Out Of Istanbul..Dolmabahce, Out Of This World !

While I'm out of Istanbul, I want to leave you with this beautiful presentation on the Dolmabahce Palace. This is one beautiful building...palace...monument....that sits majestically by the Bosphouros and you'll be awed and amazed by its beauty even if you have passed it for a thousand time. Its simply breathtaking and you'll never get tired or bored with its splendid architecture and a sense of romance surrounding it. I've always wanted to show its grand beauty but I thought that my photographs are too plain and do not do it justice until I was given a copy of this wonderful slide presentations. I would like to thank the authors (as per the presentations) and to congratulate them for these masterpiece which I hope to share with all of you readers out there.

breathtaking, isn't she ?? the Dolmabahce viewed from a Bospohorus cruise...

a picture paint a thousand words....!!

more views from the Bosphorus....watch the video to see more of these majestic and magnificient palace.....from all angles

if you think this is magical....watch the video and see the interiors....email me for a better close-up view of the interiors. i could not upload it here..due to various reasons....

Dolmabahce literally mean....Filled garden. Just as midye dolma means 'stuffed mussel'. What does it mean? Well...in an engineering term, its 'reclaimed garden'. That means, sands or (any) filling materials have been dumped onto the existing garden to maybe make the level higher or bigger. Its probably both. You can read the description in the slide presentation. 

Dolmabahce is now open to the public and you pay a small fee to enter the main palace and another fee to enter the Harem (living quarters...in case you men out there are beginning to get excited!) If you are a student, then you only need to pay TL1 (as I did). Thank you God! But silly me  forgot to buy the additional ticket to enter the Harem so I had to wait outside while my friends went in. There I was...sitting forlornly outside the harem, cursing myself for being so careless...when the guard suddenly beckoned to me and asked me to go in. Gee...thank you God, again! I must have looked sooo pitiful out there..... 

This is just one of the many instances to prove to you how friendly and nice the Turks are. They had on numerous occasions, waved away a bus fare, a change and even just gave away something they sell as hediye (present). Small gesture but meaningful, nonetheless. See...I did say that they are NICE people, didn't I?

Taking photograph in the palace is not allowed but many will try to 'steal' a shot. It is sooo beautiful that you just can't help it. But aha...I'm quite disciplined and I didnt take any shot, really!

Once you have completed your tour, don't forget to visit the "Clock museum" which is to your left as you approached the small roundabout after coming out from the harem. And....just when you thought your tour has ended....you'll be mesmerised by the wonderful collections of antiques and rare (mechanical) clocks. If you think that you've seen them all ( I mean the clocks), be prepared to be "stunned" by the collections. I was really mesmerised by the astrological clock that could even foretell when an eclipse was going to happen centuries later. The clocks will tick but some hearts might stop ticking.....it IS really awesome!!! I had to be dragged out of the tiny museum. And if the guard likes you, he'll signal to you to see the most 'special' clock of them all...ohhh..I have no photo to show but please....take my words for it and go see the CLOCKS!!! And then, tell me if I have misrepresented to with lies!

My postings would be a bit irregular for the next couple of weeks as I enjoy my tropical paradise.......he he...are you hating me already??? Its the sun, sea...and glorious food....Yee.....Ha.......!!!!

With 2 Lindas and a Madi, when they came to visit in spring. The simit was our breakfast for the day !! Yeah i know, I’m a terrible host,we were out of ‘gas’ and could not cook...what clever tricks, eh??

CLICK HERE - Dolmabahce Palace - With narration

CLICK HERE for more photos of Dolmabahce Palace

CLICK HERE - More on Dolmabahce Palace

( Email me for a close-up views of the interiors - in slide presentation)

Acknowledgement :

Thank you to Mr.Ting Men Choon, a fellow civil engineer and comrade for all his valuable and tireless  inputs and feedback on how to improve this blog and also for forwarding me this slides. Ting remain my true mentor and sifu which started when he taught me 'mind-mapping' a few years ago. The  "Coffee-Bean" cafe in Subang Jaya became our classroom. While he normally presented at a paid conference to others, I learned for free! Lucky me, eh? So, when I had the opportunity to do a mass-lecture at a local university, I too, did not hesitate to teach the students the 'mind-map' that Ting once taught me. In life, what goes around comes around and we must always pay forward, and hope that it will make a difference to someone.


Sorry Ting...can't do the Blog by 'mind-mapping'.....!!