Asian Ladies Club Of Istanbul

I finally did it! I had always moved and go about alone but this time, I managed to celebrate an early Valentine with a group of pretty ladies who share similar language and maybe, similar feature,too.

This Asian Ladies Club of Istanbul (members of 30) was initiated sometimes last year but I only knew about it after a friend introduced me to them. They are actually a sub-group of the International Women of Istanbul Group. I had wanted to join that group,too but......frankly, I normally prefer my own company ha ha..so to speak. 

So, there I was...with my humble croissant pudding as a 'peace-offering', and my faithful DSLR on my neck. It was a pot-luck affair and I can't do my usual trick...coming with fruits as an offering. He he..these ladies are killer 'cooks and chefs' and I can't let my country down, can I? Ok..sure, croissant pudding aren't exactly my national dish,is it? Shh...they don't know it...I told them that it was, for breakfast. Perhaps now you would understand why I stay away from any group or club!

There were ladies who originated from Indonesia, The Philippines, Korea, Japan, Romania, Vietnam and Turkey. Almost all these ladies share one thing in common. They're mostly married to local (Turkish) men. Others are Asian ladies married to American and other nationalities. There is also another common thing among them. They're all beautiful. Most of them are also of mixed parentage and that explains their exotic beauty. And most of them are mothers with young children. So that explains why this Group do not arrange group outing or tour outside Istanbul, which I was looking forward to. See...I still have to travel alone. How much fun can that be ???

The Turkish government was very generous with their citizenship last time. A lady got her citizenship the day she got married to her Turkish husband. And then, there is another couple who had to get married in Turkey because in Indonesia, the government do not allow the couple to marry if they are not of same religion. So they had to get married in Turkey as the wife did not want to convert to Islam, even though the husband is a muslim. 

And then, there's some ladies who are neither an Asian or married to one but joined the group anyway, simply because they love the food, or they had been to Asian countries and love the food and everything Asian. One even love a Malaysian singer (Siti Nurhaliza) even though she was in Kuala Lumpur more than 10 years ago. 

As they say in the song....It started with a kiss..but this time it started with a Cake. A beautiful cake specially bought by the gracious host, Shakila Stevenson. Everybody was oohhhing over it. I was told that Turkey only just recently went big on cakes and confectioneries. Seems that few years ago, they had difficulties in getting good cakes from a good shop. Very surprisingly as there are cakes shops almost at every corners in Istanbul now. That's how fast Turkey evolves, even in businesses. The business turnover is very fast,too. After every few months, you'll notice that the shops have changed owners. I wonder how serious is 'bad loans' problem here??

Food, glorious food! Kimchi, rendang, gulai, fried noodles, beef salad, anchovies and 'something', chicken curry etc. etc. I almost 'accidently' ate a bacon sausage rice...where did she get bacon from? It's almost impossible to get pork meat here in Turkey. Phew !!!

The smile before digging in....it was great food, great company and great moment. The food were delicious as they were all home-cooked. What a good way to know of our neighbor's cuisine. Sue..the kimchi's delicious, you must teach me how to do it. I'd always thought that kimchi comes in a bottle??

The host has decorated the house in a beautiful valentine theme. Err..since I'm the latest edition, I get to hold the roses...I think! Kyoto. to my right, has lived in Istanbul for more than 20 years. A turkish-speaking Japanesse, her husband has had businesses in other part of the world as well.I think she is set to live here forever, though her children are in the US. Hey..everybody loves Istanbul. 

Group photo after all the plates are almost empty. That explains the smile on everybody's face. The baby belongs to Neney. The baby is actually a twin. Its a boy and girl twin...how lucky for Neney after waiting for 9 years. See....it was worth the wait.   

Audience captivated and mesmerised by Shakila's performance. She sang Whitney Houston's number and another 'lost love' song. It was so beautiful, we even had one lady crying when she heard the translation. Shakila's releasing a new album and will start the promotion soonest. Look out for her, will yer? You won't regret it...she's a great singer and a natural.

