Outta Istanbul, Marvelous Melbourne revisited.

Aha..thought you'd gotten rid of me for good, didn't you? Looks like you're in for a surprise...i've not laid down my hat, so... as the saying goes..it ain't over, till the fat lady sings! And there's no fat lady in sight whatsoever....besides, there have been 2300 hits to this Blog since I last wrote, so I figured....hmm...somebody out there still enjoy my rantings....

Revisiting Melbourne after ten years was like a blast from the past, plus...ehemm....I'm 10 years older now, OMG! Where did all those time go to?? while there are a few changes, Melbourne remains almost the same as when i left her. There is Docklands now and the car park next to the Victoria Market is no longer there. Besides that, Melbourne still is the center for Cultural and other sporting events, not forgetting it being a fashion hub for many acclaimed designers. you just need to stop and observe and soon enough, you'll realise that you are actually surrounded by gorgeous people, magnificent buildings and yum yum... wonderful FOOD!!! All the food that I had was great! Not once was I disappointed with the food while in Melbourne. Or... could it be that  i was too easy to please, when it comes to food? Maybe... but, hey.. who cares! Now that remind me of something.... if you go to Melbourne.... you must, MUST eat the oysters!! Au naturel, of course. It is sooooo yummy.... it's so fresh, it's actually sweet. It sort of melt in your mouth. I think I could have dozens at one sitting, no kidding...it's that good !!! Go on..try it... you won't regret it, I promise you !!

Melbourne is a very tourist and student-friendly city. Wherever you go, no matter what you do, you can rest assure that the city is well equipped to meet your requirement as a tourist or a student. It has so many facilities and services to cater for these group of people. It is not surprising then, that it has been voted many times over as one of the most desirable city to live in. Marvelous Melbourne indeed!

Being a picky and cost-conscious tourist that I am, the first thing I'd scout first would be for a  free transportation to go round the city. and .... what did I find? i didn't just found a free ride, i found TWO free rides! And... listen...it gets better! There's even a free (volunteer) tourist assistants who operate from morning till evening to assist you while you're in the city. I have never met such great services before and the free rides that I just mentioned are actually Hop On Hop Off type of services. 

well... there's nothing much to say here actually. what to say about something that is  almost 'perfect'? it's a great city and those pioneers who first set foot on Australia centuries ago, either in search of gold or being 'sent away'.... really did a great job building the nation. It is still a "Land of opportunity" and if you worked hard doing whatever you're doing.... rest assured.... you will make it here. everybody  has an equal rights to everything. Is it any wonder that everybody wants to migrate to Melbourne, or Australia? The pot of Gold is still there waiting for anyone who dares make the extra effort.... maybe someday....maybe someday.......

The Iconic Flinders Street Station. This is the hub of all train services in Melbourne. Do not be intimated by its splendor for once inside the buildings, you'll find many eager and friendly staffs waiting to assist you with your travel planning. You just need to look confused or lost, and before long, there'll be someone beside you to help you out of your predicament. And they do it voluntarily and you needn't have to pay for the services. So..there is no touts or scammers here. Noticed the unique color of the building? 

The beautiful St. Paul Cathedral, just across The Flinders. So many weddings have taken place in this great cathedral.If you stood across the road, you'll have a magnificent view of  St. Paul ,The Flinders and The Federation Square. It was a Saturday and some roads were closed due to footy match. And... there were police stationed everywhere... 'tho I don't think Aussies fans are worse than the British hooligans...

This car is making a "Hook Turn". I think you can only find this 'turn' in Australia. Cars going to right had to go to the left, wait in the middle of the road and turn to right when the junction is clear. ONLY in Australia can you find such patient and tolerant drivers. Compared to Istanbul's drivers, Aussies drivers are angels behind the wheels!! If this driver were in Istanbul, he would have ended up in an emergency ward somewhere, i'm quite sure of that hahaha... 

There is a Tourist bus shuttle that will take you to many interesting places (even to The Victoria Market) and you can hop off  or hop on anytime while its making its round. Complete with an informative narration either via a recorded system or live  narration from the driver himself. And the driver that I had that day was very witty,too. How marvelous!

Tourist shuttle that will take you to all the interesting places and a round trip will take about 1.5 hours. You can Hop On or Hop Off anytime and anywhere you want. There is  a shuttle every half hour, not bad, eh? 

The Shuttle stops at The Queen Victoria Market, so you can plan to visit this historical landmark according to your schedule. It is soo convenient and is such a pleasant way to see the city. Noticed how clean the city and streets are? 

