The Road Goes Ever On and On...

So, this is what happens when I get into a little creative frenzy and have a few hours on my hands...

Maps have always been something of a passion of mine, so I've decided to physically map out some of my travels. 

This one is pretty fun.

As I visit a country, I'm filling it in with it's flag.

Makes me feel super thankful for where I've been blessed to go,

and really hungry to keep on walkin'...

Upwards and onwards, I guess,

Please kindly ignore the random line of red in Romania, the phantom Krakow location, and the (I'm really embarrassed about this) misspelled Deutschland...

Next on the list?

⃞          Jordan

⃞            Israel

⃞       Palestine

⃞     Lebanon?

⃞          Egypt?

⃞     Hungary?

⃞     Romania?

⃞     Moldova?

⃞ Transnistria?

⃞       Ukraine?

Checks, please!

Ivory Towers...

Yesterday, while heading to the Grand Bazaar, I stumbled upon extreme beauty.

"If anyone has a camera, the light is hitting that mosque perfectly right now" Keaton remarked while the rest of us were too busy looking at our shoes to notice the humongous place of worship straight in front of us.

As I looked up, my breath was actually held. Revealing my inner nerd, I quipped something about the mosque looking like it was straight out of Minas Tirith...

Honestly, though. This view was abnormal. It felt like we had discovered part of a book that had somehow slipping into our reality for just enough time to be photographed and then disappear.

Absolutely my favorite picture from the trip so far. 

No question.

I definitely wanted to share it somehow. So, when I got into a WiFi zone, I did what any good 20-something would do, and put it up on instagram.

I'm not the biggest fan of constant use of sepia, but I have to say. It made this scene look even more breathtaking.

If You Listen...

This was written in my journal 1 month ago. I do not mean for it to represent full truth, or even my opinion on the events in Syria. It was just so incredible for me to be talking to someone about what was going on as we were speaking. You see, Syrians are famous for being tight-lipped about their government and its current affairs. So, take my words not as gospel, simply for what they are. Words of the broken-hearted.

[Note: I have deliberately taken out any personal information about my contact out of respect for him, his safety, and the sensitivity of his words.]

Istanbul   February 4

 He was very nice and hospitable (as always) - and his English is impeccable. 

The most fascinating part was his willingness to discuss the current events of Syria. Once we asked him about it he wouldn't stop talking. There were tears in his eyes as he talked about 6,000 dead -

 "Not just a number. 6,000. That means 6,000 families, brothers, friends"

And his words were marked by the familiar Arabic questioning "for what?"

It was heart-wrenching to not be able to reply with any substance. Through his only-marginally-broken English, he spoke stirring words denouncing killing, demanding freedom, and asking for help. 

"Iran and Russia are friends with Assad. Why? They do not care about the killing. About our people. I don't understand."

What a difficult conversation to leave. I want to ask him so much more about his feelings:

"I know he should be tried - brought to justice - but in my heart I think he deserves the death of Qaddafi."

More about his family:

"Sometimes when I call them on my phone, I can hear guns firing."

And about the future:

"Civil war? Between who? Us Syrians make our country a good place because we look out for each other - not the police, not the government. We love each other."

It is incredible what you can find, if you listen.

Pray for Syria.

Quotable Quotes...

In an effort to relay the content of our classroom experiences here, I have decided to post some of my favorite classroom quotes from the past few weeks.

These are all completely out of context, and as such, even more provocative. Please recognize that they have all been said in measured and academic settings, as such, don't freak out about any of them. Take them for what they are and laugh at a few. Most of the speakers names have not been included, and only are when necessary for contextual purposes.

Regarding Religion

On Islamic Prophets...

"Allah tried Moses, and Aron messed it up. He tried Jesus and Paul messed it up. So this there was to be no human agency. Muhammed was going to get it right." 

On The Bible...
"Many churches/denominations treat the Bible as the Fourth Person of "the Quadrinity". It's a very good Islamic way to be a Christian."