Neney, what are you up to? Neney crushed my theory that there is no happy-ending 'holiday romance'. You see...Neney came to Istanbul for a holiday, fell in love with a local guy, married him and lived happily ever after. Ok...Ok...I know that in my previous posting I warned of falling in love in Istanbul. I'm happy for Neney but how many Neney can that be? Its easy to see how they met, feel in love and married since Neney is such a bubbly and fun person to be with. Even with the 4-month old twins, she doesn't look stressed at all, but happy and cheerful.  

The beautiful and sultry Kim Cahirkaya is the hardworking President of the Club. Her sultry beauty is the result of an American father and a Vietnamese mom. Do not mistook her petite and soft demure 'cos one can see the toughness and seriousness in her  the moment you set eyes on her. Way to go...Kim, keep it up. Don't let these ladies bully you, he he...  

A rare moment when you can catch the President (Kim) smiling. She also did the delicious Red..err..Purple Velvet cake which is almost gone by the end of the day. It was really delicious and was the talk of the day. Well done, Kim. Err...can you bake one for my birthday if I told you my birthdate? 

With beautiful Eva, Eka and Elif. Eva (to my right) and Eka (to my left) are both Indonesians married to Turkish. They both speak fluent Turkce and have lived here for more than 10 years. Both are also bubbly and charming and cheerful. In the black is Elif, a Turkish married to a Belgic who prefer to live here than his homeland. Ahh...she's the right authority on everything Turkish. So..I asked her the question I've been asking around. Do the ladies cook in Turkey? Yes..at home but special dishes will be cooked by the men. Aha...I knew it.....the men are better cooks here. I rest my case ! 

Shakila singing her 'lost love'. I guess there's a Shakila in all of us,huh? Cheer up dearie...it's better to have loved and lost..than not to love at all. What beautiful voice..you could hear a pin-drop in all those silence. This is one talented lady and I know that I'll be one of the first to buy her album. Bravo Shakila....you're born to sing...so keep on singing!!!

She finally smiled....after letting it all out of her chest. See ?? Your life doesn't end just because your love did. Close this door and open another one. Who knows..it could be better !! In fact, I can see that you do have a better life now....

Shakila with her 1.5 year old BoBo. A Chow Chow who followed her around as if she's the youngest kid to her. BoBo trails Shakila everywhere she goes and sleeps on the same bed with her...but the husband doesn't mind. A very affectionate breed and a beautiful sight to look at.

BoBo the LionWolf..she looks like a lion and does not smell like a dog. With her distinct dark blue/purple  tongue, her breed is one of the oldest in the world and originated from Mongolia. Do not be fooled by her gentle demure 'cos her breed is known to be very fierce and protective and have been used to fight off wolves. The Mongolians  used them for war, farming and  on their cattle farm. If you took her out for a walk, she would out-walk you anytime with her huge paws and big stride. Btw....i had to 'court' her for a few hours before she let me come this closed! and that was before I knew how ferocious they can be......

Yes...we love something for our own reasons, don't we? My friend said that, I must go so that I can Blog about it, so why not? And..in the process, I discovered a 'gem'. Among the ladies, is a professional singer from Indonesia.  I am not sure if you knew or have heard of her but apparently, she was BIG in year 2000 when she won the Asia Bagus contest and started to collect her trophy in international events and contest thereafter. Unfortunately, she disappeared for a short while when she was based in the US with her American husband. 

Shakila Stevenson (nee Meiski Shakila Serhalawan) started her singing career at 4 years old in her local church. Her famous uncle, Bob Tutupoly coached her singing and oh..boy...her tenor is so powerful and wonderful and I wondered no more how she could have won all those contest and awards. She did a rendition of "I will always love you" sans music and ........I think, I can safely say....Whitney Houston is alive...again!! CLICK HERE To Hear Shakila sing 'Takkan Hilang' and HERE For Shakila's Katakan

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It was a good Valentine Lunch for us and I feel happier now, knowing that I am not Alone in this beautiful city of Istanbul !!        

Thank you, Ladies......peace be with you....wherever you are..... 