Tourists and school trips to The QVM. Most of the tourists that I talked to were from other parts of Australia. The school children are locals and the trip was organised by their school. So... I was not the only 'alien' at The QVM on that day hehe..

And then, there's a vintage Tram  City Circle No. 35  that goes around the peripheral of the city. This tram has longer operating hours till late at night. However, I found it a bit scary as  it was doing at least 90 km/hr! And the tram is more than a century old! We were literally hanging on for dear life hahaha...and the driver and his assistant was one stern and no nonsense couple. It took away the fun and joy of the ride and I alighted  after a couple of  stops. Ahhh... that must have been the only non-tourist friendly encounter that I had. Maybe he got up from the wrong side of the bed hehe. It was more fun to walk, I figured .... and I was right!   

A free vintage tram that circle the city of Melbourne. Do not be fooled by its age or looks, this tram  runs very fast. and everyone should have a go on it as it's quite an exciting experience. I didn't finish the circle as I figured that walking would be more interesting and it was! 

He was waiting to be invited to share my lunch! Unfortunately, the fish and chips that I had was too good to be shared with him... yeah, I can mean sometimes....

Aussie's sense of humor.....

Another Aussie Humor ?? 

This...I believe, is one of the most beautiful flower stall that I've ever seen. It's at corner of Little Collins and Swanston Street. Almost everybody who passed through the stall, will stop to take photos of it. 

Vertical garden at The Town Hall.

It's spring time in the Southern hemisphere and flowers were everywhere. In fact, they were having a Tulips Festival when I was there but I didn't make it to the event due to time constraint....arghh...what a shame!! I'd loved to tell them that tulips originated from Turkey!! See if they'll chase me away hahahah.....

I guess, he's still waiting for his Cinderella, huh? Doesn't he know that Cinderella must go home at a stroke of midnight? Nobody told him yet? Guess not !!

So many beautiful carriages..... reminds me of the time when Princess Diana married Prince Charles...that was truly a magical wedding....

A National Heritage shopping Arcade, The Block Arcade. This has to be one of the most beautiful shopping arcade in the world. The tiles and the detailing on the floors, facade and ceilings are breathtaking! It is soooo pretty, so dainty and at the same time soo commanding. What a splendid architecture !!

This panel explains it all..... what an exquisite find....

Pay attention to the detailing...... and symmetry.

These cuties really caught my eyes....Dafel toys....oh how i wish i was seven again !!!

Need I say more? Only one word to describe it..... gorgeous !!

Look up and observe the details and the masterpiece...

The mosaic, the columns, the ceilings......what lovely combination!

No.... the Aliens have not landed in Melbourne! They are just waiting for the traffic light to turn green. It's been a long day and they seemed so tired while making their way home.

Hehehe....gotcha !!
They are actually bronze statues !! I have no idea why they are there but my guess is.... they are to keep you company? So that, you are technically, never alone while in the city? Maybe? Or..does anybody out there has any answer?

Eye candy and real candies at The QVM. Hmm...eeni meenni minee mooo.... 

Home made (or brewed) wine at The QVM. You can find many similar stalls selling such wines....

Wine by the barrel at QVM......

Doughnut prepared in-situ. 10 years ago, it was a plain hollowed round doughnuts but today it is balls of doughnuts filled with strawberry jam. Frankly, I kinda like the original version...that was ohhh...soooo.....yummmy!!

The doughnuts were only sold in bag of 6. So i had it for breakfast, lunch and tea treat but still could not finish all 6. Shh..I won't tell you what I did with the other 2 pieces....

Still at QVM, this stall is selling all kinds of sauces and flavored mustard. And they taste great....you can test them all to your heart's content....which I did, and went home with 2 bottles..... one hot relish was named " Hell's flame" and one man volunteered to try it out for me. turned out that it was not 'hellish' enough for him.... 

My favorite stall..... how I wish I was ......seven again ?? And how I wish I had some extra cash on me that day... it was not meant to be... sob sob....

The air of Melbourne is always filled with beautiful music, coming from many talented buskers that you will bump into at almost every corner. It's such a pleasure to just stop and listen and watch them perform...they are really  really  talented. And you'll notice that most of them have their own CDs. There are simply so many "Rod Steward" or "Richard Clyderman" waiting to be discovered. I think these are mostly students and I won't be surprised if they became a Surgeon in a few years time. A singing Surgeon...wow...that would be great, I don't mind having one looking down my tonsils!

Buskers and performers at The QVM. These guys are fantastic. It's sooo soothing to hear them sing after the 'guilt attack ' after burning a hole in your wallet at The QVM !! And..the braided guy is quite dishy, too.... don't you think so??

