THE TOWER THAT MARKS THE GENOESE PRESENCE IN THE THEN CONSTANTINOPLE

On the second half of the 13th century the Genoeses were confined to a hill north of the Golden Horn in Constantinople named Galata, where they built up a huge tower (Galata Tower) that was the city's tallest structure at that time. 

After the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the tower became a prison and naval depot. During the 19th century it was a fire lookout post in order to quickly detect frequent fire outbreaks in the city’s mainly wooden houses.

In 1967, after three years of restoration, the Galata Tower reopened its doors. The present tower has been restored to the appearance it had under the reign of Mehmet II during the Ottoman Empire.

The cone-capped tower still dominates the Istanbul skyline, being one of its landmarks. 

The Genoeses traded mainly on slaves, grain and dried fruits and supplied the Christians as well as the Muslim enemy.

Thank you!

MEANDERING VERSUS RIGHT ANGLES

Meandros (Meandering river) is on the west coast of Asia Minor near Miletus and Prienne, two great cities built in the 5th century BC whose street design was based on right angles system. This urban planning was created by Hipodamus of Miletus. 

The river winds along the lowlands towards the Mediterraneum. This is why people use the word meandering to mean the twisting and turning movement. 

         

Nearby I also visited the Greek city of Didim and the surprising Apollo temple with its big columns and a medusa with a gentle face.

Thank you!

BRINGING THE FAR PAST TIME TO PRESENT DAY

I always like revisiting countries, regions, places that have impressed me at the first sight.

In July, I travelled for my second time to Ephesus, the great metropolis and Roman capital of Asia Minor, now Turkey. At that time, Ephesus had a population around 250,000 inhabitants.
It's amazing how despite the passing of the time, the city is the best preserved Greco-Roman city we can see in Turkey.

 One day, I was caught by surprise when I set my eyes on three young women standing out from the crowd of tourists. 

Why?

 Because they were wearing Roman attires. 

As they were walking towards the magnificent theatre, I started imagining that most probably they were going to take part in a debate of public interest, which would be held in that structure with a capacity of 25,000 seats, making it be the largest in Anatolia.

My imagination took me back to the the year 100 BC. What would then be the subject of the discussion? Perhaps the construction of new fountains at some strategic points. It was believed that the sounds of trickling water fountains had calm healing effects. Do you think that belief made sense?

 Thank you!

May you have a wonderful weekend!

SWEET Birthday Cake

A birthday without a cake is not a birthday, don't you think? Well, last saturday, my daughter who, sometimes is in cooking mood, decided to make the above cake for a special relative, whose birthday was on the following day.

She got up earlier than the usual, went to a nearby farm and got very fresh strawberries and of a good size: neither too big, nor too small. As she didn't know the exact age of our relative, she thought the best way would be to buy candles simply reading 'FELIZ ANIVERSÁRIO' (Happy Birthday). Perhaps I wouldn't have ever had such idea. As soon as she returned back home from her errands and showed me the candles, I fully agreed with her shopping. It was a smart way of not unveiling our ignorance about the precise age of the birthday person.

She spent a few hours in the kitchen while I was watching her meticulously decorating the cake that had been home baked, too.

Once it was ready,  I looked at her and I saw a soft smile on her face. 

When we go to a birthday party, shouldn't our goal be to make the birthday person feel special? At the moment of handing the cake to our relative, I realized that my daughter's goal had been achieved.

I felt proud of her and for her!

Thank you!

MOBILITY IN URBAN CENTRES

  

Sustainable mobility means "Satisfying the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability to satisfy the needs of future generations", Brundtland report (1987)    

There are several modes of transport, either in a big or a small city. 

Some are really cool...

Others are romantic...

Not to mention walking that is an excellent physical exercise. 

But... we appear not always to care about sustainability.

However, there are not many but a few people that show concern about it.

A GIFT FROM NATURE

After fifteen days of travelling across Turkey, I returned back home to enjoy summertime that this year has gifted me with a very nice surprise… 

Last winter choppy seas boasted the sand in different ways on the beach near my second house: now, I can see low water ponds as if I were somewhere in the Caribbean!!!

I can also reach other beaches by simply walking on the sand. Amazing!!!

~~ Thank you for stopping by ~~