Malaysian Astronaut 'crash-landed' in Istanbul

Okay..he didn't actually crashed-landed but landed he did...today. A few years ago, Malaysia bought a few dozens Sukhoi fighter planes from Russia. As a gesture of goodwill (and gratitude), the  Russian government offered to send one Malaysian off to space. To the International Space Station, to be exact! 400 km away from Mother Earth.

Subsequently, Malaysian citizens were offered and invited to apply for the chance to be the country's Astronaut. Out of a few thousand applicants, only one man managed to pass all the required physical, mental, intelligence,aptitude and attitude test.

The talk "12 Days In Space" was organised by TurkSat and The Istanbul Technical University. TurkSat is a service provider company and is very popular for satellite TV. 

The Organizers of the talk. Cok Tessekur Ederim.....

Dr. Shiekh Muszaphar, Malaysian very own Astronaut... Sorry girls, he's spoken for. This dishy 39 year old Orthopedic Surgeon just got married 2 years ago, where many Astronauts from all over the world attended the wedding. He claims that he was never satisfied with whatever he has...and always looking for something new. He also claims to sleep only 4 or 5 hours a day because there are too many thing to do......really?? Doesn't the Mrs. mind?

Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor is an Orthopedic surgeon, a mercenary, a part-time model and a restaurant-er. The world was never enough for him. So, he decided to see and own the outer-space as well. And that was how I found myself seated in the "Earthquake and Disaster Management Engineering" Lecture theater of the Istanbul Technical University today. My embassy invited me to go and my friends prodded me to go though I was not interested initially. Hey..I'm an engineer, I prefer to have my two feet rooted and firm on ground earth. Besides..I didn't even know how to spell "astronaut", really!! Ok..ok....go take photos, shake his hand and go home and Blog about it.  Besides...he's quite good-looking, eh? Simple enough, right? 

Except that his presentation was quite good actually and it gets my attention. As so was the rest of the audience. The room was packed with students,lecturers , media people and of course...commoners like me. I think he was the right choice to be sent off to space. Apart from the technical and physique requirement, he also possess a certain enthusiasm, drive and charm and before long, you could see that he had the audience eating out of his hands. The audience were mesmerized by his 30 minute presentation. Another 30 mins. for the overwhelming Q&A. Followed by the packed photography session with the eager audiences. I had to take the photo with him, how else to prove to my friends and the Embassy that I went...ha ha. 

All Astronauts have to go through vigorous and challenging routine, exercises and tests every day for almost 2 years. This include being subjected to near-zero oxygen condition whereby your body would have the tendency to black out. They were trained to breathe through their abdomen, just like how the singers did it. And he mentioned of the side effect of having his capillaries  in his body bursting trying to compensate and to divert the blood and oxygen to the head. 

An astronaut is also subjected to a spinning chair (centrifuge effect) such that the body would be subjected to massive gravitational push which would go as high as 9Gs. Meaning...its like having 9 times of your weight crushing on your chest! A roller-coaster would impact a 1.5G, whereas an F1 racing car driver would have a 3Gs effect. One can sustain up to 16Gs so far..but who wants to know and find out?  

No....he's not crooning to this lady....he's delivering his talk. See what I meant about being charismatic? I can understand now why he was chosen. I believe its because he also has that X-Factor.....that would draw and attract the crowds to his presence. On top of that, he had to be physically fit. The eyes must be a perfect 6/6, the hearing is perfect and according to him "no fillings in the teeth and no scars or prior operations, no matter how minor". Why?? Because the fillings would rupture and the scars would also rupture under such extreme situation in space or in their capsule. Not to mention that their internal organs must be able to withstand all those extreme routines, exercises and actual space conditions. Hmm....at least we do know now that Dr. Muszaphar does not have any scar, wounds or fillings in his teeth. What kind of a man is he? Is he human at all? Why does God load up all the good thing into this one man? Aren't you curious? I am !!

Unknown to many (outside Malaysia) he lost his brother while undergoing the training. But he never talked about it in the talk though he did touched a little on his family background. He also mentioned that the radiation in space is about 5 x of that of a chest X-Ray and hence, you will age very fast if you stayed in space. I think he has a point there because I saw that he was youthful in the videos taken during his space trip, almost boyish though he was 35 years old at that time. Ahh...see...I know there's a reason why I didn't like Space travel and all.  

