Istanbul, it's not Constantinople

My latest and greatest adventure had me fly around the world to see the Black Sea and explore the city of Istanbul. This city is unique in the fact that it spreads over two continents and over the Bosporus. It is a charming and interesting city with wonderfully friendly people and many great things to eat. 

Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country. Officially it is secular, but the population mostly practices Islam. The mosques are beautiful, and I was able to go into a couple of them. The call to prayer is heard five times a day and it's a beautiful sound. It's one of those city's sounds, like Big Ben, or police sirens in Boston. It's a familiar regularity.  The smell of roasted chestnuts is everywhere!  

I wanted to come to this specific place because of the water way, the fact that it crosses two continents, and the amazing foods. There was ice cream, frozen yogurt, and baklava everywhere. 

I found mosques and old buildings. I found the grand Bazaar, which has been operational since before Columbus sailed to the new world. I found a public high school in the middle of the city that looked like a mansion. It was built by the French and given to Turkey as a gift. 

I also made a new friend. My friend Heather's brother, Michael, lives in this amazing city. His wife, Ece, is Turkish and grew up in this fascinating place. She amazed me when she drove through traffic I would never dare to attempt. Michael is a musician, and we went through lots of stores with musical instruments, a man even played a bunch of them for us. I learned about a lot of different musical instruments that day. 

There were so many things I did not get to see and I'm grateful for the things I did get to see. It was an extremely short trip and with the time difference it made it difficult to get out and about. Michael was extremely helpful and I wouldn't have seen as much as I did without his amazing helpfulness. 

I decided on the last night I stayed to take a commuter ferry over to the Asian side. Just so I could see Asia and say I've been there. That was interesting. 

The city is full of graffiti, trash, and stray animals, despite this, it is charming and not nearly as frightening as I thought it would be. It seems the Turkish have their priorities in line, they take care of each other, they take care of the animals, who are like tiny furry citizens. Everything else is an afterthought. They are kind and pleasant and willing to explain things, even when you don't speak their language (google translate was an excellent resource in this place). It was a wonderful visit; I wish I had more time or a traveling companion. It was definitely a place to revisit and explore more. 

Exploring local travel methods: The Ferry

While I was in Istanbul, my main objective was to take the ferry to Asia. Traveling on my own this became a task I had to figure out alone. I did some google searches, I looked on the maps, but everything on the ferry website was in Turkish, with no maps, just written locations. I searched the locations on my iPhone map and tried to find which port had anything close by I wanted to see (book shops, restaurants, a notable mosque, or museum) I worked on this for two days.  When I finally got the courage to try myself it was after 7pm at night and I was leaving the next day.  Moral of the story: look things up before going, this is a lesson I have never learned. 

Interestingly enough, there was a brand-new ferry location near my hotel (Michael and Ece told me about it), so, I decided to just walk to it. According to what I could decipher on the website they were open until 11pm and it was about 8pm at this time. I wandered the streets, looking ridiculous, peering down at my map to see where I was every few blocks and I found the commuter ferry!

The dock was surrounded by little shops and amazing little restaurants with men standing outside of them trying to lure people to dine. 

The next problem was, I don't speak Turkish, and other than "thank you" and "discount" I really didn't know any of it. At all. Thankfully after struggling with the ticket machine, I discovered there was a button for many languages. Apparently, I wasn't the only traveler unfamiliar with Turkish as two Russian women attempted to communicate with me in Russian and German, I explained to them in both languages, I only speak English and I was sorry.  I hope they found their way. 

I bought my ticket and waited for the ferry to arrive and go to Eminonu, it was the only stop at this location. I thought I saw this name on the other side, so in reality, I did not completely understand where it was going, I just knew it was possibly going to the other side of the Bosporus. I watched anxiously on the iPhone to see where I was going and when I ended up in Eminounu, I feared I made a mistake. Suddenly every fear I ever had came popping in my head. " You don't really know where you are going." My brain kept telling me, "You are going to get stuck somewhere if you keep going. You'll never get home. You'll end up trapped on the other side. You are literally going to get stuck in Asia." 

I quieted these voices and sat back down. There was no map, except my phone telling me where I was going. There were no normal routes posted on the ship that I could find, I did look. Also, there was no announcement I could hear. Even if there were, I don't speak Turkish. I began to think it was the dumbest thing I've ever done. 

The ship came back on, motors churning below me, and it took off. My only thought was, "what if it goes back to where I started?" but it did not. I watched on my phone as the ship took its course across the Bosporus and into Asia. I went out to the deck and watched the buildings and water. It was a beautiful night and the weather was perfect. 

I made it across. I stepped into Asia. I realized I did it myself and a sense of pride, and happiness, some relief washed over me as I saw where the Ferry back to where I came from was clearly marked. 

