Home from Turkey! Thoughts about travel, transit, and volcanic ash

I'm finally back home to Chicago!  It was a great 12 days spent in Turkey.  I will write more posts on Turkey, but for now, let me talk a little about travel and transit.  Especially since we're in the middle of this volcanic ash thing.

This trip was full of transit.  We used all these forms of transportation: plane, subway, tram, tour bus, mini-bus, car, ferry boat, and finally a hot air balloon.  Wow! 

Istanbul is a large, sprawling city.  You need to move around to get to different areas.  We walked all over the city during our trip.  There is so much to see and experience that walking was very pleasurable.  But if you're in a hurry, walking may not get you too far.  Luckily, Istanbul has a really nice tram that gets you to the main places.  It comes every 3-5 minutes, it seems.  Very efficient for tourists.  There are only a couple tram lines, however, so there are probably many locals who are not near tram service.  Taxis aren't a bad deal.  They can be fairly cheap if you stick to one district (like Beyoglu/Taksim).  But Istanbul is big, and the taxi fare will run up as you go further (and if you get stuck in traffic).  If you are interested in visiting Istanbul, I would strongly recommend exploring on your own on foot/tram/taxi.  Don't bother with the tour.

The distance between Istanbul to Kapadokya, in central Turkey (I'll definitely write more on Kapadokya) is 600-700km.  Not a trifle!  Turkey doesn't have much of a train system between cities like the Europe does.  They invested in a bus system instead.  Our ride was an overnight one - and 12 hrs long.  Can't say it was terribly pleasant.  In fact, spending all night in a cramped bus, without good sleep makes you pretty darn cranky at 7am the next day.  But the experience wasn't horrible, and it was cheap (esp. when you don't have to pay for a hotel stay).  We also wanted to go to Ephesus, but another pair of overnight bus rides would have been very tiresome.  If you don't mind paying more, a plane ride may be more comfortable.

Kapadokya is a large region.  There are several small towns to visit.  The landmarks are scattered throughout.  We booked a tour, so we were taken all over on a mini-bus.  It was probably the right thing to do.  Otherwise, you would have needed to do a lot of reading to figure out where to go, plus you would have needed a rental car.   It's kind of like going around to all the landmarks in a large park like Yosemite or Yellowstone, but you also throw in some small towns, tiny streets, and everything's written in a foreign language.  The best way to see Kapadokya, however, is by hot air balloon!  Wow, what an amazing experience!  I'll write more about the balloon, don't worry.  For now, enjoy this photo :)

Getting back to the States was the most difficult challenge.  We heard about the Iceland volcanic ash problem on Wed or Thurs.  Every story seemed to get worse and worse.  Jeff and I were returning on Saturday, the 17th.  We both had connections in Europe.  My connection was in London, and my flight got canceled on Friday.  Luckily I still have elite status on American Airlines, and it was relatively early with the volcano situation, so I was able to get through to the AA customer service center pretty quickly to get things resolved.  The agent put me on a Turkish Air flight (not even an AA partner), going direct to Chicago on Monday.  Phew.  Jeff's situation was worse.  His connection was in Frankfurt.  They canceled his flight the morning of departure - the bastards!  One of his legs was on United, while the other was on Lufthansa, which was more difficult to manage.  And finally, the customer service centers for the airlines were so flooded with calls by Saturday that it took forever to get through.  He spent pretty much all of the day on Saturday to get re-booked.  And now he's on Turkish Air, leaving on Wednesday.  Let's hope the volcano gods will let him fly home!

I ran into lots of stranded tourists.  I bet Janine saw even more at her travel agency.  The ash made a great conversations starter with other tourists: "are you stranded here too?"  There was a mad rush for hotel rooms over the weekend.  Luckily Janine hooked us up with accommodations very quickly.  I ran into a few people at the Istanbul airport who had been stuck there for over a day.  Some Germans at the hotel ended up booking a train to return home, rather than flying.  I would never sign up to be in the middle of a crisis situation, but it was kind of interesting being in one...

It feels great to be home.  Today was a long day: Wake up, make sure flight has not been canceled, pack, 1hr train to airport, 3hrs at airport, 12hr flight, 1hr at customs, 1hr train ride home... man that was tiring!  I fell asleep right away.  Which is why it's almost 4am, and I'm writing in my blog...

All Turkey trip articles on my blog: http://discopalace-blog.blogspot.com/search/label/trip-Turkey
My full blog: http://discopalace.com/blog

Istanbul's Historical Landmarks

Istanbul is full of history and culture.  It is a very old city.  Istanbul witnessed great nations such as the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Ottomans.  Here are some of the most famous historical landmarks in town.