With his fellow astronauts, the names of whom I can't recall anymore....

Do you know that while in space, your spinal ligament will stretch and lengthen by about 10cm (4 ins) or even 6 ins.?? Why ? Because there is no gravity to push you down and your ligament will be pulled to that effect. And most astronauts will experience back-pain since there is no support for your body. there are many more effects on the body and the body could deteriorate very fast if you did not work out and move your body,so they had to work out at least 2 hours a day.Unfortunately, your 'increase' in height will revert back to normal once you touch good old Mother earth.

It started with a DREAM. He had always wanted to go to outer space ever since he was a young boy. Now..what's the odds of that happening, huh? Dreams are possible. But in order to achieve your dream, you must first have a dream...got it? 

He claims that he heard the Azan (Muslim's call for prayers) when he was about to leave the ISS and has become a better Muslim now as he felt that God chosed him for the mission for a purpose. He feels closer to God and has since started researching the Quran for his better understanding of God. From the 500+ Astronauts (in the world), there were 9 Muslims and he had intended his presentation to be a reference for other Muslims to follow when/if they went to space.  Of course, few modifications had to be done. Like sticking to praying 5 times a day instead of 80 times due to their location.....

Q&A session.....with simultaneous translation during the talk and Q&A.  I could see that Turkey is ready for an Astronaut of their own. They already have their own satellites....what's sending a man to the space? I am sure that it will be just very soon!

Qs : Would you go again, if given the chance?
Ans. : Yes, definitely...especially to Planet Mars...even if they gave me a one-way ticket.
Hmm....careful Doc, going by your luck, you might get what you asked for. Be careful with what you wished  for, ok ?

I had planned for a short interview with him after the talk but looking at the audience swarming around him, I took 5 and waited for my turn. It was a good day, it had been forecasted to snow or rain but neither happened. The turnout  for the talk was very good and the Lecture Theater was full and over-spilled to the steps. Good thing I arrived early and got a vantage seat at the front. 

Finally got him to ourselves. Me and several Malaysian students who have come all the way from Bursa (2.5 hours away) to attend to the talk. I can now post this photo to my Embassy as proof that " I was there" he he...Its interesting to note that the students were actually under scholarship....from the Turkish Government!!!  Thank you Mr Erdogan....these students are so lucky and I hope that they know it already. 

Yes....we Malaysian are a cheerful and happy lots....
What a great way to end a great day....Mr. Angkasawan, Hos Cakalin....Seni cok seviyorum !!!

Frankly, I am proud that he is our Angkasawan (Astronaut) and he didn't fail to impress, even on foreign soil...Bravo Doc, Malaysia chosed a right Astronaut in you. I concur absolutely!!!! Now, let me write the salient points of the presentation, else I might forget the interesting facts and stories. I betcha...if your children had listened in to the presentation, they too...would wanna be an Astronaut. It's really that impressive except...aha....there's always a "but", yes? I wish he had used a different singer for his "Intro"....Ella is soo yesterday news...and the second song was just as 'distracting'. My 2-cents-worth, Doc.

As an added plus, I met 5 students from my country and 3 others each from Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. It's good to talk to these students and I kinda miss lecturing those Engineering students when I was back in my country. In fact, when I entered the Univ. ground, I felt so excited and never realised how much I actually missed the academic life. Ohh...such noble profession.....

Come...let's explore the space with the good Doc, he was in space for 12 days but what a lifetime journey it was for him. He even mentioned during Q&A that he doesn't mind being sent to Planet Mars.....on a one-way ticket ! Oohhh....is the world still not enough for you, Doc ?? 

Çöp (Hande Yener)

3388..We Have Touched 3388 !!

Thank you...today, we touched 3388 (actually its 3396 now) viewers and I want to give you readers and followers a little something to commemorate this achievement. But why this number? Well....I always believe that number 3 and 8 hold special significance to me,especially since I was born on 3rd. August. So, thank you for making this number special again today.

Thank You .....muah muah !!!