The Bunny was a performer and the guy in green cap was just clowning around. This bunny had a lot of spectators as he entertained them with the 80's songs and dancing to the tunes. The city is  always filled with sweet music and it always has a sense of fiesta when the sun goes down. Each street and corners would have its own performers and attraction. There was another guy playing an organ on corner Russel St. and Bourke St. And he plays them well!!

REALLY ??  Do you notice the Calorie?

SERIOUSLY?? Did you see the caloric value of the burger?
Isn't that a caloric value for a WHOLE DAY for most people? People who do not do any active activities but just sit in front of the PC? People like you and me??

Wow.... check out the Calorie !!!!

Special mention :

My relative graduated with some friends from Monash University and the convocation was held recently at the Clayton Campus. Well done .... Cynthia and the rest....you guys did great!! We are soooo proud of you !!!!  Hip Hip Hooray !!!!

Istanbul teşekkür ederim ..... sen benim son nefesine kadar kalbimde kalacak

I have been prodded by those who knew to write this piece. It's one post that I found it hard to put words on paper...so to speak. My good friend Tonia asked me to write this piece and confess. Another said not to bother and continue writing my Post till the 'cows come home'....yet another said....it's for me to decide. So..being a pragmatic person that I am, i decided to take all propositions and mix them and come out with a 'pragmatic' solution hahaha.....

I promised them that I shall wait till the readers hit 10,000 and I will write this piece. As i punched this words on the keyboard, the readers counter showed a figure of 9785. that mean, 215 more hits before i shall publish this piece. Hmm...that might take another week, i think. So, i'll have plenty of time to arrange my words.....which could turn out to be my last posting on Istanbul !!

"Thank you, Istanbul....you will remain in my heart till my last breath"...for those who can't understand Turkce, that's the meaning of today's posting. 

Well.....as of June this year, i had already left Istanbul for good and as you'll probably realised by now, I didn't make it to 1001 nights. Meaning...I lost the 'bet' and won't be collecting my $1000....boo hoo...sob sob sob....but I'm not crying over the lost 'bet'...I'm actually crying over Istanbul !! And as the title rightly said....Istanbul shall remain in my heart till my last breath. I had spilled so many tears over little Istanbul and my heart ached each time people asked me about her. You see...Istanbul wasn't just a 'stopover place' to me. i spend a good part of my life learning how to live differently and with different people, culture and surrounding. I have been warned that that's the peril of being an expatriate's wife. every places that you lived in, no matter where..will hold a lot for you and you'll always lose a little piece of you when you leave. Istanbul included..especially Istanbul! See..even writing this line will make me teary-eyed again...it's like a lost love.....the memory and its niceties keeps you warm and tickle your heart but deep down, it saddens you 'cos you know that you'll never recover it ever again. For a while, I avoided talking about Istanbul as it brought so much painful remembrances and that was one reason why I couldn't bring myself to write this piece earlier. 

I have a friend whose last posting was to China. When I visited his house, it was full of stuffs, furniture and mementos from China and I thought that it was a bit odd. Now, I can relate to him as my place is now full of memories of Istanbul. I guess you'll have to go through it yourself in order to understand what is going through my head now. My friend, Stephanie had been posted to 7 countries and she told me that, each time she left...her heart would bleed again. It's not just the place....it's everything, the people and all its good and bad....you embrace them all. 

So...as Tonia had asked me to do, yes..I now confess that I no longer live in Istanbul, 'tho...I do plan to return for a holiday next year, so...babysunshine, if you're reading this...i shall still be in Istanbul as planned.....not to worry on that...and i still wanna take that cruise that i missed. hey...life is too short and we'd never knew what life has in store for us... grab it while we can....

One thing for sure...I have no regrets, I lived life to the fullest in Istanbul, explored and did many things that even the locals have not gone or done yet! And I'm glad I did.... 

Thank you indeed Istanbul....and Good bye for now. I am now in a good place,where I have been told that, it is every expatriates' dream to come to this country. I know for a fact that many expatriates came to this country and never went home. They decided to make this country home for them. It's a beautiful country and is very diverse in its people, culture and environment..... till then.....thank you readers, for following my Blog and for sharing my wonderful albeit a brief life experience in Istanbul. I hope it has been entertaining and engaging to you as it was to me.