Blue Mosque.  A beautiful, magnificent building built in the early 1600's.  The "blue" in the name is due to all the blue tiles on the walls.  Its official name is the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, after its illustrious founder.  The general area in Istanbul on which the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are situated is known as Sultanahmet.

Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia). Built in 360 CE, the Aya Sofya was the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople (i.e., the "capital" of the Orthodox Church) for 1000 years.  During this time, it was also the largest building in the world.  When the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453, the building was converted to a mosque.  That's why you see the Orthodox design as well as the minarets.  The Turkish Republic government turned the Aya Sofya into a museum in the 1930's.

Basilica Cistern.  Used by the Byzantines as a reservoir for drinking water, in case the city was besieged.

Topkapi Palace.  This grand palace was used by the Ottoman sultans for centuries.  Now it's a museum - Turkey's most popular tourist attraction.  It contains dozens of beautifully decorated rooms and courtyards; museum relics of jewelry, royal clothing, and weapons; great views of Istanbul and its waterfront; and even a Harem (which may not be what you think).  Unfortunately, they wouldn't let us take photos of the museum relics.

Galata Tower.  Built in 1348 by the Genoans, the Galata Tower overlooks the landmass north of the Golden Horn.  It's the home of modern-day Beyoglu.  You can get a great 360 degree view of Istanbul from the tower.

Aqueduct of Valens.  Construction of this aqueduct was done by the Romans in 348 CE, when the city was still known as Byzantium.  Later, the Byzantines and Ottomans used the aqueduct even more extensively, as the city grew in size.

Suleymaniye Mosque.  Built in 1558 by the Sultan Suleymaniye I, this Mosque is the most important mosque in Istanbul.  It sits high on a hilltop, overlooking the city.  Unfortunately the mosque is currently under renovation, so we couldn't get in.

All Turkey trip articles on my blog: http://discopalace-blog.blogspot.com/search/label/trip-Turkey
My full blog: http://discopalace.com/blog

Life in Istanbul

Life. You can find it everywhere you go in Istanbul. In America, we are often shut off from the world - hiding in our cars, our houses with large yards, our malls. In Istanbul, life takes place in shared public places.

Here's life with religion:

Life at the marketplaces:

Life for the young and cool is perhaps best found on the Iskatel, a long pedestrian-only boulevard in the Beyoglu district.  You can find many shops, restaurants, and bars all over.  One of its ends is Taksim Square, a very busy area - perhaps like a Times Square or Picadilly Circus.  We spent all our evenings down here, with Janine and even her nice friends.

Merhaba (hello), from Turkey!

Merbaha, my friends!  How are you?  Jeff and I are having a most excellent time in Turkey.  We're almost halfway through our trip.  We spent three days in Istanbul so far.  Then we took an overnight bus last night to Kapadokya, in Central Turkey.  I'll hopefully post a few blog entries, so let me start with some first impressions of Istanbul.

Perhaps the first thing you'd notice in Istanbul is that it's a huge, sprawling, crowded city.  In fact, it's one of the largest in the world.  There are around 13 million people in Istanbul city limits.  The streets are crowded and noisy.  There are people walking everywhere.  Buildings lean up next to each other and stretch as far as the eye can see.  Some may be scared away by the density.  But if you can deal with it, you can probably appreciate all the life that oozes from every street corner, shop, and alley.

Photo above is a cafe in an alley near the Gelata Tower.  Photo below is in the Bazaar district.

Istanbul is full of history.  It is one of the oldest cities in the world.  Turkey is a republic now, but it's only been such for 80 years.  Before this, this land was many things - the Ottoman Empire, the Byzantine Empire,  the Roman Empire, the Persians, the Hittites...  Among the great landmarks in Istanbul are historical: Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Aya Sofya, the Basilica Cistern.  The first photo in this article (of Jeff and me) is of the Blue Mosque.  The photo below is of the Aya Sofya.

Istanbul is surrounded by a ton of water.  It is bordered by the Marman Sea, the Bosphorous Strait, and the Golden Horn (an inlet).  There is so much waterfront property here.  The water, combined with the hills in the region, make for a really pretty scenic backdrop.  One of the best things to do in Istanbul is to take a tour of the Bosphorus.

Finally, the food here has been amazing. It's so fresh, so interesting, so tasty. We've had food in restaurants, in alleys, and from street vendors. I will surely write more on this. Here's a babagannoush meze (small plate) I had for a snack:

Istanbul rocks! There has been so much to see, so much to be taken in. I will follow up with more goodies soon. We didn't have much internet access in Istanbul, but we finally have wireless in our hotel in Kapadokya, so expect more :) Bye for now!