"The idea that the Bible fell down from heaven is Islamic - not Christian."

"The Bible is a divine fusion of spiritual inspiration and human agency."


On the lack of an Armenian speaking congregation...
"It is not very godly to teach the gospel in a language the people don't understand." - Father Zakeus

On the intercession of Saints...
"The Miracle of Mary: When the wine ran out, Mary insisted on Jesus doing something about it. He replied, "it's not my time", but, he turned the water into wine anyway. Why? Because Mary insisted. This illustrates why we pray for the intercession of saints." - Father Zakeus

On Orthodoxy...
"If you want to understand Orthodoxy, come and join the Liturgy - the Eucharist."

On Salvation as a transformational process...
"God became man, so that man can become God."*
 (*Don't take this as a blunt instrument, even though I've presented it as one.)

"The Courtroom Mentality: 'There was a verdict. You are guilty, but you have no money, so Jesus paid your fine.' This does not exist in Orthodoxy."

On Sufism...
"Sufism at the beginning of Islam was a reality without a name and it has become a name without a reality."

Regarding Politics
On Politics...
"Coffeehouses are still the center of politics in Turkey. The unemployed/retired old men get together and gossip - about politics. When we drink coffee, we talk about politics; when we drink Rakı, we talk about politics; when awake, we talk politics; when drunk, we talk politics."

On the Ottoman Empire...
"Under the Ottoman-Constitutional rule (1908-1909), Syrians and Egyptians actually had their first free and fair elections."

"The Balkans were the real heart of the Ottoman Empire. Anatolia is a leg or arm."

On Coups...

"Why have you never had a coup d'etat in America? Because there isn't an American embassy in Washington, D.C."

On Civil-Military relations...

"The State does not exist without a form of military."

On Turkey Joining the EU...

"I'm pro-EU. But I care most about the process, not membership. The idea though, is that we need to become more 'good', but they need to be more 'fair'."

"The EU needs to decide: does it represent the Renaissance (Christian Club) or the Enlightenment (based on universal values).

On Atatürk...

" There is a pathological love affair between the Turks and Atatürk."

Regarding Society

On "Turkishness"...

"As minorities have stressed the diferences in ethnicity, the idea of Turkishness has become increasingly ethic."

"[A Turkish general said during the 1980 coup] They are not 'Kurds'. There people are Mountain Turks. They live in the mountains. And when they walk on the snow, their boots make a sound that sounds like 'kurd, kurd, kurd' and that is where they get this name." Note: highly controversial and widely unaccepted view in the present.

"To be a Turkish citizen is to be a Turk" - Constitution of the Turkish Republic (since altered)

On Shanty-towns...

"If oppression is invisible, it wan be maintained."

On interviewing people in the Gecekondu (shanty-towns)...

"No trust. There was always the police. Undercover police. Plain-clothes police. Or the ghost of the police."

On Youth...

"Every society sinks or swims depending on what it does with its 20 year old men."

Quotes from a guest lecture by Dr. Feroz Ahmad

"[Nasr] was knocked off his perch in 1967 and the Arab world has been in decline [since]." 

"All US wars have been Far Eastern wars."

"The tragedy for Armenians is that they found no supporters for their national movement."

Cофия, България

So, it took me two years, but I finally ended up back at an Eastern European speakeasy. Thank God.

That was about two years too long. 

"So, if you have it in you for one more, I know of a fantastic spot."

That's how it started.

Then we walked another two blocks talking about Sofian architecture and the similarities and differences between Bulgarian and Turkish cultural quirks. 

I would have kept going, but suddenly Eric said, "Turn here."

I looked up and to the left to see... a pitch black dark alley with a small light in the back. It looked like a garbage alley with an outhouse.

"Really?"

"Yeah, just go down."

I started down the alley, stepping in (I hope) snowmelt puddles, feeling my way by tripping on the uneven concrete tiles.

