Istanbulli-Wood

This is an incredible place of contrast. Between secular and religious, style and tradition, and appropriately, between East and West.
Over the coming months we hope to record the contrasts as we run across them...or rather, into them. The most amazing to us is the mix between those who are completely veiled in chadors and those who look as if they stepped out of a Stateside Mall. To see the extremes sitting on the bus or walking down the street is confusing.


We headed east today to Bostanci along the coast. Still hunting for neighborhoods and language schools we thought we would spend a day in suburbia. We found Bostanci to be similar to Ocean Beach in San Diego, or any of the quirky beach communities found in Southern California. The boardwalk was the hangout for beggars, kids smoking on the sea wall, and older people out for a walk with their poodles.

We even saw one old lady talking (Turkish) to her dog, not just talking, but carrying on a conversation complete with questions and responses (one sided, of course)...it reminded me of an old Los Angeles Homicide Dick I know who talks to his dog in public...except his dog understands him.

Blooming Trees On Our Street

Bostanci

Laurel & Hardy...In An Istanlul Shop Window

At the end of our day out we passed a "Bobble Shop" and I was stopped short by the statue of Laurel and Hardy dressed in Middle Eastern garb in the window. Here we are half way around the World from our home in Los Angeles... and we find L&H, made famous in LA, sitting in the Mediterranean sun in Istanbul. Now...That's one to tell your dog about.