My Mother is in Istanbul

Dear Followers (come on, there might be someone reading this!), 

Something has happened. Something sensational. Something no one could have predicted. And I don't think its inappropriate to go ahead and give all credit for this spectacular happening to this very blog. After 1.5 months of somewhat-dutiful reporting on the glories of Istanbul, I had the honor of going to the airport. Why you ask? Because after 1.5 months of reading about my educational adventures, my mother decided to come see Istanbul for herself. 

My mother is here. In Istanbul. Here's the proof.

 

Annem (my mother), with Galata bridge and Sultanahmet in the background

Workin' on our Fitness

In Istanbul you'll find, in parks and outdoor recreation areas, special areas of fitness equipment for adults. The machines are a blend- the functionality of what you find at the YMCA and the construction of what you find on an elementary school playground.  

So of course Y and I were up in Maçka parkı, just workin' on our fitness.

Note: Improper equipment usage. 

Note: Usage instructions were in Turkish

Shine!

Latino Dance Night (by Shine Dance Studio) in Ankara

We also celebrated a friend's birthday

A million video clips to come...

Anıtkabir

Anıtkabir, the Atatürk Mausoleum, was completed in 1953 and is exemplary of Turkey's second national architecture movement. Characteristics of the mausoleum (and the movement) include the choice of materials (often cut-stone), and the prominence of grand, symmetrical structures with intricate detailing. 

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey, as well as an important leader in their war of independence. He is incredibly revered in Turkey, his image is absolutely everwhere, and it is a serious offense to insult him in any way. YouTube is banned in Turkey, and one oft-cited reason is that there were videos on the website which insulted Atatürk. A few years ago Veysel Dalci, an official from the Turkish town of Fatsa, was brought up on court charges after chewing gum during a wreath-laying ceremony at Anıtkabir. 

Atatürk is interred at Anıtkabir. Inside the on-sight museum, where photography is not allowed, many of Atatürk's personal items are displayed- everything from his shaving kit to swords given to him by foreign diplomats. 

And a video of the changing of the guards...

Girls' Day in Ankara

The ladies of Bilkent Univ. and their sidekick CouchSurfer hit Ulus, a more conservative area in the north of Ankara, for a day of excitement. Sorry I couldn't give you pictures from inside the actual bath, but here are the ladies afterward, drinking chai and getting their eyebrows threaded.

  

Shopping in Ulus. Locals don't actually like Ulus that much, apparently its seen as old-fashioned, but Westerners love it for that same reason. Our group consisted of one French woman, an Asian-Canadian woman, and 3 Americans from Kansas, Montana, and North Carolina. 

View of the city from the restaurant where we ate lunch.

Getting a trim and a blowout at the salon