Made it to the light, turned right up the slight ramp, and pushed open a completely unmarked barn door. I was greeted by the sounds of thirteen different languages, the subtle sounds of mute trumpets and jazz pianos, and the dim lights of candles.

This incredible bar(n) is incredible. It is only lit by candles, no lights, there is no menu, you just have to know what you want, and you have to know someone who knows where it is. Honestly, it's the best bar I've ever been to.

Check out their article on the place here

I tried to take a photo, but the lighting was so dim, I couldn't get anything remotely visible. However, here is a photo taken by spottedbylocals.com

Here's the takeaway from their article:

"They say that in the past this was the place for the intelligentsia and you could only get in if you know the right person. The door was locked and no matter how hard you knock, unless you know the right words, they wouldn’t let you in. During the transition from Communism this place was open to the public but even nowadays the owner refuses to create an Internet site or promote it further."

I'm already excited to go back either tonight or tomorrow.

This city is amazing. I had no idea what to expect from Bulgaria, but wow. 

Just WOW.

This is a place to return to, no questions asked.

Fallen Empires...

So I spent last Saturday hosting an old friend who was in Istanbul for the weekend. It was great. I got to enjoy all of the tourist spots and see some of the places I hadn't been in a few years.

I was almost moved to tears when I walked into the Hagia Sophia this time. It's just stunning.

We used the afternoon to check out the Old Book Bazaar, and I had no idea I was about to find my new favorite shop in the world.

I was browsing outside of all the shops when I looked at a random little basket in the corner. It was filled with coins. 

I picked up a handful and realized what they were. It was a huge collection of international and expired coins.

Needless to say... I was excited...

My Haul

From R to L: 2.5 Old Turkish Lira (1972), 5 French Francs (1972), 1 Italian Lira (1956)

From R to L: 1 UK Shilling (1957), 10 Israeli Acorot (unknown year - no Hebrew here), 1 Russian Ruble (1997), 5 Swiss Rappen (1952)

From R to L: 500 Iranian Rials (1953), 1 Indian Rupee (1999), 100 Bahraini Fils (1995), 5 Chinese Yen (can't read the year...)

 These are my favorite coins:

Top Row, R to L: 5 Cypriot Mils (1972 - note the Greek and Turkish), 5 Soviet Kopek (1987)
Bottom Row, R to L: 50 Bulgarian Stotinki (1974), 10 Yugoslavian Dinar (1983), 20 East German (DDR) Pfennig (1974)

AWESOME, right??

So I go to buy the coins and the shop owner starts showing off his other goods. Turns out he is a fantastic guy.  And he has some fantastic stuff. 

Like...

The Neatest Bills 

10 German Deutschmarks from 1920 (as in, this is the type of bill Germany was ordered to pay for World War I with)
20 Hungarian Pengö from 1941 (this bill is from the Kingdom of Hungary, pre-Communist regime. All time favorite currency. The art nouveau style is exquisite and the art in amazingly detailed)

The Strangest Bill 

.25 Libyan Dinar (unknown date - definitely printed under the Ghaddafi regime)

The Craziest Bills

From T to B: 2 Afghani bill (they are actually called Afghanis - the bill says it's from 1962, I'm not convinced),
25 Iraqi Dinar (unknown year, presumably before 2003),
1000 Iranian Rials (again, unknown date)

500 Russian Rubles (a large, beautiful bill from 1918. This bill was issued by the Russian Tzar, but would have been ciculated in the Soviet Union. Crazy, eh? Also note the watermark on the blank left side. Awesome.
100 Russian Ruble "Katerina" bill from 1910 (Insane. This humongous bill has a perfect watermark of the portrait of Catherine on the blank right side. And the detail is incredible. Sheesh...) 

I was pretty happy as I left that shop.

And I'll definitely be going back. 

Science and Progress...

First of all, this is fantastic.

Second of all, this is fantastic.

Third of all, not a huge Willie Nelson fan.

But this is still fantastic.