Thematic Photographic 140: By land, sea or air

This week over at Carmi's blog, the theme is "By land, sea or air". See other posts and join in here.  The title took me straight to the photos from my trip to Turkey last year.

Firstly, Carmi's photo of vapour trails meant that I just had to post this one. I had woken early in my hotel room in Bursa, and drew the curtains to see this:

Istanbul is such a fabulous place - I would love to go back there some time. The narrow 'sea' that runs right through the middle of the city divides two continents; Europe is on the western side, Asia on the east. This was taken through a bus window while crossing one of the many bridges. I guess it counts as 'by land' ... ?

By ferry we crossed the Sea of Marmara to begin our two weeks of travelling around central and southern Turkey:

In Antalya, on the Turkish Mediterranean, I took a 'cruise' on the harbour. This shot shows part of the Old Port.

Lastly, another ferry shot - crossing the Dardanelles, on the way to Gallipoli and thence back to Istanbul:

(click on photos to embiggen)

3 Things that Make me Happy on a Monday

Mondays aren't great, traditionally.  Although you're supposed to have rested up over the weekend, and be full of energy, it really seems a very long time until the next weekend.

Plus, it's been a long and busy day at school (aren't they all??).

I thought I'd do the positive thinking approach and post about 3 things that bring me joy.

#1 Lighthouses  There's just something about them: strength, pride, danger, loneliness. This one's at Castlepoint, a (normally) wild and windy place on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand.

Castlepoint Lighthouse

#2 Mosaics   I've dabbled a little in making some, and plan to do a lot more - some day, when time expands. One of the reasons I went to Turkey was to feast my eyes on the beautiful mosaic work:

 

Mosaic above door, Green Tomb, Bursa

#3 Water  Always makes me feel happy and peaceful, whether it's a lake, river or the sea.

Lake Rotorua, New Zealand

What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life.

~ Leo Buscaglia 

What cheers you up on a Monday?

Alexia

Thematic Photographic 120: Savour

What a very intriguing theme this week.

If I were to post pictures of all or even a small percentage of the the things I savour, I'd be here till Christmas - and everyone would have lost interest and hitched a ride elsewhere.

So: pick one. What is better than music, or beautiful paintings, or the beach, or ciabatta, or a chilled glass of a good New Zealand white wine, or a warm apricot just picked ripe from the tree? What is more to be savoured than the smell of freesias, or the taste of espresso coffee? A good book, a perfect poem, an amazing movie? Can I choose anything which rates above my dog racing to greet me when I open the gate, a rib-crushing hug from my son, or the thrill I get from teaching clever, responsive young people?

Too hard.  But I have managed to finally decide that my post will be about something I really delight in, relish, enjoy to the full: travel. I really do savour the thrill of visiting other countries, finding out how people live, touching the past.

Turkey is one of the most interesting places I have ever been.

Shopping precinct, Bursa

Goreme: this woman was making a silk carpet in the traditional manner.

Cappadocia has some of the most amazing natural land formations you'll ever see:

 

This shot is of the Temple of Zeus at the ancient city of Corinth, in Greece.

 

At the Monastery of St Stephen, actually a convent, high high in the mountains of Meteora in Greece: this was such a beautiful, pleaceful place.

Thanks, Carmi and KBF, for giving me a chance to post some of my travel shots.