Most of Istanbul

I just have to tell you all about our amazing official tour day in Istanbul. Our amazing guide Ata took us through the Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Topkapi palace, and the lovely Hagia Sophia (or as my dad likes to say, the "Grand Sophie"). Poor Ata was a little distracted because his little cat had fallen out the window the day before, but the cat ended up being fine, and Ata was able to give us a fantastic tour.
First, you have to understand something about Ata to fully comprehend how wonderful this day was for me (you probably all know by now how much I lovvvee learning the history and facts behind the places I travel, you might even know I read travel guides and watch Rick Steves for fun...). Ata is THE most amazing story teller. He made every place we went come alive with incredible tales of love, passion, struggles and ordinary life. He filled in details so lush you could feel the places coming alive again right around you. And he orchestrated each visit so that the story was perfectly paced with the site. And he won over Tori and Nat by allowing us to stop for snacks along the way.
The first place we went was the Basilica cistern. Ata made us get there a half an hour before it open in order to be first in line to beat the crowds, and I'm so glad he did. As I'm sure you know, a cistern is a man-made underground water storage tank that provides water for the surrounding area. This historic cistern is remarkable not only in the fact that it is still holding water, not only in the fact that it was completely forgotten as Istanbul grew and changed on top of it, but is especially remarkable because of its beauty. The cistern was hurriedly built before some byzantine war, so the resourceful byzantines plundered nearby ruined temples and recycled the pillars.Because the pillars were originally meant for the glory of gods above ground, they are beautiful, and the cistern looks like some hidden underground temple or palace. The cistern was dimly lit, with beautiful classical Turkish music piped in echoing through the cavernous room. As we were the first ones in, we had the place somewhat to ourselves for the majority of our visit, which made the experience much more reverent feeling. We stepped out of the cool, dark cistern and back out into the blistering heat of the day.
Next we went through the Topkapi palace, the old palace of the sultans, abandoned toward the end (read: decline) of the Ottoman empire. The palace is built in a series of courtyards and gardens, back in the day, entrance through each subsequent gate was increasingly difficult and prestigious, culminating in the personal residence and harem of the sultan. Though the palace was empty of furnishings (they're all at the new European palace), there was an amazing display of some of the crown jewels, including a diamond roughly the size of a fist. Ata and my Dad started laughing when Tori, Nat and I ooed and ahhed.
After a quick lunch, we headed off to the Blue Mosque, where I was given a incredibly flattering bright blue tarp to wrap around my inadequately covered legs, and all us ladies wrapped our shawls around our heads. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I saw. After the pervasive, weighty darkness and gloom of Italian Cathedrals I experienced last year, the lightness and spaciousness of the Blue Mosque caught me off guard.It suggested such a different idea of God and worship. God was still big, still impressive, but not in an overpowering, looming manner. The light, delicacy of design, and openness combined with the sheer magnitude of space suggested the presence of a lovely and loving omnipresent God big enough to hold incredible dualities. I can't quite put my finger on it, I'll have to give that more thought.

That's where we wrapped up for the day, and where I'll wrap up this entry. Next post, Hagia Sophia, my favorite spot in Istanbul.

Katie

Magic carpets and Charlie's angels

We made it to Istanbul! Our wonderful guide, Ata (pronounced At-ha, as in the beginning of Ataturk) picked us up from the airport, gave us a brief intro to Istanbul (nee Constantinople, nee Byzantium) and got us settled in our hotel. And wow, what a hotel! The seven hills hotel is a lovely old house nestled in a back street next to the Four Seasons. Though our rooms are lovely (mine even has a view of the water), the highlight has to be the roof terrace. When you go up the stairs to the left you see the Bosporus straight, then you look ahead and see an uninterrupted view of the Blue Mosque, then you turn around and see Hagia Sophia. My neck is getting tired from craning around trying to see everything at once (I know, life is rough).

Once we unpacked, we set off to explore a little. We found a great little bazaar, built into old royal guard stables and discovered our first carpet shop at the end. The man invited us in, promising to show me more pursed like the one in the window, and suddenly we were in the middle of a carpet show.

