Tuesday, can't say I have specific plans yet, that usually means going to the Eminonu area for breakfast and shopping and visiting with my friends. Though at this point I have to be careful about buying as I have shipped packages and have limited space in my suitcases, lol
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I am officially on my last week now. WOW, what an amazing summer it has been but I am winding down, getting mostly rest and ready to see my DH more than anything. I hope he misses me. You're the best babe! Thank you SO MUCH for this amazing trip
wow, the trip is nearing an end now, I am so very thankful to have enjoyed my summer here in Turkiye. here's some more wonderful art from the kiddo's. Their teacher being my dear friend, Dilek.
don't you love that COFEE theme one?
It's the weekend! I can't believe I just have a little time left. I am likely to go over to the Bakirkoy pazaar this Saturday and then maybe stop by Eminonu or go all the way to Ortakoy depending on how early I get going. Though I think activity in Ortakoy goes on Sunday as well, so I may go there on Sunday instead.
Happy Friday everyone! Here's a Turkish theme card showing Istanbul. This is the Hagia Sophia. Currently it is under reconstruction, so there is much cover over the dome where they are rebuilding. It went from being a museum to being a mosque a couple a years ago. Now it's still a mosque, but for foreigners they still charge a high fee (1100 Turkish liras) to enter and you can only enter the top area (not the bottom floor anymore).
Happy Thursday everyone. I hope you are all having a great week for the middle of July. What is everyone doing this month? I have been talking so much about what I am doing I haven't asked everyone what's going on.
Well, it's Wed, so you know what that means....yep, Fatih Pazaar....even though I have to control my shopping now, I just can't resist this amazing event this week. There's a couple of ladies that I often run into who make the most beautiful handmade laces here. I find it hard to resist!!
Happy Tuesday. As the trip winds down I have to control my shopping more because I have FULL suitcases and have already gotten ready or shipped my packages home so I can't be buying MORE laces (which you know I want to do, lol.....) EEEKKKK, so hard not to. Ha ha.
Just two weeks let to enjoy. I can't believe the summer is nearing an end already. WOW. I have some more wonderful art from the kiddos in Turkiye. How sweet are they?
Happy Saturday. Hoping to get a chance to visit with my friends while I am here. One of them is a teacher and she and I met when she was in the USA with her then husband while he completed his PHd at Texas Tech University. She will have just a little time to visit as her mother lives in another city outside of Istanbul, so she will be leaving when school gets out to go stay with her.
WOW, I can't believe I have been in Turkiye so long and I just have two weeks left. LOL. I know most people don't even get a two week vacation, but I will miss Turkiue so much. I am so spoiled. I am so thankful to all the kind people here who have been so friendly and helped me and of course to my dear hubby. Here's a thank you in Spanish, but let me write it here in Turkish-- Teşekkür ederim
Ahh, Thursday, if I remember correctly today is the weekly pazaar in Cemberlitas neighborhood. They don't have a lot of laces there, but they usually have a couple of tables that might be worth looking at. Then I like to take the train to Sirkeci and either ride the Marmaray under the sea to Uskadar or take a ferry. There's some lovely art stores there and that's a nice afternoon.
So it's wed now and the good thing about Wednesdays is the weekly pazaar in Fatih. I am looking forward to finding some good laces there. WOO HOO. Every once in a while I get some really good stuff there, but even on regular weeks, I still may find some nice cheaper laces than what you would get at the retail stores in Eminonu.
Happy July 8th. Hope this day finds you well. I am looking forward to relaxing today and walking around a lot. It's getting warmer now that we are in July, but here in Turkiye, Istanbul in particular, it is still significantly cooler than in Austin where I come from.
Happy monday. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, thanks for checking in on me today. I am betting that I will be going shopping today, lol, on a day in Turkiye, that's a pretty good bet. Hmmm, what should we shop for? lace? yep, I think we should look for some yummy laces. Either way, let's make today AMAZING!
