Taksim Meydani

Taksim-İstanbul, pentax k5, ozgur ozkok

Galata Mevlevihanesi

Galata mevlevihanesi, Mevlevi house , Galata-istanbul

silence of Bosphorus

view of Bosphorus, Eminönü-İstanbul, pentax k5, photos by ozgur ozkok

I’ve seen the story “RIP Robin Gibb”

streets of Balat, Balak sokakları, İstanbul, pentax k5, photos by ozgur ozkok

I’ve seen the story
I’ve read it over once or twice
I said that you say
A little bit of bad advice
I been in trouble
Happened to me all my life
I lie and you lie
And who would get the sharpest knife

Bee Gees “This Is Where I Came In”

19 Mayis 2012, Taksim

Commemoration of Atatürk , National Youth and Sports Day , (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı), 19.Mayis.2012, Taksim-İstanbul, pentax k5, photos by ozgur ozkok

Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth & Sports Day (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı) – National Holiday – The arrival of Atatürk in Samsun in 1919, the beginning of the War of Independence. Dedicated to the youth.

Commemoration of Atatürk , National Youth and Sports Day , (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı), 19.Mayis.2012, Taksim-İstanbul, pentax k10d, photos by ozgur ozkok

The Turkish flag, images of Atatürk and the boat on which he arrived in Samsun, as well as images related to sports are the symbols of the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day in Turkey.

Commemoration of Atatürk , National Youth and Sports Day , (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı), 19.Mayis.2012, Taksim-İstanbul, pentax k10d, photos by ozgur ozkok

Atatürk was born in 1881. But his birth date is not known. In one of his speeches, he declared that he considers his birthday as May 19, in clear reference to the beginning of the national struggle in 1919.

Commemoration of Atatürk , National Youth and Sports Day , (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı), 19.Mayis.2012, Taksim-İstanbul, pentax k5, photos by ozgur ozkok

breeze says a secret

İstanbul Lale Festivali, İstanbul Tulip Festival 2012, Sultanahmet, pentax k5, photos by ozgur ozkok

I am a sky where spirits live.
Stare into this deepening blue,
while the breeze says a secret.
Like this.

Mevlana Rumi

James Bond was in Istanbul

Eminönü square, İstanbul, pentax k5, photos by ozgur ozkok

last James Bond movie, Skyfall, is filmed partly in Istanbul, Turkey, principally around Eminönü and the Golden Horn. A frame from Skyfall’s plato

Erguvans of Moda

Erguvan, Judas Tree, Moda-İstanbul, photos by ozgur ozkok

Doves “Berkay Gulum”

Doves, photos by Berkay Gülüm

Time for tulips

Time for tulips

I know that tulip festival in Istanbul has come to its end this year. The petals have fallen, beauty has faded. The grace of tulips lasts only for a short while. Now the tulip time has begun here in Estonia, the country where I live. I hope, sincerely, that some day I can take part of this beauty parade in Emirgan park, Gülhane park,Yildiz park, Sultanahmet square… whereever in Istanbul.

Istanbul tulip festival, photos by Eleka Rugam-Rebane

I admire this modest, simple, yet sophisticated charm of tulips. I look at them every morning in my garden. Every night brings them closer to perfection.

Tulip by William J Smith

A slender goblet wrethed in flame,
From Istanbul the flower came
And brought its beauty, and its name.

Now as I lift it up, that fire
Sweeps on from dome to golden spire
Until the East is all aflame:

By curving petals held entire
In cup of ceremonial fire,
Magnificence within a frame.

1954

Istanbul tulip festival, photos by Eleka Rugam-Rebane