St. Louis, Missouri: Botanical Gardens

My sister had a delivery, in St. Louis, Missouri and invited me to tag along. St. Louis is most famous for the Arch- the gateway to the west- which we did go and see, but the botanical garden needs a shout out. When I go places, I love to look at the botanical gardens. It's so amazing to see the different plants and sculpture collections in different places. Especially the Chihuly. The botanical gardens always seem to have amazing glass works from Dale Chihuly.  

This botanical garden is very special, just like all botanical gardens. The rose garden was amazing. There were so many different roses and the yard they were in was huge.  The sculptures nearby were pretty and placed in various places around fountains. Some were naked (shocker). 

As we walked around there was a large pond and an entire little green house dedicated to herbs. This botanical garden hosts a garden with all sorts of fruits and veggies, which I could only imagine is amazing in the summer months. Its purpose is not only to help feed the community but to teach people how to grow their own food, which is exciting for so many reasons!  

I can't even describe how large this place is, but it is very large. We couldn't have seen everything in one day even if we wanted to and it was fall and getting colder so there was less to see. We went through the tropical room and looked at all the tropical plants. I always love seeing the tropical plants because they are so foreign to me. In Michigan the only tropical plants I see are in the botanical gardens so it's always a treat to see the large palms and orchids flowering as if they belong here. We even saw a huge banana tree thriving! 

In the gift shop I purchased Persian Buttercups and I can't wait to see what they look like in the spring. Truly a memory in my yard. 

Here is where I went: 

FlannelJax's: Axe Throwing

Sometimes excitement does not have to be far away. In fact, I found this bit excitement right here in my little city of Grand Rapids. (I shouldn't say little, we have pigeons downtown just like big cities!) Basically, I went Axe throwing! I never really thought about it but it's kind of neat. Picking up this piece of heavy, sharpened metal and heaving it at target. Even more incredible is when it sticks and doesn't bounce back at your feet. 

First of all, they are all about safety. Upon entering the facility, they make sure you understand the rules and sign the waiver. It's no fun unless you sign the waiver, right?

Then a person walks you through axe throwing and how to do it safely, without taking out your ear or having it bounce off the target and take out a toe. The targets are large, but they can still be missed. The axes are sharp, but they can still not attach themselves to the wood. There are two ways to throw, it's pretty simple, so stay with me, one way is you use one hand, over your shoulder and past your ear.  The other way is you use both hands over your shoulder and past your ear. That's it. I found it easier to throw with both hands. 

I hit the target several times and it actually stayed on. It was unbelievably hard at first but after a few throws I could hit it and almost aim, but not really. 

It was a good time, but like all good times, it had to come to an end. Our time was up and I felt a lot stronger and had a newfound confidence in my skill, but not ready to join a competition. If you have any questions about this just AXE me. :) 

This is where I went: 

Premier Axe Throwing & Lumberjack Sports | FlannelJax's (flanneljaxs.com)

Eulogy: My car died, unplanned excitement.

 

A few years ago I bought a Jeep. A red Jeep Renegade. It was love at first sight. Then I drove her. I immediately drove to my house and told my husband (at the time) I was buying this car. There was no discussion. I named her Rosie. I programed the clock to military time (because she's a jeep). Strangers asked me about her. I offered rides to people. I moved residence twice and several times for other people (she was great at moving stuff). She was freedom and luxury.  As a person who never washed her car Rosie had a membership to Mister Carwash. She was the best gift I ever gave myself. 

Sadly, she was taken from me by a drunk driver a week ago. It was a sudden, unexpected, and gut wrenching experience. It wasn't just a car, it wasn't just a huge financial and logistical hardship, it was part of my personality. Many people (more than I can count) said Rosie fit my personality perfectly. She was fun and cheery and I loved driving her. One person's careless actions created a huge loss and a hole in my life. It created a ton of work for a lot of people. The police, the EMT, the insurance, and my poor brother in law Ray (he's been really great and thank God he married my sister), but this is not about drinking and driving. Everyone should know at this point that it is truly the worst thing a person can do and a car can very quickly turn into a missile. 

Yes it was a car. Yes I am thankful I wasn't inside of her (mostly because Rosie's airbags did not deploy and they would've needed the jaws of life to remove me) Yes she can be replaced, but it was the action. The careless action someone took to make me a victim. It was selfish and it was dumb and I just can't stop being angry about it, but I forgive this person and I hope they get help they need (they need a lot of help). I know in time the hurt will stop and I will find another vehicle just a fitting, but it was fun for awhile. Maybe it's lame but thank you Rosie for everything you represented in my life and how you enriched it in ways that only an inanimate object with no feelings can. I will miss you and hope you have parts that can be salvaged for other cars, because after all wouldn't that be the best after life for a vehicle?  

"Guerilla Gardening"- or community volunteerism

Excitement is not always about traveling far away and going to exotic places, sometimes its just a few blocks from your house. I had a wonderful opportunity just the other day and it was only down the street from where I live. I was able to offer my services (basically my body) for some serious planting. 

