Christmas in Medellin, Colombia

The View from Kat's parents' balcony, which is located on the 18th floor of their apartment building.


The only snow in sight is that which is made inside the shopping mall.


Medellin is famous for its ostentatious light displays around Christmas. The city's largest light display is over the river in the center of town. This year's theme was the diverse ecology of Colombia. The green lights strung over the river symbolize the Andes Mountains in which Medellin is situated.

The most famous living artist in South America is Fernando Botero. Born in Medellin, he has donated many pieces of art to the city's art museum, including many large sculptures.

Medellin is the only city in Colombia with an advanced public transit system. In addition to light rail, the city has built a gondola that grants residents of poorer neighborhoods access to city center that would otherwise be inaccessible because of the extremely steep terrain.

Fake trees, complete with fall foliage, are not uncommon in Medellin around Christmas. At night they add to the ubiquitous Christmas light displays.


The flight home.

Istanbul

The Blue Mosque is one of the most important mosques in Istanbul and one of the most visited buildings in the city. Among other things, it is notable for having six minarets. This caused a scandal when it was built, since this was the same number as at the Mosque of the Ka'aba in Mecca. The situation was remedied when a seventh minaret was built for the Ka'aba.


The interior is covered in elaborately designed tiles in red and blue. In was built by Ahmed I in the early 17th century.


Away from the historic mosques and palaces, modern Istanbul is an unceasing bustle of activity.


Turkish style tea is an essential social ritual in all of turkey. Here a shopkeeper in the Bazaar district delivers tea to his fellow businessmen.


Kat


Divided by the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, Istanbul residents rely on ferries to get around every day.


Looking up at the fresco-covered dome of the Chora Church Museum.


The Chora Church is considered to be one of the most beautiful byzantine style churches. It is covered in mosaics and frescoes depicting biblical scenes. The building standing today was built in the 14th century.


Slushies are a rare and valuable find in the heat of Istanbul's summer.


The Hagia Sofia is the oldest and largest of the great mosques in the city. Originally a cathedral, it was converted into a mosque, and in 1935 was opened to the public as a museum.


The inside is a vast room of marble and frescoes.


The architectural design of the Hagia Sofia is said to have changed history. At the time of its construction, it was the largest cathedral in the world as well as the largest dome in the world. It would become the model for the imperial mosques built in Istanbul during the Ottoman Empire.


Looking out a window of the Hagia Sofia toward the Blue Mosque.


It was time for a haircut.


Stray cats are everywhere in Turkey. How many can you spot napping in this shoe rack outside the neighborhood mosque?


A swimmer jumps into the Bosporus on a hot day.


The Süleymaniye Mosque is the most ornate of the Imperial Mosques in Istanbul. Built by the master architect Sinan Pasha in 1558 on the third hill of Istanbul, making it one of the must visible buildings on the city's skyline. The ceiling is very ornately painted.


Admiring the mosque and taking a break from the midday sun.


The Topkapi Palace Museum keeps all of the relics of the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside the buildings, but we had our photo taken in one of the massive old trees on the palace grounds.


A street vender balances a tray of simit (sesame covered bread rings) on his head as he walks among the afternoon traffic to sell his wares.


The Basilica Cistern was built in the 6th century under the rein of Justinian I. It is a massive subterranean room built beneath the center of the city. It was completely forgotten until it was rediscovered by a historian in the mid-nineteenth century.


A roof deck view of the Galata tower, with the Hagia Sofia in the distance. The Galata neighborhood is the center of the fashion and cultural district.


Boston's most famous pizza has made it to Istanbul! Notice the "Best of Boston" stickers on the window.


In 1453, the capture of Istanbul by the Ottoman army marked the end of the Byzantine Empire, and with it the Roman empire that had ruled Europe and the Mediterranean for over 1,000 years. The Ottomans would go on to rule this region from then until the birth of the Turkish Republic in 1923. The 1453 Museum tells the story of the capture of Istanbul (called Constantinople at the time) and ends with a massive diorama of the historical siege of the city.


A picture of us with the Golden Horn and Galata tower in the background.


The sun sets on another adventurous day in Istanbul.

Cappadocia

We stayed in the town of Goreme (Go-rem-ay), nestled in a valley in central Cappadocia.


In the distance is the ancient city and fortress or Uçhisar (ooch-hisar, "hisar" meaning "fortress").


Up close, Uçhisar reveals itself to have once been the most populous settlement in the area. The thousand year old dwellings carved into the rock are still clearly visible. Despite the fact that they are obviously man-made, they are referred to as cave houses.


Most of the Cappadocian region is actually rolling fields of wheat and other crops. The fantastic rock formations and carved houses abruptly appear in the landscape when entering a valley. The spires are referred to as "Fairy chimneys", but Kat has compared them to the images of Dr. Suess.


Turkish night was a tourist trap of dancing and drinking. Keeping that in mind, it was the best place to see traditional Turkish dances, including belly dancing, folk dances, and whirling dervishes. The food was pretty good too.


The reflection of the sun on the stones is harshest when exiting a small, dark cave dwelling. The locals are used to this and do not wear sunglasses.


When clean, dry, and properly window-ed, the cave houses are actually pretty comfortable. Since most of them were about 1000 years old, there was not much left in the way of furniture.


Everyone and their brother (literally) will try to sell you a carpet or Kilim.


"Où est la Poulet?"
The residents of Cappadocia still actively use the houses carved into the rock. They usually serve as back rooms to their more modern houses. In fact, the room we stayed in was carved into the bedrock.


The area around Goreme.


Despite the blazing sun and ever-blue sky, the cave houses are naturally air conditioned and quite pleasant. Cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.

Konya

Konya is a city of over a million people in the interior of Turkey. A pious city, it is the birthplace of Sufism. In the center of town is the mausoleum of Rumi, the most famous sufi poet. The mosque and attached Dervish lodge have since been turned into the Mevlana Museum.


Photography was prohibited inside the museum. However, since it was a mosque and saw heavy foot traffic, everyone most wear blue plastic slippers.


A minaret of the Mevlana Museum.


Immediately next to the Museum was a large and beautiful mosque that we visited. Photography is not allowed during prayer times, but there were always a few people praying during the day.


The interior of the dome was very ornately painted.


A long skirt and head covering was mandatory for Kat to enter the mosque.