Perhaps now I can go back to finish my PhD thesis. Actually, I started this Blog when my PhD Prof. said that "I write like a journalist", rather than a PhD candidate. Of which I pointed out to her that according to Estelle M.Phillips and  Derek S.Pugh in their book "How to get a PhD", one should write the thesis such that the supervisor could take it to bed to read and not wanting to put it down....I was just trying to prove to my Prof that it can educational and exciting at the same time. Ever wonder why people don't bother to read an PhD or Master thesis...aha...my point, exactly....sir..madam...Prof??

My last few nights in Istanbul.......the city that touched my life and hopefully I was able to enlighten  yours with my experience  

Captivating and unforgettable city...no wonder so many empires fought to have her....everybody wanted to call Istanbul their own. Fact is...Istanbul remains as it was centuries ago....mystical, romantic, intriguing, fascinating .....etc. etc.... 

Superb skyline.....could have been better with an SLR...sigh..I only had my auto digital camera during this shot....

I missed the sunrise but managed to capture the mist trapped within the buildings before Istanbul wakes up to the sound of its people, traffic and dramas....shhh...you seldom get to see Istanbul in such quiet, calm and peaceful setting..... its a first for me,too!!

The background is still shrouded with the mist. There was where it all started for me when I set foot in Istanbul. The vibrant district of Maslak was home to us for a month before we actually settled down permanently in Tarabya. Maslak is an industrial place full of automotive industries and businesses. 

Just turned six in the morning and suddenly everything came alive. Istanbulites are early birds...
they are used to setting off very early from home to beat the traffic jam. Especially, those motorists crossing
The Bosphorus in both directions. 

Thank you BISI....for being part of our lives and for preparing  the students to  face a 'more complicated' world out there....

Thank you Sahin Bey....for the hediye you gave me. A beautiful vintage gold plated wrist watch (which is older than me haha) and of which is still working till today. Mr Sahin has a clock and watch shop in Ortakoy selling new and antique/vintage mechanical clocks as well as for repairing any type of clocks. His wife is a very talented artist specialising in color pencil and free form drawing. Along the way, he had became good friend of ours since we trust his judgement and pricing whenever we purchased a clock or repaired something. so much so that we didn't have the heart to tell him that we were leaving and never did tell him. So, I hope Sahin Bey, if you're reading this, thank you.
Btw, this, to me...is where the BEST baklava in Istanbul came from. they also have a branch in Eminonu which you can see from the tram as you approached Sirkeci station. The pastry is...as they said it...as light and thin as the cigar paper...wow..it literally melt in your mouth......worth trying it...   

My favorite lunch cafe, Cabuk Osmani (Fast Osmani) in Istinye Park. I simply loveeeeee their salata (salad) and the Adana Durum....which is just grilled lamb wrapped in lavash (thin bread) with some fresh salad and some baharatlar (spices). It sounds plain and simple but is ohhh...so delicious. And their salata is great! It consists mainly of cooked veges, beans or pulses which had been cooked in olive oil. you'll be surprised how delicious patlican (aubergines), bamyia (ladies fingers), mantar (mushrooms), piyasa (leek), angiena (artichoke) and other veges are when cooked by them. In fact, you can just take the 'self-service' salata at TL5 per plate and you can have a complete meal where vitamin, protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients are concerned. Btw this restaurant is always full all the time....

We had left home and was staying at a hotel. View from our hotel. Can you see the glimpse of the Bosphorus in the background? See....Istanbul is less dramatic without The Bosphorus...it's almost as if it has lost its soul...sob sob....I know that I shall miss Istanbul terribly, particularly The Bosphorus....

Welcome to my Turkce classroom, for this is the place that taught (or rather, forced) me to speak Turkce. This is the 'practical' class for me to practice my Turkce. It was fun and I know that most times, I was given more or cheaper for my effort in speaking the local language. Not bad..considering I started off with sign language and graduated with haggling with them for better prices. My proudest moment was...while in a kebab joint, I was requested by the trader to translate and communicate with some foreigners who were struggling to order the kebabs!!! And by the way, do you know that there are 2 types of cherries? Vishne (sour) cherry and Kiraz (normal) cherry...... Vishne is so sour that they are mostly turned into vinegar, so..now you know haha.....

My favorite seafood shop at the Metrocity food court. I believe that this shop serves the best 'Hamsi Tava' ( fried Hamsi) in Istanbul. The texture, the freshness, the crunchiness and everything is just SUPERB and PERFECT. Hamsi is an equivalent of anchovy (fish) and is normally eaten either fried or grilled (izgara). I would only go to this shop for Hamsi Tava as elsewhere would not taste just as nice. So much so that, whenever I go to the shop, i need not do any ordering for the salesgirl already knew that I came for the Hamsi tava and nothing else....yeah, i know....i'm very consistent when it comes to food.

