16 replies to this topic

[Spartan]

These are some of my pictures from my trip to Turkey earlier this summer. After going there I can say for sure that western Turkey is solidly European.... they just have the whole Islam thing going on. It is a beautiful country, and probably one of the most misunderstood.

These are just a few of my best/favorite pictures. They don't scratch the surface of how fantasticly beautiful this country is.

Istanbul from the plane


The Blue Mosque


inside the Blue Mosque


St. Sophia from the Blue Mosque


A street in Istanbul


some of the skyline from the Topaki Palace


Old/New from the Bosphorus


The Bosphorus Bridge


A former fishing village, now a part of metropolitan Istanbul


The Byzantine Wall (left: restored section; right: old section)


Bodrum seaside cafe


Bodrum


Sunset, Bodrum


The water was really this blue


A small fishing village


island


Turkish Tea, they drink this stuf everywhere all the time


Tower


Sprice Bazaar


Sunset, Istanbul

[Jerseyman4]

Truly awsome photos of Turkey, has that Sicilian feel over there (mediterranian characteristics)! Once i have more time, ill upload my Sicily photos up soon! But again, thanks for sharing those Spartan!

[monsoon]

What a great photo tour.  Thanks for posting the photos.  I didn't even know you had gone to Turkey.    That first photo shows an incredible amount of density.   Did you get a chance to ride any of the transit there?

[Spartan]

monsoon, on Sep 21 2006, 07:28 PM, said:

What a great photo tour.  Thanks for posting the photos.  I didn't even know you had gone to Turkey.    That first photo shows an incredible amount of density.   Did you get a chance to ride any of the transit there?

I was gone for a couple weeks earlier this summer. Unfortunately I did not ride any transit in Istanbul. Istanbul has a limited subway system and a limited light rail system... though they are expanding rapidly. Its difficult for them to build subterranean transit there becasue every 5 meters or so they run into more artifacts and they have to call in the archaeologists... not to mention that its in an earthquake zone. Light rail does serve the old city and parts of the european side as well... The asian side of the city was not as well served, though there are some connections there as too. Busses and taxis are the major transit modes there... and they work very well. We walked most places, and we also took taxis or used a bus the our group had chartered.

In a southern Turkish town called Bodrum I took a bus-taxi sort of thing. It was interesting. It was a small bus that circulated on a regular route, but you pay as if it were a taxi- based on distance. People were always getting on and off. I assume Istanbul has a similar arrangement.

Istanbul was a particularly interesting place. It felt sort of like Charleston, SC in some places with its wooden slat structures. It was not altered at all during the Hausmann era like Paris, London and other European cities were. It has narrow random winding streets and such.

Fortunately we had translators. This is the only way I would have felt comfortable using transit. Turkish uses the same letters as English, but you have no idea what they are saying or what else is going on. I would not reccomend going there on your own unless you plan to stay in the tourist areas where most people speak some English. Istanbul (the old city) and the popular tourist towns on the coast tend to have English speaking people.

[Jerseyman4]

Ive heard the Asian side of Istanbul is experiencing massive growth and is having a hard time keeping up with maintaining water for its residents.

[Spartan]

That sounds about right. That side of the city is a crazy place on its own. The growth there is happening quickly. The interesting thing is that nobody in Turkey owns a house unless they are extremely wealthy. I think I saw maybe 1 or 2 the entire time I was there. People live in flats/apartments, condos, etc. and they are all 3-5 stories tall, except in Istanbul and some of the other larger cities where they are much taller. Through out the country in any random small town you will see these things going up. This is all extremely condusive to transit, and a better way to grow, IMO. But its a cultural thing. That would never happen here in America.

[Jerseyman4]

Spartan, on Sep 23 2006, 06:33 PM, said:

This is all extremely condusive to transit, and a better way to grow, IMO. But its a cultural thing. That would never happen here in America.

American culture is to have our own house, land, vehicles (per persons in household) and independance. It would be a very difficult, if not an impossible transition for all of America to transform into western European culture.

[cowbreath]

Jerseyman4, on Sep 25 2006, 04:37 PM, said:

American culture is to have our own house, land, vehicles (per persons in household) and independance. It would be a very difficult, if not an impossible transition for all of America to transform into western European culture.

