The Traveling Yashica in Istanbul: Fuji Superia 200

I recently had the chance to use a Yashica T5 in Istanbul. This wasn’t just any old Yashica T5. This was The Traveling Yashica, which has been making week-long sojourns around the world as part of an initiative started by Hamish Gill of 35MCC. This was my first time using a Yashica camera. You can see…

Read More

Orhan Pamuk: The Museum of Innocence

I first came upon The Museum of Innocence while wandering around the dimly lit streets of Beyoğlu in search of dinner at midnight . It was my first night in Istanbul on my own after finishing a project in Etiler, another neighborhood on the European side of city. The unusual-sounding museum on the street sign piqued my curiosity…

Read More

Work in progress: Sultanahmet Mosque

I’m sure many photos of religious edifices (mosques, temples, churches, etc.) have been submitted to this week’s “Intricate” weekly photo challenge. And I wanted to offer a different perspective… Here is a photo that I took on a recent trip to Istanbul when we were walking around the courtyard of the Sultanahmet Mosque. Built between 1609 and 1616, it…

Read More

Turkish breakfast = Happiness

All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast – John Gunther I cannot agree more with Gunther. What about you? I think that the traditional Turkish breakfast is one of the best ways to start the day. The Turkish word for breakfast, “kahvaltı“, which is derived from “kahve altı” which literally means “before coffee”. While I don’t need any…

Read More

Travel notes

When I’m travelling, I often feel like I’m playing catch up. Especially if I’m in a fascinating place such as Istanbul where there’s always something to be discovered and re-discovered (if you’ve been there before). Take the shimmering domes in the horizon as the sun rises, the heady mix of spices in the bazaar, the touch…

Read More