On the verge of leaving for Istanbul...

Living in a northern climate is funny. After Christmas and New Year's die down, you are stuck with at least three months of bitter cold. You freeze your buns off, you don't feel like doing anything, and you constantly think about either moving to a tropical island or killing yourself. Then one day (you never know what day), it suddenly gets warmer, for good. All the bad thoughts go away. You go outside. You bask in the sunlight. You love life again. You look forward to a fun-filled summer.

This all happened to me this year. And here I am today, dreaming of all sorts of activities to do this summer. I think this year will be full of travel. In fact, my first big activity is coming up in just a couple of days. I'm headed to Istanbul, Turkey! Can't wait!  Turkish delight on a moonlit night!

The first thing people ask when I mention Turkey is: Why??  I guess it's not high on everyone's list of places to go to before they die. But I've already been to a few places. Turkey is actually a great destination and should be on people's lists!  I'll get into these details later. Here are my personal reasons:

• It will be the farthest I've traveled going east.  Next farthest east is Naples, Italy (not that far east).  Farthest west is currently Thailand.
• I've never been to the Middle East before
• I've never been to a country that is predominantly Islamic.  Come to think of it, I have never been inside a mosque before.  After this, I can say I've visited lands dominated by 3 of the 5 great religions (Christianity, Buddhism, Islam).  Too bad that the remaining two religions (Hinduism, Judaism) are the majority in only two countries...
• I've never been in a Turkish prison (but I do like movies about gladiators)
• I need a lot of miles to retain my Elite airline status
• As wise man once said, "If you've a date in Constantinople, she'll be waiting in Istanbul"
• This trip was Woj's idea.  It'll just be him and me on this trip.  Last time this happened was this one time, in band/orchestra camp - seriously :)
• Woj and I have a friend from high school, Janine, who is currently living there and is doing research.  Would be great to see her again.  She also works at a travel agency, so we're extra cool!  The Turkey photos in this article are hers.

Turkey has a very rich history and culture. It is truly where East meets West.  Here are some interesting facts about Turkey and Istanbul:

• One side of Istanbul sits in Europe, while the other side is in Asia
• The fabled city of Troy (and site of the Trojan War) is in Turkey
• Istanbul has been a capital city for the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire, and the Ottoman Empire
• Istanbul was first known as Byzantium.  Later it became Constantinople, after the Roman emperor Constantine.  Now it's Istanbul.  Just think - even old New York was once New Amsterdam...
• Turkey boasts some of the oldest known cities on the planet.   The remains of Catal Huyuk may be 7000-9000 years old
• Istanbul occupies a very strategic position geographically.  It guards the Bosphorus, the strait that connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean (eventually).  The Black Sea provides sea access to great countries like Russia, Ukraine, and Romania
• The Republic of Turkey was founded to succeed the Ottoman Empire.  The Ottomans were one of the "bad guys" in World War I
• Turkey may be considered part of the Middle East, but it's also a member of NATO.
• Turkey may be mostly Islamic, but it's actually a secular state (no official religion).  In fact, the Orthodox Church (the oldest and perhaps closest-to-the-original Christians - check out this cool denomination tree) is based in Istanbul.

Ok, this might be all I know about Turkey.  I haven't read my books yet, so I have no idea what I'm doing.  The one thing we do have planned, however, is a side trip to Cappadocia.  Cappadocia is in central Turkey and is known for some very unique geological scenery.  You can take a hot air balloon over the region! Have never done that either.

Oh yeah, the other thing I am looking forward to is my layover!  Heh, that sounds wierd eh.  I picked an 11hr layover in Madrid.  I figure it would be cool to walk around that city for a few hours, before heading over to Istanbul.  Maybe grab a tapas dish or ten....

Hopefully the "Inter-web" will be working in Turkey and I'll be able to post a couple updates.  Stay tuned! :)

Photos by Janine.  This article and other cool articles can be found on my blog, at http://discopalace.com/blog.

In honor of the iPad launch, I bought myself... a netbook!

It's small - about the height of a book, and quite thin.  It can be folded up to protect itself.  It has a keyboard with real keys for a touch typist.  It has USB ports so you can plug devices into it.  It has not 16GB of storage, not 32 or 64 - try 250 GB.  Its software is downloadable, sans viruses or spyware, and free. All for the price of $350! :)

If you're curious, I got the Asus Eee PC 1005PE. From Amazon - no waiting in line.  Compare with a Lenovo Thinkpad W500 and a Dell 24" monitor....