Out of nowhere, what felt like the entire male side of the family had materialized to help hurl carpets about and bring tea. "Mr. Sultan (aka my dad), please, you and sultan wife (aka Mom) sit, sit. You are like Charlie and his angels (aka us three girls)". We all sit as carpets whip open and are spun around to show us how drastically different the colors look from different angles "Mr. Sultan, sultan wife, look, two different carpets for the price of one! And, a flying carpet". At this point they had brought us some hot apple tea. Apple tea is essentially like instant apple cider on steroids, or as Natalie said, a liquid jolly rancher. After seeing what felt like the entire shop, we thanked them and continued browsing, promising to return.

We meandered up some small street and Natalie gets sucked into a purse shop, which so happens to be the entrance to a carpet house (shop would be unfair since it extended up another story, and down to the basement). While we browsed purses, sultan and sultan wife got another carpet demo. "Mr. Sultan, sultan wife, look, two carpets for price of one!" Anyone else sensing a theme? Once again, we extracted ourselves with thanks and praises and promises to return. Then we stumbled upon the hippodrome, and, surprise, another carpet shop! This time we were lured in by a scarfed lady demonstrating silk carpet making. She invited us to sit next to her and try it. She demonstrated so quickly it took me a few tries to get it right, much to her amusement. Tori and Nat were much quicker than I was (I like to think it was because they got to watch me struggle first). I honestly have NO idea how they know which strand to string which colored knot onto. And the man's answer of "well she sees the pattern, see the cartoon?" really did not clear it up for me.

So we went in the shop to see her completed carpet, and suddenly were once again receiving scalding hot apple tea. Did I mention it was muggy and quite warm (especially for these Oregonians), and that all we wanted was an ice cold drink? None the less, Charlie (aka Sultan) and sultan wife and the angels were getting another carpet demonstration.

Skip to today, after we had seen the cistern and palace while waiting for midday worship to be done to go see the Blue Mosque, our guide took us to a whole different breed of carpet shops. This shop was in a old trading post, manned by the same family that had been trading carpets hundreds of years and many generations ago. This time we got a quick lesson/show-and-tell background in Turkish carpets. After getting apple tea (cold this time, already showing you the caliber of this establishment) and turkish coffee, we were shown a progression of styles, ranging from primitive mountain shag, to embroidered tribal designs, to Ottoman palace designs, to haram designs.

Carpet after carpet was unfurled and our knowledge of Turkish carpets grew. We walked on them, touched them, asked a million questions. One of my

questions was about a very rough geometric carpet he had not pulled out. He laughed when I asked the price and said "that carpet is peanuts compared to these others!", and pulled one out to show me. After much deliberation, Mom and Dad came away with a beautiful, old carpet, and I came away with a peanut rug. Not bad for a day's work.

Now I absolutely have to go to sleep (my sleep was interrupted, as my mom warned me it would be if I left my window open, by the first call to prayer), but someone seems to be busily pounding away on a construction project next door...

Katie

"This is why we pack early" aka "I told you so"

So my trip has finally began! As many of you are aware, I had to modify my itinerary for health reasons. Ironically, since ecoli hit Germany, and as a vegan, I eat a lot of raw vegetables, this delay was probably in my best interest (which doesn't make it less heartbreaking). Fortunately, I am still going to Turkey and Istanbul, which brings us to today...

Yesterday, as I was making dinner, my Dad looks up from his phone, utters a few choice words and informs us our flight to NY on Saturday has been canceled. As he hastily dials the travel agent's number, he yells out "PACK YOUR BAGS NOW! Be ready to leave in a half hour, I need to get us out TONIGHT!!" Umm, I was about, oh 5% packed. Anyone who has seen me pack knows I am a very particular, methodical, thoughtful packer. Not this time! I threw my piles of clothes into my suitcase, rounded up books, toiletries, electronics, etc, and made a quick visit to Rite Aid to round-up errant prescriptions. All the while Mom was muttering "THIS is why we pack EARLY, just. in. case. (insert pointed glare at the least packed daughter, aka me, here). Whew!!! Our wonderful neighbor, Beth Quarterman saved the day and drove us to the airport, and less than 2 hours after The Call of Doom, we were checking in for our new flight (all exhausted as we came off the uber adrenaline rush). Not bad, family, not bad.

We hopped on a plane in Portland, arrived in NY this morning, set up camp in the Delta sky lounge (thank you Dad for being a superstar traveler with privileges) (and I literally mean camp, chair beds, blankets) and will be leaving tonight to Istanbul. It was a bit of an eventful start, but the adventure has begun!

Bon Viaggo!