There you are....my favorite Hamsi Tava...just the way I like it....just perfect !!! It looks so plain but ohh...soo delicious. wait till you have a bite out of it... pretty soon...like me, you'll return for more.....really... !!

Yum....yum.....one plate will keep me happy for the rest of the day.....

My landlord Mr. Garo..... his wife, Susan (in white tees) and a friend at fish shop for lunch. I owed a lot to Mr Garo. He is not just a Landlord, he was also our mentor, a great friend and a wonderful person. From the first day we set foot in the house, he had helped us in so many ways, even to the extend of helping to unpack, setting all the necessary fittings and everything we needed for the house. He taught us how to live in Turkey and guided us in so many ways....its like having my own parents staying downstairs to us. He is also a Civil engineer by profession and maybe thats why he helped a lot...a comrade, a fellow Civil engineer...we do have that unwritten code that bind us all, you know? The moment we know that there is a fellow Civil engineer in need, we'll have to go in and help...no questions asked...

Xmas and New Year dinner with Mr. Garo, Susan and Arash. Susan is a great cook and being Armenian, she cooks great turkish and Greek as well as Armenians dishes. Wait till you taste her Yaprak sharma, Asuree porridge and her other specialties. Ashraf is a trained chef and  now runs a manufacturing business processing and supplying premium smoked salmon to hotels and other established eateries. Ohh..and Susan makes her own wine 'tho I couldn't tell how good it is as I don't take alchohol but I've been told that hers is a splendid wine. Bravo !!
And did I tell you that Mr Garo will go and keep his mom's company every week? At 100 years old, she is still keeping busy but for a weak knee.

Our last dinner together....we were all sad to leave behind friends who had touched our lives....and knowing that we might not see each other ever again....Garo Bey ve Susan cok cok tessekur ederim. Btw, this Sait Iskender Kebabcisi serves some delicious food and we went there for our meal frequently. it is just next to the Istinye Park

Sait Iskender Kebabcisi was established in 1962...a good 59 years ago !!  It serves one of the best Iskender Kebab (if not the best) in Istanbul. The kebab is made to perfection and you will definitely return to the shop for more...

I think this could very well be the tastiest Iskender kebab that I had had....at Sait Iskender. The freshly made bread and the sauce and yogurt are just perfect....topped with the buttered oil...ohh..heaven..

Tavuk Izgara (grilled chicken) ....also to perfection....

Patlican izgara (grilled aubergine).....it's surprising how something so simple could taste so good....try it out for yourself..

The specialty of Sait Iskender Kebabcisi. While waiting for your order, you'll be served with meze (entree) consisting of 'pouffe' bread and this special "tulum' peynir (cheese). Don't be ashamed if you are caught still eating the entree when the main course is ready to be served at your table. In my case, the waiter had to 'forcefully' take away my meze plate because I refused to stop eating them! And the main course was getting cold. You see...the combination of a warm pouffe (or puffed-up) bread with the tulum cheese is really out of this world! the tulum (cheese marinated and aged in goat intestines) was specially mixed with butter and some herbs and then whisked to perfection. Can you now imagine the exquisite taste of this haunting tulum cheese? You simply must try this....i think you can't get this elsewhere but here....

A closing of a door....is it an opening of another? But....of course....it's just that it hurts to close it...

Yeap.....another door will be opened........that's the way life goes....what we have now is just a journey. It is not the destination that matters, it's how we 'handle' and 'appreciate' the journey. Thank you God, for giving me this journey...

Thank you May....for being a friend and for being there when i got stuck somewhere....

At the end of the day....our lives are just in a number of boxes that we have....if only we could compartmentalise and put our feelings into boxes and only think about it when and if we opened the boxes... that would have been simpler...2 years of memories in so many boxes...

Thank you Sirma....for everything....

My final view of Istanbul.....

And with this...I bid my farewell to Istanbul....and hope to return someday...

The Queen has left the Throne...errr....The Blogger has left The Blog.....
Goodbye Istanbul.....you remain in my heart till my last breath !

Prologue :


Today, the reader's counter has touched 10,019 hits so as promised, this post will be published today.

Thank you to my readers who have been following and giving feedback on this Blog. I hope that you have enjoyed my ranting and have gained some insight into Istanbul. It has been refreshing for me and I am now mulling if I should blog about my new place. Hmm....I wonder......

ISTANBUL....


Hos cakal, goodbye, au revoir, selamat tinggal, adios, sayonara, ciao, ...........