I'm not a Mac. I'm not a PC. I believe in bang for the buck. I'm Linux! :)

This article and other cool articles can be found on my blog, at http://discopalace.com/blog.

Chinese recipe: Lao (Hot Pot)

Have you ever had Chinese Hot Pot? It's a great dish. Very popular amongst Chinese. We Vietnamese also make it, but not as often. In Chicago, perhaps the most well-known Hot Pot place is in Chinatown, called Lao Sze Chuan. The Mecca for Hot Pot is in Beijing. I had opportunity to enjoy it firsthand.  Here's a photo of Ryan and myself showing down in Beijing (Mo was with us too). 

What exactly is Hot Pot?  Well, as the name suggests, it all starts with a huge pot that's heated in the middle of your dinner table.  There's a delicious broth inside.  The rest is cook-it-yourself.  You get a bunch of veggies; seafood like shrimp, squid, and fish; and red meats like beef or lamb.  Throw it in the broth, wait a little, and voila - freshly cooked tasty delights! Here's a closeup of our hot pot in Beijing.  This version had two soup bases to choose from - regular and spicy.  Also note that the soup bowl hole is built into the table - that's how serious Hot Pot is in China! :)

Over the Christmas holidays, my family (parents and uncle/aunt/cousins) came to Chicago for a visit.  I took them to Lao Sze Chuan.  I think they enjoyed the meal.  But my parents weren't too impressed.  They're never very impressed with restaurants actually.  How did they beget a foodie for a son?  "We paid how much for that?" asked my dad.  "I can make that at home," said my mom.

True to my mom's word, when my parents came to visit today, it was time for some homemade hot pot.  They brought a whole cooler full of raw vegetables and seafood on ice in their car.  Succulent shrimp, slimy squid, fiesty fish, yum.  Today was Good Friday so my parents (who are Catholic) passed on including meat. We all partook in the preparations.

Making Hot Pot is actually very easy.  It's all about preparing the ingredients beforehand.  Wash this, chop that, slice this, defrost the other, blah blah blah.  You can pretty much put anything in there.  When you're done with the prep work, put everything on a plate and place it on the table.  We went with the following ingredients:

• Lettuce
• Chinese Spinach
• Some Vietnamese green whose name I can't remember
• Potatoes
• Shrimp
• Catfish
• Squid

The one thing about making homemade Hot Pot is having the goods.  You need a large pot that can be heated in front of you.  It needs to big enough to cook a lot of food.  But it shouldn't be too tall because you'll need to put food in it and grab food out of it all the time.  I went with my electric wok this time.  Betcha never tried to make soup in a wok before!

Making the soup is easy.  Just use a big ole can of chicken soup and pour it in.  I think we went with 2 quarts?  Set the pot to high.  Throw in some green onions.  For flavoring, you can use some of this "Memmi" noodle soup base (bottle on right side of photo).  Just squirt a bit in there.  Most of the flavoring will actually come from the seafood and meat, once you cook a bit. 

How do you cook the ingredients?  Easy - just throw it in the pot!  The entire pot is never "all ready" or "all not ready."  It's more like "the shrimp is ready now" or "only the veggies are ready so far."  To this end, you'll need to know some basics on how long stuff cooks.

• Shellfish like mussels or squid need the most time to cook
• Shrimp and fish only need moderate cooking, and you can tell when they're ready because they look white
• Hard veggies (like the base of lettuce, broccoli, or bok choy) need moderate cooking too
• Soft leafy veggies (spinach, iceberg lettuce) cook real fast
• Beef cooks really fast, especially if it's really thinly sliced.  Leave lamb in a little longer.

 When food is ready, you just scoop it up, put it in your own bowl, and eat it right away.  You can use some of this Chinese Barbeque Sauce (left side of previous photo) to flavor your bowl as well.  It's kind of a chunky pepper paste.  You can dip with other sauces too, such as garlic sauce or black bean sauce (think of sauces that you'd see at a Mongolian BBQ restaurant).  

Chinese Hot Pot is a fun, communal meal.  Everyone has a part in preparing and cooking.  Even while you're eating, you're constantly putting more stuff in the pot and taking stuff out.  Oh yeah, I should mention that you don't need to put ALL the ingredients in at once.  Just put a few in at a time - enough to cook and eat - then add more later on.  The hot pot gets tastier over time, because all the juices from the ingredients will have made the stew richer and richer.  Remember to adjust the pot temperature lower when it's boiling and higher if it has cooled down too much.  It's a very fluid effort.  Once it's all over, your stomach should feel stuffed, and your head may be a little sweaty from all the hot liquid.  Aaaaaaaaah! :)

This article and other cool articles can be found on my blog, at http://discopalace.com/blog.