otherchelebi

Thanks for the information Yestravel and the invitation Samuell.

Samuell, please write to me at the address I have for comments on my book and other writings, [email protected]

Then, I can give you our contact phones just in case you feel uncomfortable about anything and maybe we can also meet.

Here's some good news for you: Schools will be officially closed November 2, day after election, thus making traffic lighter in Istanbul.

wtm003

I'll also vote for the PNW. We did a Vancouver-Olympic National Park-Seattle loop a few years ago. Loved Vancouver! I still need to go to Victoria.

Samuell, I'm glad your trip is still on. Have a wonderful time!

Croesus

I see the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago has some nice Near/Middle Eastern pieces - https://oi.uchicago.edu/museum-exhib...tolian-gallery

otherchelebi

Thanks Croesus for bringing that to my attention.

We felt privileged tonight to have attended the concert of the amateur European Choir (70-80 chorists) performing Welsh composer Karl Jenkins's "Stabat Mater".

Jenkins had included in the medieval poem, pieces from the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and Jalal Al-Din Rumi, the first to some thundering drum beats, possibly to say that the sadness of a mother losing her child is not always a quiet affair.

We had a friend who was in the choir, which was fine for an amateur ensemble.

The 20-25 piece orchestra was from the city of Bursa and performed quite well. The solo performances and the reed player were OK.

We followed it with a great kebap feat at the new Kasibeyaz on the Bosphorus to remove ourselves from the lament and the evil that pervades our world.

samuell

wtm,

Yes, eight more sleeps...thanks to you and many others.
You must visit not just Victoria, but the island, and islands around us...

If you do, best in summer and we are usually home to meet up.

annhig

sounds like a very good concert, OC. I've heard [but not yet sung in] Jenkins' The Armed Man but not this piece. Is the European Choir a permanent feature or are they touring?

otherchelebi

The European Choir has been a permanent amateur feature in Istanbul as far back as I can remember being interested in the type of music they make. Meaning, about thirty years or so.

I think it was originally founded by some expats and interested Turks. We had another friend in it, Evelynne, who has been back in Paris for twenty years or so but we still communicate. A schoolmate, a good tenor, who passed away two years ago, also used to participate as he did with a jazz group and at some friendly gatherings with his guitar to sing old American and Irish ballads.

To get a feel of some of the composer's additions, you can listen to the Turkish national Kurdish singer, Aynur, whose following song has always hit me as "out of this world." Can you imagine her singing this at a Byzantine underground Cistern or a historic Turkish bath? As you can tell it is also a lament.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAzN0XiwUR8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlUGEO7advc (the clarinet player is Syrian)

and here's some sufi music with reed and drums by the well-known reed (ney) player Mercan Dede : It is called, Nerdesin? "Where are you?" (repeated throughout)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLvq5U-X6BM

annhig

beautiful and haunting - thanks for posting it, OC.

otherchelebi

AKP government and the President are playing too many trumps and high cards this last week before the elections.

A large commercial-industrial-media group opposed to AKP (used to be on the same line till three years ago as supporters of the Gulen movement) was taken over by the government yesterday and today, with drummed up charges and without due course of justice, on the orders of the public prosecutor.
The caretaker management solely composed of AKP bigshots and supporters immediately forced shut down of two of the national TV stations although the newspapers may still be active. Protesting employees and managers weere tear gassed and hosed with water cannon and some were arrested.

This automatically brings to mind all the false accusations the same newspapers and others supporters of the Gulen movement and AKP jointly employed against other journalists, armed forces officers and intellectuals between 2008 and 2012.

The Arabs say "men dakka dukka" I think, meaning, "what you sow, you reap"

In the former occasions, there was some semblance of law. This time around even that does not exist.

Yet, all opinion polls (officially unavailable since last week) point to an increase in AKP votes, despite the disregard for law, authoritarian rule, the bombings, the security force casualties directly caused by the government starting and escalating hostilities against armed Kurdish insurgents with whom they were in the process of negotiating an excellent peace.

A long holiday starts tomorrow, ending Monday evening. We shall see if the higher income groups and the more educated will stay home and vote for the liberal/left or go on vacation instead.

In the meantime, a number of ISIS cells have been raided possibly for the first time, in earnest and potential bombers and bombs found and captured. The targets appeared to be armed forces and HADEP or the Kurdish party in general.

Come and join the election excitement.

And tomorrow, 29th OCtober, we should have the Victory Day fireworks on the Bosphorus in the area between Kabatas-Uskudar and the First Bosphorus Bridge.

Best places to watch will be Kabatas, Uskudar, Dolmabahce, Ortakoy, Beylerbeyi and Cengelkoy Squares; Swiss Hotel, Ciragan Palace Kempinsky, Four Seasons Bosphorus, Radisson Blue Bosphorus, House Hotel Ortakoy. our balcony (as IAMDonehere can attest) and Marmara Taksim Hotel as well as the new CVK Hotel.

annhig

Thanks for the update, OC. it certainly sounds like an interesting time to be in Turkey.

bilboburgler

When you stress people they seek the comfort of things they are familiar with. The book "1984" gives you all the clues you need to be able to manipulate a population.

otherchelebi

Well, hope for a democratic Turkey has disappeared. AKP has a strong majority. They can pass any laws they like with their 316 seats. The opposition may be allowed to speak occasionally but will have no effect on what laws are passed.