Here's some more wonderful works by the kiddos in Turkiye, I just love their beautiful artworks. I hope these kids are having a wonderful summer and enjoyed their first year or "middle school" as we would call it in America.
Happy Saturday. So, this makes it a month in Turkiye now. WOW. How awesome is that? I am going to enjoy either the pazaar in Barkirkoy today or a crafting festival that is weekly in Ortakoy. I can take the train all the way to the last stop and then walk a couple miles or wait and take a ferry all the way there. Hmmm. Ferry is definitely easier...
it's summertime, so as the card says, HOORAY for ice cream!
Happy Independence Day to my friends in the USA. Happy Friday to the rest of my friends around the world. For my DH I want to send a little "Miss You" note. Kisses Babe.
So as I am sure some of you recall, I was at my mother's home back in April and made a bunch of cards. Some of those cards had a Turkish theme to them, so I thought I would share those this summer. Here's one that has to do with my most recent trip to Konya
So today is Wednesday. The thing to do on Wednesday is go-to the Fatih pazaar. I must confess at least once I couldn't find it. How crazy am I? It's HUGE!! and, well, it's RIGHT NEXT to the Fatih Mosque. If that's not a landmark, c'mon. I must have been crazy that day. At any rate, now I know WHERE it is, and it's so HUGE, I know where inside that pazaar to go to find the fabric/laces. Also, there's usually some ladies who do handmade work that you can go see in a couple places. I should be able to walk from where my airbnb is to the pazaar, though technically I could walk it last year even though my friends thought that was crazy
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to one of my friends here in Istanbul! Hamide, best wishes my Friend. I hope you have a wonderful day and blessed year ahead.
Happy Monday! I can't believe we are at the end of June already. WOW. How quickly time has passed. I have 28 wonderful days left to enjoy. what would you all like to see in Istanbul? i have to say the Hagia Sofia is under reconstruction now so going by it on the train everyday is nice but not the same as before. (Dont' get me wrong, this is very necessary work, I am so happy they are doing necessary repairs.) BUT, I miss that amazing site that it used to be. I imagine it will now be this way (reconstruction) for YEARS and years. Plus, for tourists like me, you can't even go into the base floor of the Hagia Sofia inside anymore. Sigh. The Hagia Sofia is mostly just a memory. Sending everyone Peace and love today
Happy Sunday everyone, here's a little card that I got from a store here in Turkiye on Istikal street in Istanbul. Istikal street is an iconic shopping area that I will visit every summer at least once or twice. It starts at Taksim square and continues down to the Galata tower. This card shows Famous Turkish Leader Ataturk.
Happy Saturday everyone! My favorite thing to do on Saturday is to go to one of the largest street pazaars in Istanbul. Pazaar because it's just a one day thing, as opposed to a bazaar which is typically a structurally built location and daily. On Saturday one of the biggest pazaars is in Barkirkoy. This pazaar is particularly important because it is very near the textile district so there's tons of things to find for me. Pre-covid, you wouldn't believe the amount of lace, now, it's hit or miss.
Happy Friday everyone. Well today I should be back in Istanbul. I have a lovely 11 days in Eskisehir and Konya. I can't believe I am at the end of three weeks in Turkiye now. WOW. What a blessing I have been given.
Taking the train from Konya back to Istanbul. It's a long ride, but then I think how long would it be if I was going to the airport, waiting around, getting to IST, taking an hour long expensive ride back to the city.....might as well just take the train....I really hope they have WIFI. lol, man I am spoiled, lol
for you DH
Hoping to enjoy my last day in Konya walking around, shopping, looking for lace, etc. Just taking in the city center for the most part. I will take the train tomorrow back to Istanbul. In the meantime, here's a card I made for my DH, i'll ride the waves with you babe!
While in Konya the other things I would like to see are the Whirling Dervishes and their gorgeous museums. I made a huge list of what to see, they also have a huge and famous butterflly garden from what I hear, there is also a UNESCO world heritage site (I think) nearby that was built by the Hittites.
