hence the need for charms to ward off the bad will.

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Aug 29

Bodrum east harbor view

Photo of the Week – Bodrum Harbor

Bodrum east harbor view

Summer is winding down and I wish I could have one more beach getaway.  I would go back to Bodrum Turkey in a heartbeat.  After seeing all the beautiful gulets moored lazily in the harbor, all I can think about is week long sail along the southwestern coast.  Maybe next year….

This photo was taken looking east from the Bodrum Castle; there were even more ships in the harbor proper.

Aug 28

Urn display, Bodrum

Underwater Archaeology Museum

Urn display, Bodrum

Amphora display showing how containers were set upright into the ship’s hull and lashed together

Over the last 4000 years, small ships have darted throughout the Eastern Mediterranean with oil, olives, wine, raw metals and other trading goods.  Since most of these early vessels were not particularly sophisticated, the waters around Turkey are littered with shipwrecks.  After a tip from local sponge divers in the 1960s, the first underwater archaeology excavations were begun along the Bodrum coast.  A lot of these findings can be seen today in the Museum of Underwater Archaeology housed in the 14th century Bodrum Castle.

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