Turkish Delightsssssss

"Easter in Istanbul" was our alternate title, after a long weekend in this remarkable city. As we've mentioned before, a short plane ride from Portland would take you to many fantastic locations, but 2.5 hours by plane from Genoa often takes you to entirely different cultures. Istanbul is our standout example thus far. Thanks to the blog title, here's our journey, S-ummarized:

Sounds
     We were woken up each morning at 5:30am by the melodious call to prayer emanating from loudspeakers on the minarets of the half-dozen nearby mosques. This is a ritual that happens 5 times a day, from predawn to late evening, and is one of the most stunning reminders that you have traveled to an unfamiliar part of the world.

Here's a short  video clip taken from our hotel, of an evening call to prayer.

Sightseeing
    Istanbul's varied and long history provides many amazing sites to visit, from the commonly known (e.g. visiting the incredible mosques, some of which were originally built as churches) to the unexpected (e.g., the massive underground Basilica Cistern, constructed in the Roman era). We also found a link to Genoa, when taking in the views from Galata Tower - rebuilt by the Genoese in 1348.

Shish
   Kabobs of all forms, and all delicious. We wish we cold add "Scent" to our sharing of the experience!

Shopping
     The original "mall", built in the 1400s - only in this case bargaining and haggling is both allowed and expected.

 Sludge!
     Turkish coffee is super-charged goodness, once you realize that the slurry remaining in the cup isn't meant to be consumed!

Smoke
    We've spent months surrounded by smokers in Italy and elsewhere, offering many "teachable moments" to help the girls understand the dangers of smoking. We didn't expect our Istanbul guide to have us try a traditional, coal-fired hookah, nor did he help us explain to the girls how this is different from smoking cigarettes!

Spice

    The spice bazaar is stimulation for all the senses, including offering some spicy Turkish humor.

Spring
     Tulips and tulip icons can be found throughout Istanbul, having been first cultivated by the Turks as early as 1,000 AD. (Holland came later, supposedly via tulip bulbs smuggled out of Turkey in turbans -- the word "tulip" derives from the Turkish word for turban.) We were fortunate to enjoy the height of the tulip season.

Street Food
    Carts, stalls and stands sell every imaginable type of food and drink. Fresh-squeezed pomegranate and orange juice was a mainstay, powering us through many afternoons when walking around the city. 

Street Scenes
      Some of our most enjoyable times were spent sitting at cafes or strolling the side streets, taking in the "ordinary" scenes of life in Istanbul.

Sweets
    And we can't leave out Turkish Delight (flavored, sweet cubes, typically filled with nuts, and dusted with sugar or coconut), although we also enjoyed at least a dozen other types of sweets!

Sagol ("Thanks" in Turkish)
    We left Istanbul thankful for the richness of the experience, and also serene, satisfied and sated! 

La Nuova Residenza

Our new apartment is all about urban living, as seen in the panorama above. (And unlike the video below, this photo spares you the sounds of the beginning trumpeter who has been practicing in the courtyard of an adjacent building...for over 5 hours!) 

We look onto Via Cairoli, within the labyrinth of streets adjacent to Via Garibaldi  (formerly known as "La Strada Nuova"). These streets are lined with what were once the palaces of the nobles of Genoa: a series of Palazzi dei Rolli in Renaissance and Baroque styles, built between the 16th and 18th Centuries. This makes for enchanting and educational walks to and from school!

Our apartment is a small portion of what was likely a noble residence long ago, based on the intricate terrazzo floors and 18-foot ceilings. Those ceilings also provide enough space for the 4 of us to share one big bedroom, with a loft sleeping space set above the girls' sleeping area - which we've adorned with sparkling curtains to give it a truly noble feel! As with the speedy walkthrough of our first place back in September, here's another kid-lead video tour:

Smile!  And, click here!

“Perché Genoa?”

“Why Genoa?” It is a question we’re asked many times each month, when a local finds out that we picked Genoa for our year in Italy. The perplexed query stems from Genoa being off the usual tourist circuit, known historically as a center of commerce (vs. the appeal of Tuscany’s holy trinity of Art, Wine and Food), while not exactly known for the gregariousness of the Genoese people! 

We now enjoy hearing the question, since it allows us to enumerate the many reasons why Genoa is such a good fit for us, and also why its rising status as a tourist destination is so well deserved. 

Here are a few of our typical replies:

• With the same population as Portland, Genoa is large enough to offer the assets of a big city, but small enough to be comfortable and easy to navigate.
• Also like Portland, Genoa is surrounded by incredible natural beauty - nestled between Sea and Mountains. It is also well situated for explorations throughout Europe.
• We enjoy being away from the tourist-centric cities, giving us a more “authentic” experience of Italy. Plus, it forces more use of Italian, since so few people readily speak English in Genoa.
• Although it is a dense and sometimes severe city, we have likened it to a jewel box: Genoa hides its many charms, and opening a door or turning a corner often reveals astonishing sites and insights. The same applies to the Genoese themselves, who have been uniformly welcoming and generous once lowering their guard. 
• And, for these last 6 months (with our thanks to friends A. and R. for making this rental possible!), we've enjoyed Genoa from a perfectly located and beautiful apartment.    

That last point is especially relevant this weekend, since we are sad to be moving out - heading into the heart of the historic district for our remaining time here. The breathtaking views from our windows and balcony are first among the many things we will miss, and the photos below are a small sampling of what has been a daily reminder to enjoy every moment: to the East, the sun rises over Monte di Portofino; to the South we look over the ancient city and Mediterranean; and to the West the sun sets over Genoa’s lighthouse and harbor.  

“Sunrise, sunset, 

  swiftly flow the days.”

     - Fiddler on the Roof

Spring

We miss the torrent of spring colors that blossom in Portland at this time of year, but have been enjoying spring colors in different ways here:

A visit to Portofino…

Watching a rehearsal of La Boheme, with whimsical sets and costumes designed by Francesco Musante…

Even if not in the form of Spring flowers, mother nature putting on some amazing displays…

And the surprise appearance of a yarn-bombed pillar in the central piazza... 

(Including a sign crediting Portland with originating this art form!)

It has all been a Scream! 

Pesce d'Aprile

A particularly rough incident last Friday: our otherwise lazy siesta
was rudely interrupted by a spot-check for visa paperwork, while
we sat at the fountain in the central Piazza. Since our passport
docs are kept at home, the visa wasn’t with us at the time! 
Having your “rights” read to you in Italian would be bad enough,
but you should also re-read the starting letters of the first 10 words 
in the opening sentence. 




(I found this one just before it published, and if not for my admiration for my husband’s cleverness and photoshop skills, I’d kill this post…and maybe him!  Of course, that would mean a real mugshot of me would then be on the Internet, so I guess I can’t win!)