As my gratitude for all your support I would like to present here a Turkish singer who actually caught my eyes the first time I arrived here. Its true that I haven't a clue as to what she was singing about but it still is beautiful to my ears. Watch her perform and see if you agreed with me....I know..she's a bit too sexy but nonetheless...is creative and captivating....Enjoy!!

VIEW MORE ON HANDE YENER

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Well...you have seen and heard her sang the song Cop. Actually, that was the first song that haunted  us when we first arrived in Istanbul. A year ago...that song could be heard everywhere...in the park, in the shopping centre, even while you were dining. It was only months later when we could eventually get the name of the singer and the title of the song.

Hande is a great singer and is beautiful and attractive and I'm sure that she'll be on top of the chart for years to come. Move over Beyonce.......finally, we have someone who should be seen and heard at the same time !!! Sorry guys...Beyonce can't sing...period !!

News Just In!

Whitney Houston has died! Its really a great loss to the world and such a shame that drugs could destroy someone so talented.

It was always a challenge when we went for karaoke to see who could sing Whitney's "I run to you" song the best. I can assure you...not many could achieve the high note. What great, powerful and beautiful vocal she had. What a crying shame !!

Rest In Peace, Whitney...you deserve a good rest.

HAPPY VALENTINE DAY....may everything beautiful happen to you on this Valentine.

Winter wonderland in Istanbul

Istanbul is normally linked to the beautiful historical and unique buildings, the invigorating hamam, the vibrant and friendly people, the rosary carrying men and to a certain degree, the elegant and colorful scarved women and fezes (tarboosh) hats. Now, throw away your perceptions and try to picture instead Istanbul gone all white, covered with snow! Aha...not that easy,huh?

Istanbul (or rather Turkey) is now experiencing the coldest weather in 35 years! At its lowest, the temperature dipped to -7C degree but elsewhere in Turkey has recorded a biting -25C degree! To some, this might be a norm and i had a friend in Canada who went camping in the forest at -40C degrees, but even at zero degree, i think i'm already having a brain freeze!!

The beauty of winter in Istanbul is that, the temp. do not remain the same everyday. Last Saturday, it recorded a warm 15C degree while the day before,it was -3C degree!Yeah..how could the temp. changed so drastically? Compared to the British weather, it's a bit better. Why? In England, you can have four (4) seasons in a day. The temp. will change drastically within the same day. However,in Istanbul, its pretty consistent. If the day started as raining, trust me...it will be raining the whole day. And if it's sunshine, it will remain that way for the rest of the day. 

And..the weather forecast is accurate,too. You can bet your life on it...at least for the 3 day forecast. 

Thanks to the wonder of technology. I remember when we were students in England, we used to make fun of the British weather forecast. It has an accuracy of maybe 10%. And how we mocked at Terry Wogan (of BBC 2 then) by saying that he just went out of his office, put out his finger to feel the air and made his weather forecast...he he. Good ole Terry,we love you,though.

Istanbul is not affected too much with the freezing sub zero, thanks to the Bosphorus. The cold wind and fronts coming from Russia is normally 'neutralized' by the Bosphorus and hence that explains why Istanbul and the areas closed to Bosphorus is warmer compared to other places. Aha..I know, we blame Russia for everything! 

I was curious to see how the grand Dame Hagia Sophia would look like covered with snow and went to take some photos. I was mistaken in thinking that the place would be tourist-free (in this weather). The tren (train) was jam-packed with tourist though I haven't a clue as to where they were going. I noticed that they are many Arab tourists here now and you can tell them by the dozens of shopping bags that they carry. I think they are here for the shopping as its still a Sales season. They don't seem to mind the cold weather ....maybe they have mink coats underneath their shawl???

Istanbul's traffic was brought to a gridlock during the blizzard. Many people were stranded and schools were closed for a few days. Those who managed to reach their office did so by walking as the cars, busses and trains were not able to continue with their journey. (Photo from HurriyetDailyNews)

Waiting for the buses to take them to work, home or shops. Even then, there is no guarantee that they can reach the destination  on time, if at all. Moments like this, you feel like giving a bouquet of flowers to the bus driver! (Photo from HurriyetDailyNews)

An aerial view of Istanbul (new city) in white. (Photo from HurriyetDailyNews)

My village (Tarabya) is still white and cold, despite being so near to the Bosphorus.  Its eerily quiet,too.