A well known AKP supporting columnist gleefully claimed tonight that "the intellectuals received the slap they deserved."

I will stop writing about politics on this thread and concentrate only on travel information from now on. However will have my last stand with my tweets from last week, some days before the election.


Ahmet C. Celebiler ‏@ahmetcelebiler Oct 29
#Turkey Nomadic heritage and being a subject people for thousands of years demands iron fisted, irrational rule & unfortunately gets it.
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Oct 29
#Turkey can't see ahead or care due to nomadic heritage, the belief that one can always migrate after polluting this one with stupidity.
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Ahmet C. Celebiler ‏@ahmetcelebiler Oct 29
#Turkey was embroiled in the morass with other ME countries like Egypt, Syria, Iraq and has unfortunately reached the point of no return.

Oct 29
#Turkey #IdesofNovember The country will suffer misrule and misery peaking with the next Istanbul earthquake, 20 years hence.
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Ahmet C. Celebiler ‏@ahmetcelebiler Oct 29
#Turkey looking forward to another election November 1, just as its looking forward to the scientifically soon expected Istanbul earthquake.

Oct 29
#Turkey facing another national election with no hope of educated, rational voter behavior. Shows man made catastrophe worse than God made.

Oct 29
#Turkey having provoked & supported ethnic and religious violence abroad is now in the threshold of escalation of domestic provocation.


Possible effects of election outcome:

- The TL is expected to appreciate in the short term.

- PKK activity will slow down for the short term but may escalate before December.

- There will be no safety issues for the traveler in the short to medium term.

- More and more parks, natural beeches and forests will make way to concrete structures with no consideration for the environment or for aesthetics.

- This Winter may be the last time the away from the sight Kartalkaya ski area will have the beautiful route through the forests and mountains of Northwestern Bolu.

annhig

So sad to see the election result, OC. BBC's From our own Correspondent had a good piece yesterday about how the government were linking the PKK and ISIS together, despite the fact that they are sworn enemies, and thus frightening people into voting for them for fear of something worse. Looks like the tactic worked.

Stay safe and do keep us up to date with the situation in Turkey.

lauramsgarden

I am so sorry OC, to hear the election news. it sounds so discouraging and disheartening - I hope your philosopher's heart can hold strong.

Fra_Diavolo

Sad, but not surprising. When people feel threatened they vote for security. Politicians know this and have exploited it since time immemorial.

otherchelebi

Thanks lauramsgarden.

Annhig & Fra_Diavola you're right of'course.

One may even consider the "Stockholm Syndrome"

kleeblatt

FRUSTRATING!!!!!

Don't stop writing about your political thoughts, OC. They help us see how multi-dimensional Turkey really is.

PS: Fear-breeding political tactics unfortunately work in a time of instability. A prime example is George W. Bush as he was elected for his second term.

bilboburgler

triangled

progol

I, too, add my heartfelt sadness about the election results. Agree with all the comments above about fear, insecurity and their use by politicians - and yet, people do buy into the manipulations. Frustrating is the word.

Please don't stop sharing your thoughts about politics here - it's very refreshing to read your comments, especially after reading and watching the news. I turn to your posts to understand better what is going on.

otherchelebi

Thanks to all again,

- Turkish Lira gained over 4% within an hour of election results, dipped another percen and climbed to the 3.7% again.

- It seems that the Neo-Nationalist MHP was punished by their supporters for refusing to join potential coalition against AKP when the three parties had the chance after June 7. They lost half their seats (from 80 to 40)

- The Kurdish party lost both the feudal vote (feudal leaders having been bought by AKP in the Southeast?) and possibly some fear vote. They also lost some sympathy vote in the West but that is negligible in comparison to the bigg losses in their own domain. They barely made it above the 10% threshold but kept 58 of their previous 81 seats.

- The left/liberal CHP slighty increased vote and number of seats but that becomes meaningless in view of its lack of use as a deterrent against enactment of new repressuive laws or potential illegal and unethical activities by the authoritarian government.

- United States and EU voiced concern over the single party authoritarian rule but unless Erdogan steps on their toes hard enough to cause pain or hit the bunions, they will just mutter, complain and try to find some advantages for their benefit under the new circumstances. As long as the AKP government keeps the two and a half million Syrian refugees within its borders, EU will write some negative reports, postpone Turkey's membership in the EU and feel justified for having supported Erdogan.

- The fact that a dictatorial Turkey or one pushed towards civil strife by the government disciplining their opponents, critics, the rebellious Kurds, the unhappy Alevis or the totally useless intellectuals may actually hurt EU in the medium to long term is too far ahead even for European politicians. Apres moi la deluge!!!

I made a Thai-Indian fusion stir fry vegetable medley yesterday with jasmine rice on the side and ate a whole 80 gram bar of 80% cocoa dark chocolate afterwards while watching some classics like "Butterfield 8" and "Auntie Mame" with two friends to calm myself last night. They and Eser showed more stress, I think. I just broke out in hives, safely blaming Elizabeth Taylor.