Katie

Reflections on Milano

It's been just over a year since I've returned home from my incredible Italian adventure. I thought I would take a minute to reflect on Milan and what the experience taught me (and let everyone in on the next place I'm going!)

One year later, the most important things I took away from Milan (aside from a pervasive love for all things Italian) are the lasting friendships, my increased independence, and a bad case of the travel bug. First, the friends.

As the saying goes, friends that brave Italian discos together, stay together (or something like that). There's something about fending off over-eager Italian men together that forges an indestructible bond between girls. But in all seriousness, making your way through a foreign country with new friends quickly builds a level of trust that is hard to come by. And I've learned the beauty of traveling with friends is a great way to open your eyes to experiences I wouldn't have seen on my own. I know I tend to rush a bit, excited to get to the next place, and having people who like to linger allows me to soak in the details and truly appreciate the moment (and work on my patience). I also know I've found some lasting travel buddies- Gina, Emily and I were able to reunite in Vegas over winter break, spending time playing on the strip and admiring the Grand Canyon. I can't wait for our next adventure!

Next, my increased independence. Although I was already fairly confident and independent to start, setting off alone to a new country where I didn't speak the language was definitely a learning experience. I had never traveled alone before, and never been more than a few hours away from home for months at a time. Despite a few initial moments of panic (let's be honest), I found myself capable of everything thrown my way. For example, I managed to find my apartment and get inside while hauling my two suitcases, trying to communicate with the door-lady who spoke not a bit of English (never-mind that I first went up the trash elevator to the back entrance before arriving at the front door). I quickly adapted to public transit, and now miss the ease of the combined force of the trams, metros, and trains. I learned to navigate the twisting, name-changing streets to find where I wanted to go (and ended up finding some of my favorite spots on the many occasions I did get lost). And I managed to keep calm and solve problems as they arose during my travels (learning quickly that the only direction Italians will ever give you is siempre drieto, "always straight", while gesturing in the purported correct direction). Despite, or rather because of the mishaps, and the language barrier, I showed myself just how capable I really am, that I have a good head on my shoulder, and that friendly smiles and a little charm will get you almost anywhere you need to go.

As for my appreciation of all things Italian, that has to start with my appreciation for the country itself. Although anyone who live in Milan can tell you not all Italians fit the warm jovial stereotype anymore than all Americans are loud and obnoxious, the Milanese turned out to be wonderful people. Most of Italy will in fact welcome you with open arms and a heaping plate of carbs, but the people of Milan take a little persuading. Once you broke through their barriers, though, you made lasting friends. Milan also taught me how to survive in a city, how to orient myself quickly in the midst of fast paced surroundings, and how to discover the hidden beauty of a reserved city and people. Through traveling to every corner of Italy, I tasted indescribably delicious foods such as Genovese pesto in Genova, Parmesiano Reggiano in Parma, canoli in Sicily, and Gelato, umm everywhere. The different buildings and scenery captured my heart, especially the romance of Verona and the resplendent nature of the Cinque Terre. And I will always, always remember the people, and how much more alive each place was once we put our Italian to the test and made friends with locals, getting rides down Mount Etna, Salsa dancing (?) in Palermo, being teased in Rome by the comedic waiter. Italy has left a lasting impression on my heart, and thanks to my very thoughtful sister, my wall calendar!

Lastly, my time exploring Italy has made my travel bug all the more infectious. I am constantly collecting stories from friends, imagining the places they have been, and adding them to my list. Amazingly enough, I will be able to actually visit some of those places this summer, thanks to the generosity of my parents, who decided to squeeze in one last family hoorah before I find myself in a world with limited vacation time. This summer I will be going to Germany to visit the fabulous Lauren Bruss (check out her witty blog, http://laurengoestomunich.wordpress.com/), meeting the family in Istanbul, sailing through Greece and ending in Amsterdam. I am SOOOO excited!!!!!!!!!! So follow along as I put some more dots on the map (I hope you liked the pun).

Ciao!
Katie

Happy Mother's Day!

Though it's not much out of the ordinary since I've been away at college, I am away from my Mom on Mother's day. The only difference is that this time, I am out of the country. Fortunately, we will have a make-up-Mom's day in less than a week (also typical of the past few years). But for today, I want to take a moment to appreciate probably the most influential woman in my life, my wonderful mother, Babs.

