A Cat From London: Haziran 2013

28 Haziran 2013 Cuma

ANOTHER LONDON

Another good B&W photography book about London city life’s past. The book, contains photos taken during the period between 1930 and 1980 by 41 international photographers such as Eve Arnold, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sergio Larrain, Marc Riboud.

Another London published by Tate in 2012, is a look from different angles to London’s city life through the lens of foreigner photographers.

23 Haziran 2013 Pazar

TASTE OF LONDON 2013

Since three summers, we are visiting Taste of London, the world’s greatest restaurant festival in Regent’s Park and tasting delicious meals cooked by the best chefs of London.

Previous years we visited Taste of London first day of the event to avoid the crowd of the weekend but this year, because of our Solstice trip to Stonehenge, we went there saturday. Maybe because of choosing the early session, maybe because of the bad (no waaay!) weather it was not so crowded as we concerned.

This year also we headed first to our favorite chef in Taste of London, to Chef Francesco Mazzei’s L’Anima. Then we continued with other meals in other restaurant stands we choosed from the list. After finishing the food tasting we enjoyed our mojito while we visit food sellers’ stands. There, our most delicious find was the half kilo smoked buffalo mozzarella from Fratelli La Bufala (can’t wait to eat!). Windy and rainy day but happy stomacs!

Fettucine with wild mushrooms, Grana Padana Riserva and black summer truffle by L’Anima.

Pan-fried scallops served in the shell with pancetta, red chilli, parsley, capers, lentils di Castellucio and chopped rocket by Theo Randall at the Intercontinental.

Foie gras and truffle burger by Club Gascon.

Boudine noir et poitrine de porc, jus à la tomate épicée (pork belly and black pudding, tomato spiced jus) by Le Gavroche.

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This is the full page advertisement published in NY Times by Turkish people during the resistance of 2013.

22 Haziran 2013 Cumartesi

SOLSTICE IN STONEHENGE

Yesterday was the longest day of the year and to celebrate the solstice, we headed to Stonehenge, to one of the most spectacular places where the celebrations take place.

We visited first time Stonehenge two years ago. The circle of 4 tones stones was under protection and visitors could only walk around the circle. But for the solstice, the circle was open the public and we had a chance to visit every part of this 5000 years old archeological site.

The site was open for the celebration from 7 pm Thursday evening untill 7 am Friday morning. Because of the weather conditions, Friday morning we couldn’t see a spectacular sunrise but it was very interesting to see people coming, different costumes, rituals, musics, dances from the evening until early morning.

We couldn’t see the sunrise but considered ourselves lucky when we heard that it rained fourteen hours without break last year. We really enjoyed to be there but it was sad to see the damage caused by people in this 5000 years old archeological site in only twelve hours.

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Since three weeks we are very excited about what’s happening in Turkey. Last week, we couldn’t keep following more from the internet and tv and we went there for one week. We became more excited when we saw the good things happening there and we felt sorry about our died, injured people during the resistance for democracy, freedom and human rights. We came back few days ago but our hearts are still in Taksim.

17 Haziran 2013 Pazartesi

ISTANBUL TAKSIM GEZI PARK AND THE CHILDREN

In Turkey the islamist government decided to demolish Taksim Gezi Park in Istanbul to build a shopping mall.

Since 20 days not only in Istanbul, around all country people resist to protect the park, the liberty and the human rights while the government is using teargas, pepper spray, water cannons with chemicals and plastic bullets.

The best response to the government who is not able to understand why, is from the children.

1 Haziran 2013 Cumartesi

TWO LONG DAYS

Yesterday we opened our terrace season and had a short break from our computers. Because since two days, except this little break at the terrace and sleeping a couple of hours after the sun rise this morning, we spent almost all of our time in front of our computers, sharing photos, videos and information about what’s happening in Istanbul.

Normally, we don’t talk about politics in A Cat From London but today we will make an exception and talk about Taksim Gezi Park. Since ten years, the islamist government is doing unbelievable things in Turkey. Lately, they decided to built a shopping mall (Istanbul has around 60 shopping malls and don’t need another one) at the Gezi Park in the main square of Istanbul.

Activists, resisted to save 90 years old (same as the republic) trees. The government sent police forces, thousands of them against their own people. Police used force to pacifist activists (even the animals, lots of dogs lost their lifes in two days) and at the end, it was not the thing of saving the trees and a park anymore, it was saving the human rights and the democracy. Police used pepper spray directly to the faces, used gas bombs and plastic bullets targeting the faces and vital organs. Hundreds are injured. Turkish media (except three channels) didn’t published any of this and all informed and communicated by social media.

Today, the people, young, elder, turk, kurd, muslim, christian, jewish all are united and occupied Gezi Park in Taksim Istanbul and don’t give up from our trees, our democracy and the human rights. Here are some photos of Istanbul:

Police using pepper spray (Photo by Osman Orsal –injured also by tear gas canister thrown by police - Reuters)