I wouldn't mind a kind of feel that I would get in downtown Chicago in living closed up in the concrete, but I think Istanbul was a little too clausterphobic for me and too monotonous with all of the concrete buildings all over.  When I think of room to grow in America I think I don't want to be like that.  

The transit was enjoyable there.  I liked the rails because they were very modern and European in nature.  We could hop between malls in the limited rail system pretty easily.

[Spartan]

Go to Athens. That is the most boring place architecturally with all of the reinforced concrete everything. The ancient Greeks had much better taste.

Istanbul was just different from any other place I've ever been to. Its true that the concrete can be monotonous if thats all you focus on, but the street activity and all of the stuff going on everywhere at all times really keeps your mind off of that. It did or me anyway

[cowbreath]

Spartan, on Jan 19 2007, 12:25 AM, said:

Go to Athens. That is the most boring place architecturally with all of the reinforced concrete everything. The ancient Greeks had much better taste.

Istanbul was just different from any other place I've ever been to. Its true that the concrete can be monotonous if thats all you focus on, but the street activity and all of the stuff going on everywhere at all times really keeps your mind off of that. It did or me anyway

Yeah, despite the clausterphobia I really want to go back there.  There is quite a lot in Turkey to see and visit.  Culturally its really a great place to go.

By the way, what a person from Clemson got to like about urbanism and Turkey for that matter?  Clemson is so small!

[Spartan]

Hah! Good question

I am from Spartanburg, which is a much larger city compared to Clemson. I have always loved cities and things urban. I also went to USC, which is in the middle of downtown Columbia, so urban everything there. Clemson is in the middle of nowhere, and you have no idea how much that irritates me. But location aside its a great school, so I have to put up with it for a while.

[cowbreath]

Spartan, on Jan 20 2007, 11:10 AM, said:

Hah! Good question

I am from Spartanburg, which is a much larger city compared to Clemson. I have always loved cities and things urban. I also went to USC, which is in the middle of downtown Columbia, so urban everything there. Clemson is in the middle of nowhere, and you have no idea how much that irritates me. But location aside its a great school, so I have to put up with it for a while.

Yeah, I've lived in Spartanburg and Clemson.  I'm not really a big fan of South Carolina at all, but I guess Spartanburg has stayed on the good side in my heart.  I hope they are doing well there with commerce and the downtown.

[Southron]

Great photos of Turkey, Spartan, thanks!  The wife of a friend of mine is from Istanbul, and she is very proud of her home city.  After seeing these pictures, I can see why.  It looks like a good place to live.  The density in that first picture is incredible.

[dgreco]

great pictures, and the picture from the plane is amazing.

[DelGreco]

Spartan, on Jan 19 2007, 01:25 AM, said:

Go to Athens. That is the most boring place architecturally with all of the reinforced concrete everything. The ancient Greeks had much better taste.

Istanbul was just different from any other place I've ever been to. Its true that the concrete can be monotonous if thats all you focus on, but the street activity and all of the stuff going on everywhere at all times really keeps your mind off of that. It did or me anyway

I agree that Turkey is beautiful and has a lot of culture. But if you studied some History (we Medittereneans/Europeans know history), you will realize that Turkey is ancient, midevil, and rennaissance Greece! Istanbul is really Contantinople, the most symbolic city of Chiristianity. Most of the cities around the Bosporous used to have greek names, but were eventually changed. St. Sophia is the oldest and most symbolic christian church in the heart of the city. Of course they want to convert it to a mosque as well.

Athens may be boring architecturally, because it was under Turkish occupation from 1421 to 1821 (400 yrs). Needless to say, they raped, destroyed, and burned everything architecturally significant. However, the Greek architectural elements, in what is todays Modern Turkey, still stands as a reminder of the past. Eventually the Turks were ousted from what is today Modern Greece, but the country was left in ruins. During the following 150 yrs, 1821-1970, Greece underwent a period of deep poverty, unemployment, and 2 World Wars. Even more poverty and ruins ensued. Turkey sided with the Germans of course and did not get affected. Most of those concrete buildings in Athens and in most sizeable Greek cities, were all built during the 60's and 70's. During to economic hardship, a law was passed that allowed homeowners to knock down their architecturally significant homes. so they can build 4-6 story buildings. Usually each floor was given to each of their children. That's why homeownership is Greece is high, despite their low incomes.

