Bits and pieces of Turkey

The Blue Mosque

Prayer Wall at the House of Virgin Mary, Ephesus. May wishes come true, including mine:)

Olives - good for health!

Happened upon this couple and their son celebrating Hari Korban (Feast of Sacrifice). 

Hot air balloon ride 

Evening out at a restaurant - Turkish  traditional dance folk

Belly dancing to cap the evening's entertainment

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul  - was the residence of the Ottoman sultans for  approx. 400 years

Pamukkale

Think cotton and white it is! From far, the image is like a snowy mountain. We were thrilled to visit Pamukkale which means 'Cotton Castle' in Turkish. They tag it as the 8th Wonder of the World and is awarded the status of  an UNESCO  world heritage site. It is really wondrous to experience Pamukkale, one of a kind attraction. It is also the site of the ancient city of Hierapolis.

The terraces of carbonate mineral left by the flowing thermal water  has created a truly unique attraction. Walking on the travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water from the hot springs is a little rough and grainy. In fact, that helps to keep us firm though parts especially in the pools can be slippery. Wearing shoes is prohibited to protect the deposits. However we were advised by our guide to keep our shoes with us, in case we can't find them upon our return!

The sculptured basins of mineral water is really outstanding. Look out for the hanging limestone walls, admire the cascading thermal water which gather to form pools and terraces. We walked in a couple of  pools and the water was comfortable and warm. The sun began to set and the glow and shadows cast was beautiful.

What did we leave behind - our footprints and took home lovely memories :)

Watch :
www.goreme.com/pamukkale-tour.php
youtube.com/watch?v=NICZY72ODs&feature=related

You will enjoy more. Do visit this natural wonder!

Trojan Horse

Our tour guide, Orzu informed us that we were making a short detour to view the horse that was used in the 2004 movie TROY. A handsome horse indeed! It stands at the seafront of Cannakale. But the movie was not filmed in Troy ( Truva in Turkish). As in the movie,when Priam, King of Troy chose to listen to the priests who saw the horse as an offering to Poseidon, God of the Sea and a gift, he ignored the misgivings of Prince Paris, who protested vehemently, 'Father, burn it!'. The short -lived happiness was the downfall of Troy. While Troy  was asleep, Greek soldiers came out of the hollowed out wooden  horse and with their other counterparts attacked the city.

The Trojan Horse at Cannakale - gift to Turkey from Brad Pitt who acted as Achilles, the main protagonist  in the epic movie, TROY

The Trojan Horse at the Ancient City of Troy

My friends waved and called out, 'Helen!' ha! ha! - me, the face that launched a thousand ships ???

Which horse do you prefer? - this or the one used in the movie TROY

Cave House Hospitality

Am back from a 10 day tour in Turkey. It was wonderful and am so lucky to be able to enjoy the country - culturally rich, both  modern and traditional. Have to admit we had a full itinerary , thus hectic is an understatement!

 Our tour companions were close friends and friends of friends - all 24 of us. The magic of Cappadocia, especially the hot air balloon ride will always be remembered. A visit to the Ephesus is also a must! Our guide, Orzu, held us together like true glue with her professionalism and not forgetting her loud, throaty laughter!

 So much to relate about Turkey but in one word - unforgettable. Below, we visited a family who lives in a cave house. Cave houses are government owned and rented out to locals. It was a fascinating to experience the hospitality.

The hospitable couple and their 3 children live in this cave house. The man of the house carves homes out of caves as his occupation whilst his wife retains her role as a homemaker. 

A carpet loom in the background.A homemaker,our hostess is a craftswoman  indulging in lace and bead work which she sells as scarfs.

The 9 year old  learning how to receive guests - he served us sweets. His father served us Turkish tea.

Carpets cover the floor of the cave. Turkey is known for this woven industry.

A special pose for the album:)

Part of the kitchen 

We were attracted to the doily lacework . 

Scarfs with bead work for sale too.

Down the steps to the courtyard in front of the house.

An attractive feature  leading to the steps of the house. Ceramic pigeons perched on poles to denote  the Pigeon Valley we were in.  These are erected by the council.