I for one, take it as a huge compliment when people tell me I'm becoming more like my mother. She is one of the most friendly, personable, generous ladies you will ever meet. What I admire most about my mom is her unmatched ability to make people feel appreciated and cared for. For proof just observe how much any of my friends (even those who haven't met her in person!) absolutely adore my mother and love spending time at my house being listened to, supported by, and spoiled rotten by my mom. She always creates a welcoming, warm atmosphere that instantly puts people at ease.

And despite being an incredibly busy, active person between volunteering at schools, sports, bible studies, committees, etc., she manages to have time to help anyone who needs some extra love and support. I know beyond a doubt this was a lesson passed along from her own mother, one of my extraordinary grandmothers.

And besides all that, she is Fun (capital F necessary).

Though admittedly, yes, some of the "fun" of the self-proclaimed Disco Queen has caused my slight (or great) embarrassment in years past, I've grown to appreciate how she can take control of any situation and make it into a hilarious experience. I hope I will always have as much joy and fun in my life as my mom does!

So here's to the best mommy a girl could ask for- I love you so much!

Ciao, your baby girl.

Virtual Sightseeing- Top of the Duomo!

I know, I tend to ere on the loquacious side of things. Anyone who actually makes it through an entire entry deserves a gelato and my undying admiration. My roomies, Sam and Gina, and I did the quintessential Milano tourist thing and went to the top of the Duomo and took lots of pictures. So as a treat- here's an entire entry sans descriptions. Rest your brains and enjoy the eye candy (ha- the Duomo, not me)!

ok- that was an exercise in discipline, but I made it through with out a comment! Ciao for now

Cinque Terre- The Italian Riviera

The most beautiful place in Italy award goes to: Le Cinque Terre. For a place in the guide books, the Cinque Terre was blissfully rustic. At its best reminiscent of a quaint old undiscovered string of village tucked into the folds of hills, at its worst, a bustling riviera retreat. We headed over on a bus with about 50 others IES students to La Spiaggia where we hopped on a boat and were dropped off in the middle of the terre.

The entire IES crew commenced the "hike" on the beautiful trail along the water through the "rain". Seriously, not to be condescending, but the impression some of the girls was that they were risking their lives on some dangerous trek through the wilderness was a little hilarious. We, Gina, Jake, Emily and I quickly outpaced most of the group and got to enjoy the trail without the gaggle.

Really- could it be more beautiful?! The drizzle intensified the colors of the landscape.

Being from Oregon, the drizzle didn't bother me one bit! Thankfully it had the unforeseen effect of dissuading most of the sillier IESers that Cinque Terre was not the place to be for the weekend. HA!!!

We woke up the next morning and looked out our window to see brilliant, warm sun lighting up the vineyard covered hills. This was literally the view from our room. When this is what 16 euros a night gets you, does it get any better?

After a leisurely morning we hit the free trails that traversed straight up into the hills abutting the ocean and villages. We quickly learned (the hard way) to allot at least some of our attention from the incredible views in order keep at least one eye on the trail markers. Considering our biggest detour took us through a lemon grove studded with peeling blue doors in rubbled door-frames.

We hiked up the hills and with each steps distanced ourselves from the swarms of beach-goers and trinket buyers. The burning in our muscles (thanks to Jake's long-legged breakneck pace) was rewarded by amazing, untainted views.

And incredible flora and fauna that we decided looked like a hybrid of Hawaii, Oregon and Colorado.

Those among us that feel at home in nature contentedly soaked in our surroundings in a state of near bliss. My wonderful friend Gina, who had never been been on even a little hike outside, pointed out something sadly rare for Italy, an absence of man-made noise. Emily and I broke out into huge grins while Gina made a face and proclaimed it to be "creepy and weird."

After our incredible hike, we finished off the day with a sunset picnic in an incredible little piazza near our room. We headed back to our house and played cards on the balcony while watching the stars emerge.

After another lazy morning, we hit the trails again, this time opting to go halfway up the hills. Instead of climbing across the ridges, we wound our way through vineyards and olive groves to arrive at one of the towns.
We hopped back on the train and headed to Monterosso- the end town and spent the rest of the day soaking up the sun on the beach.

The break from city life was absolutely a perfect weekend. The mix of breathtaking views, fresh air, and insanely good company was unbeatable. It's times like these that make me want to stay forever.

Ciao for now.