The only thing still standing is the Acropolis and the greek symbol, the Parthenon, which was also partially ruined by the Turks who used it as an explosive storage facility. Amazing!

Greece may not have much architecture, but they have culture and spirit! They enjoy life, they sing, they dance, and anyone who goes to Greece, comes back with a better appreciation and positive outlook on life! The Turks and the muslim culture could never take that away from them or come close to blending with the rest of europe. This is why Turkey will never become a member of the European Union. Human rights are far from western standards.

Plus Greece has the thousands of miles of beaches and thousands of beautiful Greek Isles. I am sure the Turks now regret not taking those too!

Sorry for the history lesson, but it kinds explains the boring Urbanism in Athens.

[cowbreath]

DelGreco, on Apr 28 2007, 07:46 AM, said:

Sorry for the history lesson, but it kinds explains the boring Urbanism in Athens.

It kind of explains the ethnic rivalries and wars in Europe pretty well.  Lots of grudges and unforgiveness carried on for many years.  Unfortunately usually the two parties involved end up sharing the same sad history.  

On the other end of things it's fascinating to hear about the history of things and how they came about.   I think destination spots are more overrated than the stories behind them.  However, usually spots are required to be interesting without stories needing to be told about them.

[Spartan]

DelGreco, on Apr 28 2007, 08:46 AM, said:

I agree that Turkey is beautiful and has a lot of culture. But if you studied some History (we Medittereneans/Europeans know history), you will realize that Turkey is ancient, midevil, and rennaissance Greece! Istanbul is really Contantinople, the most symbolic city of Chiristianity. Most of the cities around the Bosporous used to have greek names, but were eventually changed. St. Sophia is the oldest and most symbolic christian church in the heart of the city. Of course they want to convert it to a mosque as well.

Athens may be boring architecturally, because it was under Turkish occupation from 1421 to 1821 (400 yrs). Needless to say, they raped, destroyed, and burned everything architecturally significant. However, the Greek architectural elements, in what is todays Modern Turkey, still stands as a reminder of the past. Eventually the Turks were ousted from what is today Modern Greece, but the country was left in ruins. During the following 150 yrs, 1821-1970, Greece underwent a period of deep poverty, unemployment, and 2 World Wars. Even more poverty and ruins ensued. Turkey sided with the Germans of course and did not get affected. Most of those concrete buildings in Athens and in most sizeable Greek cities, were all built during the 60's and 70's. During to economic hardship, a law was passed that allowed homeowners to knock down their architecturally significant homes. so they can build 4-6 story buildings. Usually each floor was given to each of their children. That's why homeownership is Greece is high, despite their low incomes.

The only thing still standing is the Acropolis and the greek symbol, the Parthenon, which was also partially ruined by the Turks who used it as an explosive storage facility. Amazing!

Greece may not have much architecture, but they have culture and spirit! They enjoy life, they sing, they dance, and anyone who goes to Greece, comes back with a better appreciation and positive outlook on life! The Turks and the muslim culture could never take that away from them or come close to blending with the rest of europe. This is why Turkey will never become a member of the European Union. Human rights are far from western standards.

Plus Greece has the thousands of miles of beaches and thousands of beautiful Greek Isles. I am sure the Turks now regret not taking those too!

Sorry for the history lesson, but it kinds explains the boring Urbanism in Athens.

Don't mistake my comments on Athens for the entire country of Greece. The old city (Plaka) is a fascinating place- its just a very very small part of modern day Athens. Even in its heyday however many thousands of years ago, there was only so much population that could be supported by the agricultural systems at the time, so the cities remained small. That only changed in the 19th century when modern mass-agricultural practices changed and allowed more people to be supported on a give piece of land than ever before. Thats why Athens is as large as it is today, and why we have huge cities in places where they wouldn't have been possible before (Dubai, UAE for example).

I think Turkey will be admitted someday. They have a lot of improvements to make first, though.