Family Carnival is here!

Remember how excited we were as kids when the circus came to town? There was always  the promise of fun and laughter. Or when a Family Fair with carousels and ferry wheels made us yearn  for popcorn, ice cream  and wishing the fun would not stop!

When The Family Carnival came to the Royal Lake Club, it was time for merriment. So much happened under one roof. Well, under canopies and under the sun.  Luckily, the days and evenings of rain got shooed away by the glorious sun! It was fun playing games. Not the computer kind!

The mini petting zoo was a hit too. Possums, guinea pigs, rabbits and snakes and other reptiles attracted many visitors.

More than a touch of magic was in the air too. I bet many kids had wished to  be wearing the magician's robe and waving that wand just to make things disappear into the thin air!

The Club  organised  the different cultural shows for all to enjoy the different ethnic cultures in the dances.

I was late for the sale of the dvds. Nevertheless, I went home with a couple of different genres which I do not normally view. My highlight, being a kid again (!) was to try my hand at paint ball. Must admit it was a bit 'tame' judging by the real  stuff of dodging  one's enemies etc. The itch was there to see the splatter of paint from my machine gun!

Hawker-style food - favourites to eat - all for children's charities via coupons

Bringing on the smiles

The Royal Lake Club Committee in the mood for a jolly time. 

Lift and ready for the roll

Knock 'em down!

Blowing In The Wind- catch, grab them and win vouchers

Cuddles for the guinea pig

A possum  awakened from his sleep.

Giddy up! - wanna get the feel of  being a cowboy?

An attraction in itself - so many prizes. Hmm. which one do I want??

Sway and dance your worries away

Like a bullet it comes! - drat! missed again.

Slide and bounce in the sun - that's what kids should do.

My highlight - gunning for a hit. Despite not knowing where/how  to aim, I scored  2 out of 10. Hurray! 

Plant Exchange

Greenies of the Selangor and FT Gardening Soc (SFTGS) inevitably look forward to the annual plant exchange  at our beloved patron, Tan Sri Chong Hon Nyan's house.

Outwardly the event might look like a 'lelong' of plants  but more things  surface  when one is enjoying oneself there.

This event usually takes place on a Sunday. It spells camaraderie - of people and plants. The simple request  goes: gather ye some plants, pot or bag them with tlc, bring them and do an exchange with someone else's plant/s. Or just donate your money to the SFTGS if your plant is sold.

There was quite a good selection of plants. This time round, I bought plants I had 'killed' off - cili , kesum and aloe vera. I added  a sweet basil and a peppermint plant. Someone brought  an armful of cinnamon leaves to give away.They were snapped up in a jiffy.

Another member who has a thriving  rearing goat business brought goat dung and fresh milk  to sell. The goat dung really does wonders to the plants.

Not to be outdone, Puan Sri Chong's fruit acar  always adds to the coffers of our Soc. In fact, our dear patron and his wife make us proud of them. Our Soc tagline, 'ALL Things Grow With Love', just suits them to the T. Take a walk into their garden and you'll  wish you had a piece of their treasures! There's also birds which chirp  beautifully in the background. That's also one of their passions.

We bought our brand new publication titled:  Gardening in Malaysia. Flowering Plants Vol.1. It  was launched at our annual gathering  and the response is encouraging. More issues are in the pipeline - 2)Ground Covers,Annuals, Herbs ,3) Climbers, Bulbs, Foliage Plants 4)Trees and Palms. All the issues are for the layman's usage - suits me fine:)

Our hospitable hosts made sure we had our fill of local favourites- curry mee, popiah, kuay teow, mee rebus and ice kacang. Say no to food? never!

Yummy food at your command!

Plants potted in a variety of containers for exchange or sale.

Our patron, Tan Sri Chong Hon Nyan and members enquiring about the goat fertiliser and milk on sale.

Puan Sri Chong 's signature acar always makes an appearance to get more funds for the Soc.

So many plants to choose from. I bought an aloe vera, cili padi, croton, peppermint plant and sweet basil. 

Our banner to greet the members at our patron's house.