Hello, happy Monday, I can't believe I have been in Turkiye for several weeks now! WOW. Am I just blessed or what? if I am lucky and following my schedule then I am in Konya now. I wish to see an important UNESCO World Heritiage site called Catalhoyuk which is one of the earliest human settlements ever. It's in central Turkiye near Konya.
Still enjoying things in Eskisehir, the other things I hope to see are the various museums and the whole thing that got my attention about this city in the first place was their renowned glass museum. I can't wait to see that and several other lovely little museums, then perhaps get some wonderful lace shopping done.
Life is short, roam far and wander wide....so I am still in Eskisehir and wishing to see so many things in this city. One thing I am looking forward to is called the Midas wall, or Midas Monument in the Phrygian valley. I will post my own photos on FB later, but check out this you tube (NOT BY ME) video that shows it 2025 LZ Phil #1 9x16 Full Length
Hello, day one of Eskisehir. There was a lot of things I am hoping to see in this city including the old houses, of which I am staying in one as a Boutique hotel. I can't wait to see the Meerschaum, which is this white substance that kind of looks like ivory, that is carved ornately into things like pipes and mini statuettes. I have a huge list for this city. I will share photos on my FB hopefully, you can find me there at Holley Tondre Barnhart.
Here's a little card for today
Happy June 16th. So happy to be here having fun. Trying to keep my lace shopping under control, lol. That can be hard here when there is just SO much beautiful lace. And sometimes I find NEW stores. Can you believe that? after coming year after year, every once in a while I stumble into a building or down and alley or in a totally different area of town and SURPRISE.....
Today is the day that I scheduled to go to Eskisehir, which is a city about 2 hours train ride away. I have never been on a high speed train before. We don't really have that where I live in Texas. I certainly have not traveled city to city before by train.
Here's some lovely cards made by my dear friend Dilek's class in Istanbul. Her kiddos are just so sweet. LAST summer, they made me these artworks when I visited her classroom, you all KNOW I especially LOVE the COFFEE one.
Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you have plans for a great weekend. I am on day 9 in Turkiye now. WOW. I am finally acclimated and enjoying the cooler weather that they have compared to Texas. But I am happy on days of the sunshine because June can be a rainy month in Istanbul. I have bought more umbrellas that I care to admit....
Happy Birthday Dad, have a great day. I hope you do something special today. I will find you something good in Turkiye.
I say summertime, but I don't think it's technically Summer yet....in Istanbul it's around mid to upper 70s most early days of June then in the low 80s (F) By late June, we will hit the 100s (F). That's super hot because there is a fair amount of humidity and there's no air conditioning. Though, if my Airbnb doesn't have a fan, I will buy one.
Well, it's been almost a week already since i have been in Turkiye. Aren't I spoiled? I guess many people don't even get a week of vacation. I am so blessed to be here for almost two months this summer. I am thankful. 
Wow I am in Turkiye. Albeit I am a little jet lagged, I just can't sleep in a strange bed without my husband, I mean eventually my body will take over and I will just sleep, but for now I am like a walking zombie, lol Make that and excited happy walking zombie
Hmmm, second day in Istanbul and it's a Friday (which also means everything shuts down for several hours in the afternoon for prayer time), What should I do? hmmmm, Lace Shopping? I am thinking so.
So my flight time is actually less than 24 hours, but there is airport layover time, time change,....so I don't get to Turkiye until MIDNIGHT Thursday. (basically Wednesday late night--I had to book a room for June 4th). Will be more than relieved when I arrive and super exhausted as I don't sleep at the airport or the on the plane, so at this point I am deliriously tired. But also, SO excited that I just can't sleep. How weird is that? it will be a while before I am on regular sleep.
SO let me say Merhaba! or Hello in turkish.
So today I am just in the sky and at the airport in London. I hope the time for the flight is accurate and that the flight exchange goes smoothly. Good thing is that I am business class so if I have excess time once through security I can goto the business class lounge if I want to.
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