Here in Grand Rapids there are a lot of vacant lots. I think most cites probably have these. They used to be play grounds or they are where buildings were leveled and sometimes they are abandoned schools or warehouses. The unused land offers us an opportunity and thankfully there are people in my community who recognize this. The particular community organization I was volunteering for is called "Amplify GR" ( Home - Amplify GR). My lovely neighbor Joan is very much into community gardening. A friend of hers called it "Guerilla Gardening" because unused lots can be wonderful places to bring community together and make something beautiful where nothing was before. It not only has the potential to provide food, but it could also be just a wonderful green space for ornamental plants to help the surrounding eco system when the right plants are placed in it. 

I was unclear what this particular lot used to be used for, but like all of Grand Rapids it's part of the Plaster Creek Watershed. The watershed is part of 58 miles where water collects and drains.  A person from Calvin College spoke about the watershed and explained that all the plants we were planting were native plants to the area and this helps the eco system.  (Plaster Creek Watershed - Plaster Creek Stewards | Calvin University) Plaster Creek is actually one of the most polluted watersheds in Michigan and this branch of Calvin College is helping to try to correct this. The plants we planted will help to filter out the air and the ground water. 

The volunteering was very organized and we had groups: perennial planters, sunflower crew (we laid down growing tarps for sunflowers), Mulching, and signage installation. I was on the perennial planting. My best friend and room mate Anna came with me and we dug holes. Lots and lots of holes. More holes that I ever thought a person could dig. The ground had been an abandoned lot so we found lots of glass and some other odd things (like the old shoe pictured above).  As Anna and I dug holes someone would go behind us and put the plants in, sometimes we'd stop and fill the holes with the perennials that were waiting for a home. One particular shrub got me in the eye, just a reminder to wear sunglasses while planting. 

When we finished our perennial planting I moved on to Sunflowers and Anna went to mulching. The area is going to have 3 giant fields of sunflowers which are a variety of different colors.  The Sunflower part is my favorite part. We laid down giant tarps (Which was very labor intensive) then holes get poked in them and seeds dropped in (Less labor intensive). 

At the end of this adventure I realized I should have taken more pictures, but I didn't realize how fascinating this entire process was and how much fun it would be to plant things and make new friends in the community. Honestly I feel really special to have been able to take part in this event and I hope there will be more to come! 

Horseback Riding: Bucket List Item

This has been a crazy year, but I decided it shouldn't stop me from doing new and exciting things, albeit being limited on what those things are.... obviously traveling and eating out has been very limited. One thing I had never done: Horseback riding, I decided this needed to be done. Despite all the dangers of 2020, I was pretty confident I'd be ok and was willing to take the chance. 

So, on a crisp, sunny day on a Sunday in Early November, I went riding. My friend Angee came with me and it was exciting. First they let us get to know our horses, hers was named Caspian and mine was named Windy. Angee's horse was huge. It is a horse used for vaulting. The place we went to is called Legacy Stables in Caledonia, MI and it is also a place where children come and they learn to vault off of horses. They have a lot of programs for children with horses. 

We learned a lot about horses. It's completely unnatural to have someone riding them. It's the only way predators can attack them, so people being on top of them really freaks them out. It takes years of training and it's taken thousands of years to get them to this point. We got to get to know our horses a little before the lesson started. 

First we learned to walk the horse. We walked the horse into this stadium like area, (it was a large barn with a platform to get on the horse), where we could practice walking the horse and then learn to ride the horse. When you walk a horse you have to walk in front and lead them. They will not respond to you if they think you're not in control. Horses are really smart. They follow direction really well, but if they think they can have the upper hand, they will take it. 

After we mounted our horses we learned how to have them walk, turn, and stop. We had two different kinds of saddles, Western and English.  Windy was already equip with an English saddle and I didn't really know the difference so I let them keep it on her. Angee's horse had a Western saddle. The main differences are how much there is to hold onto. Western Saddles are made for wrestling cattle, so there is a lot more to hold on to and English saddles have a lot less.  It was not easy at first. I could not steer the horse and it didn't really seem like she was listening, because she wasn't. You have to tell show the horse you are in charge and you can not be gentle. This was difficult for me, but it was necessary and after a while I was able to soften up on her. 

Then we walked the trail. It is very important when you start on the trail to pull back on the reigns if the horse starts to eat. Horses like to snack along the way and if you let them they will eat constantly (The phrase "eat like a horse" comes to mind). Angee and I learned the hard way and at one point her horse decided he didn't like being told when to snack and jerked the reigns right out of her hands. We had to stop while our guide dismounted and got Angee her reigns back. 

When we arrived back at the stadium we dismounted and walked the horses back to the barn. We were able to feed them horse treats and say goodbye. It was an excellent experience and I might even do it again. It's basically like renting a horse and they teach you how to ride it. 

Here is where we went: 

Legacy Stables & Karin's Horse Connection (karinshorses.com)