Acibadem ( Bitter Almond) Hospital. It is now owned (majority) by a government-linked company from my country. Been there couple of times and this is one (private) hospital where I don't see many patients or activities going around. When you step into the building, you can't help noticing how 'deserted' and quiet the hospital is. Maybe because its charges are relatively high, starting at TL250 for normal consultation. Oh...and IBO (Ibrahim Tatlises) was treated here before being sent to Germany.

Along the Bosphorus. You'll be surprised to know that there are still anglers doing their favorite pastime, fishing !!

Bosphorus at its quietest.  I had waited for the snow to melt first before making this trip. In doing so, I lost the chance to take the photo when the area was really covered in thick snow..sigh.. 

Modern Museum. Normally a busy venue for many tourists.

Going towards the Old City. Can you see the Topkapi Palace on top of the hill? Its a different scenario now, almost everything is in white. and the sun is sadly missing.....

The Grand Dame Haghia Sophia in winter. It is still majestic, even from any angle or condition she is subjected to. Actually, I now see the rationale behind the quarter dome. It is more efficient compared to pitched roofs. And more beautiful in winter.

The park fronting the Hagia Sophia. The tourists were not many here but they were many in the train. I wonder where did they go during this cold weather? Maybe they all went to the Grand Bazaar.....aha, that makes sense. 

Yeah..I know, she does looks lonely and deserted....for NOW! When the sun comes out and the snow has melted, she'll be the envy of many again.

The Sultan Ahmet Mosque also cuts a lonely figure now. There are no more admirers on the bench to soak in the beauty of this masterpiece. I wish I had come here sooner during the heavy snow so that the view would be whiter and nicer. I had waited for the snow to melt before coming here, for an obvious reason! I could see that it must have been prettier when the snow was thicker.....my loss...opportunity like this don't come often. Will try again when its snows.

The Sultan Ahmet Mosque....still is beautiful, isn't she?

Too cold to stop and admire the beauty.....gotta go to the kebab shop and eat that shish kebab beside the Grand Bazaar...oohh..best in the world !!

Times like this, we must not forget our feline friends...how are they surviving in this weather?

Hagia Sophia...she is still beautiful, yes?

Another take of the Grand Dame, Hagia Sophia. Cool...

More people are beginning to arrive....

This year snow and blizzard has caused lots of havoc in the Eastern Europe region with Ukraine being the worst hit. More than 200 people have died in Ukraine and the temp. is still at -35C degree! Even Spain is not spared. I just find it strange to see palm trees covered in snow...

I still think she's beautiful...even when covered with snow and with the sun missing....but then again, maybe I'm biased.

My neighbor putting on final touch on the Snowman. That's one lovely and cheerful snowman.....Bravo !!

and here goes the hand.....she's good...don't you think?

My son's version of a Snowman (indoor) !!

Frozen garden and frozen swimming pool. wait a little while and I can ice-skate on it..yipee...

the snowman snowed over.....

I'm not sure how long the cold snap will be but as I write this, its has started snowing again. And I could hear the strong wind (35 kph) rattling at my doors and windows. Maybe I'll hibernate for a while till the snow thicken again and go take photos of the Hagia Sophia again. Or..Plan B, I can just hibernate and thaw my brain out of the brain freeze. Err...now, where was I..... 

Footnote :

On a warmer topic, we had steamboat for Chinesse New Year lunch over the weekend and it was great fun. Its so much fun eating steamboat when the temp. is dipping. For those who do not know what steamboat is....its a meal where you dip and cook your own ingredients in the chicken or other flavoured broth which is put in a big pot for you to cook. Its similar to the Japanesse Shabu-shabu but with more and varied ingredients. Its delicious...especially when had among friends....

Keeping warm with Steamboat with homemade fish balls and Rendang and Curry..Afiyet Olsun!